# Little Creatures Single Batch Ipa



## argon (22/3/10)

Got the following email last week from Little Creatures, (as Im sure a lot of others here have got the same);

Hey Hopheads,
Introducing a little something we are (just quietly)a bit excited about....the brewers have been busy in the brewery producing a one off Single Batch India Pale Ale!
The first in what we are planning as a series of limited release, single batch beers which we will bottle and keg, our IPA is a celebration of a hop that we have fallen in love with for a while now...the Cascade! With a heap of Cascade hops in the kettle, whirlpool and of course in the hopback, we utilised Pale, Munich, light and dark Crystal malts to create an ale thats afew shades darker than pale ale, and a fair bit hoppier! Weve taken the IPA through primary fermentation with our ale yeast and followed it up with a secondary conditioning in tank, leaving a beer with slight haze and one that we reckon is a nice little tribute to beer and brewing!
Packed off into kegs and pint bottles, keep an eye out for this one at your local in the coming weeks.As it was only a single batch itll only be available while supplies last!
For those of you in WA or NSW, weve got a couple of special events coming up with the release of the IPA...
For those near Freo, come join the brewers enjoying a couple of IPAs at ourBrewhouse bar, Fremantle, Friday 12th March from 4pm.
Feel free to come join us and say hi to the brewers - theyll be the ones in the orange shirts.

Anyone know where to get a hold of a couple of bottles of this? Was going to have a quick look at Era on Melbourne Street this arvo, or perhaps Grand Central Bottlo.


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## Snowdog (22/3/10)

They gad a nice selection of bottles at Grand Central Cellars on Saturday, but no LC-IPA. And none at 5ifth Element bottlo either (stopped in for a couple Alpha Pale finishers on the way home from the city). Didn't check Era or Nectar...
I'm hoping the Platform manages to get a keg or two....


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## Effect (22/3/10)

*Please don't take this post as negative at all*

I think that this announcement really sums up the australian microbrewery scene at the moment, well, at least in a way. WOW! A microbrewery doing an IPA? Will wonders never cease? I don't think LC releasing a single batch IPA is really announcement worthy in some ways (it should be a good beer, and, yes it does deserve an announcement to generate some excitement about it - and if I stumble across one, I will definitly give it a try).

Microbreweries in other parts of the world are leagues ahead of us - scotland, italy and america. New Zealand could be argued to be a step in front of us.

I think it is interesting to see where australia's microbrewery scene is at the moment, announcements about a cascade driven IPA...still, we are just doing catchup. We can't run before we can walk, and IMO we are still crawling.

/me runs to wardrobe to put on flamesuit


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## argon (22/3/10)

Massively OT :icon_offtopic: :icon_offtopic: but

I agree that the microbrewery industry in Australia is way behind places like the US and Europe. With prohibitive excise taxes. The wine industry thrives because of its socially acceptable image.

Why have 2 separate tax/excise structures based on the product being produced. All Australian manufacturers, distillers, brewers and distributors of alcoholic beverages not subject to wine equalisation tax have a responsibility under the Excise Tariff Act 1921 to pay excise duty. The Wine Equalisation Tax rate is 29% on across the board, regardless of ABV. Whereas beer starts at 29.36% for ABV less than 3% up to 34.22% above 3.5% ABV. It might seem small amounts but when you consider that the ATO took $1.7 billion from beer excise in 02-03 the money stacks up. 

Now consider that the US Tax rates for beer is an average of $0.278per gallon or in percentage terms 7% thats a huge discrepancy. The same year the ATO took $AU1.7billion from beer excise the US took $US8 billion (approx $AU14billion). In 2003 our population was almost 20million, whereas the US had a population of 290millon. Based on the ATO rate they should have been taking almost $AU25 billion.

Were getting screwed and dont get me started on what it costs to own a license and run a pub


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## eamonnfoley (22/3/10)

argon said:


> Massively OT :icon_offtopic: :icon_offtopic: but
> 
> I agree that the microbrewery industry in Australia is way behind places like the US and Europe. With prohibitive excise taxes. The wine industry thrives because of it's socially acceptable image.
> 
> ...



That about sums it up. 

Here's one for you. Qantas have been banning full strength beer at Qantas lounge and planes from mine sites to Perth. I think they are banning spirits too. But wine - still available no problem at all (despite the high ABV). Makes me sick.


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## LexP (22/3/10)

Phillip said:


> *Please don't take this post as negative at all*
> 
> I think that this announcement really sums up the australian microbrewery scene at the moment, well, at least in a way. WOW! A microbrewery doing an IPA? Will wonders never cease? I don't think LC releasing a single batch IPA is really announcement worthy in some ways (it should be a good beer, and, yes it does deserve an announcement to generate some excitement about it - and if I stumble across one, I will definitly give it a try).
> 
> ...



Well sure we are behind, the craft beer scene has been going on for decades in the States. 
Baby steps right? You can't expect a 13% brett barrel-aged imperial stout to sell well to the general public in Australia at the moment, you can't even in America at the moment (Craft brewing has under 10% of the market!)


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## bum (22/3/10)

foles said:


> That about sums it up.
> 
> Here's one for you. Qantas have been banning full strength beer at Qantas lounge and planes from mine sites to Perth. I think they are banning spirits too. But wine - still available no problem at all (despite the high ABV). Makes me sick.


 
What's that? Mine workers' refusal to drink wine? Because that is the reason. Not some snobby two-tier bullshit.


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## BottleBitch (24/3/10)

Ok Back on topic, you can get LC's IPA from the following outlets!!!! this was emailed to me yesterday

Cheers 

Brett

<H3 style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">It's a single Batch and a very limited release and it's hitting bottle shops now!</H3>Our IPA has been bottled in our Pint Size 568ml bottles for extra enjoyment, it's packed with bitterness (55IBU's) and flavour from using only Cascade Hops (you know we love them) and all balanced out with lots of malt....read more below to find a retailer stocking it near you.







For a list of Single Batch IPA stockists around Australia...click on the red read more button ...


*WA*

Belmont Fine Wines
Big Brews
Broken Hill Hotel
Cape Cellars
Caves House
CB East Fremantle
Cellarbrations at Carlisle
Clancy's Fremantle
Cobblers Tavern
Como Liquor Store
Corkers Cellars
CY Oconnor Pub CB
DeVine Cellars
Frankel Street Liquor
Goose
Greenmount LS
Harbourne & Cambridge
International Beer Shop
Liquor Barons Falcon
Liquor Barons Mt Hawthorn
Liquor Barons Mt Lawley
Liquor Barons Ocean Reef
Liquor Barons Swanbourne
Leederville Liquor Store
Liquor Barons Carlisle
Liquor Barons Mundaring
Liquor in the Valley
Lucky Shag
Malt Market
Mane Liquor
Manning Fine Wines
Margaret River Hotel
Knights Inn
Old Bridge Cellars
Paddington Ale House
Prevelly Liquor
Redcliffe Liquor Store
Rose Hotel
Royal Palms Resort Busselton
Sandringham Cellars
Sassellas
Settlers Liquor
The Freo Doctor
The Karralee Tavern
The Melbourne
The Norfolk Hotel
The Raffles Hotel
The ReStore
The South Beach Hotel
The Windsor Hotel
Tuart Hill Liquor
Wine Box Nedlands
Wine Box Shenton Park
*Victoria*

