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"Alan Gold Label":20xlsgeh wrote: They seriously need to get this into a bottle!

Would Carlow not helped them out?
When I was in Galway last year I refused to drink in a pub that didn't have it [/quote:20xlsgeh]

Carlow don't have a bottling line, I think they contract bottle in britain AFAIK

"Dr Jacoby":34p9yekv wrote: My impression is that at the moment they lack the ambition to really expand the business.[/quote:34p9yekv]That's not the impression I've got at all.

"TheBeerNut":vfilvv9e wrote:

"Dr Jacoby":vfilvv9e wrote: My impression is that at the moment they lack the ambition to really expand the business.[/quote:vfilvv9e]That's not the impression I've got at all.[/quote:vfilvv9e]

There are only 2 employee's in the Hooker brewery, this might be an issue also. You won't meet two people with more ambition or drive.

Well, your impressions could both be more accurate than mine of course. I don't know the brewers very well. But on a recent tour I got the distinct impression (which I think was shared by my tour companion, but I'd rather let him talk for himself) that one of the brewers in particular was feeling a bit jaded. My lasting impression from the visit was that the reality of brewery work is factory-like and monotonous - at least at the Hooker brewery. He seemed largely uninterested in experimenting with new recipes (there's no pilot set-up in the brewery, for example) and didn't seem too enthusiastic about the possibility of bottling or expanding to new markets. It could just have been that we caught him on a bad day, but those were my honest impressions. I hope I'm wrong...

"brian_c":1ygji2sk wrote:

"GrimRob":1ygji2sk wrote: Hooker, in all pubs around Ireland, in bottles in all stores, now!!! Sign the petition.[/quote:1ygji2sk]

Sell it to Diageo, then that would happen really soon. Hooker is great but I don't think it should be in every bar in every town, they'd no longer be the small operation there are now. I like variety, in my dream world there are about one hundred small craft breweries in Ireland, every bar has a few local beers on tap, nowhere sells everything. So it's a bit of a lucky dip what you will get in the craft tap. Make going to a different town an adventure, none of this homogenisation malarkey.

Except for the Bull and Castle of course, that should serve every beer.[/quote:1ygji2sk]

Very true. That would be a better alternative.
But let me just say, if I walked into my local pub or offie and found Galway Hooker (or any other easy-going hoppy local beer), I'd be over the moon! If Diageo put something that nice on tap I'd be singing their praises.

I hope the guys at at Galway Hooker haven't become disillusioned - it can't be easy in this environment. There were some other exciting new breweries that were showcased at Easterfest, so as far as local craft brew goes, I'm happy.

I have it on good authority that the Hooker boys are, and have been, doing everything they can to get the beer into bottles. I would imagine this will be done within the next 3 months or so.

With regards ambition, the two lads created a product that had mainly local appeal and turned into a national success story. That dosent come over night, nor without a lot of hard work. Anyone would be tired! I know I would be.