Hop Thief
Malt Shovel Brewery

Hop ThiefHop Thief
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From:
Malt Shovel Brewery
 
Australia
Style:
American Pale Ale
ABV:
5%
Score:
84
Avg:
3.71 | pDev: 13.75%
Reviews:
40
Ratings:
71
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 23, 2023
Added:
Mar 20, 2006
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  10
No description / notes.
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Ratings by bros:

  None found.

Photo of Jugs_McGhee
Reviewed by Jugs_McGhee from Colorado

2.83/5  rDev -23.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
$11 AUD per Schooner (425ml) on-draught @ Crafty Squire, Melbourne.

Caramalt, 2-row pale malt. More malty than it should be, with the generic floral hop flavour taking an unfortunate backseat to the dominant malt.

Drinkable and better than many Malt Shovel/James Squire beers, but not a competent pale ale by 2023 standards (maybe this was considered desirable in, say 2003, but it just isn't up to par 20 years later).

I guess the name makes sense...it tastes as if one of the assistant brewers stole most of the hops before they could make it into the boil!

C / AVERAGE
Jan 23, 2023
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.83 by Daneve76 from Australia

May 26, 2021
 
Rated: 3.75 by BEER88 from North Carolina

Aug 31, 2018
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

2.79/5  rDev -24.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
Pint at the Perth brewpub. Normal looking pour. Aroma and taste caramel malts, mostly sweet, slick and sturdy body, slightly chalky dry finish. Weak and wet paper finish.
Mar 03, 2018
Photo of patre_tim
Reviewed by patre_tim from Thailand

2.82/5  rDev -24%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Copper with moderate carbonation, and a half finger of off white head.

Smells of skunk, hard water, soda water, and a hint of malt.

The taste follows the nose. Very little bitterness if any.

Very much like soda water, spicy and full of large bubbles, aka, watery.

Got this in Perth, Australia, where I drank it August 23rd, 2017. If it had been in another category, such as an English Mild Pale Ale, I would have given it a higher rating. As an IPA though, its not hoppy or anything close to an American IPA. Still, it has a great story on the label.
Aug 23, 2017
 
Rated: 3.72 by GP79-AUS from Australia

Jul 08, 2017
Photo of BradMacMullin
Reviewed by BradMacMullin from Massachusetts

3.79/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
I had this after my wife stole it from the resort we stayed in Australia. Drank from the bottle so couldn't truly see color or head, but a decent beer. Fruity smell ...malty ....this is a decent pale ale but got an artificial sense from this I don't get from say Sierra Nevada. Overall a decent 'theft' by my wife (see what I did there), although the towels and 2 lamps she stole were even better
Apr 26, 2017
 
Rated: 1.7 by Ajax85 from Australia

Jan 20, 2017
 
Rated: 4.25 by AaronNQ from Australia

Mar 05, 2016
 
Rated: 3.18 by jeschaefer from Texas

Jan 21, 2016
 
Rated: 3.38 by mklmcgrew from California

Dec 28, 2015
 
Rated: 3.52 by WoodBrew from Ohio

Jun 24, 2015
Photo of Andrewharemza
Reviewed by Andrewharemza from Australia

4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Reviewing Hop theif no 6. Deep amber with small head. Light malty aroma with tangerine and light grapefruit. Light honey taste with toffee, biscuit, a little tangerine and lemon. A little bit of cardboard in the finish. Light bodied and low carbonation.
Jun 19, 2015
Photo of Bearded_beer_guy_
Reviewed by Bearded_beer_guy_ from Australia

4.74/5  rDev +27.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Bottle into glass.

Look: a strong medium Amber.
Good pour with small head. Not sustained but not bothering me.

Smell: It smells like its name. A medium bouquet. Not too overpowering. Inviting if anything.

Taste: exactly how a pale ale should taste. A good floral aroma backed up by a very smooth palate.

Feel: not cloying at all. Strong first taste with an aftertaste that lingers but isn't annoying.
Jun 02, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by life_of_agony from Australia

Apr 19, 2015
 
Rated: 3.56 by BillRoth from Maryland

Mar 07, 2015
Photo of vincehayter
Rated by vincehayter from Maryland

3.31/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Smooth flavor with a gentle but consistent hop finish.
Mar 04, 2015
 
Rated: 3.73 by Simesta from Australia

Feb 12, 2015
 
Rated: 3.44 by JKCooper from Australia

Feb 01, 2015
 
Rated: 3.92 by nitrofenix from Australia

Jan 29, 2015
Hop Thief from Malt Shovel Brewery
Beer rating: 84 out of 100 with 71 ratings