Bimbo Deluxe
Black Heart & Sparrow
Brunswick Hotel
Carwyn Cellars
Cherry Tree Hotel
Decanters by the Bay
Equinox
Fox Hotel
Great Britain Hotel
Highton Cellars
IGA Northcote
Local Taphouse
Lucky Coq
MacAuley Clean Skins
Maria Coffee House
McCoppins Abbotsford
McCoppins Fitzroy
Miss Libertine
Monacellars
Napier Hotel
Pig & Whistle
Pre Mix King Warrnambool
Prince Albert Williamstown
Purvis Cellars
Rathdowne Cellars
Roof Top
Roysten Hotel
Scottish Chief
Slow Beer
Smith St Cellars
Three Degrees
Vaucluse Hotel
Yarraville Cellars
Yellowbird Cafe
And of Course, Little Creatures Dining Hall
*NSW*

42 Harris ST Cellars
Albion Place Hotel
All Bar Nun
Amatos
Australian Hotel
Barzura
Belrose Hotel
Bottle O Lambton
Bottle O Wickham
Bottlo on Beaumont
Braza Leichardt
Brookvale Cellars
Camperdown Cellars Darlinghurst
Camperdown Cellars HO
Camperdown Cellars Kingston
Carringbah Hotel
Castle Cove Cellars
Chippendale Cellars
City Cellars
Clarendon Hotel
Clock Hotel
Coledale Cellars
Courthouse Hotel
Cremorne Cellars
Durham Castle
Eleven
Ensemble Theatre
Glebe Point Rd Cellars
Glenhaven Rd Cellars
Grand Kiama
Kinglseys on the Wharf
Jims Cellars
Lapstone Hotel
Leura cellars
Local Taphouse
Macquarie
Mary Ellen Hotel
Mosman Cellars
Newport Arms
North Sydney Cellars
Parlour Wine Room
Plonk Bottle shop Canberra
Porters Chatswood
Porters Northwood
Prince of Wales
Pyrmont Cellars
Red Bottle Alexandria
Red Bottle Pitt
Red Bottle Sussex
Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club
Sackville Hotel
Shorty's
Stanmore Cellars
Steve's Cool Booze
The Chelsea Hotel
The Longueville Hotel
Thirroul Cellars
Warners at the Bay
*Queensland*

Belvedere Hotel
Bubbles
Chalk & Cheese Auchenflower
Chalk & Cheese Kelvin Grove
Chalk & Cheese Teneriffe
Chalk & Cheese The Valley
Chalk & Cheese West End
Chill Bar
Cru Bar
Drinx Boondall
Drinx Camp Hill
Drinx Cannon Hill
Drinx Ibis Central
Drinx Margate
Drinx Morningside
Drinx Rothwell
Drinx Sandgate
Era
Festival Cellars
River City
Full Moon Hotel
Grand Central Hotel
Iceworks
Lock N Load
Melbourne Hotel
Nectar
Orient Hotel
Pig & Whistle Riverside
Pink Poodle
Purple Palate Queen St
QA Hotel
River City
Sardine Tin
Scales and Ales
Spiros Embassy Hotel
Spiros Paddington
Spiros Roma St
Spiros Toowong
Spotted cow
St Elmo
Stewarts Ascot
Stewarts Portside
Stewarts The Barracks
Story Bridge
The Beach Hotel
The Vine Group
Uber
Uni of QLD Staff Club
Urbane
Wine Emporium


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## eamonnfoley (24/3/10)

picked up a carton last night from LC Freo. Will try one tonight.... Nice that they put out a carton of 12 pint size bottles. $49 isnt too bad either.


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## sinkas (24/3/10)

foles said:


> picked up a carton last night from LC Freo. Will try one tonight.... Nice that they put out a carton of 12 pint size bottles. $49 isnt too bad either.



I hereby challenge you to review the WHOLE carton in one sitting, then report back


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## Effect (24/3/10)

Nothing in sa??


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## levin_ae92 (24/3/10)

Phillip said:


> Nothing in sa??


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## Fents (24/3/10)

just tried the first landed pint bottles in vic at the purvis tasting tonihgt. Jai's a legend made sure he topped us up all night (dangerous when your tables next to LC's ).

What a beer. 5.4% and 55IBU's according to the label..some might not say a true IPA but bloody hell they have done it well. Its bright, its hoppy and its smoooooth. I personally love it. Hates off to Lil Creatures for this one.


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## Dazza_devil (24/3/10)

I'm sorry to announce that Boagsy's Little Critters IPA will only be available in Tasmania.

A delicious brew using the hops grown on the kids swings from the back yard which were full of aphids, spiders and grubs.


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## pbrosnan (24/3/10)

Fents said:


> just tried the first landed pint bottles in vic at the purvis tasting tonihgt. Jai's a legend made sure he topped us up all night (dangerous when your tables next to LC's ).
> 
> What a beer. 5.4% and 55IBU's according to the label..some might not say a true IPA but bloody hell they have done it well. Its bright, its hoppy and its smoooooth. I personally love it. Hates off to Lil Creatures for this one.



I certainly agree with the sentiments regarding the cost of craft beer in Australia vs the US. Outrageous, and I'm not sure excise is the only factor. Having said that, this particular beer looks like it's getting closer to the mark on the price ($49 for 12 pints is not too bad, what's a carton of 24 stubbies worth?), availability (thanks for the list, did you subscribe somewhere?) and style (boldly hoppy) fronts. I'll be picking some up Friday.


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## Alex T (25/3/10)

Hey Guys,

The list (which was pasted above) is on our website. I think you can join up to the hophead email list somewhere on the website. The email updates are something that have been few and far between, but we are gradually getting better at it....

https://www.littlecreatures.com.au/Happenin...menu-id-76.html

Thanks to anyone who could come to the Local Taphouse in Darlinghurst last night - was fun, and the IPA was going down a treat. Yes, it is quite a smooth rendition of an IPA - attenuation probably a touch short of where I wanted it which means it is slightly more "balanced" than intended, but hey - it was jumping in with 20,000L and just seeing what happened; I think it goes down a treat and am quite happy with it.... (well, I am biased, of course!)

Anyway, on the topic of craft beer in Australia.... yes, excise has a bit to do with it. General public knowledge/preferences have a bit to do with it as well.... but I feel some real momentum being created - a lot of beer lovers are finally getting more vocal and supportive (remember, people have to buy this stuff!) - all this means that slowly we can branch out, be more brave, and push the limits a bit. And you know, we have been at this for 10 years so far, and the foundations were laid probably 25 years ago, so it seems changing the Australian market involves some dedication... and all of the people like us can do it....

Cheers, and thanks for the support.

Alex


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## eamonnfoley (25/3/10)

Good work with IPA Alex T - and for putting it pintzilla bottles! Any hints on future one off batches? Taking requests? hehe


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## Alex T (25/3/10)

Next one will probably be brewed early June for early July release.... 

Something with lots of malt and lots of hops is on the cards....


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## faryg (25/3/10)

Alex T said:


> Next one will probably be brewed early June for early July release....
> 
> Something with lots of malt and lots of hops is on the cards....




How about something through a randall on a regular basis?


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## pbrosnan (25/3/10)

Alex T said:


> Hey Guys,
> 
> The list (which was pasted above) is on our website. I think you can join up to the hophead email list somewhere on the website. The email updates are something that have been few and far between, but we are gradually getting better at it....
> 
> ...



