BEER REVIEW: 321

BREWER: Black Sheep Brewery, North Yorkshire, England

STYLE: Stout

ABV: 4.4%

VESSEL: 500ml brown bottle

DATE OF POST: 2nd December 2023

 

JYMI SAY’S…

WHAT. IS. GOING. ON??

I need to get away from this I’ve had a bad bottle and Sammy a good one thing, but I do fear it’s happened YET AGAIN. However I’m proceeding with a review of what I drank and how I felt about it as, well, that’s all I can do now.

This is an awful beer. Black Sheep have f**ked it. A milk stout should be smooooooooooth, this is not. It is way too carbonated in the mouth that then leads to an overwhelming bitterness in the aftertaste. Of course you expect some bitter tones but this is INTENSE and frankly way too much. Because of this trying to find the notes of chocolate, vanilla and coffee that our bottle promises is nigh on impossible. The bottle label also mentions that the drinker should expect a light bitterness but as mentioned, light is defo the wrong word to describe the bitterness here.

Nearing the end of this pretty shocking drinking experience Milk Stout began to settle down a bit due to the large carbonation running out of gas. This then exposed a thinness to the body and flavour, though I’m sure this would be due to the fizz overload early on.

Just moving back to the comparison to Sammy’s experience of Milk Stout for the final time… If I had consumed the brew he had I would not be scoring this beer so wildly low. And if he had gone through what I had there is no way he would have awarded the rating he has. Make of that what you will.

Happy freakin’ Christmas ya filthy animals!

Jymi’s Rating: 23%

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

Before even opening, there’s much to mull over with Milk Stout. 

For starters, there’s the tagline – creamy rich and dark. That’s promising a lot.

Then there’s the awards:

• World beer awards winner (England) 2022 
• Gold in the international brewing awards 2019

And then, add to that, Milk Stout supports human milk foundation with a nice pull back label. 

So, before even opening, you better hope this beer delivers. 

And it does. 

On the nose, there’s a light milky dusty hint which is subtle but is undoubtedly there. 

But the magic really starts when you tuck into Milk Stout. It is indeed creamy rich and dark. In fact, it’s just like a milk stout should be or as you’d hope it would be. Creaminess vanilla sweetness gives way to burnt caramel,  with a good, but not overpowering, bitter finish. And as you drink down the glass, this experience does not diminish. 

Milk Stout lives up to its awards.  I think I may well chug down a couple over the festive period. 

Sammy’s Rating: 82%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 52.5%

MOB review next weekend: MARMALADE PORTER by WOLD TOP

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M O B 2023

BEER REVIEW: 320

BREWER: Tooth & Claw, County Durham, England

STYLE: NEIPA

ABV: 5.1%

VESSEL: 440ml tin 

DATE OF POST: 26th November 2023

 

JYMI SAY’S…

Well, as mentioned previously, Sammy and I do our tasting (most of the time) and reviews independently. The first time they come together is when constructing these posts. However, rarely, someone’s writings can have a little influence on the other just prior to posting. But only in this particular situation… let me explain.

For me, I thought Cat Amongst was a pretty poor beer. And still do. However, it did cross my mind when drinking the brew that this feline should have been way more fizzy as, to be honest, there was NO carbonation at all! When you’re drinking an IPA, especially and tropical one, you need some bubbles to bring the beer to life. This also got me thinking that I once again may have come across a bad can. 

And since reading Sammy’s thoughts I’m now convinced that the beer I drank was not as it was supposed to be.

I’ve still scored CA low as can only judge on what I consumed, but please, I’d pretty much ignore what is about to follow as well as my score.

My notes:

Funny colour. Zero carbonation. Head struggled. Not very hazy and looks like a Westy! Nose is virtually non existent. Mouthfeel is quite thin and it’s not packing a huge amount of flavour, though what flavour is there is pretty good.

Who knows?!

Jymi’s Rating: 33%

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

Cat Amongst is as you’d expect it to be.  A decent drop but not one that stands above those already out there.  Described as a hazy and juicy IPA, you almost know what you’re getting yourself into before you pop the can.

The packaging on CA is decent but nothing radical.  It’ll grab your attention but there are many craft beers that’ll do that now.  Bright and colourful has become a tried and tested formula for IPAs and there’s now a raft out there to choose from.  To stand out from the crowd takes an extra special effort these days.

The nose is as expected.

The drinking is as expected.

There’s nothing bad about CA. Equally, there’s nothing to set it apart. 

Honest drop if not exceptional.  Job done!

