# new hop hog



## IsonAd (13/1/14)

Anyone taste a difference in the new hop hog? Tasted one in the new packaging so assume it's relatively fresh, but was really dissapointed, minimal aroma and taste. None of the signature big hop profile. 

May just have been dodgie storage or handling from the retailer or something. Id hate for this cracker to go down the crapper.


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## lukiferj (13/1/14)

I would say it's dodgy storage. I ahve had 3 lots with the new packaging and they have all been great. I have had issues with hop hog in the past though. Very hit and miss in the bottle for me.


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## Snowdog (13/1/14)

So I wasn't the only one to notice this I see. I got a 4 of the new label from Craft Cellars so assumed it would have been handled better than the BWS chain. All four tasted a bit watery and weak with barely any of the signature aroma. The next day I stopped in the local BWS and got a 4 of the green labe for about $3 cheaper, they tasted pretty good. Hoping to get some good ones again, but I'm afraid that with the wide distribution and volume produced may have dumbed it down some. It's not the great award-winning brew I enjoyed in 2009.


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## brewtas (13/1/14)

I had a bottle recently which had epic levels of diacetyl. My mate who bought the 6 pack said each bottle was the same. That was my first experience of the Hop Hog though so I can't comment on whether it's changed.


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## IsonAd (13/1/14)

Mine was really bland. Almost like they forgot to add half the hops or something. Could be any number of factors and admittedly I got mine from woolies so I'll stick with it for a while. I just hope it's not a recipe change.


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## brewtas (13/1/14)

Bottled beer is pretty unreliable, I wouldn't judge it until you've tried it on tap at a couple of different places. There are plenty of reasons it might taste bland without being a recipe change.


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## Spiesy (13/1/14)

my last Hop Hog on tap @ Terminus was disappointing, but only so because I rate this beer extremely highly… still, it seemed to lack the intensity that I remembered… I blamed it on my shifting lupalin threshold!


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## eamonnfoley (13/1/14)

I'm going to make a big call, but I think Feral's quality has dropped off a bit since opening the production brewery. Hopefully its just teething. And I won't buy bottles from them until they start date coding them. What's the point of a local brewery if you cannot check freshness.



brewtas said:


> Bottled beer is pretty unreliable,


This comment shouldn't be the case, but small Australian breweries are notoriously poor at bottling. So you are right.


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## paulmclaren11 (13/1/14)

I love this beer, one of my favs, but a few bottles I have had over the last few months have been really overcarbed.

Haven't tried it in the new bottle yet...

The last time I had it on tap (about a month ago) it was so fresh and as good as it gets.


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## manticle (13/1/14)

Up until recently I have only ever had it on tap and it has been great. Not my favourite beer but that's personal taste - everything it should be though.

Tried a bottle recently and it was a drain pour. Can't remember the issue or whether it might be a storage/handling issue or something else. It was from a coles bottleshop so not expecting much in that regard although generally bottled beers at this place are unproblematic.


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## technobabble66 (13/1/14)

What's the deal with bottles??
I thought all things being equal there was meant to be little difference between bottling & kegging in terms of the quality of the finished beer. And yet there appears a consensus among a few here that the bottled versions of HH are variable & inferior to the kegged version. 
In the words of the great philosopher: "?Que?"


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## manticle (13/1/14)

All sorts of things can go wrong with packaging, especially when done on a mass scale.
The more packages, the more potential. Also bottles, even dark ones aren't uv proof in the same way kegs are.

Bottling can and has been done very well and I've tasted many a good keg beer ruined by dirty lines, etc too.


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## GundyBrewer (13/1/14)

I had one in the new packaging earlier tonight and thought it was good. I've never had any bottles that have tasted bland or off myself but I did have some gushers last year.


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## danestead (14/1/14)

I know for a fact, after speaking to 1 of the brewers about a month ago, that they cold truck their beers. That should take any issue with trucking out of the equation. If it has been exposed to non-ideal storage conditions id be pointing the finger at the bottle shop you are purchasing from.


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## Spiesy (14/1/14)

danestead said:


> I know for a fact, after speaking to 1 of the brewers about a month ago, that they cold truck their beers. That should take any issue with trucking out of the equation. If it has been exposed to non-ideal storage conditions id be pointing the finger at the bottle shop you are purchasing from.


There's still the quality of the brew and packaging to be considered.


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## Dan Pratt (14/1/14)

for a little wierd reason I always try to put the commercial beers in my own fridge for a day or 2 before having them. h34r:

I have found on regular basis that when I bring home a 6 pack or something that was cold at the store ( partially warm ) place them in the fridge for 30mins to cool again before cracking one open.... they often dont taste right.

Not sure why. but the others that I then keep for a day or 2 longer in the fridge seem to freshen up and taste right in comparison to the first one from the store.....weird right!


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## danestead (14/1/14)

Spiesy said:


> There's still the quality of the brew and packaging to be considered.


