BEER REVIEW: 419

BREWER: Brooklyn Brewery, West Midlands, England

STYLE: Pale Ale

ABV: 3.4%

VESSEL: 330ml tin

DATE OF POST: 17th October 2025

JYMI SAY’S…

“Just poppin’ t’shops me luv”

Could you grab some milk while you’re there?

“Yeah, no worries”

Jumped in the car, slammed on the gas…

Thankfully, for once, the avenue wasn’t packed, so in 5 minutes I was at my local store. Said local store is a good’n. It’s only small so always going to be slightly limited but generally you can pick up most of the bits you need without going to the hypermarket.

So there I was, with only a list in my head as we didn’t need much…

Chopped Toms

Shallots

Beef Stock

Bin Bags

Jam

Mental list ticked off I ended up in the liquor aisle, quick 4 pack of beer grabbed (Bodega Run BTW (just in case you wondered where this was going (I had to remind myself to be fair))).

Back home, unpacked, beer cracked and dinner prep for the crew began.

Now, the beer is Bodega Run, obviously, and you know what… for a 3.4% brew this pup has a lot going for it.

Once past the seriously shabby nose things begin to get going very nicely. There is plenty of flavour in the slightly under carbonated sip and just when you think the flavour high is done due to the low ABV nature, BR comes back at you with all the flavour that you might had thought had gorn for good. With a decent body too, all things considered, BD outperforms its %age and for that, I applaud it.

Where did you put the milk Jymi?

F*******************ck

Jymi’s Rating: 60%

SAMMY SAY’S…

You weren’t planning on being impressed. You were just grabbing a few bits—crisps, maybe a scratchcard—and then this little can winked at you from the fridge. Bodega Run. Low ABV. Bright label. You thought: why not?

And then it hits you. That nose—zesty orange with a flick of lemon peel—like someone just cracked open a citrus grove behind the till. It’s fresh, it’s cheeky, and it smells like optimism.

The first sip follows through: orange zest leads the charge, backed by a whisper of floral bitterness that keeps things interesting without trying too hard. It’s not complex, but it’s clever. The kind of beer that knows its lane and cruises it with style.

At just 3.4%, it’s the featherweight champ of the fridge—light on its feet but surprisingly punchy. Sure, it fades a little as you go, but that’s part of the charm. It’s a session beer with street smarts: easy to drink, hard to forget.

Packaging’s sharp, name’s a winner, and for a casual pickup, it’s got serious flair. You didn’t expect to be impressed—but here you are, sipping sunshine from a corner shop can and wondering what other gems are hiding behind the Lucozade.

This one’s for the spontaneous sippers, the fridge-raiders, the late-night wanderers. A proper bodega win.

Sammy’s Rating: 70%

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 65%

MOB review next weekend: BEIRUT by KASSATLY

Sammy & Jymi – Musing on Booze weekly since 2017

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M O B 2025

BEER REVIEW: 418

BREWER: Black Isle Brewery, Highlands, Scotland

STYLE: Organic Red Ale

ABV: 4.2%

VESSEL: 330ml tin

DATE OF POST: 10th October 2025

SAMMY SAY’S…

From the first pour, there’s a flicker of plumage in the glass—a red tinge that catches the light, though it leans more amber than crimson. Like the bird itself, it’s not garish, but unmistakable. A flash of colour against a pale sky.

The nose is sweet marmalade—bright, citrusy, and just a little wild. It’s the scent of hedgerows in late summer, of breakfast on a breezy veranda while the birds stir overhead. There’s something Goldfinch-light about it: cheerful, zesty, and fleeting.

On the palate, it settles into a more grounded rhythm. Roast malts take the lead, nutty and buttery like a kestrel’s perch on a sun-warmed fence post. Then comes the burnt caramel—subtle, but lingering—adding a long, satisfying bitterness that feels like the slow descent of a buzzard circling home.

Mouthfeel is good, if not soaring. It’s more steady glider than high-flying peregrine. But that suits its nature: this is a beer for all seasons. It belongs by the fire in autumn, in the corner of a winter pub, or beside a summer barbecue where the swifts dart and dive.