Sammy’s Rating: 70%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 51.5%

MOB review next weekend: MILK STOUT by BLACK SHEEP

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M O B 2023

BEER REVIEW: 319

BREWER: Mount Saint Bernard Abbey, Leicestershire, England

STYLE: Trappist Ale

ABV: 7.4%

VESSEL: 33cl brown bottle

DATE OF POST: 18th November 2023

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

To be defined as Trappist, a beer needs to be brewed in a monastery with the active involvement of Catholic monks. Tynt Meadow is England’s, and indeed Britain’s, only such style of beer.  

Trappist beers have a long history.  Tynt Meadows is slightly shorter at only five years old.  However, that doesn’t stop this brew having a quaint and appealing back story, the bare bones of which can be found on the label of the bottle.  More detail is readily available on the World Wide Web, for those of you who might want to delve in.

TM has a lovely dark coffee colour, with a mild dank nose.  There’s a syrupy mouthfeel, coffee and caramel notes, which are not lingering.  This might all sound a little stout like and you’d not be wrong in drawing such comparisons.  The brew, overall, could do with a little more carry through in its length but don’t be fooled, TM is by no stretch of the imagination a bad beer, especially considering its relatively new roots.

However, Trappist beers, as previously mentioned, have a long history.  With such a long line, it is not surprising that there are some behemoths of this style of beer out there.  When compared with them, TM will fall short.  It doesn’t have the heritage or the years of honing to get their recipe down.  

But such comparisons shouldn’t be drawn.

TM should be taken for what it is: Britain’s only Trappist beer.  It’s a decent drop for sure.

Sammy’s Rating: 71%

 

JYMI SAY’S…

A Trappist Ale…

A 7.4% Trappist Ale…

An English 7.4% Trappist Ale…

OK, let’s discuss (well, me state and you read, bit of a one-way thing this blogging malarkey).

It’s hard not to be instantly sceptical here. One shouldn’t be as it doesn’t matter what the beer is or where it’s brewed. The beer should be judged on how it tastes (with some bonus marks chucked in for packaging etcetera).

However, when someone says Trappist, the mind does not instantly think of England. Far from it in fact. Of course, naturally the noggin thinks of our continental European cousins.

But, as stated, we will judge this brew fairly with eyes wide open.

Tynt Meadow is a really tasty beer. There is plenty of flavour here with notes of chocolate and burnt caramel complimented by the sweetness of dates. As you move through TM a nice bitterness in the aftertaste begins to build, probably due to the lovely cloying nature of the mouthfeel slowly building.

Does it reach the heights of an amazing European Trappist Ale? No

Does it reach the heights of good European Trappist Ale? Yes

Would happily drink again and very much enjoy.

Jymi’s Rating: 75%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 73%

MOB review next weekend: CAT AMONGST by TOOTH & CLAW

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M O B 2023

BEER REVIEW: 318

BREWER: Flensburger Brauerei, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

STYLE: Pilsner

ABV: 4.8%

VESSEL: 0.33L brown bottle

DATE OF POST: 11th November 2023

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

Pilsners are undoubtedly a stalwart of the beer cellar. They are held in esteem the world over. And for good reason – they produce a solid brew that lasts well.  

It’s their strength, though that is also their downfall. Due to the way they’re brewed, they very rarely set the world on fire. So often, they’re middle of the pack. A safe bet. You rarely get a terrible one. 

And so it is with Flensburger Pilsener. It’s a good drop. It’s easily drinkable. It’s refreshing. And it tastes like a pilsner. It is, as you might expect. However, it does nothing to excite. It doesn’t excel or rise at any point. 

A solid beer for sure, FP is one I’d definitely have again even if it won’t set the world on fire. 

Sammy’s Rating: 63%

 

JYMI SAY’S…

I used to (actually still do) pride myself on my geographical knowledge. I’m not talking arches, stacks and stumps. Nor am I talking about ox-bow lakes, erosion or deposition, though I’m sharp on these topics too. No, I’m talking about where places are and capital cities. No idea why, but I used to adore atlases, maps and globes when I was kid. I even had a career guidance lady say to me that I should pursue cartography. But I thought taking pictures of old-fashioned horse trailers could become a little monotonous. Kind of wish I knew what she was on about now.

Anyway, Geog knowledge was high, really high in fact, and though that has waned more recently due to having less time to sit and study maps as well as much geographical change in the last 30 years I’m still very tuned in and fascinated by it all. It’s a big wide beautiful world after all!

