Hopcraft Brewing

Microbrewery in Pontyclun, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿
Owned by Pixie Spring Brewery

Established in 2012

Closed in 2019

Contact
Pontyclun, Wales
Description
First brewed in Spring 2010 as the Wheatsheaf Inn based at Wheatsheaf Inn, High Street, Llantrisant, Pontyclun. It was originally owned by Celt Experience. In 2011 it brewed for a short time using the name Korev, before settling on the current name in Spring 2012 when it separated from Celt Experience. It moved to its current address in Spring 2013 where an 11BBL plant was used. Experimental beers are produced under the Hopcraft banner. Brewing ceased in early 2019.

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7.1
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Cask at CBC Clerko, 24/04/17. Clear golden with a well appointed off white head that retains well. Nose is juicy citric peel, melon, light pine, orange pith, soft bread. Taste comprises mango, pithy citrics, hint of red grapefruit, toasted grains, soft bread, melon. Medium bodied, soft carbonation, semi drying close spiked with juicy hop bitterness. Solid cask APA.

Tried from Cask on 07 May 2017 at 06:24


6.9
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5

Keg at CBC Clerko, 24/04/17. Hazed orange golden with a well appointed egg shell white head that retains very well ... a real looker of a beer. Nose is floral, tangerine, citric tinged straw, light pine needle. Taste comprises pithy orange, melon, light pine, hint of grapefruit, toasted bread, airy malts. Medium bodied, fine carbonation, juicy hop bitterness in a semi drying close. Decent.

Tried on 07 May 2017 at 06:20


6.8
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

Keg at CBC Clerko, 24/04/17. Extremely dark mahogany brown with a decent beige head. Nose is rummy, sweet malts, syrup, toffee, light fruit esters. Taste comprises chocolate, molasses, rum barrel, light spice, tangy dark fruits. Medium bodied, fine carbonation, semi drying close with a warming glow from the rum. Ok stuff ... maybe a bit OTT on the rum.

Tried on 07 May 2017 at 06:00


6.8
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

Cask at CBC Clerko, 24/04/17. Light black with a decent beige cap. Nose is toffee, syrup, chocolate melt, dark malts, mellow roast. Taste comprises maple syrup, chocolate, toffee fudge, dark fruit rinds, faint lactic nip, brown sugar. Medium bodied, soft carbonation, semi drying close. Decent.

Tried from Cask on 07 May 2017 at 03:33


6.9
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Cask at CBC Clerko, 24/04/17. Black with a well appointed tan cap. Nose is bitter roast, happy pangs, charr, spice, chocolate. Taste comprises roast malt, toffee, light coffee beans, chocolate, raisins. Medium bodied, soft carbonation, drying close with a hop trace and bitter roast closure. Decent porter.

Tried from Cask on 07 May 2017 at 03:29


6.6
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 6.5

Cask at CBC Clerko, as East Bay Pilgrimage (dry hop version), 24/04/17. Golden with a decent white head. Nose is pithy citric peel, lemon rind, grass, green hop tones, grains. Taste comprises bitter orange, not as aggressively hopped as the nose suggested, citric drenched straw, airy malts. Medium bodied, soft carbonation, drying close with semi aggressive hop bitterness. Quite the bitter bastard, perhaps too much and coming across as overly harsh at times.

Tried from Cask on 07 May 2017 at 03:26


7
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8

cask at Craft Clerkenwell. It pours clear golden - amber with a small white head. The aroma is fresh, fragrant, oily orange, tangerine, peachy, brioche and marmalade. The taste is dry, bitter, orange peel, tangerine, peachy, toasty grain, resin, grapefruit, light soap, grass and wood with a drying finish. Medium body and soft carbonation. Good hoppy cask action.

Tried from Cask on 06 May 2017 at 10:30


6.8
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

Keg at CBC Clerko, 24/04/17. Black with a decent tan head. Nose is cocoa powder, sweet notes, light roast, floral tinged, faint spice. Taste comprises chocolate sprinkle, red berry notes, earthy, light roast, treacle toffee, trace of herb and flora. Medium bodied, fine carbonation, semi drying close. Another fun stout from Hopcraft that mimics the name on the badge well.

Tried on 05 May 2017 at 02:20


7.4
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Keg at CBC Clerko, 24/04/17. Extremely dark mahogany brown with a decent beige head. Nose is big on fresh coffee grinds, charr, light roast, spice, toffee. Taste comprises lesser coffee notes, chocolate, roast malts, light fruit esters, brown bread, fruit loaf. Medium bodied, fine carbonation, semi drying close. Solid coffee stout ... more so on the nose.

Tried on 04 May 2017 at 17:10


6.9
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Keg at CBC Clerko, 24/04/17. Black with a well appointed tan head. Nose is chocolate, toffee fudge, vanilla, light berry whisper, mellow roast. Taste comprises Neapolitan ice cream, rasperry whisper, vanilla, milk chocolate, light roast. Medium bodied, fine carbonation, semi drying close. Fun stout that ticks the boxes in terms of its name!

Tried on 04 May 2017 at 17:05