Every now and then a beer comes along that brings back memories of the 80s TV ad for juicebox drink Um Bongo – an ad that acts a reminder of just how far things have come in the decades since. And Holgate's sour release for summer 2023/24 is the latest nostalgia-bringer.
If you don’t have a clue what I’m on about (and why would you?) such memories are sparked by the globular aromas (can aromas be globular? I'm going with yes) of tropical fruit. Here, they're created by mango and passionfruit; in the original kids' drink, they were joined by apple, lemon, mandarin, apricot, guava and, presumably, a tonne of sugar.
They land so pungently – so globularly? – I can't imagine the experience would be much different if someone was actually stuffing freshly scooped pieces of said fruits straight up your nose. Once you take a swig, the experience continues along the same path, with the 6 percent ABV ensuring you’ll keep witnessing the bigness right to the end.
James Smith
Published November 15, 2023 2023-11-15 00:00:00