Now, this brings me to a terrible admission. Until recently, I thought Germany was a land locked country. I’m still in shock that it’s not. But I’m in even more shock by the fact that I wasn’t aware of it until about 5 years ago. Literally makes no sense considering how many 1000’s of hours I spent staring at a world map.

Anyway (breathe Jymi FFS), the reason for all of this pouring out of me is that the town of Flensburg (where our beer this weekend is brewed) sits bang on the northern coastal tip of Germany. And the beer that has come out of this almost Danish town is pretty good, but unfortunately nothing to get excited about.

To be fair to FP there is plenty of flavour going on and the beer is more than drinkable. There is a malty nose and malty backbone to FP which doesn’t necessarily suggest super drinkable, but, it is. It also doesn’t taste much like a Pils until the very end of the simply exquisite looking bottle but eventually a subtle spice kicks in.

The highlights here are the beautiful bottle and the fact I’m going to force myself to resurrect my map staring.

Jymi’s Rating: 66%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 64.5%

MOB review next weekend: TYNT MEADOW by MOUNT SAINT BERNARD ABBEY

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M O B 2023

BEER REVIEW: 317

BREWER: The Crafty Brewing Co., Surrey, England

STYLE: IPA

ABV: 4.7%

VESSEL: 440ml tin

DATE OF POST: 4th November 2023

 

JYMI SAY’S…

I’m really enjoying the angle Crafty Brewery have taken here… a beer for all. The one pitfall with this direction is that it’s unlikely to excel if you’re trying to appeal to everyone across the beer spectrum. And Crafty have not excelled in the taste of the beer they have produced but have nailed what I think they intended… a beer for all. I honestly think that no matter what the shape of your beard or whether you have no face furniture at all, if you like beer, you’ll almost certainly like Quantum level. This needs to be applauded. It’s not anywhere near ‘the best beer in the world’ but to appeal to all beer drinkers and pull off a decent tasting brew is no mean feat.

Cap doffed.

Jymi’s Rating: 65%

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

Quantum Level has much going for it. For starters, it’ll probably be a brew that traditionalist and crafties can both drink and they’ll enjoy it. 

It’s packing bags of flavour and carries itself well without diminishing on this hit as you move your way through the glass. Citrus is present, but pleasingly doesn’t dominate. There’s a nice malty back note giving a hint of biscuit crumble. And there’s enough bitterness coming in at the end to counter the upfront sweetness. 

Based on the above, you could be thinking that QL is a worldy of a beer. The thing is, it’s not quite at that level…

The positives are strong and outweigh the downsides, the one negative of QL is ever present. You see, the flavour sensation is over so quickly after each sip. Those amazing subtleties and high points don’t carry through. And while it’s true we should be left wanting more, a flash in the pan is no good thing either. 

QL is a very good beer that could be further elevated by having more length in the flavour sensation. 

Sammy’s Rating: 75%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 70%

MOB review next weekend: FLENSBURGER PILSENER by FLENSBURGER BRAUEREI

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M O B 2023

BEER REVIEW: 316

BREWER: Brasserie D’Orval, Luxembourg, Belgium

STYLE: Trappist Ale

ABV: 6.2%

VESSEL: 0.33L brown bottle

DATE OF POST: 28th October 2023

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

 

JYMI SAY’S…

Oh no, we may have a problem here. Only a slight one but a problem nonetheless.

There has been the odd occasion over the years where a beer has either not lived up to expectation or fallen short of possibly where it should have been due to it being a bad batch or maybe stored badly (prior to reaching the MOB cupboard or fridge may I add).

The first example of this was way back in November 2017 with Wolf Rock by Sharps. Personally, going into the review I thought we were going to be onto a winner. I had had a couple of these in the months before the review and had enjoyed without really thinking about it. However once concentrating and really analysing the brew when under review it fell a bit short and only ended up with MOB rating of 71%. Not bad but way less than I was expecting.

Another example was an English IPA by Three Legs Brewery. The beer wasn’t great by any means. But after some feedback on Twitter we concluded that something had probably gone on with the brew on it’s journey from brewery to MOBHQ, or just a bad batch, who knows.

The trouble is Sammy and I can only go on what we have in front of us and then of course comes personal taste too.

This said, before coming into today’s test of Orval I knew it was a great beer. Don’t get me wrong, it has still scored well but I’m telling you now, something was up with my bottle here.

Alarms instantly started going off in my noggin when the head on the initial pour was massive and just kept. ON. GROWING! This has never happened to me before with a bottle of Orval.

