HAMSTER OF DOOM

BEER REVIEW: 334

BREWER: Ridgeway Brewing, Oxfordshire, England 

STYLE: Brown Ale

ABV: 5.8%

VESSEL: 500ml brown bottle 

DATE OF POST: 3rd March 2024

 

JYMI SAY’S…

Look, is this quite possibly the BEST beer name of all time???!

I mean, not a huge amount of marks are awarded for the name of a beer but I’m going to go on and on and on and on and on and on and on about it nonetheless!

For me, one of the staff at Ridgeway must have a troublesome hamster. Every day they must turn up for work with yet more tales of what Larry (I’m taking a guess at the name of said Hamster, but I’m pretty sure I’m right) has gotten up to overnight. Whether it be a simple speaker wire chew or blueprints for Armageddon (if you know you know 😉) found underneath the food bowl, Larry is causing trouble daily and has a constant look in his eye. It’s unnerving for the owner and Ridgeway operative. ‘What’s wrong with him’ they ask? What’s he plotting? Is he the Hamster of Doom?…

It’s 3:33am before a big brew day and the Ridgeway worker is awoken by an almighty commotion downstairs.  ‘Larry?’ they think. It can’t be… They rush down to find out what on earth is going on but upon flicking the light switch and the bulbs illuminating all, they see Larry, sitting in a hamster sized deckchair (made out of straw, paperclips and speaker wire) staring at them… smirking. But Larry has forgotten one thing. By accident he has forgotten one very important thing. He’s left his monocle in (paperclip and a savaged water bottle this time). Which confirms he is indeed… THE HAMSTER OF DOOM. Plotting, plotting to commit the unthinkable.

The Ridgeway worker returns to work the following day, shaken, and reports to co-workers that Larry is most certainly the Hamster of Doom. And so, the beer was born. Well, I’m pretty sure that’s how anyway.

We’re told very prominently on the bottle that HOD is a beer with bite, but unfortunately it is the lack of bite that ultimately let’s this brew down. You see Hamster of Doom is actually a really pleasant drop. A sweet and malty nose leads to a very refreshing crisp and chuggable mouthfeel (not very brown ale like but… whatever). The body is relatively thin but I think on this occasion that helps the drinkability of this beer. It tastes very sessionable to be fair, but I think the 5.8% ABV tag may, ultimately, have something to say about that. However, in the taste it’s lacking something. A tang? A hop hit? A bitter blast? A BITE?!

As I said, decent beer but with just a little extra something it could be… great.

Jymi’s Rating: 65%

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

Me testing partner, Jymi, is of short stature. So, I’m imagining he’s pretty excited about this brew. A little creature being elevated to scary heights and slapped on a beer bottle is something he can relate to.

Let’s see if we do indeed have a brewing behemoth fronted by a timid rodent…

To be clear, I do actually love this name, Hamster of Doom, and I like the slogan… ‘Brown ale with bite’. With a slogan like this, you need to have bite (like a vicious hamster). 

While the beer itself is uncomplicated, it is nutty and well balanced. The one thing HOD is lacking, is bite. The finish is quite weak with only a hint of spice. 

Sadly, this little hamster doesn’t quite fill the boots it aspired to. Still a decent enough drop though! 

Sammy’s Rating: 67%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 66%

MOB review next weekend: TEN FALLS by TRACK

Sammy & Jymi – Musing on Booze weekly since 2017

Instagram: muse.on.booze

museonbooze.com

M O B 2024

NAUGHTY & NICE – CHOCOLATE CARAMEL COOKIE

BEER REVIEW: 333

BREWER: Vocation, West Yorkshire, England

STYLE: Chocolate Stout

ABV: 8%

VESSEL: 440ml tin

DATE OF POST: 25th February 2024

 

JYMI SAY’S…

Hello again! Welcome back to our look at Vocation’s two versions of Naughty and Nice. Last week it was the standard issue (which was a real goodun) and this week it is the turn of the Chocolate Caramel Cookie version.

I’m pretty excited for this I have to say! Let’s see what she is like…

Well it smells like a Chocolate Caramel Cookie. Good start!

And errr, it most certainly tastes like a Chocolate Caramel Cookie. Well flippin’ done!!!

Now you would think that because Jymi isn’t necessarily the biggest fan of sweet beers there could be an issue here. But there is not. You see, Vocation, unsurprisingly yet again, have not allowed this brew to get too sweet. Yes, in the sip there is a level of chocolate and caramel bringing sweetness to the table, but the aftertaste brings a light bitterness, again from the chocolate and this time a savoury touch with the inclusion of salt sitting alongside more caramel.

