BEER REVIEW: 473
BREWER: Gipsy Hill, South London, England
STYLE: Pale Ale
ABV: 3.4%
VESSEL: 330ml tin
DATE OF POST: 30th October 2026
JYMI SAY’S…
On 27th October 2017 Sammy and I reviewed our third beer for Muse on Booze. That beer was Hepcat and was brewed by our brewers here today, Gipsy Hill. We were both taken aback by the quality of the beer we consumed that day. We also loved the way the brew was packaged up, 330ml brown bottle with just a simple, yet distinctive to the brewery, character on the front of the label.
3290 days later here we are with Bandit, and much has changed… Firstly we have a 330ml tin. Not unusual nowadays. But more importantly the way the Gipsy Hill character is now portrayed on the front is VERY different, and I don’t like it I’m afraid.
To the beer itself.
Bandit is only 3.4%, but that doesn’t matter here, as this brew tastes pretty darn good!
The nose leads the way (odd that) with waves of elderflower backed up by faint yet lush citrus notes. In the sip we’re told to expect zest, and yes, Bandit delivers. Orange, Lemon and Lime tones flicker over your tongue when beer is in gob. We’re also told that pine will arrive… for me, it didn’t, though slight tones did emerge very near the end of the glass. It’s in the swallow that Bandit being just 3.4% first becomes apparent. It does thin out, there is no denying it. But once in a while a brew comes along that tastes good enough that the drop in body doesn’t matter all that much as the brew then becomes all the more crushable. And at such a low ABV, tasty and crushable… works!
Not world beating but absolutely delivers on its MO.
Bandit in definitely worth having on the radar for your beer fridge as an easy, tasty and oh so sessionable pale ale.
Jymi’s Rating: 70%
SAMMY SAY’S…
Bandit pours a pale straw colour with a light haze, looking every inch the easy going session pale. The nose offers up grapefruit and pineapple, though in a fairly restrained fashion. Normally I’d want a bit more punch, but at just 3.4% ABV it feels less like a flaw and more like an understandable compromise. There’s still enough tropical and citrus character to draw you in for the first sip.
On the palate, Bandit delivers exactly what a beer of this strength should. Zesty citrus leads the charge, backed by gentle floral notes and a touch of pine that keeps everything crisp and refreshing. The body is light and, yes, a little thin, but expecting anything else at 3.4% would be asking a lot. What impresses is how much flavour has been packed into such a modest package. This is enormously drinkable, properly sessionable beer that never feels watery or dull. For a sub 4% offering, it’s an excellent effort and one I’d happily spend an afternoon drinking without a second thought.
Sammy’s Rating: 72%
MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 71%
MOB review next weekend: SAMUEL SMITH’S ORGANIC PALE ALE by SAMUEL SMITH’S
Sammy & Jymi – Musing on Booze weekly since 2017
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M O B 2026
