Hop Butcher (2021)

First release of 2021 will be the return of Lord Octopus and a new IPA hopped with Nectaron and Strata called Choice Stock.

 

I think Lord Octopus was my favorite Hop butch brew in 2020

 

Still brewing the same beer with different hops in 2021?

 

Agreed, Lord Octopus was a banger. I've kinda been burnt out on Hop Butcher lately but will absolutely revisit this one.

 

I agree with burnt out on hop butcher lately. I used to buy their stuff every week but it seems to be a similar base with different hops and heavy on the lactose. I feel like I ate a meal after one of their beers. Hoping they make some changes soon.

 

Try Half Acre Second Setting if you like HB, but not the over the top syrup to the body.

 

How has nobody mentioned Choice Stock yet?

next level stuff, one of the best aromas I’ve got from hazy beer in a long time. Last time got this excited by the way a hazy beer smelled was Mikerphone Special Sauce in April. Way different beers, but holy cow I’m impressed. Well, either S.S. or HA Riwaka Cutter a month or two later.

also, it’s not sweet, and might finish a hair green at the moment. Could see this heading towards “straight juice bruh” after a few weeks. Currently, it’s a little dank, a little juicy fruit, a little blue cotton candy

 

Had one last night. I liked it, but honestly thought it was no better or worse than all other HB 6.5% hazy IPA’s. I agree that the sweetness was a bit muted. I find myself buying the 6.5%’s more lately than the 7.5% doubles because of the overall sweetness.

 

this batch of lord octopus is just as good as the last. glad i grabbed a 4-pack.

 

Grabbed a couple cans yesterday, never had it before. Excited to crack one.

 

Had Antimatter Manipulator last night. Reminded me of the old Equilibrium house flavor for IPA’s. It was good and didn’t drink quite 12%, but I am burnt out on these 9% and above hazies that are becoming more frequent lately.

 

Tavern Cut and Normalize The Signal next week!

 

I had one pretty fresh like over a week ago, thought it was boozy as hell. No bueno for me.

 

Now this is something I can get behind. I’ve been staying away from the hazies HB has been putting out for the past 6-7 months because of how sweet they are but I absolutely loved tavern cut last year so I’ll definitely be grabbing a 4-pack of that

 

Resolved to revisit some local(ish) beers/breweries I’d previously written off in the New Year and started by buying a 4 pack of Lord Octopus. Looking forward to seeing if my previous impressions (too sweet, likely to involve hop burn) hold true. Seems like the general impression is that the level of sweetness hasn’t changed in the 12-14 months since I last tried HB, but I’m still cautiously optimistic!

 

My general rule with HB lately has been to stay away from the hazy doubles and triples, stouts, and milkshake IPA’s. I’ll buy the hazy single or clear IPA’s. Plus I’ve enjoyed the one offs they do, lagers and barleywine.

 

I was very pleasantly surprised by Candlebright!

 

Good to know! Thanks! My preference was to get this week’s single IPA, but I could only find Lord Octopus within walking distance and wasn’t feeling particularly motivated to hunt for it.

 

Lord Octopus is fresh squeezed OJ. 5 out of 5 would squeeze again.