Has anyone else noticed the taste difference in Hoegaarden?!
Answers: I haven't had it in a long while and I know that the brewery was sold to InBev in late 2005, but does anyone else think they changed the recipe?
They haven't changed the recipe. At one point in time they tried to brew it elsewhere because they had closed the original brewery... but it tasted slightly different (because of the different water source) so they actually re-opened the original brewery because of this fact, they didn't want to compromise the integrity of the product.
Keep in mind that because this beer actually has live sediment in it, if it's not stored properly (on its side or upside down) then it can taste different. It also depends on what kind of gas the bar you're ordering it from uses, beer gasses can have a mixture of oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide in them which can change the flavor slightly. Also too much or too little gas can change the flavor.
Lastly, if it is stale-dated the beer can change slightly in taste as well.
But if you have a genuine feeling that it tastes wrong/different, call the InBev customer service line. (Number depends on where you're located).
Yes: I did mean properly is up-side down =)
When you store the keg up-side down, then turn it upright before tapping, the sediment moves from the top to the bottom and isn't going to be all stuck at the bottom, it is actually mixed throughout. Otherwise it would all be at the bottom and therefore pointless. Once you tap it you would obviously keep it upright though.
But I am quite interested to see this Wiki page though.
no.. I think it is still the same.. although I don't often drink it.... They don't change recipes just because they change owners..
I drink it on draft quite often, Hoegaarden is a wheat beer, and this one has bit of citrusy aftertaste.
All the last 20 yrs I have been drinking it here in Canada on tap in bars here in Toronto On, I have not noticed the difference.
I haven't noticed any change but, like you, I am not a regular drinker of it. I'd like to think I'd notice but...well...prolly not. I *have* however noticed that none of the other beer nerds at beeradvocate.com have complained so I guess that's good. I am really curious to see if Rolling Rock has changed in flavor since it's been sold to AB and sent to NJ.