The nose however was fine, great in fact. Lovely notes of a rich sweet caramel.

But the alarm did once again sound once the first sip was taken onboard. The super head carbonation carried over into the mouth resulting in some crazy  frothy fizzy mouthfeel. Really strange and again not something that I had experienced from the beer before.

All said this beer still tasted decent enough with a good punch of flavour. Bitter orange leads the way but a welcome caramel sweetness soon follows to counter the bitterness before moving to a bittersweet end.

I may have over scored it today because of previous mega enjoyment, I’m not sure.

It’s good. But usually, it’s way better than that.

Jymi’s Rating: 78%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 65%

MOB review next weekend: QUANTUM LEVEL by CRAFTY BREWING

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M O B 2023

BEER REVIEW: 315

BREWER: Courage (Carlsberg Marston’s), Bedfordshire, England

STYLE: Superior Ale

ABV: 4.8%

VESSEL: 500ml brown bottle

DATE OF POST: 22nd October 2023 

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

Directors: superior ale.

It just simply is not a superior ale. It’s very much an inferior ale. But I guess that doesn’t really work as a tag line. 

Directors: brewed to the directors’ standard. 

On the face of it, this is a good tag line. Brewing to a high standard, approved by those at the top could be signs of a good thing. But look into it a little deeper and we are told that this is basically only a beer for the directors. Some might say this has a slightly classist edge. As in, are we to assume this beer is not meant for the average folk?  

The truth of the matter is, directors at Courage must have a terrible threshold for their standards because this is a damn awful beer. Think dirty dishwater and you won’t even be getting close to just how bad this beer is. 

Directors might have been a standard bearer back in the day. Now, it’s barely to any standard whatsoever. 

Sammy’s Rating: 21%

 

JYMI SAY’S…

The Daily Mail

Yep

Arguably the best newspaper in the world

Oooooooh yeah

‘Nice Lexus’

Yes, I love Lexi

Yeah, I always have a thing I say about Lexus, it’s like the…

JAPANESE MERCEDES

Yeah, well I hate Mercs. The people who drive them are just sa-a-aaaaad

Are you wearing Lynx?

Well smelt, Voodoo

Java

Alan Partridge

Dan Mooney

Nice to meet you 

‘I wear Tommy Hillfinger’

It’s Hilfiger

‘No, it say’s Hillfinger on the bottle’

Did you buy it down the market?

‘Aye’

Ah, that explains it.

It’s amazing this Lexus connection, next you’ll be telling me you drink Directors Bitter

I’ve got it coming out of my taps!!

Have you?!

I’m joking!

Great!

It’s amazing. We both like the Daily Mail, we both drive Lexi…

Plural

Plural 

And we both drink Directors Bitter… it’s like the X Files… but a pleasant X-Files

The LEX Files

God that’s good… Can I shake your hand again?

Take a card

Oh, you’ve combined the card with the handshake. I used to do that but kept getting it wrong. I gave a paper cut to a man from Nestle. 

You own Kitchen Planet on the A416??! 

The very same

It’s massive!!

10,000 square feet of sheer kitchens! And I know who you are… Norfolk Nights?

The very same, and of course, Skirmish. Military based general knowledge quiz show on digital cable channel UK conquest, that has the largest audience share for a digital channel, at that time of day, in the Norfolk area.

‘Hey, you should deal him a cheap kitchen! He want’s a kitchen!’

Michael, Michael, I wouldn’t insult this man by asking for a 25% discount on a kitchen

If you’re looking for a kitchen I can get you a kitchen, let’s talk

Fancy a flav?

Flavia, good call!

King of coffees!

In off the red!!

How do you take it?

Unleaded

Mines Diesel 

What does that mean??

I dunno??!   You know we’ve got a lot in common, we should go for a proper drink. I mean, you provide quality kitchens and I provide…

Quality radio

‘And I work in a petrol station’

Yeah but it’s just me and Dan that’s going for the drink

‘Ah yeah fine, I’ll just get hammered on me own’

—————————————

This will mean a lot to a few and not a lot to many. Which for me, is the key to any great beer review 😉

And a great beer review this may be but I’m sad to report that this beer… is not.

To be fair to Directors, it’s rich and does have plenty of flavour, but it’s just not very nice! The body of the the beer also passes muster, but again, the beer just isn’t very nice. And coming back to the flavour, there are tones caramel, toffee and even a bit of orange, but it still doesn’t taste very nice!

