A question for those of you who have had the opportunity to try both beers, and even more so for those of you fortunate enough to try both in the same sitting: are the differences noteworthy enough for these to taste like two distinctively different beers? Appreciate your thoughts and feedback.
I've tasted both a few times now, however never in the same sitting. I enjoyed them both equally, loved every sip. I agree they are different, but I do not think one is better than the other. If someone was going to give me a bottle of one of them and I had to choose, I'd pick regular Flora, but only because it is in a larger format.
This. I had them both side by side and if I had to choose, I'd pick Flora because of more volume of delightfulness. I think I might slightly prefer Satsuma on taste, but it's very, very close.
The citrus is very noticable in Satsuma. Flora will be made again and again. If I haven't had either I would probably be looking for Satsuma first because I don't know when a new batch will be available. If you are just curious about the variation then you can't possibly lose by seeking it out. Unless you don't care for Flora.
I wouldn't say the citrus is "very" noticeable, I actually thought what made Flora Sats better than Flora was the delicacy of the mandarin flavor that crept out on the back-end. I've never tasted anything as nuanced as that in a beer before, where the barrel, base, and adjunct all came together in one harmonious linear experience. That being said once you have Flora Sats you will be hunting down the Flora by the time your glass is through. Flora might be a bit more satisfying in that aspect.
I prefer Flora. Satsuma was good, but not noticeably better and basically the same price for half the volume.
I'm not sure what that all means but Im not saying this stuff is straight orange juice. Out of all the citrus beers I've had this was one of the strongest.
Regular Flora is a perfect beer. I absolutely loved Satsuma, but I'd gladly have regular Flora over it any day. Satsuma is very citrus forward, very bright tasting. I could drink it all night. But regular Flora is just head and shoulders better IMO.