Packaging’s modest, name’s spot on, and while it won’t win awards for plumage, it earns its perch with quiet consistency. A strong all-rounder—like the red kite itself: once rare, now resurgent, and always a pleasure to spot.

A beer that doesn’t need to scream to be seen. It just spreads its wings and lets the wind do the rest.

Sammy’s Rating: 74%

JYMI SAY’S…

This week, I’d like to start off with the presentation of this beer. I don’t mean the packaging—that’s only so-so. No, I mean how Red Kite pours, looks, and smells in the glass. Well, quite simply, it’s fantastic in all three departments.

It cruises into the vessel with majestic ease, and instantly you can see the off white head forming. Once poured, it stands proud with a glorious red hued body that contrasts so well with that ivory lid. The nose coming from Red Kite soon finds its way to your nasal passages, tempting you to direct your hooter towards the drink. The aroma is lovely: sweet, fruity, almost plum jam-like.

Things then carry on in a really good vein beyond the presentation, to be fair. The mouthful of the brew is wonderfully smooth and graces one’s gullet with ease.

But all of this would not count for much if the flavour wasn’t up to scratch. Luckily, it is, and with these foundations it was always going to be great. Sweet fruit, caramel, and toffee dominate, moving to a savoury middle and a medium bitter finish. The balance is spot on.

I have to say, this really is a very tasty brew… but you’d probably guessed that already, hadn’t you?
Cheerio!

Jymi’s Rating: 82%

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 78%

MOB review next weekend: BODEGA RUN by BROOKLYN BREWERY

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M O B 2025

BEER REVIEW: 417

BREWER: Stone Daisy Brewery, Wiltshire, England

STYLE: Best Bitter

ABV: 4.2%

VESSEL: 500ml brown bottle

DATE OF POST: 3rd October 2025

SAMMY SAY’S…

You approach with anticipation. The name alone conjures grandeur: Longleat. A place of stately drama, of golden beasts and sweeping lawns. You imagine a pint worthy of the setting—bold, balanced, maybe even a little wild.

But from the first pour, the illusion begins to fade. It lands in the glass pale and timid, more amber whisper than bitter bellow. You squint, hoping the nose will redeem it—and for a moment, it does. Burnt caramel, earthy malt, a hint of woodland floor after rain. It’s evocative, like catching the scent of the safari park from the treetop walk.

Then comes the sip. And the lion lies down.

Sweetness leads, chocolate notes flicker, but the bitterness—the defining trait—is nowhere to be found. It’s thin, almost spectral. No grip, no growl, no mouthfeel to speak of. A best bitter in name only, like a lion with clipped claws and a silent throat.

You wanted a beast. You got a shadow.

Packaging’s fine. The name has pedigree. But the x-factor? A flat zero. Because this isn’t just about taste—it’s about expectation. And when a beer carries the Longleat name, you expect it to stride, not skulk.

A damp squib in the savannah. The kind of best bitter that makes you long for the real thing—a proper bitter with teeth, with texture, with pride.

Sammy’s Rating: 24%

JYMI SAY’S…

It was a sunny Wednesday morning when my lovely little family and I set sail for the South West Coast of England. Of course, we couldn’t resist making a pit stop at Longleat, mainly for the in-car safari trail. The drive through adventure was stunning, and we all survived with limbs intact (unlike the poor family whose N-reg Nissan Micra started smoking in the lion enclosure).
After the safari, we wandered through the grand house, but, as tradition demands, inevitably ended up in the gift shop. Ooooooooh, beer, I thought, eyes lighting up. Yes, Longleat does its own branded beer! The bottle of Best Bitter was instantly earmarked for testing once we’d safely returned from our travels.

A few days later, settling in at my reviewing desk, anticipation running high, I cracked open the bottle. This was one smart looking beer, I have to admit. Popped, poured, and sniffed: Longleat Best Bitter gave off a wonderfully fresh and clean aroma. Expectations soared as I went in for the first sip… only to find my face morphing into that questioning/confused look at the glass, then the bottle. Why on earth does it not taste of…well, anything?
Second sip: same confused look. Why is the body so thin?