When Courage officially brewed Directors back in the day it could well have been a fine brew. But as it is today, as I’m sure you’ve guessed, it’s not.

AND ANOTHER??!

No, thank you.

Jymi’s Rating: 35%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 28%

MOB review next weekend: ORVAL by BRASSERIE D’ORVAL

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M O B 2023

BEER REVIEW: 314

BREWER: Cotswold Brew Co., Oxfordshire, England

STYLE: Lager

ABV: 4.8%

VESSEL: 330ml brown bottle 

DATE OF POST: 14th October 2023

 

JYMI SAY’S…

The brew we have on our hands today I believe was featured on a TV show in the UK named Clarkson’s Farm. How it’s featured or what it’s all about I’m not entirely sure as I’ve not seen the programme myself. The reason being is that the man that the show is named after is Jeremy Clarkson. Don’t get me wrong, if I’m in the right mood I can find this guy mildly entertaining but on the whole I absolutely despise the man. I’ve heard the series is actually very good and it has been recommended to me by quite a few different folk. But frankly, if I’m being honest… I just can’t be arsed with it.

Moving to the beer itself and leaving all the showbiz song n dance behind, what we have this week is a Premium Cotswold Lager at the enticing ABV of 4.8%. Anywhere between 4.6% and 5.2% is optimum for me when it comes to a lager. Most other styles can get away with either end of the strength spectrum but generally for me a lager has to fall into this percentage bracket to taste any good (of course there are exceptions, Small Beer Co being a very obvious one).

Smart looking bottle popped it was time to find out what this brew was all about.

It’s good, it’s really good actually! There is a great Lime and Lemon character to this beer. It’s not overwhelming nor too prominent, it’s just there helping this lager be very refreshing and very crushable! The mouthfeel is sublime, which you would expect, what with the purest Cotswold water being used.

Well dressed and well executed, this is a very good showing from the Cotswold Brew Co. I have to say.

Jymi’s Rating: 77%

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

Hawkstone Lager is a very good drop indeed. 

Smart packaging: modern and unfussy but impactful. 

Smart name: named after a local Neolithic rock. 

It’s a crisp drinking sensation backed by hoppy notes. The salty lemon backdrop is enhanced by a fantastic mouthfeel. 

If I’m honest, there won’t be too many straight bat lagers out there that are better than Hawkstone. 

Put simply, I’d be happy chugging one of these on any occasion. 

I’m already looking forward to my next one. 

Sammy’s Rating: 81%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 79%

MOB review next weekend: DIRECTORS by COURAGE

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M O B 2023

BEER REVIEW: 313

BREWER: Van Steenberge, East Flanders, Belgium

STYLE: Belgian Red Ale

ABV: 10.5%

VESSEL: 33CL brown bottle

DATE OF POST: 6th October 2023

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

Can anyone remember a drink named cherryade (generic, not brand specific)?  For me, it’s synonymous with childhood.  A pretty awful drink that turns the inside of your mouth red, making you resemble a distant relative of Count Dracula.  Well, it still exists.

Here’s the thing – Piraat has the hue of cherryade when it’s unleashed in the glass.  And to be fair, catch a passing whiff of Piraat, and you could be further tricked into thinking it’s our long lost friend, cherryade.

But there, thankfully, ends any resemblance between the two.

Piraat, took me by surprise.  I was not expecting the summer fruity taste sensation that it delivers both through the old hooter and when tipping it down my throat.  It is so well balanced and has tremendous presence in the mouth.  Yes, it’s a great drinking experience.

Here’s the kicker:  Piraat comes in at 10.5% abv.  Believe me, that makes it a dangerous drink.  It’s so easy to polish one of these off, that before you know it, you’ll be on your back with the world spinning around you.

I was genuinely surprised at how good a drop Piraat is.  It’s a wonderful beer and I look forward to the next time I meet this swashbuckler.  

Sammy’s Rating: 86%

 

JYMI SAY’S…

Wow! What a beer this is!

Of recent times, most, if not all of the high ABV brews I’ve had (whether on a MOB test or just personal consump) have been of the craft variety and have hidden the super strength VERY well! As I’ve mentioned in previous musings the techniques and wizardry of the modern craft brewer are evolving at an amazing rate. It only seems like yesterday that most DIPA’s, TIPA’s and the like tasted strrrrrrong, still lovely, but STRRRRONG and pretty boozy too, as you would expect. But nowadays most of these big boys taste like they’re more like 5.5/6%! It’s mental!

