Feral Hop Hog gone bad

[lukiep8]

I was told yesterday that the brewer has not been on deck for a little while but things should be returning to normal very soon. If it has anything to do with the perceived quality of late due to a stand in brewer in not sure but can only hope those issues are resolved and things will get back to normal..

There are three of us.... Whomever told you this is wrong.

Just to clarify with people, there has been no recipe change or difference at all in how we brew or our standards in quality. Every batch is checked literally minutes before we keg/bottle the beer and is consumed regularly afterwards by all three brewers.

If there are issues with the product we are very much interested in finding out as it would likely be handling issues after the beer has left our hands.

 

[Yob]

handling issues aside, im a regular consumer of this beer, both bottled and kegged... in a number of states, the variations in product, as noted by many in this thread, are certainly there, that said, ive never had a 'bad' one, just some not as good as the others...

In fact, this beer is one of the only beers to come out of Perth that I enjoy and I look forward to enjoying many more of them.

Unfortunately, the pub I drink the majority of them at is sadly closing at the end of July so the number of them that I will be consuming is likely to drop..

Hows about a recipe assist?

 

[Natdene]

Hows about a recipe assist?[/quote]

Love your work Yob!

 

[philmud]

I've found great variation in HH too. First had it on tap at Y&J'S in Melbourne a couple of years back and hated it - it had an overpowering oily/grassy thing going on that was consistent with extremely heavy handed dry hopping. I have revisited a number of times since then, on tap and in bottles and loved the **** out of it. I'm assuming that first experience was an anomaly, perhaps my palate, perhaps handling, perhaps manufacture.

 

[WitWonder]

Due to my stocks being hideously low I was buying a case or so of HH a week up until the end of Nov approx and it's definitely hit and miss in terms of flavour/aroma. Also on one occasion at the start of November I bought a case and it was very undercarbonated. As a guess I'd say this beer is usually about 2.5 volumes CO2 and the one in question was about 1. I tweeted this to feral at the time but no response was forthcoming.

 

[zeggie]

I've never had a bad HH personally. Always seems to taste better on tap tho

 

[JaseH]

I find some occasional variation in most of the craft breweries heavily hopped local ales - Little Creatures, Matilda Bay, Feral.. I just put it down to the nature of highly hopped ales. I find it with my own IPA's/APA's too - after a couple of months in the bottle they change.

I figure it's probably exacerbated by the less than ideal handling practices of the larger bottle shop chains. We could always just go and drink the big boys homogenised lagers I suppose?

 

[Yob]

You list Matida Bay and little creatures in that group?

Gosh...

 

[lukiep8]

handling issues aside, im a regular consumer of this beer, both bottled and kegged... in a number of states, the variations in product, as noted by many in this thread, are certainly there, that said, ive never had a 'bad' one, just some not as good as the others...

In fact, this beer is one of the only beers to come out of Perth that I enjoy and I look forward to enjoying many more of them.

Unfortunately, the pub I drink the majority of them at is sadly closing at the end of July so the number of them that I will be consuming is likely to drop..

Hows about a recipe assist?

Water, malt, hops and yeast

 

[Dan Dan]

I bought a four pack a while ago, and it was very underwhelming. Bugger all hop aroma left, and a bit thin tasting. Since then, I've only bought it in the new packaging and have had no complaints. My guess is old stock. From bws of course...
Off topic a bit, but there is a bws near me (actually there are 4 within a 5 minute drive) that has all the "craft" beers in a fridge which is in front of a window that cops the sun for hours each day.... It's a real shame, coz they have Birra Del Borgo beers in that fridge that I'd love to try

 

[bigmacca]

Had a 4 pack this week. Was very happy, sounds like there are a few issues with consistency.

 

[jyo]

My mate buys cartons of Hop Hog regularly. 9 times out of 10 it is fantastic. Some of the lack-lustre bottles we have had have been bought from suppliers who store the cartons warm. Overcarbed, watery, lacking hop aroma and flavour.

 

[WitWonder]

Water, malt, hops and yeast

Funny how some breweries are so protective of the ingredients in their beers. I can understand the general principal, obviously, however the ingredient list is only part of the equation. There are a number of other variables which have a marked impact on the final product, not least of all the system it's brewed on. Come to think of it, don't Little creatures have the ingredients listed on the wall in the brewery? I'm sure someone posted a photo of it a while ago. Maybe that's why there's been such a depreciation in the value of Little World Beverages, because of all the LCPA clones that have entered the market... :unsure:

 

[keifer33]

When Brendan gave the WestCoastBrewers a tour of the new facilities he was pretty happy to tell us a bit about HopHog but I was more interested in the technical questions and forgot the majority of the recipe. Lucky I live down the road from the brewpub and can just enjoy it on tap.

 

[O'Henry]

There is still Golden Ace sitting in First Choice? We haven't bottled that since... August? :/

Old label was last packed in November. All cases have a best before which is a year after bottle-on date (Woolies requires 12 month BB).

What a joke on the shelf life from Woolies. That **** is why they should not be selling beer. 6 months is more realistic for most craft beer, and even that is generous. Fresh is Best. /rant

 

[huez]

I've had mixed experiences with it to, it is coming from WA for us on the east coast and i doubt they ship it cold. I live down the road from the bottleshop that got voted number 2 in australia last year, so apparently number one in nsw. They still have the hop hog with the old label sitting on the shelf. No point having 500 plus different beers if you cant shift them. Go to dan murphys and you're lucky to score a 4 pack of hop hog it sells that quick.

 

[lukiep8]

it is coming from WA for us on the east coast and i doubt they ship it cold.

It is refrigerated shipping.

 

[eamonnfoley]

On thing about Dans, they do shift a fair bit of beer, and can get some good fresh stuff. Picked up 3 week old (out of brewery) Coopers and SN Kellerweis in great condition today.

 

[doon]

Agreed got an 11 day old 6 pack of bridge road pale from dans South Melbourne today. Got a four pack of new label hop hog also and preferred the bridge road.

 

[huez]

It is refrigerated shipping.

i stand corrected!