Third sip: still searching for the bitterness that never arrived. This pattern continued right to the final, forgettable drops.

Was it unpleasant? Not really. But with next to no flavour, texture, or bitterness, this is a beer that’s destined to be a gift shop gimmick. I suppose I should have known, as clearly they saw me coming a mile off!

Jymi’s Rating: 34%

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 29%

MOB review next weekend: RED KITE by BLACK ISLE

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M O B 2025

BEER REVIEW: 416

BREWER: Abbaye N-D De Saint-Remy, Namur, Belgium 

STYLE: Belgian Ale 

ABV: 9.2%

VESSEL: 33cl brown bottle

DATE OF POST: 26th September 2025

JYMI SAY’S…

There is too much to mention here for me to go into a long elaborate made up (maybe) story. You’re here for a good time, not a long time, so I’m just going to get straight into it, as it were.

I was expecting great things from Rochefort 8 as it does come with a sound reputation, however, it did not quite hit the heights that I was expecting.

The nose – FANTASTIC! Spice, dark fruits, cherry, chocolate and that Belgian yeast!

The pour – now this is not something that I usually think about too much let alone write / report about. But TR8 made it so that I could not not mention it. This was a noisy pour! Very un-monk like! The carbonation on the forming head as the liquid made it’s journey from the brown bottle to the tulip glass was nothing short of wasps in a box. Most most odd I thought to myself. The loud two finger head that formed then dissipated in a matter of seconds. Curious, most curious, I thought to myself.

The sip – fizzy, but then totally uncarbonated in mouth. Not necessarily a bad thing but what the fk was going on here, I thought to myself.

The swallow – cloying (not in a bad way), with the continuation from the nose sensation. The spice, dark fruits, cherry and chocolate carried on to deliver in a big way. Now, though there is certainly a complexity to TR8 I’m not sure it really took me on a journey necessarily. It’s kinda like all the amazing flavours were there but they didn’t meander, intertwine or overlap.

The aftertaste – fine, good in fact, with the prominence of the aforementioned flavours still doing their thing. But it did not dance… and I wanted it to dance.

Good beer for sure but Jymi was expecting more.

FOOTNOTE: Once we had both tested, scored and written TR8, Sammy and I had a chat on the phone (as we do after completing our review of most brews) to discuss our views. I asked Sam what he thought about the noisy pour and quick to vanish head. This hadn’t happened to him. So, I’m wondering if I possibly had a bit of a duffer of a bottle. I don’t suppose we’ll ever truly know though, eh.

Jymi’s Rating: 76%

SAMMY SAY’S…

There’s a hush to this pour, as if the bottle itself has been blessed. In the glass, it settles into a deep mahogany—almost opaque, but with a garnet glint if you hold it to the light, like stained glass catching dusk. The head is modest, tan, and fleeting, like the breath of a monk reciting vespers.

The nose is gentle but evocative: sweet malt with a dusting of cinnamon, like the scent of warm bread cooling on a stone sill. It doesn’t shout—it beckons. There’s a quiet promise of depth, of stories told in low voices over flickering flame.

On the palate, it opens like a velvet curtain: dark fruits—fig, prune, and raisin—unfold with the richness of a Christmas pudding left to steep in brandy. Subtle spices linger at the edges, never overpowering, just enough to evoke the memory of cloves tucked into orange peel. As the glass warms, chocolate notes rise like embers—soft, smoky, and bittersweet.

Mouthfeel is full and rounded, a gentle weight that encourages slow sipping. This isn’t a beer for chatter or clinking glasses. It’s for solitude, or quiet company. Imagine a tavern carved into stone, candlelight dancing on wood beams, a fire crackling low. Rochefort 8 belongs there—warming your hands, your chest, and something deeper still.

It’s not a session beer. It’s a ritual. A strong brew, yes—but not brash. It carries its strength like a monk’s robe: heavy, dignified, and woven with purpose.

