Feral Hop Hog the limelight again

Hop Hog is a mysterious beast.

The beer that emerged from the bush in Baskerville seven years ago has tantalised and intrigued good brew drinkers around the country.

And yesterday Hop Hog’s presence was again recognised when the Feral Brewing favourite was judged Australia’s No.1 craft beer according to a national poll of consumers.

It was the third year in a row Hog Hog had topped the list of the 100 best craft beers compiled by eastern States bar chain, Local Taphouse.

But while the orange nectar that oozes pine, citrus and balanced bitterness from the American hops used in production, defining the brew – and finding it with consistency on the east coast – has become a challenge.

Even Feral’s head brewer Brendan Varis, when asked about Hop Hog’s style, says “people can make up their own mind”.

Some judges consider it an American Pale Ale, others define it as an American Strong Ale while for a time it had India Pale Ale on its packaging.

“It’s a beer,” is the simple response from Feral’s national sales and marketing manager Steve Finney.

“Why do we need to categorise it? It neither sits in Pale Ale and it neither sits in IPA. Drink it for what it is.

“It becomes human nature to put things in categories but the boys in the brewery are trying to create beers that don’t fall into categories. That is what ‘craft’ beer is all about.

“At the end of the day Hop Hog was designed for a flavour profile not to fit into guidelines.”

The other unusual aspect to the beer’s success in the Australia Day poll was that it defeated a raft of eastern States brews in a survey conducted predominately through Melbourne and Sydney outlets.

Feral refrigerate their brews to ensure they arrive interstate in acceptable condition.

“There is so much work in getting Hop Hog over to the east. Let’s face it the Nullarbor kills beers,” Finney said.

“It is a cost that can’t be passed on to consumers. But fortunately Feral isn’t run by accountants and Brendan wants his beers to taste as good as possible no matter the effort.”

Feral had another five beers in the poll results while other WA breweries Little Creatures (four), Nail (three) and Mash (one) also featured on the list.

