# James Squire Hop Thief $$$$ I was robbed alright&



## jakester1 (26/8/13)

Hey all, just wanted to let you know of my experience with the new Hop Thief.
One of my locals is Panthers club at Penrith and out the front have their own bar named the Squires bar, with about four or five of their beers on tap, which in Penrith is a treat and as close to boutique as you can get here :angry:
Anyhow, i was lucky enough to get down there the first day they put this on, not my favourite beer but very enjoyable and fresh anyhow, as i said, a treat in Penrith!! What concerned me was the price, members price i think was $7.00 and non members $8.00. Pretty steep for a beer out here considering before a concert at a pub near the Entertainment Centre in Sydney, i paid $6.00 for one.
Now, i will pay good money for a good beer, and i know its a hoppy beer therefore a more costly to produce but how is that sort of price going to change my VB guzzling westie mates into buying something a bit nicer? No way is a VB drinker going to see this new beer at the bar and think of giving it a go, then sees the price and so orders a VB.
Im sorry for crapping on but i would love to see more of the finer beers come out on tap here, but how is this going to help? Im sure Chuck would want to change the culture too but surely this isn't the way to go. As i said, good beer, but come on, get real!


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## benno1973 (26/8/13)

Was that for a pint or a middy? You should come to Perth and enjoy the beer prices here...


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## Liam_snorkel (26/8/13)

I paid $5.20 for a schooner of XXXX Gold on friday, and then $22 for the absolute worst chicken parmigiana I've ever tried to eat. Quick, better start a thread!

EDIT: just mucking around. But seriously, Robina Tavern - the place is f***ed.


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## jakester1 (26/8/13)

Kaiser Soze said:


> Was that for a pint or a middy? You should come to Perth and enjoy the beer prices here...


Neither mate, it was a schooner, i think 420ml? If it was a pint, that would be closer to the mark.
And Liam, $2.00 is too much for XXXX Gold!!


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## sinkas (26/8/13)

Rolls Eyes


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## Spiesy (26/8/13)

tigerbrew said:


> Neither mate, it was a schooner, i think 420ml? If it was a pint, that would be closer to the mark.
> And Liam, $2.00 is too much for XXXX Gold!!


Seems reasonable to me.

In Melbourne, a good price for a pot/middy of craft beer would be $5 - that's 285ml. You'd struggle to do better than that - in fact, you'd struggle to find that price. $10 for a pint (real pint size, not this Adelaide/US nonsense - jokes, kinda).

$7 for a 420ml glass? Seems perfectly okay to me.


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## jakester1 (26/8/13)

But say you weren't a member, and you had to pay the $8.00 in Penrith but can pay $6 for one in the city? Why the big difference and as i said, thats not enticing the common beer drinker to have something new, wich is more the point i was getting at.
Hey, i was paying $10 for a bottle of Corona at a fight night in Melboune on saturday night. There were 3 of us so $30 a shout, and we had a fair few, its still beer right. But if Hop Hog was on tap here, well i'd pay anything!


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## fnqbrew (26/8/13)

Bloody hell. I bale up about paying $10 for a 640ml bottle of whoever's latest craft brew at Dans. There's buckleys I'd pay that for a Corona. It's just as well I'm getting old and don't have to do the club scene any more.


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## petesbrew (26/8/13)

I dunno, when you see the lengths hardcore VB/CD drinkers will go for their favourite tipple...
They'll pay good money, but only for VB. Suggest a different beer? That's a p##fta drink.

Was buying a couple of bottles of wine (yep, wine) at the local bottle, an old bloke was getting served at the counter. He bought 6 cans of VB for $20.
I couldn't believe it, even he knew he was getting ripped off. He even queried it. But he paid for it.
All I could do was stand there, bite my tongue, and do an inner facepalm.


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## bum (26/8/13)

tigerbrew said:


> But say you weren't a member, and you had to pay the $8.00 in Penrith but can pay $6 for one in the city?


Two fucken bucks.


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## fletcher (26/8/13)

solution:

1. invite your mates round
2. drink your own 'craft' beer to get your buzz on and to educate your mates
3. go out to this new bar
4. buy a few rounds with all the money you've saved not buying _heaps _of rounds at said bar
5. sexyfuntime


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## bum (26/8/13)

fletcher said:


> 1. invite your mates round
> ...
> 5. sexyfuntime


???


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## jyo (26/8/13)

bum said:


> ???


