My friend and I were at Leesville taproom in Raleigh and we both ordered a Foothills Hoppyum. We had perused the poor draft list and decided upon the Hoppyum as the best choice. Unfortunately, it didn't taste anything like Hoppyum!! It was all toasted malt with no hop character whatsoever. My friend and I both informed the waitress that our beer wasn't what we ordered. She took both of our almost full pints to the bar. The bartender and another waiter smelled them, and she returned claiming it was indeed Hoppyum. I know what Hoppyum is supposed to taste like. I love Hoppyum and Seeing Double. I order them quite regularly. Is there a chance that there is a bad batch of Hoppyum in Raleigh? Or did I get screwed?
Might have been old...? Edit: I had a bottle while I was in MB, and I enjoyed it, solid IPA. Had Ranger while I was there though, and that one spoiled me compared to Hoppyum and HopArt.
I'd guess old. Hoppyum falls off in 2-3 months. If that was the best they had, it's likely they sell a lot of BMC and not a lot of craft. My one visit to Leesville Tap Room was also disappointing. The best they had was Guinness 250 anniversary.
For whatever reason, I have had huge variability issues with Hoppyum for the last year or so. My friends and I are at the point where we'll even joke "let's see which Hoppyum is on tap today." And these are all at bars that don't sit on kegs, where it should be reasonably fresh. It's odd.
Hoppyum is the best IPA? I'd find a new beer bar. Foothills Jade blows Hoppyum away, not sure why thy still invest in brewing Hoppyum and Endo to be honest. And Jade's back on tap at Foothills.
I'd say this is a problem with the bar, not the beer. Poor lines, old beer, low quality staff that can't recognize it. Find a new place. I doubt there's anything wrong with the Hoppyum.
I have never seen or heard of anyone with Jade in the Raleigh / Durham area. I was in Asheville a few weeks ago and I did not see Jade there either. Is Jade limited to Winston-Salem?
yeah, it has been hit or miss for a year or so now, to the point where it's not a consideration while out and about. I think of it as a stale smoke, lacking the citrus I seem to remember. Too many choices here in the triangle to keep getting disappointed....
Spoke with Jamie a few weeks ago, and it sounded like he was hoping that might change. I certainly hope so...Jade is leagues beyond hoppyum.
I heard Jade was going to be bottled, a Bernete supply for the hops makes it so. Might be the death on ENDO and Hoppyum.
I'd happily buy a West Coast style IPA brewed in NC. Why doesn't anyone brew one for widespread distribution? DBH is OK, long on bitterness; short on hop flavor. Why doesn't a local brewery brew a beer like last year's Lagunitas Sucks?
While most of us on BeerAdvocate probably prefer Jade to Endo, I don't think that would be true for everyone -- including the folks who are used to grabbing a sixer of Endo at the grocery store. Endo is a decent, drinkable IPA that can be had for $6.99 at Harris Teeter, and as a result I think Foothills stands to sell a lot more of it than they do Jade.
How are they about cleaning their lines? I had a Lake Erie Monster on draft here, and it tastes like Belgian yeast which freaked me out. The only thing I can think of is unclean lines.
Jade is interesting in terms of how its received with the general public. I've seen people who proclaimed a distaste for IPA thoroughly enjoy Jade. I've had some who appreciated craft and liked hoppy beers not like it, and opted for a Hoppyum instead.
