Why don’t Breweries disclose hop bills?

I figure some just don't think it's necessary to offer that much information. And some breweries may even prefer their customers not be informed to that level.

For example if a brewery you like has a new seasonal IPA in distribution and the can says it's made with chinook hops, which you hypothetically hate. They have now alienated a customer who would otherwise purchase their beer because they gave them too much information. And that customer will now purchase a different brewery's IPA without giving theirs a chance.

 

In my experience, the majority of brewers list exactly what hops they use. Not on packaging and such, but on their websites. But it does bother me when they don't.

 

Listing hops may set people up to be disappointed. A brewery might brew a beer with your favorite hop and it would not taste as you expect. I rather not know. I just need to know that it will consistently taste good. I love the Nelson hop but very few breweries know how to make it shine bright like Ariana Grande cheers

 

I am guessing that they feel most consumers don't care or want to know, I am assuming only a small % actually know they different ones and their flavor profiles, etc. Like others also indicated a lot do list them on their website or in house on the chalk board, etc. I would also bet if you ask them they would tell you. I honestly don't feel it is done to mislead, I am wagering on the side of not that important in their eyes.

 

Most breweries around me at least list the hops, but don't give percentages. If you've got a successful beer, ya don't want to make it easy for your competitors to clone it.

 

The brewer may also think they made a fantastic beer with a common hop type and they don't want a consumer have a negative bias against the beer because it doesn't have some hyped-up hop. There are definitely consumers who have formed expectations/biases around particular hop varieties and forget the brewer's skill [or lack of skill] can have equal, if not more, impact on the final beer.

 

A good many to label their Hop or hop combos, sometimes the malt. Knowing the hops used in the beer is useless without knowing the volume to techniques, the House yeasts are probably completely different. I see no advantages or disadvantages to listing ingredients and components.

 

I can get behind this theory. Cape May IPA, as an example, used to really tout/brag about their heavy use of Cascades, now their website and their packaging says nothing about what hops are used. It's easily one of the best IPAs in NJ (and perhaps one of the best selling) so there shouldn't be any need to feel "embarrassed" about their liberal use of Cascadel, CTZ or whatever classic hop they're using. Same could be said for Jai Alai, but like @AZBeerDude72 said I'm sure if you shot them an email or asked them at the brewpub, they'd tell you what hops they use without issue

 

Because they're too expensive.
Ok, ok... couldn't resist.
My guess: because most breweries want the flexibility to shift/change if hop shortages or price changes prevent a particular hop from being used. Expensive to change up the labels every time that happens...

 

Yeah, it's not like the old days... when lots of beer labels and ads proudly proclaimed "Finest hops", "Choicest Hops", "Best Hops money can buy", "Imported Hops" or "Domestic hops"...

 

And listing the hops won't guarantee you'll like the beer. I've chosen many IPA's at brewery taprooms that listed hops I enjoy like Citra and been disappointed. Sometimes to the point I feel bad they wasted the Citra!

 

I hate it when a beer lists Citra hops (my favorite) and I purchase it only to discover that I can't taste the Citra. Breweries, if you're going to list which hops are used, please list them in the order of the amount used, most to least. That might keep me from buying a beer via 'false advertising.'

 

My favorite hop is Mosaic. Now there’s some beers that use this Hop and it’s just a tremendous beer, when it’s on it’s really on. Then there’s the Cat Pissy Mosaic beers, that’s well kinda shitty tasting. One hop can go in either direction, but the huge majority works really well, and it’s blends with other hops beautifully. Why this is I don’t know.

 

Cape May isn’t underrated it’s footprints are just small, they make great beers, but a bit pricy.

 

Most of the breweries I frequent list the hops they use, which make those which don't stick out. For example, Cape May Brewing, which has become quite substantial, often doesn't list the hop bill. I find it very frustrating to review a beer when I don't know what's in it.

 

I never said they were underrated

As for being pricey, $9.99 for a six pack of IPA is a pretty good deal in my area. Most local craft IPAs are usually well over $10 for a six pack.

 

A poorly worded reply. They make great beers, but beers like Shore to City if that’s right we’re expensive 4pks 16 oz cans. When I go back to PA I always bring some of their beers home with me. NJ has a trio of great breweries to include Kane and Carton, along with the great Trenton Tomato pies from Delorenzos. Apologize for the confusion.

 

Instead we're in the the "hand-selected" moment.

 

No problem, we've all been there for sure! I actually thought I did say they were underrated at some point but I couldn't find where I said that lol

I gotta check out Delorenzos sometime...I've never hand Trenton-style pizza before to be honest (I can count the number of times I've been to Trenton on one hand)

Yeah, their "specialty" 4-packs like City to Shore are priced higher, usually anywhere in the $15-22 range but honestly even that isn't too far off the market price for specialty beers these days. It certainly isn't cheap, I can agree with you on that one. It is what it is I guess.