Sammy’s Rating: 88%

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 82%

MOB review next weekend: LONGLEAT BEST BITTER by STONE DAISY BREWERY

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M O B 2025

BEER REVIEW: 415

BREWER: Double-Barrelled, Berkshire, England

STYLE: Hazy IPA

ABV: 5.8%

VESSEL: 440ml tin

DATE OF POST: 19th September 2025

JYMI SAY’S…

Funny ol’ thing the set up at a house party…

The various sections of said house will ultimately house different folks for different tokes and strokes.

The garden is your cigarette smoking loud socialite mob. No life long friends are made here. Just noise and BS.

The living room is for the beard stroking and weed smoking beatniks, poets and thespians.

The bedroom is where… hang on, are we going here? No… Are we?  No, let’s leave it.

The kitchen is where the party is at. Excited folk. A diverse range of narcotics that would only usually be seen in a dodgy cop house in downtown LA. There is liquor, wine and beer. There are tunes. There is chat. There is a good time a happening. People are speaking and peaking as one.

Now because of the beatnik thing, Kitchen Disco, as a craft beer, would probably be better suited to the Living Room crew (have I really gone down this route with no link??? F me, I think I have! And you just know I’m gonna finish on a Jona Lewie lyric don’t you?!)).

But in all seriousness, KD would be suited to all the folks in all the zones of the party. It’s craft beer but not in your face or off the wall. Juicy yet dry. Tones of peach, lime and orange. A dry finish that keeps you reaching for that next sip. This is a brew for everyone, and seeing as my sister picked this up from Tesco for me and Sammy to test… DB have kinda nailed it!

Oh… that’s why you’ll always find me in the kitchen at parties 😉

Jymi’s Rating: 82%

SAMMY SAY’S…

“Kitchen Disco” is a name that slaps harder than a banjo solo at a Reading folk night. It’s playful, evocative, and sets the tone for a beer that doesn’t take itself too seriously—until it hits your taste buds. The disco ball and vibrant colours on the can promise a party, but that yellow band at the top? It’s like slapping a plastic sticker on a vintage Gibson. It cheapens the vibe and jars with the rest of the aesthetic. A shame, because the rest of the design is ready to boogie.

Tropical fruit leaps out like a peach pit at a ceilidh. It’s juicy, fragrant, and exactly what you’d expect from a hazy IPA done right. No surprises, but no complaints either.

In the drinking, unsurprisingly, is where Kitchen Disco earns its headline slot. Peach and tropical notes swirl like dancers on a sticky pub floor, backed by a bitterness that keeps the groove grounded. It’s a well-orchestrated flavour profile—bright, bold, and balanced. The light mouthfeel lets the hops do the talking without overwhelming the palate. It’s the kind of beer that invites a second sip before you’ve finished the first.

This brew is dangerously drinkable. Like a banjo riff that loops in your head, this one’s hard to put down. It’s got session potential but enough complexity to keep you interested.

On the pour Kitchen Disco has good head retention and a lovely haze—like mist rolling off the Thames on a summer morning. It pours with confidence and clarity, even if the packaging doesn’t quite match the performance.

Much like the Epiphone Earl Scruggs banjo—whose golden promise didn’t quite match its fretwork—Kitchen Disco teaches us not to judge a beer by its cover. Behind the slightly clumsy branding lies a beautifully crafted hazy IPA that delivers on every front that matters. It’s a Berkshire brew with soul, swagger, and just enough funk to keep things interesting.

Sammy’s Rating: 83%

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 82.5%

MOB review next weekend: TRAPPISTES ROCHEFORT 8 by ABBAYE N-D DE SAINT-REMY

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M O B 2025

BEER REVIEW: 414

BREWER: Kasteel Brouwerij, West Flanders, Belgium

STYLE: Belgian Red Ale 

ABV: 7%

VESSEL: 33cl brown bottle

DATE OF POST: 12th September 2025

JYMI SAY’S…

Don’t judge a book by its cover they say…

(Don’t know who they are necessarily.)