I have to say this is an excellent beer for sure. No more than one glass in a sitting but that backs up just how luxurious this brew is.

Vocation, you never ever disappoint. My hat comes off to you… again.

Jymi’s Rating: 85%

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

Following on from last week’s review, this week we have the caramel and cookie version of Naughty and Nice. It’s aptly named Naughty and Nice Chocolate Caramel Cookie. 

Last week, the original brew held up well.  Let’s hope for some of the same brewing dust this week… 

Straight off NANCCC smells as it says on the tin.   A bit of a strange experience for a stout, but it is as promised.  

Ok, so, compared to last week this is definitely sweeter. But that is what you’d expect, is it not?  In fact, as with the base beer NANCCC is exactly as described: Biscuity caramel glory with chocolate base. 

Is this an improvement on the original – not necessarily. But what it does so well is builds the flavour profile and so it follows well after the original Naughty and Nice as the next beer on your list. 

Love the way it delivers as it says. 

The connection between the beers is so strong but both stand individually well. 

Great job.  

Sammy’s Rating: 91%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 88%

MOB review next weekend: HAMSTER OF DOOM by RIDGEWAY BREWING

Sammy & Jymi – Musing on Booze weekly since 2017

Instagram: muse.on.booze

museonbooze.com

M O B 2024

NAUGHTY & NICE

AS WE DID BEFORE WITH GUINNESS (21.05.2021) AND THEN DOLPHIN BREWERY (18.03.2022), WE ARE REVIEWING TWO BEERS THAT ARE LINKED IN SOME WAY THIS WEEK AND NEXT. THIS WEEK, NAUGHTY & NICE – NEXT WEEK, NAUGHTY & NICE (CHOCOLATE CARAMEL COOKIE VERSION)

BEER REVIEW: 332

BREWER: Vocation, West Yorkshire, England

STYLE: Chocolate Stout

ABV: 5.9%

VESSEL: 440ml tin

DATE OF POST: 18th February 2024

 

JYMI SAY’S…

So here we have it, beer one of two from Vocation that we’re reviewing this week and next. It’s the same beer to a point but next week’s has a twist, as I’m sure you’re already aware from what seems a now pointless blurb above.

I have to say I was pretty excited for both of these brews. Why? Well, it’s Vocation we’re dealing with here. Even though a lot of Vocation beers are readily available in quite a few supermarkets nowadays their quality has not dropped. So, supermarket or not, I expect this brewery’s high standards to shine through.

And in this first beer it most certainly has!

A delightful full on chocolate aroma greets the drinker pre sip, setting said drinker on their journey of loveliness. The mouthfeel is excellent and the taste is once again ALL chocolate followed by a hint of cherry in the back end. Vocation have unsurprisingly hit the perfect balance of sweet and bitter here, and it really works.

While this beer is not necessarily out of this world it is very, very good and I’m without doubt looking forward to the Caramel Cookie / higher ABV version next weekend.

Cheers!

Jymi’s Rating: 79%

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

This week, we are testing Naughty and Nice brewed by Vocation. Next week, we will be reviewing a sister beer, which is based on the beer we are testing this week. Nice touch, eh?

Anyway, onto the business of this week…

Naughty and Nice is a success of a stout. Described as chocolate, it hits every note you might hope for. Packed full of dark chocolate flavours, you’re taken on a luxurious drinking journey. 

Now, I get this might not be to everyone’s taste. But, be warned, if you have purchased this stout and you don’t like it, you only have yourself to blame. It’s exactly as described. Exactly. 

Well brewed, Naughty and Nice is definitely a beer for a winter’s day. It’s warming and decadent and I love it. 

It delivers on everything you would hope for in a beer of this style. It’s clever, it’s bold and it’s delicious.

Sammy’s Rating: 89%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 84%

MOB review next weekend: NAUGHTY & NICE: CHOCOLATE CARAMEL COOKIE by VOCATION

Sammy & Jymi – Musing on Booze weekly since 2017

Instagram: muse.on.booze

museonbooze.com

M O B 2024

WAPALOOSIE

BEER REVIEW: 331

BREWER: Tartarus Beers, West Yorkshire, England

STYLE: GF Hazy Pale

ABV: 4.8%

VESSEL: 440ml tin

DATE OF POST: 12th February 2024

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

The Wapaloosie is a mythical creature, residing in North America.  Known to loggers, this feral beast is the size of a sausage dog and lives off of fungus. So, not the most intimidating of creatures. That being said, it’s still a good name for a beer – the question is, does the beer have a mythical side to it?  Or is it just another straight bat of a beer?

