Author: Muse on Booze

COPPER

BEER REVIEW: 74

BREWER: Wimbledon Brewery, South-West London, England

STYLE: Red Ale

ABV: 4.5%

VESSEL: 330ml tin

DATE POSTED: 8th March 2019

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

Sometimes things are different from what they appear.
Copper is a North American red ale. It most certainly looks like a red ale, so this is not a case of something being different in its appearance to ones expectations.
But where Copper does differ in its expectation is its smell. You see Copper has a tropical, sweet smell and this is not what one would expect. It’s not the marriage you’d be looking for but it actually works. And I have to say, this nose busting experience pleasantly surprised me.
Some of that sweetness translates into its flavour. There is a hint of tropicalness on the palate, which echos some modern IPAs, but it doesn’t last long. It’s soon replaced by short spice aftertaste, which also very quickly disappears. This is where Copper comes a little unstuck as although there is good flavour there it’s a little too quick on the taste buds.
One of the best things about Copper is the dry finish that each sip ends with. It almost cleans the palate and gets you ready for the next sip. And then the process begins again. Before you know it, the can is finished and well, you’re ready for the next.
It’s fair to say that Copper is a very refreshing beer. It’s easy to drink and there’s a place for it in ones beer repertoire. A little more lingering of the flavour could elevate Copper to the exceptional level.

 

Sammy’s Rating: 76%

 

 

JYMI SAY’S…

4.5% you say Wimbledon brewery?

Ok then.

So why oh why whilst gently sipping this brew and reading the info put forward on the tin can I not actually make out what you guys have written?

  1. Am I too drunk? I’d say no after two sips, though it has been a very long week :/
  2. Have my eyes just gorn generally nowadays?
  3. Have you just printed the abundance of information way too small?

The answer is 3.. (I hope anyway).

Also, when it came to the packaging generally it got me in a wonder as to why I didn’t particularly like it… considering I quite liked it! After a fair bit of musing I worked it out. It was the copper section around the top of the tin. Disaster stuff. Without that this pin striped packaged Red Ale would look super classy but as it is… it doesn’t.

A final thought on the external, the griffin like being rising from what I hope is a hop is great! However the regurgitation of an over sized sprig of rye is disconcerting to say the least.

Anyway, let us get the internal external.

Oh no, I’m off straight back to the tin design. Reason being is it’s such a shame that Wimbledon Brewery stuck the copper at the top of the can thus reducing the class of this brew…. Because on tasting Copper, this sucker is oooozing class!!

It’s so so soft and delicate. Super light to drink and just great. There isn’t a huge flavour hit or anything complex going on but that doesn’t matter as this is just such a tidy, smart and neat brew. Well worth a try I have to say.

Wimbledon Brewery you have done a smashing job with this American Red Ale, just have a word with the team who are in charge of the upper 20% of the tin design yeah?

Jymi’s Rating: 79%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 77.5% 

 

MOB review next weekend: MALT COAST AMBER ALE by MALT COAST BREWERY

MALT COAST PRE

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KAPER

BEER REVIEW: 73

BREWER: Brouwerij HOOP, North Holland, Netherlands

STYLE: IPA

ABV: 6.4%

VESSEL: 330ml brown bottle

DATE POSTED: 1st March 2019

 

JYMI SAY’S…

Kaper translated loosely from Dutch to English means Pirate.
Now, I’m not saying my father in law hires canoes and then patrols the Thames with sinister intent looking for unsuspecting river dwellers to broadside and then pilfer their picnic. Nor am I saying that he sails off the coast of East Africa trying to spot vulnerable out of town ocean goers to relieve them of their gold. NOR am I saying that he has spent time on the Caribbean seas in a schooner waiting to pounce on a vessel carrying supplies. But I AM saying that he is a pirate, a proper full on pirate. I mean he has a beard named Mr Tuffty for crying out loud and it doesn’t get more pirate than that now does it?! Now I know I am not blood related to this legend of a man but I am part of his family so I’m kind of thinking that makes me part pirate doesn’t it? I do currently own a beard, I do love a rum and I also have holes in my ears on top of the ones that Gawwwd gave me. So I reckon I’m part pirate.

