Tröegs Nugget Nectar 2022 release

Having a can right now (5/5/22) and it is drinking much like the last few years for me. Nice hoppy flavor, a firm bitterness, and not much in the way of hop aroma. Really tasty beer, but I miss the way this beer used to make a room smell when you popped one. Maybe it’s me, I don’t know. Again, nothing wrong with this, very enjoyable. I just keep hoping for that old experience every year.

 

Thanks for the clarification. I was uncertain whether it was a 1 or a 7.

Cheers!

 

LOL! I’m no Ansel Adams

 

Not this year. My favorite Troegs by far is DreamWeaver, which is really great fresh. It's kind of our "house beer." My IPA purchases are pretty much limited to those from Triple Bottom, which since Covid appeared has been selling at the little farmer's market here in Chestnut Hill (NW Philly) on one Saturday in the month. I like to chat with the brewers about what they're doing, and my reactions to their various efforts. Cheers!

 

It appears that the 5/5/22 batch is a 'bad' batch.

I will be purchasing a six-pack of the 4/27/22 batch (bottles) since @jts211 posted that this is a 'good' batch.

Cheers!

 

Let me emphasize that I am not a 'hophead' so the aroma may or may not be 'strong' to your sense of smell as it is to mine.

 

The fact that you smelled hop aroma is good enough for me.

As I posted previously in this thread about a purchase I made a couple/few years ago:

"...while the cans were a dud in comparison (zero hop aroma and I do mean zero)."

The fact that Troegs would produce & release a batch of Nugget Nectar with zero hop aroma is just a travesty in my opinion.

I am starting to think that perhaps Troegs experiences 'issues' with their canning line on occasion since @Hoos78 also posted:

"For what it’s worth, the last couple years I have had both bottles and cans each year. In both cases I found the bottles to be better."

Cheers!

 

Nugget Nectar really baffles me in this regard. I drink a fairly large amount of both Perpetual & Sunshine Pils throughout the year both in bottles & cans and I really find them very consistent with each other when it comes to both taste and aroma. I recently had Blizzard of Hops in both formats as well and I couldn’t tell a difference.
I really do find Troegs to be consistent across their product line. I always know exactly what I’m going to get… except when it comes to Nugget Nectar.

 

That is disappointing. If Wegmans KOP doesnt have single bottles, I can tell you Wegmans Collegeville had single bottles in their mix-a-six section if you feel like venturing out on 422. Might be worth a phone call to confirm single bottles are available before traveling in this bitter cold.

 

Well, you have me baffled here. Why they can consistently produce those other brands (Perpetual IPA, Sunshine Pils, Blizzard of Hops) in both formats (bottles & cans) but they consistently have quality issues with Nugget Nectar is a mystery to me.

Yesterday when I was grocery shopping I decided to purchase Troegs Troegenator Doublebock (a good winter time drinking beer style IMO) and I decided to purchase the bottle format (given my theory/speculation above about cans). I have not had any yet but I feel good about this purchase.

I also discussed Blizzard of Hops in the past weekend's NBW thread:




Overall:

This IPA is very good!

https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/new-beer-weekend-77.664329/#post-7430345

Cheers!

 

For anyone following batches, I bought a 6 pack of cans freshest by 4/20/22. While still a good beer, it paled in comparison to the bottles I drank freshest 4/21/22.
My personal opinion is there is something about their canning process that mutes at least the aromas of this beer.

 

Just made it to Pittsburgh today.

 

I have speculated about bottles vs. can in a prior post.

Any guess why the Nugget Nectar brand is such an issue for Troegs (vs. other brands)?

Cheers!

 

Nugget Nectar is a very good beer, when on point, but can’t justify paying the price for it. I keep wanting to grab it, but keep going back to New Trail Double Broken Heels since it’s cheaper and a better beer IMO.

Just a side note - I was employed by Tröegs in the past and have a soft spot for them because of how well they treat their employees. But, NN just isn’t worth the price anymore with how the market is.

 

I honestly have no idea, I would say it is their canning process that is the issue but no other beer they can seems to have this issue.
I still have 1 bottle left from the 4/21/22 batch that I will do a side by side with one of the canned beers this weekend.
It is completely possible my palate today is just off, I guess I will find out when I try them next to each other.

 

The 12 packs of regular Broken Heels are an absolute steal right now compared to similar beers. As long as they keep putting the canning date on that box, I’ll keep buying them. One of the few hazy IPAs I really touch anymore.