Thanks for the link, I didn't look there as I thought it was food, maybe you could link to it from the "beer" menu item as well or perhaps have a "One Offs" item? Anyway I like the way you think (about beer).


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## sinkas (25/3/10)

American barelywine it is then,


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## argon (25/3/10)

Alex T said:


> Anyway, on the topic of craft beer in Australia.... yes, excise has a bit to do with it. General public knowledge/preferences have a bit to do with it as well.... but I feel some real momentum being created - a lot of beer lovers are finally getting more vocal and supportive (remember, people have to buy this stuff!) - all this means that slowly we can branch out, be more brave, and push the limits a bit. And you know, we have been at this for 10 years so far, and the foundations were laid probably 25 years ago, so it seems changing the Australian market involves some dedication... and all of the people like us can do it....
> 
> Cheers, and thanks for the support.
> 
> Alex



Hey Herbstoffe, thanks for the list. This is exactly what I was after. Look like Ill have to go out to Era or nectar later on and try and pick up carton of pints.

At Alex T thanks for the reply mate I did go on a bit of a mathematical rant earlier there are a heap of varied reasons why the craft brewing industry hasnt been allowed to take off on OZ excise being just one of them.

Good to see you guys leading the way in changing perceptions out there about beer and craft brewing. I see you guys as the leaders in Australia on this front keep up the good work. I look forward to trying out the balanced IPA. Hope to get over your way shortly for a look around.
Cheers,
Argon


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## Pete2501 (25/3/10)

It's tasty. I tried it before they started filtering the yeast out.


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## Effect (25/3/10)

Alex T said:


> General public knowledge/preferences have a bit to do with it as well.... but I feel some real momentum being created - a lot of beer lovers are finally getting more vocal and supportive (remember, people have to buy this stuff!) - all this means that slowly we can branch out, be more brave, and push the limits a bit. And you know, we have been at this for 10 years so far, and the foundations were laid probably 25 years ago, so it seems changing the Australian market involves some dedication... and all of the people like us can do it....



I too am really feeling this momentum as well. I think it is great that I am alive at this point in time when micros are really kicking in. The link doesn't list any SA stockists? Is there going to be any sold in SA (other than at the wheaty?) Would love to pick up a carton of the stuff.

Cheers
Phil


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## Timmsy (25/3/10)

Little Creatures Single Batch IPA on tap at The Wheaty
4pm Thursday 1st April

The first in what Creatures are planning to be a series of limited release, single batch beers which they will bottle and keg, their India Pale Ale (5.4% ABV) is a celebration of a hop that theyve been in love with for a while now...Cascade!
In the words of Creatures Brewer Alex Troncoso:
This beer is about hops - we recently got our fresh shipment of 09 Cascade hops and decided it was time to give them a proper test. At the brewery we used hops just about everywhere - kettle, whirlpool, hopback and even dry-hopped in the fermenter. The result is a "hop-sack" nose as we call it - there is so much Cascade it almost doesn't smell like Cascade... is that possible? One person has commented "orange marmalade" - hops are a wonderful thing! There is a nice malt backbone helped out with use of pale, Munich, light and dark crystal malt. The result - a beer with a very full, almost silky mouthfeel and a smooth big bitterness that grows and grows (55 IBUs). .. Due to popular demand, this ones stronger, hoppier and more bitter than Stimulus.
Little Creatures single hop, Single Batch IPA on tap and in Pint Bottle from 4pm Thursday 1st April
Only a handful of kegs and cartons on for as long as they last!


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## Fents (25/3/10)

its been a good 14 hours since i tried it and i cant stop thinking about it.


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## Effect (25/3/10)

That good?? I'll definitly get this on tap at the wheaty then! :chug:


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## Fents (25/3/10)

That good? i dunno but i still want more. Jai was saying that apparently on tap it kills the pint bottles, heaps more hops....i can only imagine.


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## argon (25/3/10)

Ok ... Ouch my bum's a bit sore now... And the back is a little stiff from being bent over a barrell, but got a 12 pack of this from Nectar $100!!!

They've got a single order of 6 cartons, arrived as I walked I the door. 2 cartons gone already. So imagine everywhere would be the same and be limited to 6 cartons.

Anyone interested I'll bring a bottle to BABBS tonight


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## Fents (25/3/10)

they were $7 a pint bottle last night from purvis for memory.


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## Hatchy (25/3/10)

Phillip said:


> That good?? I'll definitly get this on tap at the wheaty then! :chug:



Let me know when yr going. I'll go for a pint (or 2) with you.


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## sinkas (25/3/10)

argon said:


> Ok ... Ouch my bum's a bit sore now... And the back is a little stiff from being bent over a barrell, but got a 12 pack of this from Nectar $100!!!
> 
> They've got a single order of 6 cartons, arrived as I walked I the door. 2 cartons gone already. So imagine everywhere would be the same and be limited to 6 cartons.
> 
> Anyone interested I'll bring a bottle to BABBS tonight



The dirty bastards


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## pbrosnan (25/3/10)

Fents said:


> they were $7 a pint bottle last night from purvis for memory.



So $84 a carton, not to mention someone paid $100. Yet someone else paid $49 from LC. I don't think that the price differential could be put down to excise. I've just put my name down at two stores in Perth (Liquor Barons Mt Lawley and DeVine) on the strength of the $49 or there abouts for 12 report. I'll let everyone know what I have to pay. Can anyone confirm the $49 price?


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## pbrosnan (25/3/10)

I just spoke to Cameron at the IBS in Perth. He expects they'll sell it for around $65 a carton. He said that LC were selling it at the brewery for about $60. Not sure where the $49 in a previous post came from?


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## sinkas (25/3/10)

its $49 at the brewery,


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## pbrosnan (25/3/10)

sinkas said:


> its $49 at the brewery,


You bought one?
Anyway if that is the case that's bloody marvelous, just over $4 a pint bottle. I presume that LC have a margin of there own which would mean that the IBS (and it's probably the most reasonable) would be putting on an ... approximately 20% markup on top of whatever margin there is a $49. Mind you the guy at IBS said that they thought they would get it off LC for around the same price that they get the pale ale.


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## eamonnfoley (26/3/10)

Yeah it was me - $49. In the little shop bar at LC Freo. Maybe they charged the wrong amount, but thats what I paid......Pale ale is also $49 there as Ive bought a few pintzilla cartons in the past.


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## Pete2501 (26/3/10)

Yea'p. The lass at the shot I spoke to didn't even think they were selling it anywhere else. I wanted to get some from bullcreek not drive to freo. Pft, oh well looks like i'll have to do something this weekend to get some.


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## Jez (26/3/10)

I got a carton last night at Camperdown Cellars, Darlinghurst for $73. Pretty steep but less than $84 and a whole lot less than $100. 

I'm yet to sample any bottles from the carton but dropped into the Taphouse last night and had a few pints so I can compare bottled to the tap. Very nice IPA, not completely mindblowing but still pretty tasty. I don't think my carton will last long....

jez


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## Snowdog (26/3/10)

There was plenty at the Story Bridge Hotel bottlo last night...


