Maltshovel Hop Thief

[Duff]

I bought a 6 of this last night at Vintage Cellars Castle Hill for $15. I found a real rich malt flavour to it, but at a guess maybe 35 - 40IBU? Also had a slight nutty aftertaste so unless my tastebuds are fried, maybe a litte POR late. A good quaffer, but as mikem108 noted, I think the Hop Thief relates to someone making off with them before they hit the kettle.

Cheers.

 

[bkmad]

I'm just sampling one of these now. I'm certainly no expert, but there's definitely some amarillo in there somewhere as the initial aroma is somewhat like an APA partial I did recently that was all amarillo. There's probably some POR in there too from the taste of it - though not necessarily a bad taste in this case. Like previous posters have said the body is very light and the bitterness is up there for a commercial beer (maybe mid 30s IBU). It doesn't compare with the floral aroma hit from my APA though :super:

Cheers
BK

 

[normell]

Tried this today, & I think another fine drop in the James Squire range.
I know that a lot of brewers will class it with the big megaswill brands, but if I have to drink a commercially made beer, give me a JS thief or amber anyday.
Have lately tried the Hahn Vienna Red, OK but nothing special.

Normell

PS Hey Ross, have you tried the thief yet, if so what do you think the hops are

 

[shmick]

Grabbed a 6pk of thieves for a bbq on the w/e (from Mac's/Woolies)

Over all not bad - maybe would buy again depending on the mood.

I would class it loosely as an APA and up to MSB's (usually) good standard for seasonals.

They are a step up in hops from the norm (not huge though) but something just didn't quite sit right with the hop blend IMO. Just a bit too smooth/sweet/perfumey - effeminate even.
The aroma was pretty enticing but the flavour just seemed to be a bit muddy and lacked direction/punch/clarity. A little more earthy spiceiness wouldn't go astray.

Guessing on the blend (POR/willamette + amarillo - any votes?) is that they are a bit too similar flavour wise in this ratio to complement each other.
Started with big citrus, but passionfruit perfume sprang to mind towards the end of the 3rd bottle as they warmed up.

Although well balanced with the malt, I usaully prefer a slightly harsher bitterness - maybe this was what I was searching for. That'll learn me to stop going on English hop benders.

Each to his own. :chug:

 

[NRB]

I tried a couple of these (bottle) over the weekend. It poured a straw colour with a thin white head that dissipates rapidly. A great fruity citrus, almost passionfruit (as the commercial description suggests) aroma was noted. Flavour was dominated by hops with little malt, although what I classify as a characteristic MSB malt profile was present - I wouldn't be surprised if the Amber Ale, Golden Ale and Hop Thief all had the same maltbill.

It's very similar to the Golden Ale I've experienced on tap, with great hop flavour and aroma as opposed to the bottled GA which in my experience lacks this trait. Certainly a great quaffer with very smooth bitterness, but not the hoppy beer that craftbrewers would expect.

I would certainly purchase it again.

 

[jayse]

I like this beer and i think your judgement NRB is pretty much what i got, one thing though i think it was pushing more towards pale gold than straw from memory.
As far as what I said about liking it, it is what it is, as brewers we'll find things to improve on it but really as is i think its a nice drop, been around adelaide pretty cheap too as low as 13 bucks a sixer and 45 a case.
One thing though i think its all over unless its gunna become a regular brew as it was just a seasonal and some bottlos' I have been too have sold out and said they can't get anymore.
Anyway that was my main point of my post, is it over for good? anyone know?

Oh yeah and this is passionfruit in a bottle.
Jayse

 

[NRB]

I like this beer and i think your judgement NRB is pretty much what i got, one thing though i think it was pushing more towards pale gold than straw from memory.

It may well've been Jayse, my lighting situation wasn't the best and had to extrapolate the colour a little. All beers that night appeared darker than actual.