Now with a beer named (so brilliantly may I add) Pirate I’m looking for certain characteristics in look and taste to back this name up. I want the bottle to be rugged and piratey. And I want the taste to be strong with bags of character.

Visually, as much as I like the look of the bottle, I really do… it’s a bit soft and not all up in yo face like it maybe should be donning such a name. On the label there are a brace of galleon rolling on the high sea which I suppose is pretty pirate like but it’s not as angry and scary as it maybe should be. The skull centrepiece looks like it’s wearing a fez too, which is odd.
The taste is one of a bitter orange with a bitter pine taste to finish. But most importantly, the taste is strong and robust. VERY PIRATY INDEED! The nose I might add is terrible which again backs up this Pirate theme! Well done… I think.

All in all we have a very enjoyable IPA here that is stacked full of character and all packaged up in a thoroughly pleasant bottle with a chest load of info on it.
We’re not full on Pirate mode with Kaper but more like nice Pirate mode.
Which brings us seamlessly back round to my father in law… The nice Pirate.

Jymi’s Rating: 71%

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

Hoop’s Kaper has an interesting look, which is somewhere in between old school European beer and modern craft. For me, it works. It looks classy and has bags of cleverly placed information on the label all of which is done so in a neat way. And what all of this leads to is a very tempting proposition, one which I really hope delivers…
The first thing to note on opening is this is very lively and you’ll do well not have some overspill on lifting the lid. Proceed with caution. However, what this means is that Kaper looks great in the glass. The head sets off the deep amber colour and it’s a real tempter.
The nose is light but has hints of sour citrus. This almost carries through into the taste, which is a little like grapefruit upfront followed by a short after taste of a dry wine. While this might sound not too good, it actually works really well. It gives Kaper a very light feel and it’s crisp in the mouth.
Kaper would be welcome on many occasions. It’s well branded and works well to drink. All in all, this is definitely a Continental brew but with a good hint of modernity. It makes me happy and takes me to good places.

 

Sammy’s Rating: 79%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 75% 

 

MOB review next weekend: COPPER by WIMBLEDON BREWERY

COPPER PRE

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DAVO IPA

BEER REVIEW: 72

BREWER: Davo Bieren, Overijssel, Netherlands

STYLE: IPA

ABV: 7.5%

VESSEL: 33cl brown bottle

DATE POSTED: 23rd February 2019

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

Davo – ridiculous name for a beer.

Davo – appalling packaging, into which no thought has been put.   Poor colour scheme that is very outdated.

Davo – pulls on the salvia glands and sucks the life out of them so that the mouth is left incredibly dry.

Davo – Sharp taste when drinking, which is like paint stripper for the tongue.

Davo – not too much going for it.

Davo – it’s not the beer for Samo!

Sammy’s Rating: 44%

 

JYMI SAY’S…

It’s hard to get excited about a beer that externally looks like it has been discarded at an inner city bus stop by a drunken old goat. But here we have it, the IPA from Davo Beiren staring at me, and I was definitely not excited to be on the brink of testing it, I can tell ye. The fact that this ale was 7.5%, along with the look of the bottle only added to my dread and took my thoughts back to the soppy goat that chucked his beer at the bus stop. I was not feeling this at all I have to say.

But, after a fair amount of staring back at Davo IPA from afar it was time to pull myself together and get on with the task in hand.

On closer inspection of the bottle the finer detail of the label was actually quite cool, bringing an almost North West African vibe to the table. But there was still no getting away from it, the packaging was shockingly unappealing. Look, there are plenty of beers out there with poor packaging that taste great and conversely there are some incredibly dressed up beers out there that just fail to deliver. But there is still no getting away from it, if the bottle looks bad the appeal to the drinker to drink it has to dip.