 

99% of this conjecture is the power of persuasion. We're literally labeling a date a "bad batch" because one user says he doesn't smell much?

 

I personally for my post was not trying to say the batch was “bad” as I still highly enjoyed the beer.
I was just pointing out that to me at least there were differences between the bottles and cans.
This difference could just be that I had the these beers a week apart and my memory has failed me.
Again I will try them side by side to get a true gauge.

 

Agree. All of their beers are a steal at the moment IMO.

 

And what was the attitude in-house about the widespread belief of Nugget Nectar's batch variation?

 

Wasn’t involved with the brewing process, but do know their QC is great. Look at every other beer. You always know what you’re getting. Not sure why NN is inconsistent. Maybe as one poster stated . . . it’s the power of persuasion . . .

Noticed someone mentioned cans vs. bottles. Maybe that’s the issue? How it’s packaged? Don’t really know.

 

For anyone interested, I did a side by side with bottle (freshest by 4/21/22) and can (freshest by 4/20/22). I imagine this is the same batch if they are almost identical freshest dates.

This was a blind tasting with both beers poured into a tulip glass by my wife.

My senses aren’t so great that I can distinguish all the that nuances that a beer has but the bottled beer had a very nice bouquet where the canned beer it was very subtle and I had to try several times to really get anything.

Tasting the beers, there was a very noticeable lack of carbonation in the bottled beer which when compared to the can was quite unappealing.

I know I sang praises to the bottled one before but if I was choosing I personally would go can. The lack of carbonation was really off putting to me.

 

And given what you reported there I would not choose the can.

Cheers!

 

If olfactory is high on your list then yes bottle is the way to go. I was very curious why the carbonation was so different in the different format’s.

 

Although nowhere near as extensive as the annual Dark Lord Day and BCBS threads, this one ranks up there and never disappoints.

 

Your guess is as good as mine.

The whole thing of QC at Troegs as regards Nugget Nectar just seems to be a continuing mystery.

Cheers!

 

QED

 

Picked up a 12 pack of cans dated 4/20/22 from my local distributor. Here are a few notes:

1. It was $31+ after tax (yes it’s the distributor’s price, but still should be about $20-22 IMO). Was expecting the typical $27-28.

2. There was no aroma at first. After drinking about half out of a pint glass, I then got an aroma. Swirled it a bit as well, so that probably helped.

3. It’s not as good as I remember. I did have a New Trail Double Broken Heels first, then a Yuengling Lager, then the NN. I think maybe the NT DBH is so good that NN seems like any other “IPA”. Will make NN my first beer tonight and will check back in later.

 

At the price NN is I can’t see ever buying it again, even if I was promised a money back guarantee if it did not taste/smell as it had in 2012. That price is obscene for this beer and more than $12 a six is too much.

Good bye NN it was fun while it lasted.

Enjoy

 

Agree with the price. Been hearing a lot of good things about this year’s release, so thought I’d give it a try.

 

Had it again. Didn’t really get much aroma like the first time. As far as the flavor, it’s a good beer. There’s just so many better beers out there that are cheaper, so it’s not really anything to look forward to anymore.

Will happily enjoy the other 10 cans, but won’t be purchasing anymore moving forward unless the price point is decreased drastically.

 

That price is nuts! I bought a case for $49 and I thought that was steep!

 

I did just see my local ski resort has Double Nugget Nectar on tap this weekend, and I’ll probably grab a draft between some runs tomorrow. Has anyone tried the double yet this year?

 

Here’s a question - if NN is an “Imperial Amber Ale” according to the can, what is Double NN?

 

Having my 3rd can. This is the best one by far. Aroma is there and the flavor is fantastic. This is the NN I remember. Would think it can’t be can to can or bottle to bottle variation, but this is weird.

If I got 12 of these beers, I’d be ok with spending $30 for a 12 pack.

 

Picked up a six pack in glass today. It’s looking, smelling and tasting great.

Perfect clarity, dense head, excellent retention. Very nice orange, honey/pollen and caramel in both the nose and taste. Better than expected.


Go Birds

 

Was hoping it would be in NJ by this past week. Guess we’re up this coming week, I hope at least.

 

Yeah, that's what the beer guy at a local store told me - Tuesday in his case (Mercer County) but I imagine it depends on Hunterdon's usual delivery day at any particular store.

 

I suppose hitting 0.333 is OK? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Cheers!