 

[jayse]

I like this beer and i think your judgement NRB is pretty much what i got, one thing though i think it was pushing more towards pale gold than straw from memory.

It may well've been Jayse, my lighting situation wasn't the best and had to extrapolate the colour a little. All beers that night appeared darker than actual.

[post="126879"][/post]​

Fair enough, its certainly darker than straw and approaching more toward gold from memory so maybe the way it appeared was reasonble close. I'd look out for it again because as i said it looks like soon its gunna be all over.


Jayse

 

[Jez]

when it first came out I was told it was initially a limited release to some bottlo's that was then going to be rolled out to all bottlo's as a mainstay JS brew.

That said I've been unable to find any for a few months now

Jez

 

[peas_and_corn]

As I understood it, the hop theif was a brew to celebrate the hop harvest, and was thus a once a year brew. If it proved itself then maybe it will become an all-year-round beer, but I'm not too convinced that this will happen.

 

[agraham]

I had a sixer of these a few weeks ago watching the footy. I didnt like it...tasted like fruitsalad rather than beer. But that is just my tastebuds, as I prefer a malt driven rather than hop driven beer. Worth a try for something different from major aussie shite swill.

 

[James Squire]

I had a couple of these back sometime around the release date. Not a huge fan to be honest. Don't get me wrong though, it was a well made, quality beer but to me it just seemed like it wasn't quite right. Kinda made me think of a passionfruity, radlery, ale combo! Passionfruit odours slap you in the face upon opening and the passionfruit flavours dance around on your tongue for the first half glass, once it starts to warm the flavours seem to settle a bit. Not to my taste but another (short lived by the looks) option for the beer drinking masses of Aus.

My two bob.

JS

 

[Fingerlickin_B]

If there is anyone in my area looking for some of this I spotted a case in the coolroom at Hawker Drive-thru last night :beer:

PZ.

 

[hatsumi]

Name: Toby7
Date: 15-06-06 21:14

hello
I have made a beer that tastes just like this one
I used the following recipe
COOPERS LIGHT MALT liquid 1.5KG
MORGANS EX LIGHT liquid 1.5KG
ADDED 1/2 A B/BOOSTER
15 GRAMS OF SIMCOE FOR 60 MIN
15 GRAMS OF AMARILLO FOR 30 MIN
15 GRAMS OF CASCADE FOR 5 MIN
and it tastes great
and has that same fruity (passionfruity)
flavor
Next time I make this one I will use some grain as well.
I just wanted to see how this hop combo worked out.
Its great

 

[DJR]

Old beer i know, but if anyone wants to get close to the profile that the hop thief had i'll suggest 2 hops to try out: Simcoe and Tomahawk. Perhaps the Speculator used some of the same.

 

[Yeasty]

Passionfruit flavours suggest that cascade hops must be a main flavour addition to the beer...might have to get me some, as i like the Golden ale.

Strange how some like it or just cant stand it...no real in between.

 

[Mr Bond]

Personally I've always found cascade to be more citrusy/floral.
Passionfruit has always been a characteristic of Ammarillo for me.

 

[DJR]

Golden ale uses Amarillo, cascade is a bit different and just comes out more like citrus.

I have got passionfruit/tangerine from Simcoe before pretty easily, just with a 10g addition x4 (60,30,15,0). Makes an alright single-hop APA.

 

[Yeasty]

lol...sorry ive got cascade on the brain atm...

Yer simcoe hops give that passionfruit flavour...

 

[jayse]

Hop Thief is being brewed again and will hit the shelves in a couple weeks. Thats if I'am to believe a rumor which comes from someone who heard it from someone who heard it from the second cousin of the brewers neighbour :unsure: . Also that rumor seemed to indicate the recipe has had a overhaul for this year and some more hops may be making there way to the kettle this time.

The 20th of march I'am lead to believe will see 4 kegs of it make their way to that joint that sells a fair amount of good beer in Adelaide. :chug:


Boozed, broozed and broken boned.
Jayse