Is Panhead going downhill?

[Jules Brown]

Just wondering if anyone else had noticed a deterioration in the quality of Panhead ales. Supercharger was my go to bought beer for ages. But I began enjoying Liberty's Uprising more, and Kereru Resonator too, and stopped buying Panhead altogether. It just didn't seem as 'good as it used to be'. I wondered idly if the recipe had changed since the Lion buyout, different suppliers maybe, but thought that was maybe all in my head.

Either way I stopped drinking Supercharger for a good few months, then this weekend I picked up a six pack as there was nothing else I fancied in the supermarket, and have found it a huge disappointment. The first bottle seemed to have off flavours. A kind of over-ripe bananery undertone ond odour. The second bottle was more like the Supercharger of old, though still lacked the biscuity flavour I liked it for so much back when it was my regular. I compared odour of both empty bottles, and the first had that bananery odour, while the second did not. The third was back to bananery, though not so strong. So I'm left wondering if they are now struggling with quality control issues.

I used to love this brew. Now I'm left wondering why, or has it genuinely deteriorated in recent months. So I thought I'd post here and see if others had experienced anything similar?

[Sam DT]

They're definitely having issues - there was a batch of supercharger that had acidity issues a few months back- really sour, there were about 10 reports on a thread on the Chch home brew club about this - I got one at a bar a couple of weeks back.

Apparently they're looking into it but I think the general consensus is that their beer is going down hill - it's a pity - they were definitely one of my favourites for a couple of years.

[Crusader-Rob]

I think you can put a fair amount of the issues down to system changes. Now that Porthills Pilsand Supercharger are being brewed on a bigger plant at the main Lion brewery in Auckland, there will always be differences due to process changes.

Its unlikely they've changed too much of the recipe, just scaling accordingly.

I heard of teh Acidity issues, but never had the pleasure of trying it. I suspect it was a quality control issue.

When it coems to enjoying other beers more, there qwill always bee that beer that comes out, which you enjoy more and it becomes your go to. its more down to your preference at the time. its the same for other beers.

the previous go to beer was Epic Pale ale.

[Jules Brown]

It's more than a comparative personal taste thing though. I only started looking around because I began feeling that Supercharger began missing something it had had before. Happened around Feb for me personally, then I began broadening my net a bit more (Epic never really did it for me personally).

One of the things a bigger company brings are economies of scale. In Panhead's case, that might entail using malts or yeast from a different supplier. Maybe. And as you say, the larger scale of the operation will result in a different flavour from a recipe written for small scale brewing. I sense that somewhere in the the process, because of the scale up, that Supercharger has lost it's edge. Without coming down in price.

But that's without taking into consideration the strong off flavours I'm getting from the 6 pack in question. Which, after a little refresh of my brewing bible, is probably a case of fruity esters developing as a result of a fermentation error. And that frankly, is unacceptable when you're paying nearly $4 a bottle. Quality control should have prevented this batch from ever getting anywhere near store shelves.

I'll be calling them tomorrow to see what they say/do, and will let you know.

[Crusader-Rob]

Interesting.

I did have any issue prior to sale, where once of the cans in the pack was empty  haha. they replaced it with a whoel new pack for nothing. so the custoemr service is good from a panhead perspective (i would assume it would either be the same or better with a bigger company)

if its fruity esters, then yeah maybe a fermentation thing (peachy maybe? US-05 can do this).

The only other thing I could say is about 18 months ago when they were unable to keep up i got hold of a super charger that had a distinct nelsonsauvin flavour to it. it was told not long afterthey adjusted to keep up supply. lol.

[Peter Smith]

Distribution brings issues and benefits....   Emmersons 1812 is popping up all over AKL in FULL PINT size glasses for about $9 a pop....

[Crusader-Rob]

Yeah, I noticed that.

My local the Harewood tavern has Pilsner on tap all the time. They also got supercharger on tap, which was in good nick (its been awhile since I've been there)

then they also ahve one of the seasonals on tap also, which is nice, so the emersons panhead thing seems to be opening peoples eyes a little, and it costs an extra $1 than a pint ofr speights.

[Peter Smith]

yeah thats going to be a game changer normal pint prices for craft beer....

[Crusader-Rob]

now all that needs to happen in the 6/12 packs of emersons tuatara panhead need to come down a little bit. under the $20 mark for 6 packs wiould be on the mark.

[Jules Brown]

At a pub not more than a mile away from where they brew Panhead in Upper Hutt, they have Supercharger on tap for $12 a pint. Criminal. The six pack seems to be down to around $22 at the moment. But Macs Green Beret is a good call at $15. 

[Crusader-Rob]

I cant remember which one it is, either green beret or 3wolves, but i dont like one of them.

the macs farmhouse ale (seasonal) wasnt bad though

[Jules Brown]

Me too. I was in the supermarket looking at both thinking, I know I like one of these and not the other, having tried both on draft at some point. Plumped for the Green Beret and am enjoying them very much. 

[Sam DT]

And there we have it: http://www.beernation.co.nz/panhead-withdraws-off-beer/

As a side note definitely agree with Peter - great to be able to get Emmersons so widely now - they seem to have done a great job maintaining quality too.