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## mikem108 (26/3/10)

Very distinct LC character, very nice balance between all the elements, the bitterness doesn't numb your tongue and there is a very pleasant residual sweetness to balance it out. I'll be getting a few more pints tonight


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## sinkas (26/3/10)

pbrosnan said:


> You bought one?
> Anyway if that is the case that's bloody marvelous, just over $4 a pint bottle. I presume that LC have a margin of there own which would mean that the IBS (and it's probably the most reasonable) would be putting on an ... approximately 20% markup on top of whatever margin there is a $49. Mind you the guy at IBS said that they thought they would get it off LC for around the same price that they get the pale ale.




I bought the entire stock, I am going to use it as a type of hedgefund, I will be asking $200 a carton on the 1st of july..LOL

ANyone owant to buy options on the next release?


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## Doogiechap (26/3/10)

sinkas said:


> I bought the entire stock, I am going to use it as a type of hedgefund, I will be asking $200 a carton on the 1st of july..LOL
> 
> ANyone owant to buy options on the next release?



I'm in !!!
Do you take Bank of Scotland Cheques ?
:lol:


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## ajdougall (26/3/10)

*Victoria*

Bimbo Deluxe
Black Heart & Sparrow
Brunswick Hotel
Carwyn Cellars
Cherry Tree Hotel
Decanters by the Bay
Equinox
Fox Hotel
Great Britain Hotel
Highton Cellars
IGA Northcote
Local Taphouse
Lucky Coq
MacAuley Clean Skins
Maria Coffee House
McCoppins Abbotsford
McCoppins Fitzroy
Miss Libertine
Monacellars
Napier Hotel
Pig & Whistle
Pre Mix King Warrnambool
Prince Albert Williamstown
Purvis Cellars
Rathdowne Cellars
Roof Top
Roysten Hotel
Scottish Chief
Slow Beer
Smith St Cellars
Three Degrees
Vaucluse Hotel
Yarraville Cellars
Yellowbird Cafe
And of Course, Little Creatures Dining Hall






[/quote]

Hi all,

I am going to Victoria in two weekends time. Would there be any locals out there who could tell me if these businesses are close to South Melbourne or Ballarat? I would love to sample some of this brew.

Thanks in advance


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## pbrosnan (26/3/10)

Just picked up 2 cartons from DeVines in Inglewood Perth for $57 each. They were allocated about 10 none of which were spoken for. Interestingly I had a call from Liquor Barons in Mt Lawley (I'd asked them to ring me when they got it) who said they were only allocated 3 cartons and thus were only selling singles. They seemed quite shocked at how low the DeVines price was. He reckoned I'd scored a lucky break.


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## argon (26/3/10)

Aww ffs... :angry: $49, $57, $84.. The Brisbane beer desert strikes again


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## Pete2501 (26/3/10)

I got mine


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## Adam Howard (28/3/10)

Stonking drop. Graduated from Melbourne Uni yesterday and went straight to the Dining Hall afterwards. When I saw it on tap I ordered it all night. Cascade IPA huh.....hmmmmm.


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## jpr (28/3/10)

argon said:


> Ok ... Ouch my bum's a bit sore now... And the back is a little stiff from being bent over a barrell, but got a 12 pack of this from Nectar $100!!!
> 
> They've got a single order of 6 cartons, arrived as I walked I the door. 2 cartons gone already. So imagine everywhere would be the same and be limited to 6 cartons.
> 
> Anyone interested I'll bring a bottle to BABBS tonight




Should have gone to Spiros at Towong only $66 a carton nectar is good but a bloody rip off


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## ausdb (28/3/10)

sinkas said:


> I bought the entire stock, I am going to use it as a type of hedgefund, I will be asking $200 a carton on the 1st of july..LOL
> 
> Anyone want to buy options on the next release?



Now we know the real reason why you were trying to liquidate your brewing gear recently


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## Alex T (29/3/10)

Hi Guys,

The beer was indeed $49 a carton at the brewery. Unfortunately we don't have any control over pricing in the market. I can say that pricing such as $100 a carton was not our recommended retail price.....

Hope whoever was able to purchase some enjoyed it!

Cheers,

Alex


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## Pete2501 (29/3/10)

I enjoyed it. 

Pizza, Beer, Football. Thank you little creatures.


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## tallie (31/3/10)

$6 a bottle at the Story Bridge Hotel bottle-o. Picked up a couple on Sunday arvo, and there were still a few left. Looking forward to trying it over the weekend.

Cheers,
Kris.


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## MacGuyver (1/4/10)

Good beer this is, glad I managed to hunt it down. Most of the liquor stores that I visited while trying to find this didn't really know how popular it was going to be!


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## Dazza_devil (1/4/10)

I've got 1 dozen empty LCPA pint bottles any one keen to put forward a recipe attempt?
Since I'm never gonna get a chance to try it that'll be the next best thing.


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## manticle (1/4/10)

Alex T said:


> Hi Guys,
> 
> The beer was indeed $49 a carton at the brewery. Unfortunately we don't have any control over pricing in the market. I can say that pricing such as $100 a carton was not our recommended retail price.....
> 
> ...



Cheers mate.


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## malt_shovel (2/4/10)

After much hype, I managed to try a pint of this today after work.

I know a lot of folk here thought it was great, but I wasn't too impressed. I slightly hoppier version of the LCPA, which for me an IPA does not make (even a yanky version).

Sorry Little Creatures, I think you should have gone the English route and upped the malt & ABV. That would make me a lot more excited to pay a higher price per bottle.

Anyways, I still enjoy the LCPA and look forward to the next brew.

Perhaps a vote on style or even ingredients would be cool...Maybe a brown-ale or porter?

Cheers


----------



## glaab (2/4/10)

only 5 cartons came to SA, they'd only sell me 4 bottles at the Wheatey for $8 ea, I feel violated. I shouldn't have paid it, I got a bad taste in my mouth already and I haint cracked one yet. For another 8 bucks I coulda got a dozen Coopers Pale longnecks from the Empire.


----------



## bum (5/4/10)

VB is even cheaper.

Drink that.


----------



## Effect (5/4/10)

Tastes like their pale ale should taste.


----------



## jbowers (5/4/10)

Phillip said:


> Tastes like their pale ale should taste.



I really like their pale, but I agree that it's more like an apa than an ipa.


----------



## Will88 (5/4/10)

Certainly a nice beer but I've got to agree with the above sentiments.

I suppose they didn't want to be too adventurous at the risk of making something their regular drinkers would not like but for a single batch it would be nice to see LC go out of the box a little.


----------



## bum (5/4/10)

Phillip said:


> Tastes like their pale ale should taste.


 
What? Did they take the rust out?


----------



## jyo (5/4/10)

bum said:


> What? Did they take the rust out?




Thats just the twang of the Perth water Bum!

I thought it was a great drop, but was expecting a more decided hop hit. I didn't perceive the supposed 55 IBU's though.


----------



## Effect (5/4/10)

bum said:


> What? Did they take the rust out?




I have always found their beer to be quite bland and watery...similar to the JSGA...was quite good, but then got worse and worse.

This beer is very nice, but not a WOW beer...would be great if they slowly changed the pale ale to be this beer...

Have got 2 of these in the fridge for me and Miles to taste this afternoon!

Cheers
Phil


----------



## jbowers (11/4/10)

Phillip said:


> I have always found their beer to be quite bland and watery...similar to the JSGA...was quite good, but then got worse and worse.
> 
> This beer is very nice, but not a WOW beer...would be great if they slowly changed the pale ale to be this beer...
> 
> ...




