Guinness Hop House 13 - what's the deal?

sarkozy · 12-02-2015 1:15am #1

Another from the Guinness Brewers' Project. A double-hopped lager.

Has anyone tasted it yet?

Lovely Bloke · 12-02-2015 7:39am

here's a secret.

Most commercially available beers are double or even triple hopped.

It would be a talking point if it was single hopped.

Whatever it means, does it mean there are 2 hop additions in the boil? two different hops used?

Anyway, it's lager, it's made by Diageo, we know how it will taste.

BeerNut · 12-02-2015 10:19am

It's fine. Crisp and clean. Nowt wrong with it but rather dull. 19 IBUs and they've used Galaxy, Topaz and Mosaic so there's a bit of tropical fruit in there, but not a whole lot, that I could taste. The grain bill is pale malt and crystal. It's high-gravity brewed and the yeast is the standard Guinness one, fermented at a low temperature.

"Double-hopped", in this case, means one addition went in for bittering and another in the whirlpool, so rather less hop effort than most beers that brag about their hops, I'd say.

oblivious · 12-02-2015 10:19am

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

Whatever it means, does it mean there are 2 hop additions in the boil? two different hops used?

For bitter and whirlpool I have been told hence the double hopped!. Flavour hop additions must be a very new innovation for them to get their heads around

Hops used are Galaxy, Mosaic and Topaz (very nice indeed)

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

Anyway, it's lager, it's made by Diageo, we know how it will taste.

well pseudo lager as they are using the Guinness ale yeast

marco_polo · 15-03-2015 1:55am

It was never going to set the world on fire critically but I had a few pints of it last night stuck it a Diageo only pub, and to be fair it is a nice crisp drink that tastes better than most other mainstream largers. Of the three recent specials from Guiness its probably the one I'd most likely drink again. Wouldn't mind seeing it become a permanent fixture in their range if only for when stuck in a random diageo only pub.

Redsoxfan · 19-03-2015 10:52pm

Due to a serious lack of options, I drank this in a few different places in Tralee on Saturday.

It's OK for what it is. Tastes a bit more complex and more dry than the mainstream lagers IMHO.

HopsAndJumps · 20-03-2015 9:14pm

I was a party down the country. It was the only beer available other than the ususal suspects. I drank a good few of these. Smart product placement by Guinness. Its a fair bit nicer than the Heineken, Bud or carlsberg.

Not so tasty that the standard Irish person would turn their nose up at it.

This beer might draw them to something a little bit better.

wampyrus77 · 23-03-2015 4:08pm

i the name of it is scary bad luck number 13

oblivious · 23-03-2015 4:22pm

wampyrus77 wrote: »

i the name of it is scary bad luck number 13

4, 5 and 6 are unlucky to the Chinese :P

rubadub · 25-03-2015 10:44am

Saw an ad on tv last night for it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XU1Sw-IKFzU

Published on Mar 23, 2015
The team at The Brewers Project, St James’s Gate invite you to try their new lager, Hop House 13. A lager with more hops, more taste and more character.

I had a couple of pints and thought it was OK, as did others I was with. I did not like the fact the glass is one of those etched ones to create bubbles. So if getting it again I would ask for a regular guinness glass.

Lovely Bloke · 25-03-2015 12:08pm

A lager with

more hops,

Than what?

more taste

Than what?

and more character

Than what?

quadrifoglio verde · 25-03-2015 12:24pm

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

Than what?

Than what?

Than what?

Heiniken and Budweiser probably.

L1011 · 25-03-2015 3:52pm

Had a few last night. Its fine for what its targetting. Pub in question usually only has the generic Diageo/Heineken products + three Rye River taps so its a change, anyway.

Maynard · 25-03-2015 4:49pm

The Jaysus ad...my god.

Funnily enough, the mirror opposite of the infamous Bud ad that went out during the Superbowl.

Plenty of people; inspecting, gawping, savouring etc

tony 2 tone · 25-03-2015 7:17pm

Had a couple last week, found it to be like a less carbonated Carlsberg tbh. If there was nothing else I might have it again but nothing special.

loyatemu · 26-03-2015 3:57pm

that ad is the biggest load of tripe. I'm assuming they brew up a batch of Harp, half of it goes into Hophouse13 kegs and the rest gets shipped up North... :pac:

Roquentin · 26-03-2015 8:07pm

well anyone else who tried this new beer?

