Mash Gang Rad

There’s always something brewing at Mash Gang HQ. Just when I think I’ve got my finger on the pulse of what they’re offering, social media is suddenly aflame with images of new Mash Gang cans, all sporting catchy names and adorned with high end t-shirt worthy imagery. At time of writing the Gang have just released their latest batch of AF goodness, inspired by sugary breakfast cereals and fruity candies, with images cropping up on Instagram of pale ales in a striking bright blue hue. However for this review I’m looking at one of their popular beers from earlier on this year, which is also part of their core range – the 1990s inspired ‘Rad’.

During the May bank holiday of 2022 Mash Gang soft launched their core range of Stoop, Stoop Extra Dry, Chug and Rad, with sales surpassing all their expectations. While each of the beers proved popular, it took a mere month for Rad to sell out completely, with fans snapping it up just in time to enjoy in the summer sun.

Rad is referred to on it’s can as a ‘Tropical XPA’, mainly because it contains both mango and passionfruit juices, but also because Yerba Mate is included in it’s ingredients. Despite sounding like Australian slang, Yerba Mate is a plant that grows in South America, which is used to create an infusion known as ‘Mate’. It tends to have a bitter, earthy, slightly eucalyptus taste, and is packed with caffeine. What it’s doing in an XPA, only Mash Gang will know, but they must have put it in there for a reason. Apart from those three adjuncts, Rad apparently uses the same base as Chug XPA, which currently has the highest score among all Mash Gang beers we’ve reviewed, and is packed with Amarillo, Citra, El Dorado, Galaxy and Vic Secret hops. Hold onto your hats!

The beer pours a hazy light orange colour, producing a light frothy head as it fills the glass, but this is short lived, and nothing like we’ve been seeing from the Stoop range of lagers. On the nose we get the expected sweet mango and passion fruit aromas, with mango dominating. There is a touch of citrus in the background, grapefruit rind, but it’s mainly juicy fruit on show here.

The beer certainly lives up to it’s ‘Tropical XPA’ label on tasting, with the juice-based fruits (mango and passionfruit) leading the charge on our taste buds, but there’s also a fair amount of pineapple and peach in the ranks too. But it’s not all juicy fruit on display here, there’s a background of pine and citrus bitterness that helps to balance the beer out. Whether any of this bitterness comes from the Yerba Mate I couldn’t ascertain, but then again I’m not the most accustomed to it’s taste. The mouthfeel is soft, the carbonation level quite low, with the body being light to medium. We get a surprisingly dry finish to the drink.

Mash Gang Rad is very similar to Chug, but as expected from the addition of actual fruit, is a fair bit fruitier than it’s sibling. However I feel this addition doesn’t quite have the effect that Mash Gang was looking for, and instead of cranking up the volume of the beer to eleven they’ve actually dialled it down a touch compared to Chug. I feel the flavours in Rad, whilst juicy and refreshing, are just not as rounded, and the Mash Gang signature chilli is not really noticeable. That said, it’s still a cracking beer and I can see why it sold out so quickly.

Buy Mash Gang Rad

Mash Gang’s beers are usually small batch limited editions, but thanks to Rad being in their core range it should be easier to get ahold of (fingers crossed). Try direct from the brewer below:

Nutritional Information (per 100ml, taken from the side of the can)
ABV	0.5%
Additional nutritional information not given. Boo, hiss!
Ingredients
Water, Rye, Wheat, Oats, Malted Barley, Maltodextrin, Mango and Passionfruit Juice, Hops, Yeast, Chilli, Potassium Sorbate, Natural Flavouring, Yerba Mate
Additional Information
Country of Production	United Kingdom
Brewer	Mash Gang – https://mashgang.beer/
Gluten Free?	No
Vegan Friendly?	Yes