Maybe you've had a LTS?

http://www.russianriverbrewing.com/LTS/


----------



## eamonnfoley (11/4/10)

JSGA is just plain horrible at the moment - Squire's dont really seem to care about their reputation. My $10 pint on friday night at the Generous squire was left on the bar unfinished. Hate to say it, but a megaswill is much more appealing. Don't know what is going on over at JS - especially with hops being cheap at the moment (exchange rate)?

Does Perth water really give the twang that is present in little creatures beer? What component of the water profile is doing it? For a cascade driven beer, the IPA and pale to an extent is quite different to something like SNPA (a fresh bottle).


----------



## kegpig (11/4/10)

Had a few myself should be a regular drop not just a one off thing, great ipa


----------



## Thirsty Boy (11/4/10)

Had this a couple of times now, both in the bottle and on tap (Fox Hotel in Collingwood) - Perhaps my imagination, but the bottled version left me a little underwhelmed... the tap version however was really good. Typically Creatures, and so it should be - Full of flavour and most importantly for an IPA balance. An actual balanced and drinkable IPA, not something that simply caters to the crowd that want their palate burned out by hops at the first mouthful. I had a session on it, and normally I'm over IPA after one or at most two pints.

I just don't get where everyone is coming from about Australian beer being so far behind everyone else.... I taste every new beer I see. It took my wife some dedicated searching to find me 8 beers she thought I hadn't tasted yet for my birthday... and I had in fact tasted two of them already... and the overseas stuff is just no better, no more exciting, no more advanced than the good beers available from Aussie brewers. Sure - 9 out of 10 local beers are either not that great or perhaps no better than competent versions of quite standard beers - But what is it you are expecting? Every brewer to make every single beer an experience that will knock you off your barstool? Even if you do - where are you supposedly getting that in the OS beers? The Rogue, Brewdog, Mikkeler, Nogone, DFH etc etc etc - yeah they're frequently good - and just as often not so great either. And this is the best of the beer that someone thought was worth dragging across an ocean to experience ??? And I have had nothing, _not one single beer_ out of all of them that is out of the league of the local brewers. The great stuff from here, is every bit as good as the great stuff from OS.


----------



## pbrosnan (11/4/10)

I'd say there's a bit of groupthink going on around the "Perth water twang" meme. As to this beer not being an IPA, I'd like to find out why. It appears to be a very good example of West Coat US interpretations of the style. Very hoppy, a little darker than an APA (possibly because of roast or cara malts) and a balancing malitness so as not to make it too thin. Thank god LC chose make something bold and not some insipid UK bitter clone.


----------



## manticle (11/4/10)

Thirsty Boy said:


> I just don't get where everyone is coming from about Australian beer being so far behind everyone else.... I taste every new beer I see. It took my wife some dedicated searching to find me 8 beers she thought I hadn't tasted yet for my birthday... and I had in fact tasted two of them already... and the overseas stuff is just no better, no more exciting, no more advanced than the good beers available from Aussie brewers. Sure - 9 out of 10 local beers are either not that great or perhaps no better than competent versions of quite standard beers - But what is it you are expecting? Every brewer to make every single beer an experience that will knock you off your barstool? Even if you do - where are you supposedly getting that in the OS beers? The Rogue, Brewdog, Mikkeler, Nogone, DFH etc etc etc - yeah they're frequently good - and just as often not so great either. And this is the best of the beer that someone thought was worth dragging across an ocean to experience ??? And I have had nothing, _not one single beer_ out of all of them that is out of the league of the local brewers. The great stuff from here, is every bit as good as the great stuff from OS.



Not out of the league and there are some great beers available here. However I have found that we do seem to cater for hopheads while trying to please the majority which ends up with a lot of American style pale ales. Hopheads are like chilli fiends - nothing is ever hoppy enough unless you can't taste it, which makes commercial hoppy beers somewhere in the middle of the road between beer nerds and consumers.

However look outside pale ales - what do we have that's spectacular? Most of the belgian style attempts we make fall far short of the mark. My last dubbel tasted better than Bridge road's attempt and I'm a long way behind when it comes to brewing dubbels (current one is the most promising yet).

English bitters - there's a couple but they fall wide of the target when compared to a classic English bitter.

What about a good rauch or flanders red or even a Breton style cider?

I will suggest there are some great stouts out there - Holgate and Coldstream produce a couple.

The breweries and brews that seem cursed with infections and off flavours but the brewers insist that it's part of the style? _Should_ taste like butterscotch?? _Should_ taste like vegemite???Grand Ridge super shine is one that people mention often in association with diacetyl. I've tried many GR beers and enjoyed them (not tried the supershine) so I can't comment exactly on that beer but the reputation is out there.
I need not mention Buckley's because that's probably the exact chance they have of making me try any more of their beers. Same with Two brothers (although I don't know if it's infection that plagues them or just no idea about recipe formulation).

Understand my perspective- the attempts we are making with both bigger commercial offerings (Squire, Matilda Bay, LC etc) and smaller offerings is above and beyond what used to be out there and it's a young industry and Australian perception of what beer is and what it can be is even younger but the commercial offerings of international breweries (and I'm thinking old, small established breweries from Belgium, UK and Germany rather than US craftbrewing mainly) does beat us hands down. As they should - they've been doing it for a while.

The final thing is - what about developing more of our own style? That's one thing the US have done well - taking UK and Belgian styles and (pun not intended) mashing them up. We've only just begun with indigenous ingredients in Baron's and a vague notoriety with Coopers thanks to Michael Jackson. there's also the stuff you make (and I actually like a cold pint or two of CD or a can of MB so don't take me for a snob) but it's not really what I'd like to see defined as a style exclusive to Australia. Belgium gives us Rochefort 8 or Westmalle dubbel and we give them...................................Hahn light??

By the way - After typing that rant I realise I may not have read your post properly. You're right - I'm sure there's a lot of highly regarded beers that are not out of our capabilities and a lot of highly regarded beers that aren't that special.


----------



## mika (11/4/10)

LC has lost a lot of the rust twang in recent times, though it does still creep through at times.
They've got a pretty flash RO system since the new brewery went in and thus uild the water from scratch. I tend to think now it's perhaps in the hops they're using ?
LCPA fits right in with the BJCP guidelines on American Pale Ale, anyone who think it's not hoppy enough needs to look at themselves. I haven't tasted the IPA, so won't comment. JSGA is a joke, thin watery and bland tasting, I won't buy it and only be-grudingly drink it if there's nothing else around. Most of the JS beers seem to be like that now. Bit of a shame really. Brink back the rum rebellion porter !

Also agree with Thirsty. There's a whole bunch of local beers that are really good, perhaps not fantastic, but certainly way better than megaswill. And in the same vain, I've had a whole bunch of unbalanced, syrupy American beers that I've paid a lot of $$ for and been very unimpressed.

It's great that LC have gone to the trouble of creating this 'single batch' IPA when they could have just kept plugging away with what they had and watch the sales keep rising, if only a few more breweries would take the same sort of risks. From what I'm led to believe we could see some more adventurous brews from LC in the future as their latest brew system allows them some more scope, I certainly hope so.