The answer is both yes and no.

While Wapaloosie (the beer) has the usual make up of a hazy IPA, it brings it all together in rather good fashion.  The citrus theme carries from nose in the form of grapefruit to last taste as sharp orange.  And in the middle of all of this, you get a nice peach punch to keep the balance of sweet and sour in good order.  

I know we’ve tried these old flavours on many an occasion.  And very often, they come up short, falling into the abyss of ordinariness. But with Wapaloosie it’s all so well balanced, that the beer stands out from the pack.

Whilst the creature might be of small stature, the beer breaks from the myth and stands tall above others.

Definitely worth a try…

Sammy’s Rating: 80%

 

JYMI SAY’S…

Before even popping this pup there is much to be said…

Though I’m not sure I massively like the look of the tin from a beer can perspective, I do absolutely adore the artwork. And by the time I’d absorbed it enough, many marks were awarded to be fair.

The name. I don’t know what it means and unfortunately don’t have time to research it. I can only assume Wapaloosie is either the Greek God of hops, decent craft brew pubs or Leeds?  Whatever it means or is, it’s an absolute belter of a name!

Wapaloosie is a Gluten Free Hazy Pale. But on the back of the tin where the ingredients list is housed it mentions that allergens are listed in BOLD. Not an unusual way of doing things nowadays but when the list includes Gluten you have to at least scratch your head, and then beard… and then head again. I’m clearly missing some legal thing here as there must be a minimum amount of Gluten allowed in a GF beer but still… bit odd.

Errrr, let’s bust this baby open.

My life. It looks and smells DIVINE!!!

I really was not expecting something so thick looking to enter my drinking vessel and the nose off of this brew is huge. Thick and dank, it’s just a delight.

Sip wise things do not let up at all. There is stacks and stacks of flavour here. Burnt orange with lemon notes is where Walapaloosie took me and it was an absolute triumph, all backed up by a sublime mouthfeel.

GF or not, this is a baller of a brew.

Seriously, go find.

Jymi’s Rating: 88%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 84%

MOB review next weekend: NAUGHTY & NICE by VOCATION

Sammy & Jymi – Musing on Booze weekly since 2017

Instagram: muse.on.booze

museonbooze.com

M O B 2024

PURE MAGIC

BEER REVIEW: 330

BREWER: Overtone, Lanarkshire, Scotland

STYLE: DDH Double IPA

ABV: 8.4%

VESSEL: 440ml tin

DATE OF POST: 4th February 2024

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

It’s quite a bold statement naming your brew Pure Magic. As the brewer, you must believe in it to be so confident. 

And the verdict is Overtone have nailed this beer. It’s a banger of a DIPA. Packed with melon, grapefruit and mango and finishing with grassy notes, I’d be surprised if any beer drinker out there were disappointed with Pure Magic. 

As an aside, it has a sumptuous mouthfeel to carry all these well brewed flavours through. 

Whether or not this monster of a beer is pure magic or not will always be in the tongue of the taster. But there’s not many out there who would argue with this beer being anything less than magic. 

Sammy’s Rating: 88%

 

JYMI SAY’S…

With a name like Pure Magic you kinda need your beer to deliver, if not over deliver to back up it’s label. Otherwise you get punks like me and Sammy thinking they’re clever by concluding a sh***y amateur beer review with obvious lines like Pure Magic… it is not or Pure Magic, No. Pure Pants, Yes.

Thankfully our buddies up in Glasgow, Overtone, have flippin’ nailed it! This is an awesome brew let me tell you!

First off Overtone have decided to use the hops Galaxy, Motueka and Strata for this power beer. Now, I’m no brewer but I do know that these are all hops that bring a lot to the party so balancing out would be no mean feat. Second off once turning the very good looking can around I was informed that this isn’t just a DIPA, it’s a Double Dry Hopped DIPA. So appearance in glass and nose should also be bringing a lot to the table here.

I can confirm that our Scottish brewers have without doubt balanced this beer perfectly as well as presented something that looks SENSATIONAL in the glass and smells as tropical as it gets. Just wow.

In mouth Pure Magic brings all the juice with Mango and Lime playing the staring roles. It’s worth noting here that the mouthfeel of this beer is nothing short of exceptional. Once swallowed a necessary and divine bitterness sneaks in to balance the upfront juice and then progresses to an almost savoury melon tone in the late aftertaste.

