Hop House 13

Hop House 13 is an Irish lager brand created by the Guinness Brewers Project and first produced in 2015. It forms part of Guinness's effort to develop beers beyond its traditional stout portfolio, drawing on the influence of the craft-beer sector while retaining a connection to the Guinness brewing operation. The beer is produced by Guinness Brewery, the Irish brewing company owned by Diageo. The brand takes its name from Hop House 13, a hop-storage building associated with the St. James's Gate brewery site that existed in the early twentieth century. The name therefore connects the modern product with the historical brewing environment of Guinness while signaling its focus on hops. Hop House 13 was developed alongside other Guinness Brewers Project products, including Guinness Dublin Porter, Guinness West Indies Porter and Guinness Golden Ale. The beer is described as a double-hopped lager. Its recipe uses barley, Guinness yeast, Australian Galaxy and Topaz hops, and American Mosaic hops. The resulting beer is presented as golden amber in color with an ivory-colored head. Its aroma and flavor profile emphasize fruit and hop character, including apricot and peach notes. It is generally described as full-flavored, crisp and hoppy without a strongly bitter finish. Alcohol strength varies by market: the commonly cited formulation is 4.1% ABV, while some markets have carried versions at 5% ABV. In the United Kingdom, the strength was later reduced from 5% to 4.6% ABV. Hop House 13 was introduced in Ireland through an experiential launch that combined a brewery tour with tasting workshops. The launch attracted immediate interest from publicans, and the brand subsequently expanded into the United Kingdom and other international markets. Within a year of its announcement, it was available in approximately 1,000 British pubs and other licensed premises, while bottles were also distributed through supermarkets. Diageo supported the British rollout with a large advertising campaign in 2016, using YouTube and other social-media channels as well as broader advertising activity. The beer became one of the more visible Guinness innovations associated with the company's response to interest in hop-forward and craft-inspired products. Reference material links strong Hop House 13 sales with a 2% increase in European sales of Guinness products, although the available material does not provide a separate brand-level sales figure. In 2019, Diageo announced plans to sell the beer in South Korea, extending its international distribution. The brand's market position has not been uniform across countries. Diageo discontinued Hop House 13 in Great Britain in 2021 after sales declined relative to Guinness. That decision concerned the British market rather than necessarily ending the brand worldwide. Accordingly, Hop House 13 is best characterized as an internationally distributed Guinness lager with market-specific availability, rather than as a uniformly active product in every territory.

Hop House 13 emerged from the Guinness Brewers Project, an innovation program associated with Guinness Brewery's development of beers outside its best-known stout range. The brand was first produced in Ireland in 2015. Its name refers to a hop-store building at the St. James's Gate brewery site that existed during the early twentieth century, giving the product a historical association with Guinness while also emphasizing its hop-led character. The product was developed during a period when craft beer had gained substantial influence over consumer expectations and brewer experimentation. Rather than presenting itself as a traditional Guinness stout, Hop House 13 was formulated as a double-hopped lager using barley, Guinness yeast, Australian Galaxy and Topaz hops, and American Mosaic hops. Its stated sensory profile combines fruit aromas and flavors, including apricot and peach, with a crisp and hoppy finish that is intended to avoid pronounced bitterness. The beer has a golden amber appearance and an ivory-colored head. Alcohol content varies by market, with reference material identifying a 4.1% ABV formulation, higher-strength versions at 5%, and a later British formulation at 4.6%. The Irish launch used an interactive format featuring a brewery tour and tasting workshops. This launch helped introduce consumers and trade customers to a product that was connected to Guinness but stylistically distinct from the company's flagship stout. Publicans reportedly placed orders soon after the introduction, supporting an early expansion beyond the initial Irish market. Hop House 13 was then exported to the United Kingdom and promoted through both on-trade and off-trade distribution. Within a year of its announcement, it was available in about 1,000 British pubs and other licensed premises, while bottled product was shipped to supermarkets. Diageo invested heavily in the 2016 British rollout, including a multi-million-pound advertising campaign that used YouTube and other social-media platforms. The campaign reflected the product's positioning as a modern, hop-focused lager and helped give it visibility within a crowded beer market. The beer subsequently became available in international markets. Reference material associates strong Hop House 13 sales with a 2% increase in European sales of Guinness products, though no separate financial or volume figure for Hop House 13 is supplied. In 2019, Diageo announced that the beer would be sold in South Korea, extending its presence beyond Europe. Distribution later became market-specific. In 2021, Diageo discontinued Hop House 13 in Great Britain after sales fell relative to Guinness. The British withdrawal marked a retreat in one important market, but the available reference does not describe a global discontinuation. Hop House 13 therefore remains a Guinness-associated lager brand whose commercial availability and formulation may differ by country.