The trouble is, when it comes to beer reviewing, I very much do judge a beer by its housing, I can’t help it. If the bottle / tin looks shit I’ll instantly not look forward to testing the beer in question. This has been proved wrong many many times over the many many years. We’ve had striking looking packaging where the brew has turned out to be pooh and shockin’ tin art where the beer has turned out to be rockin’.

But like I say, I just can’t help it… my excitement for a test is 100% governed but the look of the vessel.

So there I was, minding my own business, pottering, but knowing that the testing for Kasteel Rouge was imminent. And the wee stumpy bottle caught the corner of my eye… You’re an ugly looking chap are you not, I said in my head, not wishing to offend.

I got no response. There are a few reasons for this…

Anyway, I finally popped the top of Kasteel’s Rouge and surprise surprise, it was very pleasant indeed! But it did slowly go ever so slightly downhill I’m afraid to say.

This brew opens up by the nose shooting up ya hooter… ALL THE CHERRY! FANTASTIC!! In the sip the cherry bomb continues, very nice indeed! The swallow is nice enough but it’s here that  the brewers needed to change the direction of this beer. It needed a bite. Something to break up the cherry sweetness. And unfortunately, the aftertaste, though not unpleasant, is a bit gacky due to what ends up being a bit of a cherry overload.

In conclusion, the ugly duckling ended up being nice enough yes, but with a tweak and switch up in the middle of the sipping could have been so much better.

This really does not help my judging of a beer by its cover does it?!

Anyway, we keep moving.

Jymi’s Rating: 63%

SAMMY SAY’S…

Sammy’s Rating: 81%

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 72%

MOB review next weekend: KITCHEN DISCO by DOUBLE-BARRELLED

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M O B 2025

BEER REVIEW: 413

BREWER: The Garden Brewery, Zagreb, Croatia

STYLE: Hazy IPA

ABV: 6.2%

VESSEL: 440ml tin

DATE OF POST: 5th September 2025

SAMMY SAY’S…

In the Adriatic sun, where the light dances on olive leaves and stone paths lead to sleepy seaside taverns, Oseka takes its first breath—a hazy IPA born of Croatian clarity and craft. Brewed in a land that embraces contrast—sea and mountain, tradition and innovation—this beer embodies that duality with elegance.

Its appearance is pure Dalmatian daydream: hazy gold, like sunlight filtered through fig leaves. The nose offers melon and grapefruit in easy alliance, reminiscent of citrus groves kissed by salt air. It’s the kind of aroma that invites pause, like the quiet beauty of Šibenik’s old town.

Then comes the sip. Lemon and lime sparkle on the tongue—bright, purposeful, Mediterranean. But it’s the melon that anchors the palate, mellow and soft like a whisper from the hills above Split. The balance is remarkable: each note distinct, none domineering. It’s mouthfeel is coastal silk—smooth and refreshing, like diving into the sea after a long hike.

Oseka doesn’t wear its ABV loudly. It’s subtle, seductive, and perilously sipable—a Dalmatian disguise for a drink that could charm you well past sunset. You could drink this under vines in Motovun or beside the buzzing life of Zagreb, and it would feel equally at home.

While the packaging may not shout, the name does the heavy lifting: evocative, memorable, just like the beer itself. It’s an understated triumph—a Croatian haze that offers more than refreshment. It offers place.

Sammy’s Rating: 91%

JYMI SAY’S…

Meaning mid tide and being accompanied by the most subtle but glorious piece of artwork I fell in love with Oseka pretty darn quick. This love was kinda already bubbling as the previous beer that we had tested from this brewery had scored a whopping 91% overall and I genuinely still remember the day I supped that delightful sour.

However, I was yet to open this Hazy Pale, so my heart could quite easily still have been broken.

Thankfully, it was not… Oseka is a delightful beer.

Opening with a stunning tropical nose you just know things are gonna be ok with what Garden Brewery have put forward. What follows all works together in perfect harmony…

In sip the tropical delight from the nose continues with semi sweet passion fruit nods and slight citrus tickles. This then transfers to a melon tone in the swallow which I have to say is utterly divine! Then what follows is just perfect. It’s a medium body bitterness that is just the most amazing conclusion to this simply stunning brew.

