With a name that suggests a cocky self assurance (to me at least) The Hop Studio could have been setting themselves up for a fall.
Could have, but haven’t.
This is a superb beer.
XS pours a lovely dark chestnut and smells of rum and toffee and apple juice.
The malts are big and rich, with a base of slightly over baked digestive biscuit coated in thick runny toffee caramel, rum and raisin, a little chocolate and a hint of aniseed.
The hops are English garden borders and hedgerow, starting with mown lawns and cut flowers, dandelion leaves and burdock root, before hazelnuts and bramble leaves lead you into a good dry spicy finish.
Lovely.