Stheno · 26-03-2015 8:10pm

Yeah I thought it was horrible and tastes of soap

Mesrine65 · 26-03-2015 8:16pm

Uninspiring, unimaginative, boring...ZZzzz

Ronan|Raven · 26-03-2015 8:19pm

I had a few pints of it over the weekend when nothing else was available.
For what it is it is fine. I could pick up a bit of the citrus flavour from the hops in it.

I would happily drink it if stuck in a Diageo only pub with nothing else better on offer.

Lovely Bloke · 27-03-2015 9:20am

Do "diageo only" pubs even exist any more?

Even if they do, you'd imagine Smithwicks Pale Ale would be available, is this better than that?

L1011 · 27-03-2015 10:06am

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

Do "diageo only" pubs even exist any more?

Even if they do, you'd imagine Smithwicks Pale Ale would be available, is this better than that?

Gig venues often are, may have eight taps but all Diageo.

Diageo + Heineken is more common in pubs though

loyatemu · 27-03-2015 10:09am

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

Even if they do, you'd imagine Smithwicks Pale Ale would be available, is this better than that?

Smithwicks PA is very bland, not quite as bland as regular Smithwicks (which is the international benchmark for bland) but not far off it.

Lovely Bloke · 27-03-2015 10:17am

loyatemu wrote: »

Smithwicks PA is very bland, not quite as bland as regular Smithwicks (which is the international benchmark for bland) but not far off it.

yes, I know, but given a choice of SPA or HH13 I'd probably go SPA

donaghs · 27-03-2015 12:54pm

loyatemu wrote: »

Smithwicks PA is very bland, not quite as bland as regular Smithwicks (which is the international benchmark for bland) but not far off it.

The new Smithwicks "Blonde" is actually blander than either of them. Smithwicks PA isn't a great Pale Ale, but I still prefer it to the lagers on tap in most pubs.

Going back to the Hop House 13 ad, all the hipsters in it seems to having a great time with the new beer.

Lovely Bloke · 27-03-2015 1:34pm

It's the new uber-Hipster trend of reverting to macro-everything to appear ironic-ironic. Don't they drink Pabst in America.

oblivious · 27-03-2015 2:00pm

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

It's the new uber-Hipster trend of reverting to macro-everything to appear ironic-ironic. Don't they drink Pabst in America.

Once they go ironic-ironic-ironic, the four horsemen will be released and end of Day's will begin

the beer revolu · 27-03-2015 2:20pm

Post-ironic.
It's earnest.

HopsAndJumps · 27-03-2015 5:39pm

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

It's the new uber-Hipster trend of reverting to macro-everything to appear ironic-ironic. Don't they drink Pabst in America.

The hipsters are starting to drink pabst here.....

Grrrrrr

oblivious · 27-03-2015 5:40pm

HopsAndJumps wrote: »

The hipsters are starting to drink pabst here.....

Grrrrrr

Behind trend hipsters, what a thought !

baron von something · 27-03-2015 6:49pm

I quite like pbr.a guy I know had his wedding at the pabst brewery in Chicago.

Ronan|Raven · 27-03-2015 10:41pm

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

Do "diageo only" pubs even exist any more?

Even if they do, you'd imagine Smithwicks Pale Ale would be available, is this better than that?

Plenty of Diageo only sports back home in the west! Be lucky to see more than a pint of Guinness or Smithwicks. As for a pint of SPA you would be greeted with a confused look!

The few pints I had of it I would prefer to SPA.

Speak Now · 28-03-2015 11:43am

Ask for pale ale in some pubs and you get offered the regular red smithwicks

moxin · 28-03-2015 10:38pm

I've had the pleasure of drinking maybe 8 pints of this stuff in a Diageo riddled pub. As said, its drinkable and not bad, its nothing special but would suffice. It's like an inferior Galway Hooker or Smithwicks Pale Ale(which is sweeter though Hooker is far superior) but if you're stuck for an alternative on a night out, go for it.

seanorpen · 31-03-2015 4:33pm

Why does the guy in the add call it LARger. It's Lager isn't it.

oblivious · 31-03-2015 4:37pm

seanorpen wrote: »

Why does the guy in the add call it LARger. It's Lager isn't it.