When at last pouring my D’IPA from its murky brown bottle into my freshly dishwashed then hand polished glass things began to look up and my excitement began to grow. The nose coming off from this brew was lovely. A real malty but citrus whiff made its way to me and suddenly dread was replaced with intrigue. The look of this beer in the glass was also a delight which helped morale even further.

Now the drinking of this ale was actually very pleasant, a citrus yet malty taste as you would expect from an IPA. There was also bags of carbonation but somehow Davo remained smooth enough when chugging down. So I’ll state now that I enjoyed the taste of this IPA, the only trouble is THIS IS NOT AN IPA. Where did the hops go? There is literally no hop tone to this beer at all.

Pleasant. Disappointing. Fraudulent.

Jymi’s Rating: 60%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 52% 

 

MOB review next weekend: KAPER by BROUWERIJ HOOP

KAPER PRE

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BEAR CUB

BEER REVIEW: 71

BREWER: Cocksure Brewing Company, Bristol, England

STYLE: IPA

ABV: 5.2%

VESSEL: 500ml brown bottle

DATE POSTED: 16th February 2019

 

JYMI SAY’S…

To say the testing of this IPA has been eventful is an understatement…

It all began back on the thirteenth day of December last year when my infinitely better half returned from Bath Christmas market with a couple of Bear Cubs in tow for Sammy and I to review. What a lovely thing thought I (my wife, the gesture and the look of the beer in equal measure). Little was I to know at the time the events that would unfold when it came to testing this bear of a beer.

Fast forward to last week and I received a message from Sammy..

“Have you tested Bear Cub yet”?

“No man, got it locked in to do in a couple of days, why’s that”?

“Just be careful when opening her, shes lively”!

“Thanks for the warning son, what you up to this weekend”? ….hang on , you don’t need know the whole convo do you.

So, a couple of days later after evacuating the kitchen of family and pets, I donned my snorkel, chest mounted vertical umbrella and marigolds and went to crack open the bottle…

Nothing, not even a pssst, let alone the amber tsunami I was warned of . Curious I thought, most curious.
I then noticed that there was quite a lot of sludgy peat inside the bottle cap. Most, most curious.

Unperturbed, I poured my Bear Cub IPA into a glass and went about my testing business. Now, this is where things began to get difficult, I ABSOLUTELY HATED IT. My thoughts then turned to whether this was a bad bottle. I continued with the test and it didn’t necessarily taste like it had gone bad, just a taste that was not for me. But one thing was for sure, I ABSOLUTELY HATED IT, and scored it accordingly.

The next day the ol’ brain started spluttering into action like starting a diesel engine in subzero temperatures. I thought to myself, “what if it was a wrongun, what if this is actually a genuinely good IPA that I’m about to crucify because it had gone bad for whatever reason”?

I had to give this Bear Cub a second chance.

Now, with this not being a beer that you can just grab off a supermarket shelf it meant I had to do some work to get my hands on another bottle. My first stop was to contact New Bristol Brewery. I was informed by them that they no longer brewed this beer and had in fact sold the recipe to Cocksure Brewing Company. Curious I thought, most curious. Next stop was a call to Cocksure to request a bottle. I was informed by them that they currently had none in stock and that all the bottles they had had gone off to Palmer Street Bottle whom the beer had been exclusively brewed for in the first place. So, the next stop was to contact PSB via the frankly neolithic form of TEXT. After some toing and froing eventually a fresh bottle of Bear Cub was on it’s way to MOBHQ.

And once I had returned from work in the early hours of this morning, I again donned my snorkel, umbrella and gloves and got ready to open BCIPA once more.

PLEASE , AFTER ALL THIS, BE GOOD, thought I…

Well… was it?