It’s bright, it’s light, it’s beautiful.

So go find and enjoy you beautiful beer loving people.

Jymi’s Rating: 94%

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 92.5%

MOB review next weekend: KASTEEL ROUGE by KASTEEL BROUWERIJ

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M O B 2025

BEER REVIEW: 412

BREWER: Two Flints, Berkshire, England

STYLE: Double IPA

ABV: 8%

VESSEL: 440ml tin

DATE OF POST: 29th August 2025

JYMI SAY’S…

To be frank, upfront, Big Frank is big. Like, right up in your grill big.

Starting off with a big boozy dank nose you’re soon led swiftly to an upfront big boozy and dank flavour… delightful! But it did get me thinking, one tin of this intensity and the drinker would have certainly had their fill. However, these thoughts were had after only one sip, so definitely too early to be drawing any conclusions.

You see, as you make your way through Big Frank it without doubt starts to mellow out. It remains boozy yes, but not too boozy. There’s a lovely bitter hop level too, but again, not too much, allowing Big Frank to develop into a very juicy beer.  With notes of lime, orange and a tickle of coconut this is actually a seriously drinkable brew… but steady now, remember the strength of this pup at all times or you’ll roll into that canal before you know it!

With very clean packaging and a long, gently fading aftertaste, I conclude that Big Frank is an incredible beer.

Job done Two Flints, job very well done.

Jymi’s Rating: 90%

SAMMY SAY’S…

In the year of our Lord, in the season when the air hung warm and the taverns hummed with merriment, I happened upon a vessel most curious—a metallic flask bearing the name Big Frank, adorned not in splendour but with honest intent. Its outward garb was unremarkable, yet within it lay a trove of learned graphics and pleasing counsel, such that the inquisitive drinker might ponder its depths before even wetting the tongue.

Upon pouring, the liquid did resemble set honey beneath morning light, crowned with a noble head that stood as if to greet the onlooker. As the scent did rise, I discerned mango and lemon in gentle congress, evoking a vision of far-off tropics where fruits ripen beneath generous suns. The aroma danced with grace—neither bold nor fleeting—offering an overture to what followed.

I drank, and lo! The mouth was greeted with exquisite feel—neither cloying nor flat, but round and silken as the embrace of velvet. Sweetness of pineapple did lead the procession, a stately and deliberate march, before giving way to a bitterness both firm and dignified. The shift from dulcet to stern was so tempered, so refined, that I found it mirrored the wisdom of age: pleasure met with purpose.

As I journeyed deeper into the chalice, a warmth emerged—honeyed, mellow, like the memory of a kind word long after it was spoken. Each draught bore balance; each swallow called forth quiet contemplation.

Though its garb may lack ornament, Big Frank is no trifling ale. Nay, it is a draught for men and women of taste and discernment, for those who seek grown-up joy in grown-up bitterness. Big Frank, as some might declare with mirth, hath landed—and with him comes satisfaction not easily forgotten.

Let the lesser ales babble and boast. This one speaks in measured tone, and to those who listen well, it doth reward richly.

Sammy’s Rating: 92%

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 91%

MOB review next weekend: OSEKA by THE GARDEN BREWERY

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M O B 2025

BEER REVIEW: 411

BREWER: Badische Straatsbrauerei, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

STYLE: Pilsner

ABV: 5.1%

VESSEL: 0,5l brown bottle

DATE OF POST: 22nd August 2025

SAMMY SAY’S…

Rothaus Pils presents itself with a kind of quiet confidence—a beer that’s not trying to reinvent anything, but is content showing you how good tradition can feel with a little polish. The packaging strikes that balance nicely: heritage without being stuck in it. There’s a modern sensibility in the design, but it still gives a nod to its roots, and it works effortlessly.

The aroma fits the bill: perfumy hop notes that don’t shout but shimmer, gently reminding you that this is, unequivocally, a pilsner. On the palate, those floral hints continue with a refreshing mouthfeel that keeps it crisp without veering into clinical. It feels considered, crafted to deliver what a pils should, no more, no less—and yet the execution elevates it.

