Mango, Mango, Mango ABV: 4.5%

Since moving out to the suburbs, I’ve regretfully moved away from one of my favourite independent beer stores. Situated in the West-End of Glasgow, literally yards away from the front door of my old flat, I had worldwide beers available on my doorstop. ‘Grunting Growler’ is a perfect triad of;

• The ability to buy fresh, draught beer that can be stored at home in your own Growler – perfect for having at your own convenience. The beers are from all over the world, representing a mix of diverse collaborations, from local to famous Belgian brewers.
• Fridges packed with to the brim with diverse bottled/canned beers – something to suit everyone’s taste guaranteed.
• A fantastic owner; he knows his beers inside out, is able to recommend specific brews to your palate and provides exceptional customer service!

These three key components created a beer store unlike anything else I’ve experienced. Thanks to ‘Grunting Growler’, bottles, craft cans and Growlers have stocked my fridge and kitchen units, creating a vast, wonderful, eclectic collection! Each time I visit, I never fail to find something new and exciting; one of the best ever beers I’ve ever had from this store was Bloody ‘Ell by Beavertown.

Tonight’s beer was a ‘Grunting Growler’ find that I was excited about. ‘Mango Mango Mango’, contained within my little 750ml Growler, I shared with my partner and my dad. I portioned the beer into a few glasses and handed it around. It poured a bright mango colour; who would have guessed that?! There was little-to-no head produced, but this didn’t prevent the aromas rising from the glass. The lack of foam head was typical of other sour ale varieties I have tried. On the nose, mango certainly dominates, allowing no doubt with regards to what the overwhelming flavour should be. On tasting, yes I was hit with mango initially, but sourness fizzled through and won the battle on my palate. It literally tasted like a bag of sour sweets! It was certainly a tart beer.

Dugges, Swedish in origin, are known for producing big, bold flavours and this one certainly hit that brief. I’ve had a couple of other beers by this brewery and they continue to deliver lots of flavour. I hadn’t realised, until writing this review, that this was a collaboration with a brewery called Stillwater Artisanal – a microbrewery from the United States. Having had a positive experience with this brew, I will keep a look out for more of their work!

Rating: 3.0/5. ‘Mango Mango Mango’ was most definitely a sour ale, though it split opinions on tasting (for those that have not had many sour ales before, this could be a bit too sour, so beware!). Personally, I enjoyed it, but I feel that it should be renamed ‘Mango Sour Sour’ instead – a more accurate representation!