After a 2 year hiatus, Tuppers Hop Pocket has returned. The last bottles of Tupper’s were produced by Old Dominion Brewpub in November of 2007. What caused the hiatus? Old Dominion was sold in that year. Tupper’s Hop Pocket was a contract brew there. The new owners found Tupper’s to be too expensive and too time consuming to brew and it was subsequently cancelled. Bob and Ellie Tupper’s beer was finished. Neither gave up in their quest to have it brewed again.
After speaking with numerous breweries, St. George’s Brewing Company in Hampton, VA opted to take up brewing Hop Pocket as a contract brew. Bob & Ellie couldn’t be happier. This new edition of Tupper’s is brewed with all the same ingredients and in the same method as it was once brewed. I say method, because Hop Pocket is fermented over the course of 6 weeks. That’s lager territory, not an ale – especially a pale ale like this one. Hop Pocket is aggressively hopped with 3 different strains introduced at 4 different times. This would be a great way to hop an IPA or DIPA giving you a sharp hop/bitter favor. The extra fermentation time allows this beer to mellow a bit. Hop Pocket begins it’s journey by sitting on hop cones for about 3 weeks. All in all this is a really unique, complex American Pale Ale.
Hops – Mt. Hood, Willamette, Cascade
Malts – Caramel (Crystal) Malt
Taste Expectations – Hoppy citrus, with a malty caramel backbone. There’s more to this beer – but this will get you started.
Availability – 12 oz/4 pks. No draft for now. St. Georges is a very small craft brewery.
6% ABV