Yes, yes it was! As soon as I lifted the lid on this second attempt I instantly knew things were different. Though there wasn’t the explosion I was expecting (leaving me feeling slightly foolish in my get up) there was certainly action from the beer. The nose was sublime, full of spicy floral waves with a good hoppy undertone. And the taste was crazy refreshing with spicy yet floral notes up front (as promised by the bottle) and a light hoppy citrus finish. Good. GOOOOD.

I’m so glad I went back for a second try at this IPA. The beer nose knew something was up with bottle one and I knew to trust that hooter. Thanks has to go out to Palmer Street Bottle for getting the replacement bottle to me in good time as well.

Here endeth the tale of Jymi and the Bear Cub.

Jymi’s Rating: 76%

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

There’s no dressing up that the packaging on Bear Cub is…simple. But I like that. It has appeal and it works. It’s much better to keep it clear and clean, than to over complicate it and make it look cheap. From the outset, it’s obvious what this beer is and, before trying, I have a strong idea of what this IPA will be like. For me, it has a strong draw.
Bear Cub has great colour, but it’s a live wire when let loose from the bottle and forms a large head, even with a careful pour. The liveliness translates into the first sip but doesn’t in any way hinder the mouthfeel. In fact, the initial fizz hit adds to the texture of this beer and makes for a refreshing and light drinking experience.
The flavour isn’t as in your face as some IPAs can be. It’s short lived but it’s undoubtedly a craft IPA as the trademark citrus finish is ever present. The first flavour impact is quite fruity and to be fair, as is described on the bottle with floral undertones. All of this adds to its incredibly refreshing nature.
Bear Cub is a hit. It’s light and refreshing to drink but certainly doesn’t lack distinctiveness. It’s well constructed and the brewing has intention. The whole product from inception to digestion is well thought out and the result is a well finished IPA.

 

Sammy’s Rating: 83%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 79.5% 

MOB review next weekend: DAVO IPA by DAVO BIEREN

DAVO PRE

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TANGLE FOOT

BEER REVIEW: 70

BREWER: Badger Brewery (Hall & Woodhouse), Dorset, England

STYLE: Golden Ale

ABV: 5%

VESSEL: 500ml brown bottle

DATE POSTED: 9th February 2019

 

JYMI SAY’S…

So, at work yesterday lunchtime two thoughts crossed my mind. First thought was that I was glad it was Friday and was looking forward to getting home and cracking open a Tangle Foot to review. My second thought was how belly up my day was going making the first thought more and more unlikely to happen as the clock was ticking. By the time 10pm had been and gone I said to myself that if I was home before midnight I’d still test as had the day off today. But if it was gone 00:00 then it would be straight to bed. As I pulled off the motorway (which is 15 mins from my house) at 23:45 some sort of panic rush set in. There was no way I wasn’t testing tonight I said to myself but if I got in after the midnight hour I wouldn’t be able to as… zee rules are zee rules. 

After a couple of cruel red lights and getting my lower left limb caught up in the hosepipe that had been left out in the driveway I hate to say… I got in at 00:02 and went straight to bed.

Ok, I’m sorry, that story was a lie. A real porky pie. And the reason I’ve taking you down this murky road of non-truth is the reason Tangle Foot was supposedly named Tangle Foot. Because apparently, whatever Woodhouse was in charge of naming this beer at the time, got his foot tangled in his dogs lead as he arrived home to name the beer. Sorry, not having it, that is a lie*. Stinks of it..

While we’re talking of stink, how was the nose on TF… not great to be honest, pretty average.

Taste? Errr, yeah fine, not bad, middle of the road, pretty average really.

Packaging? Errr, yeah it’s alright for what… HOLD UP.

We’ve been here before haven’t we?

This is a Badger Beer we’re dealing with isn’t it?

Not bad. Not great. Average. Simple as that.

 

*please H&W, if this is in fact true can you not sue us for libel. The mortgage on the house in the Hollywood Hills is already crippling us. Thanks.

