Nugget Nectar

Can't say I've taken it that far yet. I tweeted them and wrote on their Facebook but they didn't respond. Emailing them will be my next step. I don't care if they replace my six pack, I just think they should acknowledge to their longtime fans that there have been major consistency issues with this beer the last two years. I'm not going to buy it next year if they do nothing to assuage my concerns.

 

While it might be "great customer service " for that one customer, it's lousy quality control and bad business practice if they are admitting there is a batch(or batches) in the market that deserve to be replaced --- but only if someone complains.

 

Please report back!

Cheers!

 

FYI The Whole Foods in Plymouth Meeting ran out yesterday...70 cases in on Tues., all gone by Sunday evening! They placed an order for 60 more cases but no confirmation at that time on if that order will be successful or not.

Since I was there and I was witnessing the last case going very quickly, I grabbed a 6-pack for the hell of it. These were bottled on 01/02/13 so a few days older than the one I picked up at Capone's, but it tastes the same to me and they are enjoyable.

 

I definitely taste a difference. The 1/4 bottles have the hoppy, juicy, resinous Nugget flavor we all love. The 1/8 bottles still resemble Nugget Nectar but the hoppy and oily flavor you expect in Nugget Nectar is not there. The difference in flavor is most noticeable in the finish. The way Nugget Nectar finishes is why I love this beer and it's just not there in the 1/8 bottles. That being said, I would not declare the 1/8 bottles drain pours if already in your possession but I would avoid purchasing them.

 

hmmm... since 2008 you have reviewed 0 beers and posted 16 times, yet your blessed palette can tell the difference between two beers bottled within 4 days of each other -- one a total keeper and one not worth purchasing?

MESSIAH! MESSIAH! MESSIAH!

you are in the wrong field my man. sell all assets and open a brewery tomorrow. you can be the next sam, vinnie, jim, tomme, scottie v., dude, chief, chris or john, etc. it's all there. go for it. knock it out of the park -- immediately.

 

oneraindog - I was hoping you would post here as you have been a very good resource for the brewery and have helped clarify countless issues in the past. I have to admit I'm very surprised this is your chosen response. A beeradvocate is giving his personal opinion trying to help out others and it results in a personal attack? I'm not sure what someone's choice to review or not review beer or frequency of posting on a given website has to do with their ability to taste and comment. By that logic would your lack of reviews make you unqualified for your job at Troegs? I don't think so.

My concern is that Twinsdaddy is in no way alone in reporting concerns about certain batches of NN this year. Just look back a couple pages and you can find multiple users with the same or worse opinions. My area hasn't received our shipments yet, but I was burned last year when I bought 2 6-packs of a bad batch (2/20/12) that I believe was eventually acknowledged by the brewery. I followed up with a single of a later bottling to confirm it wasn't just something on my end.

This year I'm going to buy at least a 6-pack regardless of any reports as it's one of my favorite beers and I enjoy supporting Troegs, but I need to confirm for myself before I commit to any more than that.

 

Lacking experience myself I was wondering how one develops a refined palette. Now I know, it comes from reviewing and posting on a website.

 

Yes and apparently having a refined palate enables you to brew world class beer and manage a business. Time to get that BJCP certification and turn my life around!

 

My wife who has never even been on beeradvocate tasted a difference in the two taking only two sips of each...

Question for oneraindog, does one learn more by reading or writing? I've been visiting the site and a subscriber to the magazine for 5 years. Moreover, I've been a fan of Nugget Nectar since 2008. But using your logic, unless I post comments and reviews, I'm not capable of tasting a difference in beer.

 

lost all respect.

 

I bet she doesn't even think bourbon and merlot barrel aged sour stouts with brett are the best kinds of beer!

 

can i blame that on testing every batch of nugget for taste deficiencies? ugh.

first and foremost my apologies to twinsdaddy for not following my 24 hour rule on replying to perceived threads and emails. i am genuinely sorry.

per group NN questions -- each batch of nugget shipped has passed microbiological testing, sensory panel testing, and ABV/IBU acceptability ranges. when we receive customer comments on off-flavors, malt bombs and the like we need to gauge each situation to see if there is a quick solution that makes sense. in the case of JMRSN we were able to swap the case out easily since the location was close to one of our reps we can do a quick taste analysis. we are not in a position to replace each and every case where people feel there are problems with the beer if it passes our internal tests. at some point it does come down to personal taste and expectation of taste and flavor.

as always my goal is to be constructive to the conversation and not alienate individuals - and it's obvious i will have to prove that with my deeds and not my words.

if you have other individual inquiries i am glad to answer those directly.

crawling back into my hole, concentrating on being less disruptive, and figuring out how to be a better human.

 

Just to be clear I compared bottles from 1/4 and 1/8 side-by-side and they differ in taste. My comments were not based on a single batch, my comments were based on two different bottle dates from this year. My observations were more or less based on two bottles from the same year, not this year's version compared to previous years.

 

I applaud John’s ‘diplomatic’ post.

The ‘technical’ point of most interest to me is that several BAs made comments about the 1/8 batch being ‘different’. By my accounting those folks are: slentz, Steeeve, boblinnemane, Twinsdaddy, and Twinsdaddy’s wife. (I apologize if I missed anyone).

A common descriptive theme from the above folks is that the 1/8 batch is ‘too’ malty and not hoppy enough. I personally have not tasted the 1/8 batch but it seems like something is up here.

oneraindog posted: “…each batch of nugget shipped has passed microbiological testing, sensory panel testing, and ABV/IBU acceptability ranges.” I don’t want to be dismissive of the scientific tests conducted since they are objective but the test of most importance to me is the sensory panel testing. I am unfamiliar with any scientific testing that can quantify a malt vs. hoppiness (flavor/aroma) balance. It would appear to me that the Troegs sensory panel has an opinion of the 1/8 batch which differs from the BAs mentioned above palates.

Cheers!

 

I want to thank you for taking the time to conduct your side-by-side sensory testing and reporting back. I very much appreciate your ability to distinguish the differences in the two beers. I also thought you statement of: “The way Nugget Nectar finishes is why I love this beer and it's just not there in the 1/8 bottles. That being said, I would not declare the 1/8 bottles drain pours if already in your possession but I would avoid purchasing them.”

As I mentioned in a previous post my local Wegmans has a boatload of Nugget Nectar brewed on 1/8. Based upon your feedback I personally will avoid buying those particular beers. I already have a case of Nugget Nectar that was brewed on 1/11/13 that I am thoroughly enjoying. I intend to purchase more Nugget Nectar later in the season (presuming I can obtain them) but I will not buy the 1/8 batch.

I very much appreciate the BA community on matters such as this. As the old Roman saying goes: caveat emptor!

Cheers!

 

Just to give an update on my experience - I kept one bottle from the case I had replaced and did a side by side with one from the new case I picked yesterday (the batch # escapes me, but I think best buy date was 5/5/2013). To my palate, there was a noticeable difference between the two, with the new case being more enjoyable. Definite difference in the aroma and hop presence.

 

I posted above: “A common descriptive theme from the above folks is that the 1/8 batch is ‘too’ malty and not hoppy enough.”

How would you describe the 1/17 batch?

Cheers!