BEER REVIEW: 470
BREWER: Buxton Brewery, Derbyshire, England
STYLE: Double IPA
ABV: 8.4%
VESSEL: 440ml tin
DATE OF POST: 9th October 2026
JYMI SAY’S…
Don’t mind a sheep. They’re pretty cool.
Don’t mind a ram either, as long as they don’t, RAM.
(This is clearly a ram on the front of our tin here, and I know a ram is still a sheep… oh whatever.)
Don’t mind the colour green, and actually really like British Racing Green, which is used on today’s tin.
So why oh why, do I hate the name and packaging of this beer???
The answer is, I don’t flippin’ know! But I really hate everything about it. So unappealing.
I’ve written this 3 weeks before test, let’s see how she goes when only concentrating on the contents of the can. See you then.
Three weeks later…
Right, the moment of truth.
Ignoring the name. Ignoring the artwork. Ignoring the green tin that I apparently have some sort of personal vendetta against.
What about the beer?
Well… it certainly smells strong.
And you can understand why. At 8.4%, this is a Double IPA, and there’s no mistaking it. On the nose I’m getting a touch of caramel and some dankness, and it certainly lets you know it means business.
The taste upfront is pretty much the same as the nose. Caramel, dankness and… a lot of it.
Actually, perhaps a little too much.
There’s no real let up. It’s big, bold and pretty intense from the off, but not necessarily in a particularly enjoyable way. There’s a touch of burnt caramel on the swallow, and definitely some orange peel coming through too.
It’s all getting a bit much.
And yet, somehow, despite all that, it also feels like it goes nowhere.
That’s the strange thing about this beer. It’s too bold in places, but at the same time leaves me wanting in others. It has plenty of flavour, but I’m not sure it ever really comes together.
The very late aftertaste is probably my favourite part. There’s a softer caramel note that lingers, but thankfully without becoming sweet or cloying. That bit I actually quite like.
So, after three weeks of wondering whether I’d unfairly judged this beer because of its absolutely horrible packaging…
I don’t think I have.
It’s not bad bad. But it’s definitely not good.
I just knew I couldn’t trust that ram on a green tin. So the moral of the story is… ALWAYS JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER!
Jymi’s Rating: 31%
SAMMY SAY’S…
The nose comes bursting out of the chute like an overexcited rodeo bull, throwing big mango aromas around the arena before you’ve even settled into your seat. It’s bright, fruity and promising, suggesting you’re about to witness something spectacular. In the glass it’s crystal clear, looking every bit the polished showpiece ready for the main event.
The first sip, though, lands more like a cautious trot than a full blooded charge. Bitter caramel rides in front, with mango notes trailing behind and trying to catch up. It’s dry across the palate with a medium mouthfeel that keeps things moving along, but never really grabs the reins.
As the glass empties, the beer starts to loosen up a little. The bitterness eases back, subtle flavours emerge from the dust, and there’s a touch more balance than the opening moments suggested. Like a rider who finally finds a rhythm halfway through the competition, it becomes more enjoyable the longer you spend with it.
In the end, this is a perfectly respectable run around the ring, but not the rodeo spectacle you were hoping to see. The mango-laden entrance promises fireworks, yet the performance settles into something far more ordinary. It’s an okay drop and an easy enough drink, but it’s neither best in class nor best in glass.
Sammy’s Rating: 61%
MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 46%
MOB review next weekend: SUN & STONE by TAYBEH BREWING CO.
Sammy & Jymi – Musing on Booze weekly since 2017
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M O B 2026
