new hop hog

[IsonAd]

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.

 

[lukiferj]

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.

 

[Snowdog]

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.

 

[brewtas]

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.

 

[IsonAd]

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.

 

[brewtas]

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.

 

[Spiesy]

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!

 

[eamonnfoley]

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.

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.

 

[paulmclaren11]

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.

 

[manticle]

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.

 

[technobabble66]

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?"

 

[manticle]

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.

 

[GundyBrewer]

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.

 

[danestead]

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.

 

[Spiesy]

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.

 

[Dan Pratt]

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!

 

[danestead]

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"

 

[Snowdog]

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.

 

[Dogshampoo]

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

 

[Angry Scotsman]

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