Feral Hop Hog gone bad

[Sammus]

I bought a case of Hop Hog recently from First Choice. It had all the old green labels from last year. I've opened three from the case, all of them extremely carbonated, thin, sour and almost unpalatable. Now, I love IPA as much as anyone here, and there is definitely something wrong with this.

I spoke to the Feral sales rep who insists its from Coles mistreating the bottles. Is it really possible for this to happen from mistreated bottles? Even left out in the sun for a year and shaken up daily I didn't think it could change a beer this much, but apparently it can.

Anyway, he recommended I try and return it. Pity my case was made up of the four 4-packs they had left in the store, and I paid with cash, and declined the receipt. Hopefully FC is better at keeping records than I am! I spoke to someone on the phone there and they said it should be OK... fingers crossed.

Has anyone else had a bad feral? The hop hog is one of my favourite beers, and this has put a really downer on it for me. Hopefully it's the last time it happens.

 

[StalkingWilbur]

I haven't. And I buy it all the time. I always buy the newer bottles though whenever a store still has some of the old labeled ones and the new ones.

 

[pnorkle]

I bought a 4-pack of their "Golden Ace" golden ale on Oz day to take along to the fireworks... tasted fine, but extremely over-carbed. Wrecked the experience for me.

 

[GalBrew]

Is it really possible for this to happen from mistreated bottles? Even left out in the sun for a year and shaken up daily I didn't think it could change a beer this much, but apparently it can.

Yes.

 

[stakka82]

I bought a 4-pack of their "Golden Ace" golden ale on Oz day to take along to the fireworks... tasted fine, but extremely over-carbed. Wrecked the experience for me.

Golden Ace is a saison, which is typically carbed higher than a pale/golden ale.

 

[Liam_snorkel]

I've also had a 4 pack of gushing Hop Hogs.. also bought from a First Choice. I'm not convinced it's purely a handling issue.

 

[pnorkle]

Golden Ace is a saison, which is typically carbed higher than a pale/golden ale.

You're probably right - but this was *very* carbonated. BTW, they market it as a Golden Ale

[SIZE=medium]Golden Ace
Golden Ale 5.6% 42 IBU OG 1059 [/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]Golden Ace is a refreshing Golden Ale brewed with Japanese Bred Sorachi Ace hops. Lightly filtered and slightly cloudy, the results are a vibrant aroma of hoppy lemon and citrus with a refreshingly clean bitter finish.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium][/SIZE]

 

[GalBrew]

You're probably right - but this was *very* carbonated. BTW, they market it as a Golden Ale

I thought it was a Belgian Golden Ale?

 

[Liam_snorkel]

I thought it was a Belgian Golden Ale?

that's what they described it as when it was first released.

http://craftypint.com/beer/beer/feral-golden-ace/

 

[Sammus]

To be clear I don't mean to badmouth Feral at all, I guess it's a stab at first choice if anything. I've probably bought 10 cases in the past year and have never had a bad one yet. Just seeing if anyone had a similar experience!

 

[doon]

Bought a four pack of old label from bws a few months back and it was pretty average bugger all hop flavour or aroma. Have bought a few of the new label and they have all been excellent. Check the best before date on the ones you have

 

[lukiep8]

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).

 

[Yob]

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..

 

[lukiferj]

Still at Dan Murphys too

 

[Yob]

Keg supply at the pub I frequent most Tuesday's has been sparodic over the last few months, both in quality (perhaps perceived) and quantity.

Not that the beer was bad, just not 'as' good as I am used to on the nose or the pallet.

 

[Spiesy]

Keg supply at the pub I frequent most Tuesday's has been sparodic over the last few months, both in quality (perhaps perceived) and quantity.

Not that the beer was bad, just not 'as' good as I am used to on the nose or the pallet.

Agreed.

 

[Sammus]

FC swapped the bottles no questions, they were really nice about it. New feral is great, night and day difference.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Did you return the whole case less the opened bottles?

 

[Sammus]

Yep, and they only had 7 bottles in stock, they gave me them and refunded the difference between the cost of those bottles (at case price) and the whole case.

 

[slash22000]

Honestly I find Hop Hog to be very hit and miss. Sometimes it makes me almost cry with an explosion of hopgasmic flavour/aroma, other times it basically tastes like nothing.