Which is y I said "that should take the issue of trucking out of the equation"


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## Snowdog (14/1/14)

danestead said:


> If it has been exposed to non-ideal storage conditions id be pointing the finger at the bottle shop you are purchasing from.


I'm sure all due care of storage was taken by Craft Cellars. I may grab another 4-pak tomorrow and see how it goes. I'll let you know how it goes.


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## Dogshampoo (14/1/14)

Yeah I thought it was just me,

Since new packaging , I've had it 3 4pks,,and,I won't be buying it again till,I know it's back to how it was , such a shame it was a great flavour


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## Angry Scotsman (16/1/14)

Okay here is my two cents worth
I drank quite a bit of Hop Hog in Perth when i was there for xmas an i must say it is still one of the most consistent and reliable beers to buy in packaged
I also spoke personally with Brendan and he has not changed the recipe or the hopping at all.
One thing with craft beer is there will be a little bottle variation, i would say Feral are well above at least 98% of other aussie produced beers when it comes to consistency


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## Spiesy (16/1/14)

Angry Scotsman said:


> I also spoke personally with Brendan and he has not changed the recipe or the hopping at all.


Are they using the same hop crop that they have always used?

Hops change year to year, which is why most breweries alter the hops used to try and maintain a standard.

The 2011 Amarillo I had was AMAZING. The last batch of Amarillo I got, 2012 or 13? was shithouse in comparison.


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## daveHQ (16/1/14)

Without getting too far off track

I'm a big fan of fat yak, I have found the bottles to be quite hit and miss also, most are great, but sometimes there just not as hoppy as they sometimes can be 

The fat yak on tap is always better, and is always good with plenty of hop aroma


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## Spiesy (16/1/14)

I've had ordinary Fat Yak on tap. But more ordinary ones in the bottle. 
Seeing this beer anywhere usually fails to excite me. If it does excite me, it speaks volumes about the company it is keeping.


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## Snowdog (18/1/14)

Angry Scotsman said:


> Okay here is my two cents worth
> I drank quite a bit of Hop Hog in Perth when i was there for xmas an i must say it is still one of the most consistent and reliable beers to buy in packaged
> I also spoke personally with Brendan and he has not changed the recipe or the hopping at all.
> One thing with craft beer is there will be a little bottle variation, i would say Feral are well above at least 98% of other aussie produced beers when it comes to consistency


Yeah, well maybe if I see it on tap somewhere I'm at I'll give it another go then. But with the last few bottles I just got from three different places all having the same consistency, I'm off buying bottles of it now. It is not the same beer I enjoyed a few years back but is more like a pale ale now. Still good, just not the same. I get the bottle variation and the variations in hops and malts and water and all, but it seems to big of a difference. The Little Creatures Pale 6 pack I got had a hoppier taste at this time. They have been varying since I can remember, but not a whole bunch.

As for Fat Yak, I don't mind it on tap but don't care for the bottles. Usually I have that when in a bar with the usual suspect line up (Finnigan's Chin in Keperra for example).


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## Foster (19/1/14)

I bought a four pack with the new label the other day in Hobart so that I could compare it against ony of my brews. I was blown away when mine had a way better hop aroma & flavour. Unfortunately, its because this four pack of HH is crap! Its over carbonated as well.


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## surly (19/1/14)

I drank a pot of this on tap at the terminus yesterday.
Found it to be very hoppy and pretty decent. I remember loving it in the past (been a while since I last drank it), didn't "love" it this time, but still thoroughly enjoyed. Plenty of hop flavour and aroma.


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## lukiferj (19/1/14)

I had a 4 pack last night from Dan Murphy's. Both taste and aroma were awesome out of the bottle. I have not had a bad one yet since they changed to the new packaging but maybe I have been lucky.


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## paulmclaren11 (19/1/14)

Had one of the new bottles on Friday night. Aroma was awesome once in the glass.

It seemed a little lighter in colour than I remembered (not a complaint at all).

Was really good and still one of my favs for sure (I had it after a LCPA and it shat all over it - I keep trying to like LCPA these days but it just lacks something).


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## Yob (23/1/14)

I had a few of these at the GB on Tuesday night, (Pints from the bar, not bottles) 

Dunno.. I felt both the malt character and the nose wasnt what I remember it to be and it was just lacking something... that big punch in the face you normally get.. it might be Hop availability for a brew run or something, not sure. 

I certainly hope it gets back to form as Im quite smitten with this particular beer.


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## danestead (23/1/14)

Hop hog has 5 hops, generally.

Cascade, centennial, citra, simcoe and amarillo (when available).

Maybe there is a lack of amarillo in the current ones people are drinking and that has somewhat changed the flavour and aroma people are getting?


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## stm (24/1/14)

I found it a little underwhelming when I tried it (draught) at the Royal Albert Surry Hills. Just a nice APA rather than a full-on IPA which I was expecting.

BTW, the Royal Albert is a great little pub.