What? Don't judge!


And, yeah, Perth beer prices are terrible.


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## fletcher (26/8/13)

bum said:


> ???


haha, there's the going to the bar part first...before 5

EDIT: although, if that's your bag then there's nothing wrong with that either!


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## tiprya (26/8/13)

In the city, if you pay less than $8, you're going to get a shit beer.


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## jakester1 (26/8/13)

bum said:


> Two fucken bucks.


Problem Bum?

And Tiprya, at least you can get decent beer nearly anywhere in the city, as i said, I would pay it, but it aint gonna work out here charging that much, so things will never change.


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## bum (26/8/13)

tigerbrew said:


> Problem Bum?


Two fucken bucks.


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## jakester1 (26/8/13)

Care to clarify?


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## Byran (26/8/13)

I must say that between 6 and 12 dollars a schooner seems pretty normal for a craft beer on tap at a pub....but when you can make the same kind of beers at home for 15 dollars for 20 litres.......... you end up saving a bit. I actually dont mind a normal boring beer when I go to the pub cause I dont get to drink that stuff at home.
And yeh, hop hog is worth the money wherever you can get it.


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## bum (26/8/13)

tigerbrew said:


> Care to clarify?


Two FUCKEN bucks.


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## Byran (26/8/13)

Clear as mud. But I get where your comin from


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## jakester1 (26/8/13)

bum said:


> Two FUCKEN bucks.


Yep, thats what i thought.


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## Ducatiboy stu (26/8/13)

Bum dont get out much. I am suprised he is up so late


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## bum (26/8/13)

Ducatiboy stu said:


> Bum dont get out much.


Fairly sure it isn't me who is the shut-in in this thread.


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## petesbrew (27/8/13)

Byran said:


> . I actually dont mind a normal boring beer when I go to the pub cause I dont get to drink that stuff at home.


I just don't know what to make of this comment.


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## Ducatiboy stu (27/8/13)

Me either


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## of mice and gods (27/8/13)

I'm going to hazard a guess that bum is trying to draw attention to the fact the the price difference is only 2 dollars, therefore, maybe not such a big deal?

However, no one likes to pay more than they have to right bum?


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## sponge (27/8/13)

1. invite your mates round
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6kRqnfsBEc
3. sexyfuntime


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## tricache (27/8/13)

Liam_snorkel said:


> I paid $5.20 for a schooner of XXXX Gold on friday, and then $22 for the absolute worst chicken parmigiana I've ever tried to eat. Quick, better start a thread!
> 
> EDIT: just mucking around. But seriously, Robina Tavern - the place is f***ed.


Pig & Whistle all the way! They start serving beer at 9am :lol:


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## Liam_snorkel (27/8/13)

oh, I was only passing through on the way down the coast, stopped because my travelling companions didn't like sitting in traffic (ungrateful bastards - I was the driver!)


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## Ducatiboy stu (27/8/13)

I stoped at a "Steakhouse" once on the GC south end.....Something like Steatsons...Any way $20ea latter we where presented with our Steak and salad. .....steak was basically minute steak and the salad consisted of 1 tomatoe cut in quarters, some shreaded lettuce and gratted cheese.....no dressing....


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## Dave70 (27/8/13)

I paid near $25 for a bottle of water and two mid strength Bundy's at the Black Sabbath conset. Dear shout in my book by any measure.

We'd already had plenty of drugs and beer in the hotel room though, so the joke was on them.


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## Camo6 (27/8/13)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ejaEnjRC4k


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## sp0rk (27/8/13)

Ducatiboy stu said:


> I stoped at a "Steakhouse" once on the GC south end.....Something like Steatsons...Any way $20ea latter we where presented with our Steak and salad. .....steak was basically minute steak and the salad consisted of 1 tomatoe cut in quarters, some shreaded lettuce and gratted cheese.....no dressing....


I miss Stetsons


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## Ducatiboy stu (27/8/13)

Dave70 said:


> I paid near $25 for a bottle of water and two mid strength Bundy's at the Black Sabbath conset. Dear shout in my book by any measure.
> 
> We'd already had plenty of drugs and beer in the hotel room though, so the joke was on them.


Mmm...memories of seeing Motorhead at the Horden....oh to be 20 again....some of those "substances" are no longer available...


