A couple weeks ago we were at a local brewery. We had taken my gf’s car, and typically that means she would be driving home. However, she was having a stressful week at work, so she asked me to be the one driving home.
I’d already had two high gravity beers, so I was done for the night. I was whingeing to the bartender about my situation and told her I guess I’d be switching to water. She suggested their latest thing: Hopwater! OMG, it really came to the rescue. Zero alcohol, carbonated, refreshing. I ended up drinking four hopwaters.
See, that’s the thing. The idea is to have the essence of hops without any real bitterness. We are going out tonight specifically to the place where I had it to get a case.
I’ve had a couple of different kinds. Lagunitas and Sierra Nevada’s Hop Splash. They’re exactly as advertised. Basically tasted like LaCroix if they had a hop flavor and were even more overpriced. Hell, here in Chicago I got carded for buying it and had to pay Cook County liquor tax on it, even though it’s 0.0% alcohol.
I’ve made infused hop waters at home, and they taste fine to me, but they’re not quite as well “rounded” as the two I’ve tried. Mine have a more bitter and grassy edge to them, but that’s fine, as I like things with a bit more bitterness and astringency. I didn’t do anything particularly special. I just took some frozen Citra hops I had laying around, made a hop tea from it, strained it and added it to a bottle of water, chilled it, and then threw it through my Drinkmate carbonator.
Like I said, it’s not going to taste as “sophistacated” and “mellow” as the Lagunitas. I swear the Lagunitas almost has a touch of sweetness to it. But I’m a bitter fiend, so I liked it fine just trying the simple/naive approach. Throw in a little lime lest into the steep if you’re feeling like amping up some of the citrus notes.
I like them. They’re showing up more and more in the grocery stores in the beer section.
I think of it more in the “carbonated water” category than the beer category. I see it as a more flavorful water option rather than as an alternative to beer. If I want something more substantial than LaCroix carbonated water, hopwater is a good choice.
I hate bitter beer. You’ll never see me with an IPA in my hand. However, a few weeks ago a beer rep gave me a can of Hop Water. I was surprised at how little bitterness there was compared to what I was expecting. It was closer to tonic than an IPA.
I think that’s going to make it slow to take off (if it does). It’s more akin to carbonated flavored water, but it’s in the beer section and the people looking for beer aren’t likely to grab it since it’s not beer (it’s not even alcoholic).
As long as it’s stocked in beer sections, I think it’s going to be leaning heavily on brand loyalty or at least brand curiosity (ie grab your favorite beer and see they have a new product out so you buy that too).
It’s getting big out here (Portland). I’ve seen at least a dozen local makers in the last month. Many microbreweries are starting to include one on tap, and there are a few places canning.
Like anything, there’s a lot of variety. Some have a little sugar added, but most are 0 calorie. The one I’ve had with sugar is delicious and has a very subtle sweetness that brings out the hops and other adjuncts nicely.
The ones with only hops aren’t common and IMO are just OK. Either the hops are too subtle, or it’s bitterness without balance. The best are those with a little something else like lemon that lets the hops stand out but provides that balance.
Went to Helltown last night and came home with their hopwater. For on-site consumption it was $3 a can. It was $7.40 a six pack. I was talking with the owner and asked how much it was a case. He told me to buy 3 six packs and I could have the fourth free, so that’s what I did.
This thread and some other discussions I’ve seen about hop water inspired me to give it a try. I got some HOP WTR blood orange and I like it! I find it refreshing. I was a little amused that I had to show ID to buy it, though.
Ever been to the Bitters Club on Washington Island in Door County, WI? They opened over 120 years ago, and stayed open & served alcohol during prohibition as Bitters was considered medicinal and hence wasn’t prohibited…
Carbonated water in a bottle. I’d never pay for it again, especially since there are some reasonable 0.0% offerings like Heineken 0.0. However, the “alcohol free” beers can, I believe, go as high as 0.03-0.05%. Should I wish to drive while drinking something with a modicum of flavor, however, those 0.0% offerings won’t even ping the meter of a quality BrAC meter, such as the BACTrack S80.
But, at least hopwater isn’t as patently offensive as “hard seltzer,” which is the worst of all possible concotions.