1. 2021Great Britain discontinuation

   Diageo ended sales of Hop House 13 in Great Britain after the product's sales weakened relative to Guinness.

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2. 2019South Korean distribution announced

   Diageo announced that Hop House 13 would be sold in South Korea.

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3. 2016United Kingdom rollout and major advertising support

   The lager expanded into the United Kingdom, reaching roughly 1,000 pubs and other licensed premises within a year of its announcement and receiving substantial digital and social-media advertising support.

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4. 2015First produced and launched in Ireland

   Hop House 13 was first produced in Ireland and introduced through an experience combining a Guinness brewery tour with tasting workshops.

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A hop-forward, craft-influenced lager from the Guinness Brewers Project, positioned as a fruity, crisp and approachable alternative within the Guinness portfolio.

• Hop House 13 LagerLager beer2015

  The core Hop House 13 product is a double-hopped lager brewed with barley, Guinness yeast, and Australian Galaxy, Topaz and American Mosaic hops. It is characterized by a golden amber color, an ivory-white head, fruity aromas and flavors associated with apricot and peach, and a crisp, hoppy profile intended to remain relatively low in bitterness. Alcohol strength has varied by market, including formulations reported at 4.1%, 5% and 4.6% ABV.

• 2016United Kingdom multimedia advertising campaign

  United Kingdom

  Diageo supported the United Kingdom rollout with a multi-million-pound advertising campaign, including advertising on YouTube and other social-media platforms.

  Outcome. The campaign accompanied expansion into approximately 1,000 pubs and other licensed premises, as well as supermarket distribution.

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• 2015Irish experiential launch

  Ireland

  Hop House 13 was introduced through an interactive launch experience that included a tour of the Guinness brewery and tasting workshops. The format presented the new lager directly to consumers and helped generate early trade interest.

  Outcome. The launch was reported to have been successful, with numerous publicans ordering the beer soon after its introduction.

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• 2021Withdraw Hop House 13 from Great BritainStrategy

  Sales of Hop House 13 in Great Britain declined in comparison with Guinness.

  What changed. Diageo discontinued the brand in Great Britain.

  Aftermath. Hop House 13 was no longer sold in Great Britain, while the available reference does not establish a worldwide discontinuation.

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• 2019Expand Hop House 13 into South KoreaProduct launch

  After the brand's rollout in Ireland, the United Kingdom and other markets, Diageo identified South Korea as an additional market for the lager.

  What changed. Diageo announced that Hop House 13 would be sold in South Korea.

  Aftermath. The announcement extended the brand's reported international distribution, although the available material does not provide subsequent Korean sales data.

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• 2021Hop House 13 discontinued in Great Britain

  Diageo discontinued Hop House 13 in Great Britain after sales declined in comparison with Guinness. The reported change applied to Great Britain and does not establish that the brand ended in all markets.

  OtherProduct generation
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• 2019Diageo announces Hop House 13 distribution in South Korea

  Diageo announced that Hop House 13 would be sold in South Korea, adding another international market to the brand's distribution network.

  Product launch
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• 2016Hop House 13 expands into the United Kingdom

  Following its Irish introduction, Hop House 13 was exported to the United Kingdom and became available in pubs, licensed premises and supermarkets. The brand was supported by a major advertising campaign using digital and social-media channels.

  CampaignProduct launch
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• 2015Hop House 13 launches in Ireland

  Guinness introduced Hop House 13 in Ireland as a lager developed by the Guinness Brewers Project. The launch included a brewery experience and tasting workshops, and the product reportedly received immediate orders from numerous publicans.

  Product launch
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1. Hop House 13