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## Toper (27/8/13)

Dave70 said:


> I paid near $25 for a bottle of water and two mid strength Bundy's at the Black Sabbath conset. Dear shout in my book by any measure.
> 
> We'd already had plenty of drugs and beer in the hotel room though, so the joke was on them.


Dave,you forgot the most important thing for any concert  http://www.thebeerbelly.com/


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## rheffera (27/8/13)

Move to adelaide. Beer prices are reasonable. My local (independent) does a happy hour 4:30 till 6. $3.50 pint of light, everything else is $4.50 and that includes tooheys old, which i havent seen anywhere else on tap. I have a light then switch to old. Fun times. $7.50 for an IMPERIAL pint of guinness.

As for perth prices, well all i can say is id be sober alot more...


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## Dan Dan (27/8/13)

I think I hit the jackpot the other night, found a little bar near my place where all tap beers were $6 a schooner. Not bad when you consider the beers on tap were Vale IPA, Little Creatures Bright Ale, White Rabbit, Stone and Wood and 4 Pines el dorado IPA. oh yeah, they had Hahn Superdry too, but that doesn't count as beer.


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## Midnight Brew (27/8/13)

I once payed $7 for a pot of coopers at the swan hotel in richmond. I felt so disappointed that I just payed $7 for kit twang.

Anyway little story to add to the growing thread.

About a month ago I went to tassie with some friends and a good mate of mine is really into his wine tasting and as a toll has been loving all my beers. Anyway we were at you're average pub and payed a decent price for the beer which was good and an expensive price for the shittest meal. The week before this trip we had been at my house and he'd tasted a few of my brews and inquired into the cost of batches and time it takes. Anyway he leaned over to me and says

"How about we dont go away next time. We'll just give you some money to put on beers and food and we'll go to your house. With the money we save we could spend it all on cocaine and hookers"


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## Liam_snorkel (27/8/13)

Dan Dan said:


> I think I hit the jackpot the other night, found a little bar near my place where all tap beers were $6 a schooner. Not bad when you consider the beers on tap were Vale IPA, Little Creatures Bright Ale, White Rabbit, Stone and Wood and 4 Pines el dorado IPA. oh yeah, they had Hahn Superdry too, but that doesn't count as beer.


I know exactly the place you're talking about, great views. Those taps with 4 pines & vale rotate occasionally, they've previously had some other 4 pines beers, holgate, sunny coast brewery, and others. the food is decent too: pulled pork sliders :icon_drool2: and the schnitzels are massive.


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## Josh (28/8/13)

Pay the $5.50 for membership and after 2 rounds, you're in front!

In related news. I had a few Hop Thiefs before the Panthers vs Roosters game a few weeks ago. It was very good. The three blokes I was with also enjoyed it. We were quite happy to pay the $7 (member price) for a schooner.

Be thankful Lion have invested so much into Panthers and are willing to put the James Squire bar in at all. Panthers was one of the places that got me onto better beer. I still remember drinking James Squire Amber Ale and Pilsener in my early 20s. After starting at O'Donoghues when they actually served a good range of British & Irish beers.


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## jakester1 (28/8/13)

I agree Josh, I am a member and save big bucks throughout the year on their drinks.
Maybe i stated it wrong and just wrote dribble but i was trying to say that blokes like you and I are willing to pay the money, but to the average guy out here drinking Tooheys or VB, do you think they will be willing to take a chance on an extra $2 (sorry, two fucken bucks, lol) I think not. And if they don't sell enough of it, they will just replace it with something else. I hope it stays there forever though, thats the only reason i go to Panthers, it now has the best beer and restaurants in the area, a great spot for a beer. I've even heard Squires might be putting a microbrewery there like the one they had on King St Wharf, but could be just a rumour?
I too remember O'Ds having good beer, sadly the only 'Irish' thing about it is the name and having Guinness!


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## Spiesy (28/8/13)

Those seasoned Toohey's or VB drinkers generally wouldn't buy a Squire's over their normal drop, even if it was slightly cheaper.

Most of them drink that crap due to familiarity and image (image being that of the "common", "real" Aussie bloke - and not some fancy poof).

It's a more expensive beer to make, it should probably be a little more expensive to buy.


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## CosmicBertie (28/8/13)

Midnight Brew said:


> "How about we dont go away next time. We'll just give you some money to put on beers and food and we'll go to your house. With the money we save we could spend it all on cocaine and hookers"


Ah man, I miss the old 'coke and hookers' party. Invite me the next time you're organising one.


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