Excellent beer. Find. Drink. Love.

Jymi’s Rating: 91%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 89.5%

MOB review next weekend: WAPALOOSIE by TARTARUS BEERS

Sammy & Jymi – Musing on Booze weekly since 2017

Instagram: muse.on.booze

museonbooze.com

M O B 2024

RIGA PORTER

BEER REVIEW: 329

BREWER: Valmiermuiza, Valmiera Parish, Latvia 

STYLE: Porter

ABV: 6.5%

VESSEL: 0.33l brown bottle

DATE OF POST: 28th January 2024

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

It’s a very heart-warming experience when you come across a beer that gets you excited. It piques the old tastebuds and gets your juices flowing. 

To be fair, I had high expectations for Riga Porter. There’s something about it that oozes class from the outside. Its classic style bottle and label is very well thought out. 

Riga Porter is a class beer. Let’s get that out there. 

It’s packed with coffee back notes, which is what you’d want from a porter. But the real surprise is the berry fore notes.   All these complex flavours combine to make something very special. 

It has an unctuous mouthfeel to cap it all off. 

Wonderful offering – well worth a try. 

Sammy’s Rating: 84%

 

JYMI SAY’S…

I have never been to Latvia, let alone Riga. I want to go. I want to go and sit outside with a huge coat on in a square (it’s the middle of winter in this dream scene btw) in the city centre with Sammy. I want to sit there, chillin, chewin the cud and sipping on the utterly divine Riga Porter. This brew is made for the cold and sitting for a while with a chum discussing all things. It’s rich, luxurious and FULL OF FLAVOUR. Huge tones of cherry, dates, raisins and soft coffee come at you with every sip. It’s smoother than a groover and just a delight to drink.

Please try to find it and enjoy when you do.

Cracking beer.

Jymi’s Rating: 86%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 85%

MOB review next weekend: PURE MAGIC by OVERTONE

Sammy & Jymi – Musing on Booze weekly since 2017

Instagram: muse.on.booze

museonbooze.com

M O B 2024

BLACK HEART

DUE TO A COVID OUTBREAK AT MOBHQ WE HAVE HAD TO CHANGE THE BEER REVIEWED THIS WEEK. HOPEFULLY WE’LL BE BACK ON TRACK NEXT WEEK AS LONG AS ONE OF US MAN’S UP. NO NAME MENTIONED (Sammy). 

BEER REVIEW: 328

BREWER: BrewDog, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

STYLE: Stout 

ABV: 4.1%

VESSEL: 440ml tin

DATE OF POST: 21st January 2024

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

I can’t ignore the elephant in the room when writing this review.  This is not a stout that originates from its own beginning. The team at Brew Dog set out to make a stout to take on Guinness. Put that in perspective- they are trying to recreate the world’s best selling stout so that they can compete with it. This is a huge issue for me. If you’re going to brew a stout, do it because you’re passionate about it. Do it for the love of the beer. Make folk want to buy your beer, not a recreation of another company’s success. Do not try and hang in someone else’s coat tales, all in the name of creative marketing. 

The thing is, I gave Black Heart to a friend of mine without telling them it was not Guinness. They made no comment, leading to the conclusion that they were indeed duped into thinking that they were having Guinness, not a Brew Dog rip off. 

But I have also had Black Heart followed by a Guinness. And I can tell you which beer was superior and which was inferior. I don’t need to spell it out – you can guess. 

Black Heart is an imitation beer – it’s a leech that’s trying to suck the life out of a hugely successful product. And while it has some success in that it’s an ok stout, its biggest downfall lies in the very fact that it’s not original. It does not exist on its own. It is a parasite. 

The thing with parasites, take away the host and they don’t survive. Black Heart lives in the shadows of Guinness and it will be cast off, meaning it won’t survive on its own. 

Have a Guinness instead. 

Sammy’s Rating: 58%

 

JYMI SAY’S…

On 3rd April 2022 Sammy and I tested Tony’s Hopolonely by BrewDog.

On 3rd April 2022 I decided to boycott beers by BrewDog due to them being shite and the ethics of the company being even more… shite.

However, as a multi award winning beer reviewer you still have to crack, sip and review what comes your way regardless of personal belief.

And here we are at Black Heart, a draught Stout and BrewDog’s attempt to take on Guinness.

