Australian beer lovers will soon be able to tantalise their tastebuds by trying the latest winter limited release from craft brewer James Squire. Hop Thief Ale is a smooth, deep amber brew featuring a unique blend of Australian hops to create an enticing floral bouquet.
The third version of the popular limited release Hop Thief is again linked to the timing of the Australian hop harvest. The ale uses the late addition of hops to add a depth of aroma, flavour and complexity to the beer.
The Hop Thief limited releases all utilise unique hop varieties to highlight how hops can impact distinctively on the flavour of beer. The latest Hop Thief uses all Australian grown hop varieties to reflect the innovative approach and achieve unique characters in the finished beer.
The creation of Hop Thief was inspired by James Squire’s contributions to brewing in the early colony; Squire was the first successful grower of hops on Australian soil. Hop Thief Ale takes its name from the fact that Squire was forced to steal a small quantity of horehound to brew his first batch of beer, due to the scarcity of hops in the early colony.
Tony Jones, Chief Brewer reveals: “The hops we are using to create the latest version of Hop Thief are a combination of the well established Australian variety Pride of Ringwood, which is known primarily as a bittering hop, and the locally-bred aroma variety known as Southern Hallertau.
“We have used hop flowers secured fresh from the 2009 Tasmanian harvest rather than using the commonly available pellet form and add them late in the fermentation process so we capture the floral flavours otherwise lost during boiling.”
Jones explains the fermentation process: “Instead of using a hop back which runs hot wort over the hop flowers, the team at the Malt Shovel Brewery will be using an original process to infuse the hops by circulating beer late in the fermentation, over the hops and back into the vessel. The piece of equipment they will be using to carry out the process has been affectionately dubbed the ‘Hopperator’”.
James Squire’s Hop Thief Ale is best enjoyed with spicy and flavoursome meat dishes or strong cheeses to balance out the bitterness of the beer – making it perfect for savouring on a cold winter’s night.
Only 11,000 cases of the James Squire Hop Thief Ale have been produced, so beer lovers should embrace the cooler months and take this opportunity to taste great Australian craft beer at its best.
James Squire Hop Thief Ale is 5% ABV and will be available nationally in all good bottle shops from 8 June 2009 at a RRP of $57.99 per carton and RRP $18.99 per 6 pack ($59.99 & $19.99 in SA). It will also be available on tap in the James Squire Brewhouses in Sydney and Melbourne from the same date.
What a great beer.
Hooray!
The Hopperator sounds like the closed loop “Cold Fusion” technique some homebrewers have started using recently either pre- fermentation with chilled wort so the alcohol doesn’t pull vegetal flavors from the hops or at the end of fermentation . like the hopinator does ,
Now you guys need a “Randall” installed at both the Brewhouses beer taps for the Ultimate Hop Aroma in your face experience .
http://www.maltosefalcons.com/clubgear/hashback/
Squirers,
First and foremost i must first qualify my remarks on this beer by complementing the brewers on the Twenty 10 brew, a completely amazing brew. But this most recent offering is for me not up to scratch. The presence of the floral aroma only stands to shadow the complete lack of guts and vigor. This hop thief is almost a reproduced amber ale with its smooth and lack luster qualities rather than an experimental brew that i would expect to be pushing boundaries. This is a safe beer and does not move from the squire’s base line (be that already higher than many). What i expect in a seasonal brew is a robust brew, that is the privlidge that Squire’s has, it is able to market its product to beer connoisseurs therefore a ’safe’ brew with moderate flavour and only floral noted to separate it from one of the flag ship beers is not up to scratch.
Still keep trying guys.
Devoted Squires Customer.
I can’t praise Chuck and the guys enough for bringing so much quality beer to Sydney (and the rest of Oz) over the last few years.
I’ve been drinking your beer for some time now and have no objection to paying a little extra for the quality. I especially like the idea of a limited release where you guys are pushing the envelope perhaps in what the market will take on board. I remember one that came out a few years ago that had so much tropical fruit in it, you felt you should be drinking it in a glass with a paper umbrella in it! Amazing!
Josh (the guy above - another hop head) bought two of the recently released Hop Thief beers and we had them earlier. Maybe I was expecting too much, but I wasn’t impressed unfortunately. If you’re going to mention hops on the label, then you should at least crank up the hop content a little.
But do NOT stop experimenting and trying different things. If you make it, they will come. Surprise us, push our limits, excite us, test our preconceptions and we’ll stick around as long as you guys keep making the stuff.
Keep it up guys.
Now on to a NSW win!
In response to Josh. Hop Thief is without a shadow of a doubt, James Squire’s finest release to date, 10 Twenty aside. Little Creatures Pale Ale had set a standard but the Hop Thief has knocked it off it’s pedestal… Well done boys, keep up the great work. LONG LIVB THE HOP THIEF OF 09′!!!!!
Just picked up the last case of hop thief in my town. I will have to savour it as long as I can. I love the pride of ringwood hop influence; it has a great bitter flavour (despite the poor reputation it has from many beer drinkers). I’m looking forward to next years release
I wish this was on the market all year long! My favorite by a whisker in the entire James Squires range! Heading down to Melbourne from the Sunshine coast next week for some business and leisure so will be stopping into the Brewhouse at Portland Hotel to get some Hop Thief on tap!
Love craft breweries. Always something new to try.