Because its so refreshing

sheroman01 · 04-04-2015 3:24pm

Tried it for the first time in Xicos Baggot Street the other night. Was quite nice! Had a slight fruity, bitter taste to it, almost like lemon or orange, reminded me a little of Blue Moon. That been said, I woke up with an almighty hangover next morning, when usually I'd be fine after 6 or 7 pints.

wampyrus77 · 08-04-2015 6:46pm

is it clever putting unlucky number on top it

Nate--IRL-- · 08-04-2015 6:52pm

Had a few of these on Sunday - not bad at all, found it much nicer than your usual Lager.

Nate

irish_goat · 09-04-2015 11:28am

I had one 2 weeks ago and it was nice enough but had a bit of a soapy taste. This was after a few hours of pinting.

Had one last night after 1 pint of Rebel Red and I though it tasted a lot less fresh and hoppy. Still got a little soapy taste off it. If I was guessing I'd say it was a keg that had been tapped up for ages but my cousin tells me the stuff is flying out any time he is in this particular pub.

Stheno · 09-04-2015 2:15pm

irish_goat wrote: »

I had one 2 weeks ago and it was nice enough but had a bit of a soapy taste. This was after a few hours of pinting.

Had one last night after 1 pint of Rebel Red and I though it tasted a lot less fresh and hoppy. Still got a little soapy taste off it. If I was guessing I'd say it was a keg that had been tapped up for ages but my cousin tells me the stuff is flying out any time he is in this particular pub.

That's exactly how it tasted to me, like soap

Redsoxfan · 09-04-2015 3:38pm

After a night of alternating between Hop House 13 and West Mayo Clew Bay Red in Castlebar at the weekend, it will be too soon if I ever taste either again. But the Diageo stuff is very visible nearly everywhere now.

FlipperThePriest · 09-04-2015 5:44pm

First I thought.. pft, Diagio's attempt to respond to the gradual upsurge in craft beer availability. Then I thought this could actually work against them - introducing people to something a little different, they might get a taste for experimenting.

I think it beats Diagio's other options. Nice beer, a bit light tasting, little fruity. I could definitely drink it. I don't really like their other beers bar Guinness.

09-04-2015 7:06pm

Stheno wrote: »

That's exactly how it tasted to me, like soap

a lot of ipa type beers have a soapy type taste. even tho this beer isn't a real ipa type beer.

gandalf · 09-04-2015 7:28pm

Had a few pints of this on Monday. It's definitely drinkable. Nothing spectacular but it would do if there is no choice of real beers (ie Carlsberg, Budwater or Heino only).

wampyrus77 · 13-04-2015 2:17am

number 13 is on it is that good idea why put bad luck number on it

Turpentine · 13-04-2015 7:32am

wampyrus77 wrote: »

is it clever putting unlucky number on top it

wampyrus77 wrote: »

number 13 is on it is that good idea why put bad luck number on it

Drink it under a ladder listening to this for added effect:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CFuCYNx-1g

BetterThanThou · 13-04-2015 3:51pm

I had a pint of this last week and it just tasted like watered down Carlsberg to me, which is really saying something. Wouldn't buy it again, I was hoping it would taste at least a little hoppy, but I might as well have been drinking carbonated water. I'd happily take any other macro lager bar Molson Canadian over it.

L1011 · 13-04-2015 10:28pm

wampyrus77 wrote: »

number 13 is on it is that good idea why put bad luck number on it

If it concerns you enough to post twice about it, don't drink it then.

You might want to deal with the ridiculousness of your superstitions though.

wampyrus77 · 16-04-2015 7:32pm

lol new lager,

how long did guinness extra cold last a year so will this

lk67 · 16-04-2015 8:38pm

wampyrus77 wrote: »

lol new lager,

how long did guinness extra cold last a year so will this

Isn't ALL Guinness served extra cold now?

Guinness Hop House 13 - what's the deal?

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