1) Once you’ve set a high standard it must be pretty hard to maintain it. I’m assuming this is the case – it’s not like I have any personal experience of being at a high standard. I might maintain A standard but I doubt it’s a high one.

2) One brewer that has set a high standard – as far as I’m concerned anyway – is Stockade Brew Company. They’re the label of contract brewer BrewPack, a fact which may have initially caused some beer geeks to be wary. Because the phrase “contract brewer” once came with a stigma.

3) But they surprised more than a few people. Including me. I’ve tried a number of their beers and been quite impressed (some of the labels, however, have seemed a bit on the dodgy side). Their flagship beer for mine is the 8Bit IPA. It’s a cracking beer, from the retro computer graphics on the label to the lovely fruity, bitter flavours. It landed in 61st spot in the Hottest 100 Beers and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see it climb higher next year.

4) They’ve had some other strong performers as well, including their Hopzilla Hoppy Weizen and Fallen Angel Pale Stout. But I guess the more wins you have the closer you come to a stumble. And for me, Stockade has stumbled with their Mysterio IIPA. It’s a big 9 per cent beer “packed with all kinds of hops. The mystery is, which ones?” reads the label.

5) Looking on social media it seems a polarising beer. Some love it, some don’t. Me, I’m in the latter camp. My palate found Mysterio waaaaay too sweet. Remember those lemon sherbet lollies? The ones where the hard candy shell was shaped like a lemon and it was filled with sherbet inside? Well that’s the sense memory that’s triggered by this beer – there’s a strong lemon aroma and a whole lot of sweetness. I could only stomach half a glass – and even then, I could taste lemon sherbet every time I burped.

Free or paid for?: I bought a bottle, but I won’t buy another one. However, I’ll happily buy some of that 8Bit any time I see it.