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## lukiep8 (25/1/14)

No recipe change. The beers get checked before packaging so over-carbonation must be coming somewhere along the distribution line (excessive heat). They get refrigerated from brewery to destination. Can't really control what shops do with things.


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## O'Henry (25/1/14)

I thought Hop Hog was all Aussie hops for the last two years.


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## QldKev (25/1/14)

I've given up on it. I'm not paying a top price for a hit and miss product.


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## nu_brew (25/1/14)

I had some white label the other night and thought the malt was lacking. I commented to missus that it reminded me of Passito in body and flavour.


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## Pickaxe (25/1/14)

I reckon it's mainly sure to people's palettes getting used to their own fare, massive fresh dry hopped big beers they're making. No supply chain across Australia is gonna compete with that!

pickaxe


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## jkhlt1210 (17/2/14)

IsonAd said:


> Anyone taste a difference in the new hop hog? Tasted one in the new packaging so assume it's relatively fresh, but was really dissapointed, minimal aroma and taste. None of the signature big hop profile.
> 
> May just have been dodgie storage or handling from the retailer or something. Id hate for this cracker to go down the crapper.


 I have tasted both old and new Hop Hogs and live them both. They both tasted the same to me but obviously not to you. It's my favourite beer goddamn it's so bloody good!


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## GalBrew (17/2/14)

nu_brew said:


> I had some white label the other night and thought the malt was lacking. I commented to missus that it reminded me of Passito in body and flavour.


Sure it wasn't Sly Fox? The labels are very similar and that is a pretty good description of it.


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## jkmeldrum (17/2/14)

I've been a lover of this beer for a long time. Flew to Perth just to go to the brewery in the Swan Valley. Buy it by the carton regularly and have noticed a drop in favour recently. Mainly all in the new packaging.

One thing I noticed on the new label is that it looks like they have crossed out the 'India' part of the India Pale Ale. Has anyone else noticed that? I wondered if they were now making this as a pale ale and maybe they've got an even bigger IPA up their sleeve!

Just a thought

Molly


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## danestead (17/2/14)

Molly said:


> I've been a lover of this beer for a long time. Flew to Perth just to go to the brewery in the Swan Valley. Buy it by the carton regularly and have noticed a drop in favour recently. Mainly all in the new packaging.
> One thing I noticed on the new label is that it looks like they have crossed out the 'India' part of the India Pale Ale. Has anyone else noticed that? I wondered if they were now making this as a pale ale and maybe they've got an even bigger IPA up their sleeve!
> Just a thought
> Molly


I noticed the crossed out ipa and was confused. Ill ask one of the brewers on facebook and get back to you however if its still 5.8% itd be an ipa


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## keifer33 (17/2/14)

I think it might simply just be a bit of clever marketing. Saying "hey although this is an IPA by style we think Pale Ale lovers will enjoy it and not be offended". I highly doubt Brendan would risk changing an award winning beer. They have an APA (Runt) and an IIPA(Tusk) on tap most of the time at the brewery under different names so really no reason to claim its not an IPA.


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## danestead (17/2/14)

So, 1 of the feral brewers has said the crossed out 'india' is a bit of a play due to some people whinging that its too weak for an ipa and too strong for an apa. He also said that feral dont really brew to style, they just brew what they enjoy.


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## Snowdog (18/2/14)

danestead said:


> So, 1 of the feral brewers has said the crossed out 'india' is a bit of a play due to some people whinging that its too weak for an ipa and too strong for an apa. He also said that feral dont really brew to style, they just brew what they enjoy.


That is cool. They can enjoy it. If I'm ever in the Swan Valley again, I'll stop in, or if a pub i visit happens to have it on tap I may get one. But I'm not buying their 4-pak bottles anymore. I'm sure they won't miss my $$.


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## BreadMurderer (20/2/14)

I've not had this in bottle yet and my first time trying it was last week on tap at Dejavu. I bloody loved it I must say! Reminds me of my favourite Punk IPA. I'll need to try some bottles and see what the dealio is but fantastic beer so far.


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## paulmclaren11 (20/2/14)

GalBrew said:


> Sure it wasn't Sly Fox? The labels are very similar and that is a pretty good description of it.


Funny you ask this... about a month ago I picked up a new label 'hog' and when I got it home realised it was a Sly Fox due to not reading the label closely... was least impressed as it's not a great beer IMO.


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## IsonAd (16/4/14)

Just grabbed a pint of hop big from the pub in the hope that it was a bottle issue.... Not so unfortunately. The big hop punch in the face isn't there... Dissapointing it was such a great beer


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## doon (16/4/14)

I bought a four pack on Sunday and it was bloody awesome!!


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## ekul (16/4/14)

i tried this beer a few months ago after hearing so much about it and was disappointed, it tasted like a really thin beer. Tried another 4 pack from a different bottlo and go the same result. Its not an issue of my palate being wrecked by my own beer either because at this stage i hadn't brewed for 5 months so was only buying beer and that was mainly coopers.


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## slcmorro (16/4/14)

I've only ever had good Hop Hog.


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