You have to take your hat off to these morons sometimes. Black Heart was never going to take on nor take over from Guinness. And BrewDog knew that when they stated this was the beer to topple the Irish power brewery. All they wanted was for folk to try it to see if it could or would rival the stout from St. James’ Gate. They knew intrigue would take over, as it did for the MOB boys and at the end of the day, each beer sold is another beer sold.

So how did it stack up?

To be fair, it’s pretty good. Very smooth with all the flavours you would expect from a draught stout.

Is it like a Guinness? Kinda is yeah.

Is it as good as Guinness? To be honest, no. But it is not a million miles away.

For me it’s lacking something in the back end. It’s lacking umph and clout in the aftertaste. There is more of a sweetness at the end where really there should be a dry and faint bitter aftertaste. I know BD are not trying to totally replicate Guinness but to take it on I’m not sure a sweetness at the end is the way to go.

Either way, all bad BrewDog vibes aside this is a pretty tasty beer and dare I say it… worth a try.

Jymi’s Rating: 69%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 63.5%

MOB review next weekend: RIGA PORTER by VALMIERMUIZA

(hopefully!!!)

Sammy & Jymi – Musing on Booze weekly since 2017

Instagram: muse.on.booze

museonbooze.com

M O B 2024

BUTTY BACH

BEER REVIEW: 327

BREWER: Wye Valley Brewery, Herefordshire, England

STYLE: Premium Ale

ABV: 4.5%

VESSEL: 500ml brown bottle

DATE OF POST: 12th January 2024

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

Interesting name. Butty Bach. Read the label and it’ll tell you what it means. It might have a nice sentiment but still, it’s an important interesting name for a beer. No more needs to be said. 

As a beer, BB is pretty unremarkable. I mean, it’s ok. It’s drinkable. But it’s wholly uneventful. 

It’s hard to pick out any points of difference. The drinking experience is bang average.

This is one of those beers that will pale into insignificance. It’s not an unpleasant drink. It’s just so meh that it defies definition. 

To be honest with the millions of readers, I was hoping for a little more from BB. But there’s really very little to say about it. 

Sammy’s Rating: 61%

 

JYMI SAY’S…

It’s only when you take some time to observe Butty Bach’s vessel that you realise it’s splendour. The 90s font that our beer’s name is written in needs to be ignored but the rest of the bottle I adore. Really clean, really simple with a logo the creative brand marketing team at Nike would be proud of. Well played.

Beer wise, we have a bit of an odd one here. As soon as BB hit my lips I thought we were onto a winner. By the time I had finished my glass however I was left wondering if I actually liked it at all.

For me our ‘little friend’ starts off with a crisp refreshing smack. I reached for by note book and jotted down some seasoned favourite adjectives… crushable, zingy… you know the drill. However as I worked my way through things began to turn a lot more malty with some dark berry notes dropping in to say hello. Not bad, but not the drink that I was enjoying so much at the start.

I’ve ended up giving BB the benefit of the doubt but, though it’s kinda cool and clever when a beer switches up on you, really I just wanted it to stay as it was.

Jymi’s Rating: 69%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 65%

MOB review next weekend: RIGA PORTER by VALMIERMUIZA

Sammy & Jymi – Musing on Booze weekly since 2017

Instagram: muse.on.booze

museonbooze.com

M O B 2024

FORTYNINER

BEER REVIEW: 326

BREWER: Ringwood Brewery, Hampshire, England

STYLE: Golden Ale

ABV: 4.9%

VESSEL: 500ml brown bottle

DATE OF POST: 6th January 2024

 

JYMI SAY’S…

Unfortunately I have to start this review and New Year on a sombre note. Ringwood, the brewers of our beer today have recently closed down. I should probably fact check this actually as have only heard on the grapevine…

Gimme a sec…

Yep,

Ringwood Brewery is to close after failing to find a buyer.

Ringwood Brewery, on the Hampshire-Dorset border, was put up for sale in June by owner Carlsberg Marston’s.

The firm said the site needed an upgrade to be competitive, but expansion and improvements would have been “challenging and extremely costly” given the limited space and location.

It said the land would be sold for another purpose.

Former head brewer Jeff Drew said the closure was foreseeable when Carlsberg merged with Marston’s in 2020.

He said: “Unfortunately, their focus is not really on regional breweries”

And there we have it. Owned by big boys and cast to one side like an old toy. These are sad times for the UK beer industry and even more proof that small and independent breweries need your support.

Anyway, to the beer we must go.

And I’m going to start on a positive, gaaaaaaaawd we need one!

