Whilst doing some shopping I noticed a double ipa from the famous Full Circle Brew Co. This was a purchase I have been meaning to make when it was first released so, my girlfriend purchased this can for me to try and review. From being 5 minutes away from my old home town to a major player in UK craft beer, I will cover the history of Full Circle Brew Co and Mixtape. Also, I will cover the pour, the taste and aroma and finally, my verdict. Cheers
From wine merchants to a brewery
Full Circle Brew Co was founded in 2019 by Ben Cleary. Ben came from the family that is responsible for Lanchester Wines and the family has a history in beer industry by running numerous pubs. Before Full Circle, Ben ran the Pip Stop in Maiden Law, Co Durham which was an alcohol retailer. Interestingly enough I had visited this place numerous times as I went to pick up continental beer options such as Quilmes, Alhambra and Hofbräu Dunkel. As a former resident of Stanley, I certainly knew the influence that the family had on the local area in terms of employment and the community. The name Full Circle is meant to represent the idea of the family returning to its roots.
The brewery itself is located in Hoults Yard, Newcastle and currently use then old railway building to house a 3,000l brewing kit. Full Circle has a major focus on sustainability such as using a Nitrogen generator to reduce C02 usage by 83% and aim to reuse spent grain and yeast in many ways such as feed or briquettes. As of 2025, they now produce 10,000hl of beer per year and employ 22 staff.
The head brewer of Full Circle is Alex Redpath, who was educated at the Sunderland based Brewlabs which famous worldwide for its teachings in the art of brewing. I have visited their taproom before and I definitely recommend. Their philosophy centres on ‘full bodied, full-flavoured beers’. Over the years, they have invested in quality control, yeast management and efficiency whilst also engaging in community projects such as charitable and sustainability- focused campaigns.
The beer which is the subject of this review is Mixtape which is Double IPA, or DIPA as labelled on the can. This carries an ABV of 8% and is offered in 440ml cans. This can is available in Tesco and the beer is hopped with Trident, cyropop, mosaic and citra along with the addition of Barley, Oats and Wheat.
An inviting golden orange pour
When poured, you will be immediately greeted by a cloudy golden colour which almost glows. I observed a foamy white head which left a small amount of lacing around the glass. The carbonation of this beer was moderate with a small amount of bubbles rising up the glass. Overall, a beer that makes you want to dive right into tasting.
A tropical taste, a tropical aroma
As soon as crack opened the tinny I noticed the distinct scent of tropical fruits such as Passion fruit and citrusy hints of grapefruit. This maybe from the mixture of trident, mosaic and citra hops. I also noticed a piney edge too, which balanced it all out.
On the palate, Mixtape offered a mixture of tropical and citrus fruits immediately after taking a sip, along with being attacked with vibrant hops. Mid palate, the hop does not dissipate which I understand some may not like, however I found it quite pleasant. Towards the end of the taste session, there was lingering bitterness and bite which help bring this all together. Overall, not the most balanced beer but certainly a very pleasant tasting DIPA.
Time for my verdict
Overall, Full Circle Brew Co was certainly an experience on exploring different types of hops. Like I said before, it kind of throws the balance of the beer out which some may not be a fan of. However, I feel this was overall a pleasant and refreshing beer which definitely gave me a buzz due to the 8% ABV. Another bonus is that I understand the effort put in by Full Circle and I have seen it through most ventures from the family as a whole. I will give this a solid 3.75 out of 5. It is not too bad for a supermarket beer.
Where did I purchase this beer?
I bought this beer from Tesco in the craft beer section. I believe this was £3.50 a can but also in the 4 for 3 deal.
If you enjoyed reading this review, you would love my review of Full Circle Brew Co Wacky Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man. Feel free to check out the rest of my page. Cheers for reading.
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