Jymi’s Rating: 60%

 

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

Let me start by saying that I really like the name Tangle Foot.  I mean, I don’t like it enough to name one of my children after, but I certainly like it enough to name some sort of dancing superhero after*.

However long I could muse on the great name, I need to get down to the crux of the matter – Tangle Foot the beer from Badger Brewery.

To start with, it has great colour and it looks appealing in the bottle.  Badger are great at adding some points of interest to their labels, both in terms of design as well as little nuggets of information.  Tangle Foot is no disappointment in this regard.

The promised nose of fruity with cereal notes is nearly an accurate description (from the bottle itself).  There are definite citrus hints but the earthy undertone detract a little from the promised potential.  Then we have the drinking…it is very shallow in flavour.  And although the flavour is pleasant enough, there’s just very little kick to it.  For some that works, but it doesn’t cut the mustard for us Musers on Booze and the spicy overtones (again as described on the bottle) are so hard to find that you might well be onto your 4th Tangle Foot by the time you think you have found them…

Oh well…there’s always next week…

*Tales of Tangle Foot yet to be written by Muse on Booze

Sammy’s Rating: 65%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 62.5%

 

MOB review next weekend: BEAR CUB by COCKSURE BREWING COMPANY

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KERMIS IN DE ALE

BEER REVIEW: 69

BREWER: Brouwerij Bliksem, North Brabant, Netherlands

STYLE: Black IPA

ABV: 7.1%

VESSEL: 33cl brown bottle

DATE POSTED: 1st February 2019

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

Kermis in De Ale is very very dark, just as it says on the bottle.  It looks like a stout once in the glass, a cousin of a stout if you will.  

The aromas are mainly earthy, sweet and nutty.  The best comparison I can think of is like a forest floor after rain. And if you’re wondering whether or not I like the smell of a forest floor after rain – I do.

The colour of Kermis and the smell don’t quite marry up.  They are not happy bed friends.  They are jarring with one another and it’s a combination that is slightly unnerving.  Nobody wants an unnerving combination with their beer.  At least, I don’t.

The mismatch continues into the taste.  There are sweet beginnings with a bitter liquorice aftertaste.  While it’s not altogether undrinkable, it’s a little odd and very uninspiring.  

Kermis, to summarise, is an odd concept of a beer, which will without doubt have it’s fans.  I’m just not one of them.  

That’s not to say it’s not worth a try though.  

Sammy’s Rating: 60%

 

JYMI SAY’S…

I’m not overly sure what the marketing team over at Bliksem were up to with the labelling of KIDA…

Was it, let’s make it neon pink to really stand out from the crowd?

Was it, let’s make the font so pointy that the crowd in the beer aisle may trip over it?

Either way, for MOBJymi this is an absolute disaster when it comes to the look of a beer bottle. Don’t get me wrong though, it has intrigued me no end. Add in the fact I’ve never had a Black IPA before and the intrigue grows higher. But from a visual alone I have to say this is not a good start for this Ale in Pink…

However once the lid was off and my hooter got round it things began to look up.. The chocolate / coffee / nutty nose brought forward what could only be described as a stout / porter / IPA hybrid thought. Possibly not surprising seeing as it’s described as a Black IPA. And in the drinking of Kermis In De Ale the nose most certainly transferred to the taste. A very smooth coffeesque (I put it to you to spell coffeesque correctly!!) IPA. Pretty good you know. The fact that this little tiger is 7.1% actually passed me by. It certainly tastes strong, but not THAT strong.

In conclusion KIDA looks s#*t, smells fantastic and tastes… good.

