Galway Hooker: Has It Changed

squonk

Back in the day (10 years ago) I was a big fan of Galway hooker. Even as recent as 2017 or 2018 I picked up a few bottles and quite enjoyed them. Yesterday I was back in Galway for a flying visit so took the opportunity to catch up with an old friend. Turns out that friend had kind of moved on and I wasn’t prepared! The beer served hoppier. I’m not a fan of hoppy beers so it really wasn’t to my taste. Now I know they have other varieties besides tge regular hooker pale ale so maybe the establishment I was in didn’t give RTD full info. I ordered hooker but I got quite a hoppy beer with a lighter colour than I remember.

hooker always reminded me of Sam Adams. This definitely wasn’t Sam substitute. At heart I’m a stout/porter/red ale guy so you might understand why a hoppy beer wouldn’t be my thing. Just corps of they’ve changed the recipe to jerk up with the hoppy crowd or just to modernise. Or did I get a beer from their range that wasn’t their core brew?

Hodors Appletart

Sounds to me like you got a beer that wasn't the core pale ale - anytime I've had it recently it's been pretty low on the hop scale, and fairly malty - almost like a "pale Irish red" if you get me

irish_goat

Which pub were you in? Can check Untappd for clues as to what beers are pouring. I've not even seen Galway Hooker for sale in a pub or offy in quite a while myself so can't comment on the beer.

Dellboy54

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058276647/galway-hooker-has-it-changed

Galway Hooker has changed ownership recently. Perhaps the recipe has changed slightly?

https://www.businesspost.ie/news/galway-hooker-brewery-sold-to-connacht-hospitality-group/

BeerNut

I've been a fairly regular drinker of it for fifteen years and I don't think it's changed at all.