However, this large lad tastes VERY STRONG INDEED, but (and this is where the genius comes in I believe), not particularly boozy. As in, there is no alcohol burn whatsoever.

Piraat Red really is a hit you between the eyes but sit down and savour kinda brew. The whole savour thing begins before you have even had a sip. It pours so well, looks incredible in the glass and smells great. I found myself just looking at it for at least a minute or so. Once I broke out of the trance and actually got PR underway two things immediately struck me. CHERRY and PILLOW SOFT MOUTHFEEL. We’re onto a winner here Jym lad I whispered to myself.

The theme very much stays along the cherry line but slight notes of vanilla develop the more you move through the drink, which is delightful. Now, I’m going to finish with something that I’m not sure I’m going to be able to convey properly. The late aftertaste has a subtle red wine vinegar tone to it. Absolutely not in a bad way (you’re just gonna have to trust me here) but in a way that complements and enhances like vinegar does with food when used correctly. Don’t get me wrong, its not vinegary, there is just a touch of acidity at the end that without doubt boosts an already cracking experience.

Great drop indeed.

Jymi’s Rating: 89%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 87.5%

MOB review next weekend: HAWKSTONE LAGER by COTSWOLD BREW CO.

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M O B 2023

BEER REVIEW: 312

BREWER: Harviestoun Brewery, Clackmannanshire, Scotland

STYLE: Pale Ale

ABV: 5%

VESSEL: 500ml brown bottle

DATE OF POST: 29th September 2023

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

A ridge is a long narrow hilltop, or even a mountain range.  These natural phenomena can be very exciting.  They can conjure up a sense of excitement and adventure and can be an allure for many a brave explorer, or indeed any outdoor type.  

I like the outdoors.  And I like ridges.  Generally, I like nature.

So, a beer named The Ridge could be quite promising.  It could be full of adventure.  There is hope it might take you on a metaphorical journey to some unknown (beer) world, linking the ordinary with the extraordinary.  

Except it does none of those things.  

While The Ridge might be inoffensive, with a light lemon nose, it doesn’t come close to lighting up my senses.  It’s a decent enough pale ale but it just doesn’t do much. It’s very much a straight narrow edge, a little like a ridge.

For those of you seeking thrills from a ridge, stick to the natural one, not this brewed up averageness.

Sammy’s Rating: 44%

 

JYMI SAY’S…

I tend not to take too much notice of a brew until it is it’s turn to be reviewed. You obviously get the very instant thoughts on first visual but then it’s off to the MOB fridge/cupboard until it’s time for it to hopefully shine.

Now unfortunately for The Ridge that very brief first visual left me underwhelmed – brown bottle, green label… YAWN!!! It meant that I wasn’t particularly excited to test this one. But seriously, after so many reviews now, you would think I would have learnt to not judge a book by it’s cover. Honestly Jymi, come on man?!!

When it came to test day things turned around BIG TIME!

See, on closer inspection the packaging is quite cool. It’s not great (the green label and brown bottle thing still didn’t sit well with me), but the introduction of the seafaring Mr Mouse, I’m assuming sitting above THE RIDGE, with his nautical telescope is nothing short of fantastic! He makes an appearance on the bottle top too! Now THE RIDGE that I speak of, as our bottle tells us, is the Mid-Atlantic ridge, where America meets Scotland (slightly tenuous, I mean it could be geographically correct but I’ve no time to check, and fear it’s not). The reason this is relevant is that Harviestoun Brewery have used ingredients from both America and Scotland in this brew. Clever idea, great concept and you know what, they’ve only gone and nailed it! This is a great beer.

A crisp zesty nose leads the way followed by a first sip that is stacked with a bitter hop bite, slightly more akin to an IPA rather than a Pale but… whatever. The mouthfeel is also instantly loveable. It’s bright and it’s clean. As you move through the brew the hop bite mellows but then returns deep into the aftertaste. Further into the drinking a very subtle melon tone begins to develop. It’s so subtle that there is no way you would pick it up if you were just sipping this beer at your leisure down the Dog n Dickhead chatting with your chums. But under a strict MOB testing regime that subtle melon sneaks in. Combine this with the bitter hopping of this beer and you cannot go wrong.

Our bottle states with much confidence on the front label that The Ridge is HOPPY. REFINED. BALANCED. And let me tell you now, it most certainly is.

Jymi’s Rating: 84%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 64%

MOB review next weekend: PIRAAT by VAN STEENBERGE

Sammy & Jymi – Musing on Booze weekly since 2017

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M O B 2023