Jymi’s Rating: 64%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 62% 

MOB review next weekend: TANGLE FOOT by BADGER

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OLD SPECKLED HEN

BEER REVIEW: 68

BREWER: Morland, Oxfordshire, England

STYLE: Premium Bitter 

ABV: 5%

VESSEL: 500ml clear bottle

DATE POSTED: 25th January 2019

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

The name Old Speckled Hen conjures up images of a farmer’s favourite feathered friend.  Or maybe it’s more aligned to a legendary bird that’s tale is passed on from generation to generation as families are huddled around a roaring fire.  Either way, it’s a good name for a beer and sits well in Morland’s theme where they play on the Hen name.  I imagine that there are fans out there who have lovingly shortened the name to Old Spec, which accentuates the two scenarios previously mentioned to a greater degree.

What needs to be established is whether or not the beer lives up to the name…

In short, it does not. 

Old Speckled Hen is by no means bad.  It’s just very average.  It excels in no area.  While I would never turn my nose up at it if it were the only beverage on offer, equally, I would very rarely reach for it if other beers were available. 

In the drinking, it’s fairly light and is ok in the mouth.  It really lacks punch or bite in the flavour department.  You’re left in no doubt that it’s a traditional bitter.  But dare I say it, it lacks character.  There is no USP in the drinking of Old Speckled Hen.

At the risk of offending many consumers of this well established ale, I would seek refreshment elsewhere if possible.

Sammy’s Rating: 66%

 

JYMI SAY’S…

For those of you that read my review of Old Crafty Hen back on the 16th February last year you’ll know my feelings towards Morland’s packaging of their “hens”.

For those of you that didn’t read my review of Old Crafty Hen  last year I think Morland’s packaging of their “hens” is terrible.

However, there are two things that help out Old Speckled externally… This bottle is iconic. It’s their flagship. It’s the pioneering hen. This doesn’t improve the look but does make it easier to bear. Also the name in isolation away from the brood of other hens is a cracker. Especially as, unlike the others, Old Speckled Hen isn’t named after a female chicken at all but a bleedin’ motor!! This information comes via our 500ml vessel’s label as well as what food would pair well with OSH. And for that Morland, I thank you.

We are also told by our brewer that this is a rich and distinctive fine ale.

Well let’s find out if it is shall we…

Errrrr, yes it is!

Rich – yes without doubt, it’s oozing toffee and caramel from nose to taste.

Distinctive – now this is a bold claim in the world of a million beers but you know what, I think it is distinctive. I’d like to think that if I didn’t know I was drinking Old Speckled Hen I would know I was drinking Old Speckled Hen if you know what mean?

Fine – It most certainly is. OSH is smooth as you like and has the air of settling in for a long session whatever the weather, shooting the breeze with chums in a cosy pub.

All in all Old Speckled Hen, though not joining the elite, is a great and iconic everyday beer.

But you probably knew that already didn’t you.

Jymi’s Rating: 74%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 70% 

MOB review next weekend: KERMIS IN DE ALE by BROUWERIJ BLIKSEM

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GOOD OLD BOY

BEER REVIEW: 67

BREWER: West Berkshire Brewery, Berkshire, England 

STYLE: Best Bitter 

ABV: 4%

VESSEL: 500ml brown bottle

DATE POSTED: 18th January 2019

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

There’s nothing quite like an old pair of slippers.  They’re homely, comforting and they always make you feel that little bit better. They keep you grounded and you know exactly where you stand with them (no pun intended).  And the things that would ordinarily bother you with aged clothing, such as a slightly off putting aroma, well, you can turn a blind eye to with such faithful footwear.  

Good Old Boy is exactly like the aforementioned old pair of slippers.  The packaging is very old school – and in this case it is pulled off with aplomb.  It doesn’t feel out of place; it feels perfect for the product.

Ok, the nose, just like old slippers, could be better but there are hints of caramel and burnt chocolate.  But this is a best bitter we are talking about here.  Just like those slippers, once you are fully immersed in Good Old Boy all it’s strengths shine through.  It’s light and refreshing and oodles smoothness.  The after-taste is very short, which isn’t a bad thing.  