----------



## manticle (11/4/10)

Can't say I've ever noticed the rust twang. I have on occasion found LC to be all promise with the hops but lacking in malt character to balance but as a readily available and reasonably popular beer, I think they do a great job promoting some different flavours that average beer drinkers in this country might not be used to.

They seem to be passionate about the way beer is perceived rather than just bowing down to commercial dictates and they seem to be making it work OK.

Decent enough commercial offering in my eyes (prefer the PA to the BA) but I agree with another poster - would be great to see them do a seasonal porter or something outside their current range.


----------



## Alex T (14/4/10)

Hey Guys,

Great to see some good debate going on about our IPA.

Could have been hoppier? Probably.... Could have also achieved a little more attenuation and that bitterness would have screamed through (it finished at about 1.016 - you do these things once and sometimes they just make their own mind up!). But anyway, I think the beer tastes good, and I feel very happy with how things turned out (basically sold out except for a few cartons around the country).

Anyway, the next beer will be brewed in late May/early June with release late in that month. And yes, will be something we have never done..... a rendition of a Brown Ale....

Cheers,

Alex

P.S. I was lucky enough to be a judge at the World Beer Cup in Chicago last week. It was followed by the Craft Brewers Convention.... Amazing experience; lots of huge, huge, huge beers.... by the end I just wanted a quality Pilsner (which I could not seem to find for the life of me!).


----------



## neonmeate (14/4/10)

Alex T said:


> by the end I just wanted a quality Pilsner (which I could not seem to find for the life of me!).



hey Alex
on that point -
how about throwing a few more hops at your pilsener!?


----------



## Alex T (14/4/10)

Yes, we have been throwing more and more hops in the Pilsner. I am stoked with how it has been tasting.

If anyone can get to the brewery or one of our draft accounts, have a go.... I'm not saying it is going to be the most hoppy Pilsner you have ever had, but me, along with all of the brewers, are getting more and more stoked with the beer. We have tweaked aeration rates, yeast counts, final gravity, BU's (increased from ~20 to ~26), fermentation temps, et. We are basically putting as many hops into the beer without having the BU's/perceived bitterness get too high. We have settled on a blend of Tassie Hallertau, NZ Pacifica and Cz Saaz.

Anyway, have a go....

And I know that for the hardcore Pilsner fanatics we aren't going to be at the 40IBU mark - but hey, it still tastes good.

But look for more recent batches - it takes a long time for these things to filter through the supply chain. If the beer has the new packaging that is a good sign. (there is still some out there with the old packaging)

Cheers,

Alex


----------



## Snow (14/4/10)

Alex T said:


> Hey Guys,
> 
> Great to see some good debate going on about our IPA.
> 
> ...



Oh man I'm jealous. That sounds like an awesome experience! Percs of the industry hey?

Well done on the IPA. I think it's perfectly in balance and goes great with curry 

Looking forward to the brown ale .... Keep up the good work guys!

Cheers - Snow.

ps - you guys must be doing something right, because my LWB shares keep on just going up!


----------



## BrenosBrews (14/4/10)

"Anyway, the next beer will be brewed in late May/early June with release late in that month. And yes, will be something we have never done..... a rendition of a Brown Ale...."

India Brown Ale?


----------



## eamonnfoley (14/4/10)

Brown ale sounds very exciting, especially if its an american style brown!


----------



## Dazza_devil (14/4/10)

Alex T said:


> Anyway, the next beer will be brewed in late May/early June with release late in that month. And yes, will be something we have never done..... a rendition of a Brown Ale....




Would it be asking too much to have a few palates sent down to Tassie?


----------



## neonmeate (14/4/10)

Boagsy said:


> Would it be asking too much to have a few palates sent down to Tassie?


you can't taste anything down there?


----------



## argon (14/4/10)

One thing I noticed when sampling the single batch was that my House Beer (LCPA style) actually tastes, looks, smells pretty close. I was considering subbing Munich II for Munich I to get it a bit lighter in colour to match the pale, but after having a few of these IPAs, Im pretty happy with it.

Heres my house ale;
70% Pale Malt
20% Munich II
5% Wheat Malt
5% CaraPils

Mash 66 60min
60min Boil

East Kent Goldings (60 min) 20IBU
Chinook (60 min) 10 IBU
Cascade (20 min) 5 IBU
Chinook (20 min) 5 IBU
Cascade (10 min) 5 IBU
Chinook (10 min) 5 IBU
Cascade (5 min) 5 IBU
Chinook (5 min) 5 IBU
45IBU

1.5g/L Cascade (0 min)
1.5g/L Cascade Dry Hops

US 05 @18C
1056 SG
1014 FG

Thanks for the responses AlexT looking forward to the Brown Ale.

As for the Pilsner I bought a case a few weeks back and there was 1 bottle in there that was the old packaging was confused as to what was going on now I understand. Cant say I was paying attention to notice any difference from the rest of em.


----------



## Jimmeh (14/4/10)

Here's a possible recipe. Just using the info they sent out in the newsletter.
Whadya reckon?

*LC IPA*

Original Gravity (OG): 1.054 (P): 13.5
Colour (SRM): 8.1 (EBC): 16.0
Bitterness (IBU): 53.4 (Tinseth)

90% Pale Ale Malt
5% Munich I
3% Caramalt
2% Crystal 120

3 g/l Cascade (5% Alpha) @ 90 Minutes (Boil)
2 g/l Cascade (5% Alpha) @ 10 Minutes (Boil)
2 g/l Cascade (5% Alpha) @ 0 Minutes (Boil)

Single step Infusion at 66C for 60 Minutes. Boil for 90 Minutes

Fermented at 18c with Wyeast 1056 - American Ale


Recipe Generated with *BrewMate*


----------



## drsmurto (14/4/10)

neonmeate said:


> you can't taste anything down there?



:lol:


----------



## Sammus (14/4/10)

Tried this for the first time recently, and I was well impressed ::drools::. If only it were 49 a carton here. I went through a stage of buying pint cartons of LCPA for a long time, and to get it any less than $65 you were dreaming. I imagine that $49 is for freemantle only... should be interesting to see how much they are here, if it's regular pricing I'ma jump on a carton as soon as I see it


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## Dazza_devil (14/4/10)

neonmeate said:


> you can't taste anything down there?




No we can't, we don't get it to taste it.

Send a few pallets while your at it.


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## neonmeate (14/4/10)

Boagsy said:


> No we can't, we don't get it to taste it.
> 
> Send a few pallets while your at it.




haha good comeback


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## Fourstar (19/4/10)

Fourstar said:


> So, i popped my bottle of the single batch IPA tonight that i picked up last week and unfortunatly im disappointed.
> 
> Well balanced, sweet toffee and strong hop aroma. Good smooth sweet crystal caramel character, moderate palate, lingering bitterness, well balanced and deep hoppy cascade aromas.
> 
> ...




Quoting just incase if the LC boys are following these threads.


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## Pete2501 (19/4/10)

Fourstar said:


> Quoting just incase if the LC boys are following these threads.



Just to gauge your tastes how do you think the Mikkeller stateside IPA was compared to this?

Edit: missed a word


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## Fourstar (19/4/10)

Pete2501 said:


> Just to gauge your tastes how you think the Mikkeller stateside IPA was compared to this?



how many beers do you think i buy! :lol: 

Havn't had it mate, sorry. Is it quite similar on the palate?