The Local Taphouse Top 100 list
1. Feral Brewing Company - Hop Hog - Pale Ale (American)
2. Stone and Wood Brewing Co - Pacific Ale - Pale Ale (Australian)
3. 4 Pines Brewing Company - Pale Ale - Pale Ale (American)
4. Little Creatures - Pale Ale - Pale Ale (American)
5. La Sirène Brewing - Belgian Praline - Belgian Specialty Ale
6. Riverside Brewing Co. - 777 IIPA - Double IPA
7. Mountain Goat Brewery - Summer Ale - Pale Ale (Australian)
8. Fortitude Brewing Company - Noisy Minor Anzus IPA
9. Bridge Road Brewers - Beechworth Pale Ale
10. 4 Pines Brewing Company - Kolsch - Kölsch
11. Fortitude Brewing Company - Original Golden Ale - Pale Ale (Australian)
12. KAIJU! Beer - Where Strides the Behemoth - Specialty IPA
13. Two Birds Brewing - Taco Beer - Specialty Beer
14. Fortitude Brewing Company - Noisy Minor Admiral Ackbar - Specialty Beer
15. Modus Operandi Brewing Co - The Former Tenant Red IPA - IPA (American)
16. Mash Brewing - Copy Cat - IPA (American)
17. Riverside Brewing Co. - 77 IPA - IPA (American)
18. Mountain Goat Brewery - The Delmont - IPA (American)
19. KAIJU! Beer - Hopped Out Red - Amber Ale (USA)
20. Prancing Pony Brewery - India Red Ale - IPA (American)
21. Thirsty Crow - Vanilla Milk Stout
22. Feral Brewing Company - Barrique O Karma - Pale Ale (American)
23. Stone and Wood Brewing Co - Cloud Catcher - Pale Ale (Australian)
24. White Rabbit Brewery - Dark Ale
25. Matilda Bay Brewing Company - Fat Yak - Pale Ale (American)
26. Mountain Goat Brewery - Steam Ale - Pale Ale (Australian)
27. Two Birds Brewing - Sunset Ale - Amber Ale (USA)
28. Coopers - Pale Ale
29. KAIJU! Beer - Metamorphosis - IPA (American)
30. Little Creatures - IPA - IPA (American)
31. Holgate Brewhouse - Temptress - Porter
32. Mountain Goat Brewery - Fancy Pants - Amber Ale (USA)
33. Feral Brewing Company - Watermelon Warhead - Pale Ale (American)
34. Hawthorn Brewing - Pale Ale - Pale Ale (American)
35. Mismatch Brewing Company - Archie’s Red Ale - Amber Ale (USA)
36. La Sirène Brewing - Cherie Kriek - Fruit Lambic
37. Mismatch Brewing Company - Session Ale - Pale Ale (Australian)
38. Bacchus Brewing Co - Sex, Drugs & Rocky Road - Porter
39. Mornington Peninsula Brewery - Imperial Stout - Russian Imperial Stout
40. Shenanigans Brewing - Winston - Pale Ale (American)
41. Two Birds Brewing - Bantam IPA - IPA (American)
42. Mountain Goat Brewery - India Red Ale - IPA (American)
43. Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel - Three Sheets Pale
44. Malt Shovel Brewery - Hop Thief - Pale Ale (American)
45. Bridge Road Brewers - Bling IPA
46. KAIJU! Beer - Aftermath - Double IPA
47. Stone and Wood Brewing Co - Jasper Ale - Old Ale
48. Hargreaves Hill Brewing Company - ESB
49. 4 Hearts Brewing - Pale Ale - Pale Ale (American)
50. Mornington Peninsula Brewery - IPA - IPA (American)
51. Little Creatures - Bright Ale
52. Mountain Goat Brewery - Hightail Ale - Best Bitter
53. 4 Pines Brewing Company - Extra Special Bitter - ESB (Extra Special Bitter)
54. Burleigh Brewing Company - 28 Pale Ale - Pale Ale (American)
55. Malt Shovel Brewery - 150 Lashes - Pale Ale (American)
56. La Sirène Brewing - Saison - Saison
57. Moon Dog - Black Lung IV - Smoked Beer (non Rauchbier)
58. Two Birds Brewing - Golden Ale - Pale Ale (Australian)
59. 2 Brothers Brewery - Growler
60. Holgate Brewhouse - Road Trip - IPA (American)
61. Vale Brewing - Vale IPA
62. Six String Brewing Company - Dark Red India Pale Ale
63. Boatrocker Brewing Co - Hop Bomb IPA
64. NAIL Brewing Australia - Clout Stout
65. Vale Brewing - Vale Ale
66. Kooinda Boutique Brewery - Black IPA aka Full Nelson - Specialty Beer
66. Boatrocker Brewing Co - Ramjet
68. NAIL Brewing Australia - Red Ale - Amber Ale (USA)
69. BrewCult - Hop Zone Session IPA
70. La Sirène Brewing - Wild Saison - Saison
71. Malt Shovel Brewery - The Chancer - Blonde/Golden Ale
72. Mornington Peninsula Brewery - Pale Ale - Pale Ale (American)
73. Holgate Brewhouse - Mt. Macedon Pale Ale - Pale Ale (American)
74. Brew Boys - Hoppapotamus
75. Young Henrys Brewing Company - Newtowner - Pale Ale (Australian)
76. Bridge Road Brewers - Bling Bling Imperial IPA
77. Stone and Wood Brewing Co - Garden Ale - Pale Ale (Australian)
78. 2 Brothers Brewery - Grizz
79. NAIL Brewing Australia - Hughe Dunn Brown
80. Stone and Wood Brewing Co - Stone Beer - Specialty Beer
81. Little Creatures - Rogers - Amber Ale (USA)
82. Odyssey Tavern & Brewery - Calypso Pale Ale
83. Murrays Craft Brewing Co - Angry Man Pale Ale - Pale Ale (American)
84. Feral Brewing Company - Sly Fox - Pale Ale (American)
85. White Rabbit Brewery - Pale Ale - Pale Ale (Belgian)
86. Moon Dog - Jumping the Shark 2014
87. Feral Brewing Company - B.F.H. (Barrel Fermented Hog) - Pale Ale (American)
88. Coopers - Sparkling Ale
89. Ekim Brewing Co - After Battle Pale - Pale Ale (American)
90. Holgate Brewhouse - Hopinator - IPA (American)
91. Stone and Wood Brewing Co - Lager - Munich Helles
92. Modus Operandi Brewing Co - Zoo Feeder IPA - IPA (American)
93. Australian Brewery - Pale Ale
94. Prancing Pony Brewery - Pale Ale - Pale Ale (Australian)
95. All Inn Brewing Co - Pocahontas American IPA
96. BrewCult - Can't Fight The Funk
97. Feral Brewing Company - Tusk - IPA (American)
98. Mountain Goat Brewery - India Pale Ale - IPA (American)
99. 2 Brothers Brewery - Crème Caramel - Eisbock
100. Wolf of the Willows - XPA - Extra Pale Ale - Pale Ale (American)