Although this is a cracking winter (or all year to be fair) ale, it lacks a little bit of weight in its flavour.  So although it is exactly like a pair of old slippers, it’s not like your favourite old slippers.  

However, get yourself tucked into one of these and you’ll feel very at home and very happy.

Sammy’s Rating: 77%

 

JYMI SAY’S…

Good Old Boy.

Great Old Boy.

Flippin’ Excellent Old Boy.

Guess which one of the above best describes Good Old Boy? I’ll give you clue… It’s not Good Old Boy.

Confused? Yeah, so am I… But this beer from start to finish is most definitely not.

The packaging though not striking in any way is nigh on perfect. From font, to colour to ratios this is just a fantastic looking bottle of best.

The nose gives off that most delicate but lively scent of… about to have a decent pint.

The smoothness and lightness of this brew is just exceptional. Every single sip just glides down like Alberto Tomba on his way to Gold /  the bar at the bottom of the slope.

And the taste, the taste is just superb. Of course the flavours of GOB are more suited to the country pubs of the home counties of England rather than the pre, mid or après ski bars of Piz Bernina but nonetheless… It tastes FANTASTIC.

A job mightily well done West Berkshire Brewery.

Jymi’s Rating: 83%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 80%

 MOB review next weekend: OLD SPECKLED HEN by MORLAND

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INSPECTOR REMORSE

BEER REVIEW: 66

BREWER: Electric Bear Brewing Co., Somerset, England

STYLE: Porter

ABV: 4.7%

VESSEL: 440ml tin

DATE POSTED: 11th January 2019

 

JYMI SAY’S…

Sip 1: Huge taste explosion in mouth, missed every flavour that hit me due to the shock to the taste buds. Other stuff went on too but was left in such a state of wonder nothing registered.

Sip 2: Taste explosion again! And again missed everything else! Come on Jymi, you can do this man…

Sip 3: Less of an explosion but still a huge hit of flavour. Chocolate smacks for sure with cherry notes and as promised from the back of the tin a kind of biscuit tone. Then I noticed the switch in intensity of the flavour… then I quickly went in for my 4th sip.

Sip 4: Same hit of flavour as Sip 3 but my mind was now focused on this switch of flavour intensity after about 2 seconds.. and there it was. Inspector Remorse (hats off to which Electric Bear came up with that name!) goes from full on Chocolate attack up front to this mellow beautiful biscuit and coffee delight. And it was only after sip four that I suddenly picked IR’s sublime finale…

Sip 5: Initial sip intensity had dropped actually (though still delicious) but whatever, I WANT TO GET TO THE SUBLIME FINALE! The aftertaste of Inspector Remorse seems to be this infinite yet ever fading sort of coffee with cream heaven. INCREDIBLE.. I’m going again….

Sip 6: Same as five.

Sip 7: Same as six.

Done.

This is just a fantastic work of art, and I’m not even talking about the can.

Case Closed.

Jymi’s Rating: 86%

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

First up, what a fantastic name for a porter, which is backed up by great packaging.  Who couldn’t help but love the name Inspector Remorse?  It’s unique and Electric Bear Brewing Co. has done a phenomenal job on the marketing front with this porter.  It really moves away from the typical image of old-fashioned beer and this modern, craft revamp of a traditional beer is exciting.  We all know there are traditionalists out there who will turn their nose up at this, but the fact is that there is room for both modern and tradition in the market place.  There’s no doubt that Inspector Remorse is aimed at the craft market. 

Let’s hope then, that this porter is as strong on the inside as it is on the outside.

The nose gives us the first insight into the ‘inside’.  There are the exact notes that one would expect from a porter, with malted barley front stage, chocolate stage right and biscuit stage left.  It’s a reassuring aroma and gives a strong hint to a great drinking experience.