----------



## Pete2501 (19/4/10)

Fourstar said:


> how many beers do you think i buy! :lol:
> 
> Havn't had it mate, sorry. Is it quite similar on the palate?




Awww... lol I saw the range you had last Christmas and expect you'd had it already. 

My favourite IPAs to date so far. 

Stateside IPA - Mikkeller
Hercules Double IPA - Great Divide Brewing Company

Nah it's not nearly the same as the LCIPA. The Mikkeller has more hop tannins and slightly more alcohol warmth while I think the LCIPA is more like a strong Pale Ale. 

Edit: missed the second part.


----------



## Fourstar (19/4/10)

Pete2501 said:


> Hercules Double IPA - Great Divide Brewing Company




Get yourself a Titan IPA. Sex in a glass. Well a pine forest actually. :icon_drool2: 

Lagunitas IPA is also very very good. Ive got a bottle of saranac IPA awaiting me, cant wait.

Also Southern Tier IPA is quite good as well.


----------



## Pete2501 (19/4/10)

Fourstar said:


> Get yourself a Titan IPA. Sex in a glass. Well a pine forest actually. :icon_drool2:
> 
> Lagunitas IPA is also very very good. Ive got a bottle of saranac IPA awaiting me, cant wait.
> 
> Also Southern Tier IPA is quite good as well.



I plan to get my hands on the Titan once The International Beer shop has it in stock. I haven't heard of that second one. 

And I thought the Southern Tier Imperial IPA was was a bit average. Maybe I didn't server it warm enough. I didn't think it was balanced that well. 

I'll go on a IPA hunt next time they've got more from Great Divide Brewing Company and get the Titan, Hercules, Un*earthly, lagunitas (if they have it) and a couple of rogue IPAs for good measure.


----------



## Fourstar (19/4/10)

Pete2501 said:


> And I thought the Southern Tier Imperial IPA was was a bit average.



I didnt have the imperial, i had the regular. :icon_drool2:


----------



## Pete2501 (19/4/10)

Fourstar said:


> I didnt have the imperial, i had the regular. :icon_drool2:



Ahh.... yeah the Imperial is 11% and a bit :huh:


----------



## jbowers (19/4/10)

Fourstar said:


> Get yourself a Titan IPA. Sex in a glass. Well a pine forest actually. :icon_drool2:
> 
> Lagunitas IPA is also very very good. Ive got a bottle of saranac IPA awaiting me, cant wait.
> 
> Also Southern Tier IPA is quite good as well.




Please save yourself the dissapointment of getting excited about the saranac. Not great...

Only tried the hercules. Would love to have the titan.


----------



## jbowers (19/4/10)

Pete2501 said:


> Ahh.... yeah the Imperial is 11% and a bit :huh:



I liked the Imperial more than the regular actually. I thought it was a hop riot. What part of the balance didnt you like?


----------



## Pete2501 (19/4/10)

jbowers said:


> I liked the Imperial more than the regular actually. I thought it was a hop riot. What part of the balance didnt you like?



The malt flavours were overwhelming the hops/tannins. It was like a malty alcohol warmth.


----------



## sinkas (20/4/10)

I actaully quite liked the saranac IPA, despite the condecention of so many, it is quite similar to the LC SB IPA


----------



## Pete2501 (20/4/10)

:lol: they're just opinions. 



sinkas said:


> I actaully quite liked the saranac IPA, despite the condecention of so many, it is quite similar to the LC SB IPA


----------



## sinkas (20/4/10)

well I guess I alluding to the fact I didnt bother drinking the saranac IPA initially since the staff sellign it told me how dung punchy it was, I tried it and was quietly impressed, its also at firsesale prices aroudn town now too.

You shoudl try the mikkleeler single hop ipa's and also tyry and find original recipe rogue brutal bitter, which in my mind is a really good IPA, jsut cloned the son of a bitch last weekend


----------



## Pete2501 (20/4/10)

Cheap doesn't always mean bad. 

I mean SNPA is cheap as chips in the states.


----------



## Fourstar (21/4/10)

Well i had the Sarnac IPA lastnight. Im a big fan of the malt profile, well balanced against the hopping rate however the hops are a little one dimensional. maybe its freshness coming into play? i dont know. All i know is it need some complexity in the hop bill which it lacked.


----------



## Alex T (23/4/10)

Hey Guys,

For anyone in Perth:

1) today (Friday 23rd April) we are tapping two final kegs of IPA from 4pm to 6pm - all sales of this beer is going to a charity - Conservation Volunteers, specifically for their "wild futures" program. www.conservationvolunteers.com.au/wildfutures/

2) just saw one of our sales guys - there is something like 10 cartons of IPA at Sandringham Cellars on Great Eastern Highway in Belmont. He wasn't sure why, but there you go...... Standard sales prices I believe - single pint for $6.50, two for $11.00. Not sure of the carton price.

Cheers,

Alex


----------



## Sammus (23/4/10)

First bottle I had of this a friend brought over, and I reckon it was one of the tastiest beers I've ever had.

Next bottles I had were from some trendy bar across from the metro theatre on george st sydney...can't put my finger on it, but didnt really enjoy either anywhere near as much as the first (beat everything else they had to offer though, hence the 2 bottles )


----------



## Fourstar (23/4/10)

Alex T said:


> Hey Guys,
> 
> For anyone in Perth:
> 
> ...




Any updates on that bottle Alex?


----------



## Snowdog (23/4/10)

I just got the email that as of today its on at Story Bridge Hotel (Brisbane).


----------



## mika (23/4/10)

Alex T said:


> .....
> 
> 2) just saw one of our sales guys - there is something like 10 cartons of IPA at Sandringham Cellars on Great Eastern Highway in Belmont. He wasn't sure why, but there you go...... Standard sales prices I believe - single pint for $6.50, two for $11.00. Not sure of the carton price.



Only available in pint bottles. Didn't confirm the amount they had left. $55 for the carton.


----------



## MHB (23/4/10)

Just back from the Mary Ellen nice to see 40 odd beers on tap in Newcastle, including the LA IPA, frankly it's boring, lacking body and hops, would barely make it into the IPA class in any comp.

Finished the night with a couple of Franziskaner wheats with a side of Chambord much nicer

Posting whilst Pi55ED



MHB


----------



## randyrob (25/4/10)

$55.00 a carton @ sandringham. Absolute bargain by my books! Appreciate the heads up Alex


----------



## MitchDudarko (25/4/10)

I loved it. I managed to stop myself drinking the last bottle, which i'm going to save for my birthday. It's a shame they stopped making it. Although I'm hoping like heck this could have been a 'test the waters' beer. It would make my day if they added this beer to their regular line up.


----------



## clifftiger (25/4/10)

MHB said:


> Just back from the Mary Ellen nice to see 40 odd beers on tap in Newcastle, including the LA IPA, frankly it's boring, lacking body and hops, would barely make it into the IPA class in any comp.



Have to agree 100% with Mark -I found this hugely underwhelming - got a schooner at the Clarendon in Newcastle, served far too cold, no more than I expected, so bought a second schooner to sit and hopefully improve as I drank the first. No result. Perhaps the bottled version is tastier? Couldn't be bothered to give it a go to be fair.

$55 a carton for a decent brew is good - still can't go past the Monteiths Dopplebock Winter Ale at that price. Now looking forward to the Squires Malt Runner to compare, coming soon to the Northern Star Newcastle I understand ..... I digress.

