James Squire Hop Thief

[thanme]

Nabbed a carton yesterday from Vintage Cellars for $50. Apparently they have "new stock" this week.

 

[Pollux]

Vintage cellars at Norton plaza in Leichhardt has HEAPS on display and more in the coolroom, seems the Italians around here don't take to it much, every time I have found some, it has been there, and normally months after release.

 

[parrja]

Bought a six pack from Greenwood Village Bottleshop.

Liked the first one, but after a few I'm not that interested. Tried it a bit warmer that didn't improve things either. I guess I just don't like the type of hops.

Good to see the local is expanding its "Foreign/Specialty section" though!

 

[Fents]

just cracked one, bit light on in the galaxy dept for me. well balanced tho but would prefer a HH ESB anyday over this.

 

[bum]

Isn't this one POR and Southern Hallertau?

Either way, I had another recently and found the aroma was much more restrained than the ones I had early on. I wonder if this one fades quickly in the bottle?

 

[milkman]

This is probably my least favourite of their seasonal realease (fave being the real strong ale they did)
Tastes a bit like a big bowl of fruit salad made at christmas, and am eating it cold out of the fridge a couple days later. Might suit that weather a little better?

BUT is is called Hop Theif, and has "pronounced" hops all over the label, so I can't complain.

One or two are ok, and it went particularly well with the apple turnover I jsut had

 

[milkman]

This is probably my least favourite of their seasonal realease (fave being the real strong ale they did)
Tastes a bit like a big bowl of fruit salad made at christmas, and am eating it cold out of the fridge a couple days later. Might suit that weather a little better?

BUT is is called Hop Theif, and has "pronounced" hops all over the label, so I can't complain.

One or two are ok, and it went particularly well with the apple turnover I jsut had

 

[Muggus]

Finally got around to giving this bad boy a try.
Aroma is nice enough, fruity, smells almost like pineapple straightup.
Looks good in a glass too.
Probably let down by the body I reckon...not enough of it, not enough bitterness, not enough hops, not enough malt.
Yeah, there's flavour in there, but it certainly doesn't feel like a theif has stolen my hops and put them in a beer...now THAT would be a beer!

 

[Fourstar]

Probably let down by the body I reckon...not enough of it, not enough bitterness, not enough hops, not enough malt.

Did we have the same beer? the JS Hop thief is usually laden with malt and rather malt rich to backup the hops. trying to work out a recipe/clone for the malt id say they had at least 10% Munich and 10% crystals.

 

[saccarin63]

Did we have the same beer? the JS Hop thief is usually laden with malt and rather malt rich to backup the hops. trying to work out a recipe/clone for the malt id say they had at least 10% Munich and 10% crystals.

vienna

 

[thanme]

I am 100% in love with this beer. Is that weird?
I'm having a hard time not drinking it. Something about it grew on me after the first 2, now I'm hooked.

 

[Fourstar]

vienna

Nice place aint it

 

[MCT]

:icon_offtopic: But when did the hop Thief start first come about? I used to work in a bottle shop, and I'm almost certain that I remember the rep giving me a sixer of hop thief in about 2002, maybe early 2003. I thought I saw someone post that this was only the 4th annual release.
I remember that beer as being totally brutal, but at that stage I didn't really know what I was tasting.

Just thought I'd throw that out there.

 

[thanme]

The first time I had was 2004 I think. I remember it being different to this years batch, but at the same time, my tastes have developed quite a bit since then

 

[mkstalen]

Had a couple of pints of the new 2012 Hop Thief last week.
Really fruity. Thought it was Galaxy and or Cascade. But I'm pretty crap at picking hop flavours.

Anyone else tried it?

 

[Edak]

Had a couple of pints of the new 2012 Hop Thief last week.
Really fruity. Thought it was Galaxy and or Cascade. But I'm pretty crap at picking hop flavours.

Anyone else tried it?

Where did you find it? I havent seen it. Would like to try it as the last time i saw it was back in 2006

 

[ben_sa]

I had a few pints of it at the dublin hotel at glenelg (for amd sa people interested)

Deeeeelish. Im no expert on picking flavours either but my guess was also galaxy... Maybe cascade or even nelson sauvin?

 

[donburke]

I had a few pints of it at the dublin hotel at glenelg (for amd sa people interested)

Deeeeelish. Im no expert on picking flavours either but my guess was also galaxy... Maybe cascade or even nelson sauvin?

chuck told me they use NS in it

 

[Judanero]

They've got it on tap at the Del in Newcastle at the moment.

Tried it about a week ago for the first time, not a bad drop... promised the mrs I was only going to have a couple.. Can only vaguely remember her picking me up. :lol:

 

[Baulko Brewer]

IIRC, Hopthief IV is a keg only release this time. It will only be found in certain pubs, (and none near me . I loved Hopthief II