In the month leading up to my 40th birthday, my wife asked me what I wanted at least once a day. "It's a big one!" Two days before the party, and before my actual birthday, she surprised me with
Hopsy, an at home draft beer experience. Rather than just buying bottled beer, we were going to be able to pour a perfect draft beer at home.
She got me the Mixed Starter Pack, which included the machine and four different types of beer; their "customer favorites" a lager, an amber ale, an IPA, and a porter. The appliance had a tap on it, and I've always preferred the taste of draft beer over a bottle or can, so it was pretty cool to have that in my home.
I got home from work and was thirsty for a cold beer. The set up was simple: the beer came in a "Torp" (or "mini-keg"), which is a plastic bottle that yields about a six pack worth of beer. We inserted the mini-keg into the SUB machine, slipped the tube through the tap, locked the machine and pulled the tap! The result was a perfectly poured draft beer within minutes of arriving home from a hard day at work.
I was skeptical that it was going to taste as good as draft beer from a bar - I didn't know if maybe it had lost some of the carbonation in transit but when we poured from our new tap, it was perfect; a cold beer flowed right out, and our glasses had just the right amount of foam. I'd never had Yuengling's porter before, it was smooth for a lager with a light malt taste and refreshing finish. The Hopsy website suggested pairing it with meat so we grilled some steak. It was way less expensive than going out, but just as fancy.
The machine was also a hit at my birthday party. The kitchen turned into the hot spot. My friends love IPA and it was gone before I even had a chance to taste it. So we made sure to order the Gun Hill IPA (made in The Bronx) in our next Torp shipment. I was surprised that I really enjoyed every beer in the starter pack. With my membership, I can try several new beers every month from craft and mainstream breweries catered to my tastes. The quiz online builds your taste profile so Hopsy can send you the type beers you enjoy the most, and boy do they taste amazing on draft. I'm super picky about my beer, so it's amazing to have so many different types to try on draft in the comfort of my own home.
UPDATE Hopsy is giving a special offer to all Popdust readers. Click here to purchase the machine and receive your first month of club membership as well as 2 extra kegs and two beer glasses for $99 (normally $239.99)