Can you buy a decent IPA on tap anywhere in NSW??? (don't tell me about Squires brewhouse)


----------



## clifftiger (25/4/10)

clifftiger said:


> Can you buy a decent IPA on tap anywhere in NSW??? (don't tell me about Squires brewhouse)



A bit of a brain explosion - how I forgot the Murrays Icon2IPA I do not know


----------



## Alex T (25/4/10)

Hey Guys,

Nice to see this one still going..... and as much as we try, I know we can't be everything to everyone, but glad there are plenty of crew that have liked this one.

And to confirm, the next one is coming out in mid-June. Brown Ale (American style) with a focus on Australian hops. We are going to use new season Tasmanian Cascade, Tassie Hallertau, Victorian Galaxy and Victorian Topaz (early and late kettle, whirlpool and hopback) to balance out a menagerie of malts. It'll be the first time we have brewed using Topaz, which will be interesting - about 16%AA, but with good aroma too.... Diving in and doing 4 brews of this one (our biggest fermenter).... nothing like swimming in the deep end.... Brewing in a couple of weeks.

Cheers,

Alex


----------



## Dazza_devil (25/4/10)

Alex T said:


> Hey Guys,
> 
> Nice to see this one still going..... and as much as we try, I know we can't be everything to everyone, but glad there are plenty of crew that have liked this one.
> 
> ...



Sounds great, don't forget to send some to Tassie this time.


----------



## Alex T (25/4/10)

Yes, Tassie will be on the list! A little bit of IPA made it down there, but now sure how much. I used to work in Tassie, so always in the back of my mind.....


----------



## schooey (25/4/10)

Alex T said:


> ...I know we can't be everything to everyone...



Appreciate your posting to the board, Alex, a brewers insight to his art is always appreciated IMO... Also appreciate that you can't be everything to everyone and that you have to make a beer that will sell to the mass market. I tried your single batch IPA off tap here in Newcastle. I would rather drink it than XXXX Gold or Tooheys New any day, but to me it was just another 'safe' run of the mill IPA. I didn't even find it as ballsy as the LCPA _used _to be...

It would be great to see you guys take a chance on a small batch with the true craft beer lovers in mind and release it in a pub in Melbourne around the time of the ANHC or even send a couple of kegs to Harts for their Friday mystery bags, or the Platform Bar in Brissy etc etc... I know I speak purely from a selfish home brewer perspective, but you know, live to dream and all that...


----------



## jpr (26/4/10)

great beer who cares if it aint quite and IPA, its better than a stale stubbie of $6.50 SNPA


----------



## sam (27/4/10)

sinkas said:


> You shoudl try the mikkleeler single hop ipa's and also tyry and find original recipe rogue brutal bitter, which in my mind is a really good IPA, jsut cloned the son of a bitch last weekend



Let us know how the brutal clone goes. I tried to do it a few years back, missed by a long shot but keen to try again. Super fantastic IPA, up there with my favs. Did they change the recipe?


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## sinkas (28/4/10)

sam said:


> Let us know how the brutal clone goes. I tried to do it a few years back, missed by a long shot but keen to try again. Super fantastic IPA, up there with my favs. Did they change the recipe?



they have changed the bittering I think to WIllamette, 

mine, or at least my neighbour who brewed it, is 100% Crystal hops, just kegged it so will tap it at the end of the week, 

AMerican Brown ale sounds great, hope its got some extra gravity points to begin with.


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## jbirbeck (28/4/10)

The brown looks the goods, and rather fortuitously I'll be over in the west not long after to try it


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## Kai (28/4/10)

Wish I could be over there to try it


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## BrenosBrews (28/4/10)

Kai said:


> Wish I could be over there to try it



I'm sure a few of the better Melbourne bars will get it on tap.


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## mwd (20/6/15)

Reviving an old thread seeing as it is IPA Solstice Winter IPA Shift Brewers Stash Beer. Wonder if they remember to put some hops in this one. Looks like it will be tap only and not make it to bottles.

https://littlecreatures.com.au/news/a-new-shift-brewers-stash-for-you


The LC IPA is quite nice as a session beer but I prefer a much more robust and stronger ABV IPA myself.


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## Pete2501 (20/6/15)

Their double pale ale was their best single batch and better than their IPA. The new bright ale was the beginning of the end.,


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## yankinoz (21/6/15)

I see the hand of Lion Nathan's (Kirin) marketing department. Only in Australia have the giants bought so many microbreweries.


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## mwd (22/6/15)

yankinoz said:


> I see the hand of Lion Nathan's (Kirin) marketing department. Only in Australia have the giants bought so many microbreweries.


Would be many many years ago that LC would be classed as a 'Micro' brewer.

Although since they got big and taken over all the offerings are dumbed down to bland bland bland even the single batches.


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## Yob (22/6/15)

2 breweries I don't even bother buying from these days, they've completely lost me.

Little creatures. 

James squires. 

There are more of course but why bother with mediocrity when there are so many great beers to try. (from deserving brewers)


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## Liam_snorkel (22/6/15)

LC return of the dread is awesome, 1000 times better than that pus mountain goat surefoot. and I'm yet to experience a 'dumbed down' version of LC pale ale.


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## yankinoz (22/6/15)

argon said:


> Massively OT :icon_offtopic: :icon_offtopic: but�
> �
> I agree that the microbrewery industry in Australia is way behind places like the US and Europe. With prohibitive excise taxes. The wine industry thrives because of it�s socially acceptable image.
> �
> ...


Excellent research, but you're leaving out one important factor: state excise taxes in the US. Those vary greatly but can be very high. The median is 0.2 per gallon, which adds 40% to the overall excise tax. The range is from 0.02 to 0.6121 (NY state). In most states the rate goes higher than the quoted rate is the abv above 6%.

What is unique to Australia is the preferential tax treatment given wine over beer. In many countries the stronger the drink the higher the rate. In some Scandinavian countries buying a bottle of spirits nearly requires a bank loan.


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## mwd (22/6/15)

Liam_snorkel said:


> LC return of the dread is awesome, 1000 times better than that pus mountain goat surefoot. and I'm yet to experience a 'dumbed down' version of LC pale ale.


Waiting to try the stout hopefully lives up to expectations and they continue making it to add to the regular range. As for the Pale it would be nice if they added a few more hops to make it stand out from all the rest of the pales on the market.
The only Aus Pale with any hop front is CA Spearhead but that is one you will love or hate divided views on that one. I like it and is my usual buy these days when I cannot afford to buy the good American brews.


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## Funk then Funk1 (22/6/15)

Liam_snorkel said:


> LC return of the dread is awesome, 1000 times better than that pus mountain goat surefoot. and I'm yet to experience a 'dumbed down' version of LC pale ale.


I went to the footy a couple of weeks ago and met up for a drink before hand at the Paddo, which had both JS and LC on tap, so I had a LC pale and was rather dissapointed then had the bright next and again dissapointed, they both were most defiantly "dumbed down" from what I remember. But still better than the other tap offerings XXXX Gold, Super Dry, or some other uninspiring crap.


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## Brew Forky (22/6/15)

I sometimes wonder if LCPA has been "dumbed down" or if it just seems it has due to the amount of hops used these days in other pale ales, let alone the popalarity of IPAs. I imagine SNPA seems bland to Americans these days, but was a complete revelation 30 years ago.


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