Inspector Remorse is a great porter to drink.  It ticks all of the boxes.  It’s very light but has strong up front flavours of dark chocolate, that are supported by short bitter after notes.  All in all, it is a very well balanced porter and highlights that Electric Bear Brewing Co. really do know how to brew.  The mouth feel is perfect.  All of this leads to a very easy drinking experience and a porter that is actually incredibly refreshing.

It’s all very well having unique, bold packaging but that needs to be backed by a great product.  And that is exactly what we have in Inspector Remorse.  It’s got everything going for it.  If you’ve never tried a porter before, this is your way in…

Sammy’s Rating: 90%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 88% 

MOB review next weekend: GOOD OLD BOY by WEST BERKSHIRE BREWERY

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SIR TURNAROUND

BEER REVIEW: 65

BREWER: Uiltje Brewing Co., North Holland, Netherlands

STYLE: American Black Ale

ABV: 5.5%

VESSEL: 330ml brown bottle 

DATE POSTED: 4th January 2019

 

JYMI SAY’S…

The aviarian eyed of you will have noticed that the packaging for this American Black Ale is centred around a cartoon. The cartoon’s dialogue is between two curious looking chickens discussing Sir Turnaround and it goes a little something like this…. In fact it goes exactly like this…..

‘What a klutz’!

‘What a goof’!

‘Nah, he’s just playing mind games with you’.

‘What do you mean’?

‘He looks dark and toasty, but he actually flies like a butterfly’.

‘Huh’?

‘He hops like an IPA’.

‘By God that’s genius…. Any drinking tips’?

‘No flashlights, no strobe lights, no sunlight. Drink fresh or keep dark and cool’.

What an incredibly innovative way to describe the experience you should get from a beer and what the characteristics of this ABA actually are… my only issue is, it looks terrible!. Don’t get me wrong, marks are certainly being awarded for the innovation here but when it comes to the look of the packaging I’m really not being so generous. The colours are terrible and the fact you can’t really see the name of the beer without turning the bottle is pretty irritating. I love and admire what Uiltje have attempted, it’s just not worked out.

Nose is of burnt caramel which should be a huge highlight but because it’s a bit thin only comes out as pleasant enough. This pretty much carries on into the ‘sip n swallow experience’…. A huge plus is that there is plenty of flavour up front, again of burnt caramel, but the body is so thin it just disappears into a large disappointment. Then come’s a very bitter almost acrid aftertaste. Oh dear. None of the above is helped by the fact that the whole beer seems to be over carbonated.   

However, in conclusion I’m actually going to finish on a high! With a bit more care, attention and thought all the way through from packaging to body to carbonation, this could actually be a really good beer.

Idea…Good.

Execution…Meh, not so good.

Jymi’s Rating: 52%

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

Sir Turnaround is a fantastic name for this beer.  The unique way of presenting the story on the label works to a degree. Many would like it.  The USP is clear: it’s a dark beer that isn’t heavy. It’s obvious that even before you get into this beer you know what you should be experiencing.  However, I am going to state that I do not like the gimmicky cartoon.  And chickens? Why chickens? Talking chickens?  What do chickens know about beer?  I must be missing something (I mean to cause no offence to the poultry world).  It somehow makes the beer feel cheap.  But hey…what do I know?

In the glass, the nose doesn’t give the impression of a light beer.  In fact, it backs up the colour, which is very, very dark. Once on the palate, it’s like you are dealing with a lighter coloured beer, as promised by the chickens on the label. The thing is, it is not great. There’s very little to the taste and when I drink it, I find myself searching and waiting for the flavour to deliver…and it just doesn’t.  Nothing comes through.  There is no follow up.  The initial sip is the best you’ll get. It has very little body to it, so you’d be able to happily throw a couple of them back, and that’s about as good as it gets. 

Chickens, you are definitely not beer experts.  Stick to laying eggs. 

Sammy’s Rating: 53%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 52.5% 

MOB review next weekend: INSPECTOR REMORSE by ELECTRIC BEAR BREWING CO.

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