It’s easily drinkable, almost deceptively so. There’s structure beneath the simplicity. Rothaus doesn’t push boundaries, it refines them. There’s personality in the choice of hops, a measured restraint that knows not to overdo it. The name might not thrill, but it suits the beer: understated and true to form.

Everything in this brew just feels well thought-out. From the lively label to the balanced sip, it’s a pils that doesn’t pretend to be anything else—and because of that, it ends up being one of the stronger examples of the style. Not flashy, but quietly excellent. It’s the kind of beer you admire more with each glass.

Sammy’s Rating: 72%

JYMI SAY’S…

Even though we make billions and billions and billions and billions and billions and Billy Inzun Billy Inzun BILL YENSEN BILL YENSEN BILL YENSEN BILL YENSEN https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_aLESDql1U  from our highly professional and polished beer reviews, I still find it grounds me going off to work each day for an honest days toil.

Now the week just gone I have to say was an absolute brut…

Busy as a bee, hotter than a hard working bee and more (unplanned) exercise than a very hard working overworked bee.

So, to say it was a relief to get home and chalk the week off as just one of those is an understatement. And what better way to draw a line under a week than to crack open an ice cold bottle of German Pilsner in the sun…

Though the bottle is unappealing, there was just something about it that excited me. Tradition? Aforementioned, off the back of a mental week? Dunno. But I was ready and the time was NOW!

And, honestly, and I’m confident when I say, this wasn’t just because of the situation, this is a sublime lager!

What is instantly noticeable, is the hop content. Manual notes actually said that this could almost be a West Coast! Of course it’s nowhere near but for that to have even crossed my mind tells you how hoppy this number actually is.

Rothaus Pils also brings a spice and a wee mild twang and again going back to the manual tasting notes…

If all lagers tasted as good as this, then I would drink a lot more of them.

And that is high praise indeed from ya boi Jymi.

Seriously, search this one out.

Jymi’s Rating: 80%

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 76%

MOB review next weekend: BIG FRANK by TWO FLINTS

Sammy & Jymi – Musing on Booze weekly since 2017

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M O B 2025

BEER REVIEW: 410

BREWER: Siren Craft Brew, Berkshire, England

STYLE: DDH Citra IPA

ABV: 5.2%

VESSEL: 440ml tin

DATE OF POST: 15th August 2025

SAMMY SAY’S…

Sammy’s Rating: 80%

JYMI SAY’S…

Of all the hops to use in a single hop brew, Citra is the one for me. Some say, actually most say, it’s the king of hops when it comes to craft beer and who am I (multi-awarding winning, decorated beer reviewer, churning out dross since the 80s) to disagree.

A lot, if not all other hops need a pal or even a few pals to shine, as on their own they lack something. Whereas Citra can stand alone and do myriad jobs by itself.

And here we have a Citra only offering from our mighty local brewers, Siren. Expressions is their single hop range and it just made sense to go with the Citra offering for reasons mentioned above…

This is a really good beer, but is missing something to elevate it to super stardom.

Let’s go through this step by step…

This brew starts off with a spectacular tropical nose, so inviting!

The taste in sip and mouthfeel whilst sipping is also exceptional! Again, it’s tropical goodness and one that defo keeps you a chuggin’, it’s that good.

But it’s at the next stage that Expressions: Citra dips a bit. See the middle is lacking a bit of body, flavour and personality. Shame.

Because the texture and flavour in the aftertaste, though subtle, is nothing short of world class. The aftertaste is one of soft grapefruit, orange and somehow, marshmallow, in taste and texture. And it goes on and on and on, but subtly and softly.

If there was more action in the middle then we would be onto an understated worldy here. But as it is, this is just a really good beer.

Jymi’s Rating: 81%

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 80.5%

MOB review next weekend: ROTHAUS PILS by BADISCHE STRAATSBRAUEEI ROTHAUS

Sammy & Jymi – Musing on Booze weekly since 2017

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M O B 2025