What an outstanding name for a Golden Ale! Fortyniner! Just brilliant. (Fortyniners was the name given to the flock of folks landing in California in 1849 at the beginning of the Gold Rush.)

However, this is where the positivity ends. This is not a very good beer I’m afraid.

There seems to be no nose to this ale, which is always a worrying start. The taste and mouthfeel upfront is very thin bringing with it an incredibly one dimensional beer. There are hints of orange. There are hints of lemon. But there really isn’t very much going on here. Things do improve at the back end of the beer to be fair. Once swallowed the presence becomes fuller with a welcome bitterness in the aftertaste transporting the brew into the Golden Ale world at least.

But ultimately, not great and a pretty disappointing brew.

Jymi’s Rating: 35%

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

With a name like Fortyniner, I can’t help but think of American Football. More specifically, San Francisco. And even more specifically, the gold rush. But this beer has nothing to do with America whatsoever. And it certainly has no connection to gold. 

To be more accurate, Fortyniner would be better aligned with a dull metal. It might not be an awful beer. It’s even quite drinkable. But the thing is, it has no character or personality and it’s as dull as beer can be without being awful. 

If I were to describe Fortyniner in one word, it would be inoffensive. But being described as inoffensive could actually be quite offensive. An oxymoron I know. Anyway, you get the picture. This simply ain’t a great beer. 

As an aside, I scored Fortyniner 49% – perhaps its name is a self-fulfilling prophecy…

Sammy’s Rating: 49%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 42%

MOB review next weekend: BUTTY BACH by WYE VALLEY BREWERY

Sammy & Jymi – Musing on Booze weekly since 2017

Instagram: muse.on.booze

museonbooze.com

M O B 2024

ALRIGHT TREACLE?

BEER REVIEW: 325

BREWER: Disruption IS Brewing, Surrey, England

STYLE: Pastry Stout

ABV: 6.5%

VESSEL: 440ml tin

DATE OF POST: 31st December 2023

 

JYMI SAY’S…

I’m not really a pudding kinda guy. Don’t get me wrong, I do not dislike a pud, but I’d sooner opt for the savoury side of life nowadays.

Once upon a time when I was just a lad, if out for dinner, 3 courses would not be an issue. Bit of fish to start, nice bit of meat for main and a sweet sugary mess to finish no drama. But I just can’t do it now. Two courses is the absolute max and because of the savoury sway a starter and a main will always win.

But as said, I do like a pudding… Bit of cheesecake? Defo! Nice dollop of Lemon Posset? Yes please! Rhubarb and Apple Crumble with clotted cream? Get in my belly!!! It’s when the time arrives I’m too full to take advantage of such delights.

Our brew today, and final one of the year, is based on an absolute British CLASSIC of a pudding. The mighty Sticky Toffee Pudding!!!

Now a STP is made up from Dates, Brown Sugar, Treacle and Golden Syrup. Stick this influence into a stout and you should obviously get sweetness in abundance!

And Alright Treacle? as you might expect does bring sweetness to the table. Not in a massive way but plenty enough to make this a sweet beer. There is a very good Date foundation holding everything together well and I have to say a Date flavour in a stout is actually lovely but ultimately the sweetness that it brings is a little too much. This brew is also a little over carbonated for my liking. Is it fizzy? No. Is there too much fizz though? Yes.

And just when I was about to state that the essence of Sticky Toffee Pudding isn’t actually present, there it is… deep, deep, deep into the aftertaste. Actually quite cool.

Look, I’m not the biggest fan of this beer and that is probably just me with the elevated sweetness thing. It’s brewed well and hey, give it a go! YOU may just like it.

Jymi’s Rating: 49%

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

Alright Treacle is a sticky toffee pudding pastry stout. Sounds like a mighty good combo to me!

For starters, I like the festive packaging – it looks like a steamed pudding. Perhaps on the budget side, it’s still a nice touch. 

Then onto the second course, a light treacle nose mixed with the usual stout features makes for an enticing lead into the drink. It really does get you in the festive mood. 

For mains, the sweet treacle definitely comes through. There’s no doubt this is a good, solid festive beer. It might not be one to be had in abundance but defo a good fireside sipper. 

I won’t be rooting AT out until next year’s winter season but by then I’ll be well ready for another!

Sammy’s Rating: 80%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 64.5%

MOB review next weekend: FORTY NINER by RINGWOOD BREWERY

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Sammy & Jymi – Musing on Booze weekly since 2017

Instagram: muse.on.booze

museonbooze.com

M O B 2023