Gage Roads 'sleeping Giant' Ipa

[Pennywise]

How long ago did you have it?

Would have been about 12 months ago I reckon, I bought it just because I do like some of their other beers (even if they are mostly very dumbed down versions of styles). to be honest I can't even remember what it was like, apart from the fact it was **** & I used most of it on my onions on the BBQ. I think it ruined the onions...

 

[Snowdog]

Thinking Gage Roads should re-label their "IPA" as 'Sleeping Gnat'

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

I hated Gage Roads beers befoer the sleeping Giant and Atomic Pale Ale.

I won't say that they are the best of their style, but certainly better than previously, and they don't taste like an accountant got stuck into the brewers to cut costs.

They aren't so dumbed down, at the very least.

still think their "premium" is rubbish and I wouldn't buy it for any more than 1/2 the price dan's has it for. Then I'd take it around to my megaswill mates and boast about how cheap rubbish craft beer actually is.

Goomba

 

[Ash in Perth]

I think it's a pretty decent beer. Sure, it's not as hoppy as you can brew at home by shoveling in hops but it is not lacking hop character by any means. It isn't all about hops anyway, I think it's a pretty well balanced beer with plenty of malt character as well. If this is the direction Gage roads are heading now, I look forward to what else they may be working on.

 

[Golani51]

I think it's a pretty decent beer. Sure, it's not as hoppy as you can brew at home by shoveling in hops but it is not lacking hop character by any means. It isn't all about hops anyway, I think it's a pretty well balanced beer with plenty of malt character as well. If this is the direction Gage roads are heading now, I look forward to what else they may be working on.

ASH: It IS all about the hops.In some countries you would have your tongue cut out for talking like this.

 

[grod5]

I think it's a pretty decent beer. Sure, it's not as hoppy as you can brew at home by shoveling in hops but it is not lacking hop character by any means. It isn't all about hops anyway, I think it's a pretty well balanced beer with plenty of malt character as well. If this is the direction Gage roads are heading now, I look forward to what else they may be working on.

I agree

 

[Ash in Perth]

ASH: It IS all about the hops.In some countries you would have your tongue cut out for talking like this.

hahaha! Don't get me wrong, I love my hops.

As you know, the history behind an IPA is highly hopped, higher alcohol for the long boat ride. I wonder what they were really like traditionally. We all like to think they were massively hoppy beers but I'm not too sure. The modern English IPA's (at least by the time they make it to Aus) are no hoppier than most APA's. Alcohol content is quite often only in the 5-6% range compared to the 3.5-4.5% range for bitters and pale ales....

Some american IPA's however... forget balance, shovel in the hops

 

[super_simian]

As you know, the history behind an IPA is highly hopped, higher alcohol for the long boat ride.

WRONG - Read Shut Up About Barclay Perkins, learn the real story and start telling off everyone who repeats this myth!

 

[chefeffect]

WRONG - Read Shut Up About Barclay Perkins, learn the real story and start telling off everyone who repeats this myth!

erggh yawn... sorry i tried.

 

[mje1980]

Grabbed a 6 pack today. Have to be good to be as good as the Brewdog Punk IPA i had last night.

 

[mje1980]

WRONG - Read Shut Up About Barclay Perkins, learn the real story and start telling off everyone who repeats this myth!

Care to give an abbreviated version? I had drama's with the site.

 

[chefeffect]

Care to give an abbreviated version? I had drama's with the site.

I had the same issue I would like to read about it but there was far to much info, I couldnt find the article about the IPA's. I had always thought the hops and alc where due to the long boat ride too..

 

[super_simian]

Well, that was probably a little abrupt of me, I apologise. Not everyone has the amount of time I do to read stuff on the internet. You are probably a little busy working, I am not.

Anyway, Ron's research has uncovered a lot of hearsay being passed off as fact (to do with IPA in particular,) and any attempt by me to give an abbreviated version would doubtless result in some serious inaccuracies - but just as a quick example, in 1909 (granted, late in the life span of IPA,) according to Ron's table of average stats (of London brewers), Pale Ale had an OG of 1055-1060 and 2.5-3.25 lbs of hops per barrel, while IPA had an OG of 1040-1050, and 2.0-2.75 lbs of hops per barrel. Even X ale (mild) had an OG of 1050-1057, but merely 1.0-1.5 lbs of hops per barrel.

If you are looking for specific info, use the 'labels' section on the left-hand side and sort by IPA and/or styles. It's a really fascinating blog, and challenges a lot of BJCP accepted 'facts.' I am not averse to a US style IPA, but to claim that that is the be-all and end-all of IPA, that they must be extremely hop-oriented or that they were brewed stronger to last the boat journey is...lazy, to say the least.

And, just in case you missed it, I really dig the Sleeping Giant. I think it's a great beer. But then again, I also like Sierra Nevada Torpedo, so really...good beer is good beer, eh?

 

[peaky]

Cool. I still think I like the 'long boat ride' story best though.....

 

[mika]

.............. It does the job it sets out to do.

Which is what ? To convince cashed up Bogans to spend their money on something other than Corona ?
Or to get people hammered so they care less about paying good money for below average beer.

 

[bum]

Which is what ? To convince cashed up Bogans to spend their money on something other than Corona ?

You say that like it's a bad thing.

Or to get people hammered so they care less about paying good money for below average beer.

I wasn't all that impressed on my second tasting of this beer but I have to say that it is not (statistically) below average considering where this beer generally sells (and is made h34r: ).

 

[mje1980]

I prefer brewdog IPA, but I thought it was a good beer. I drank the whole 6 pack!.

 

[mwd]

I prefer brewdog IPA, but I thought it was a good beer. I drank the whole 6 pack!.

Sign of a good beer when you cannot stop after the first.

I love Punk IPA one of my all time favourites would not put SG in the same league at all. Might buy a pack to recheck I found it lacking in any bitterness last time I tried.

 

[mje1980]

Sign of a good beer when you cannot stop after the first.

I love Punk IPA one of my all time favourites would not put SG in the same league at all. Might buy a pack to recheck I found it lacking in any bitterness last time I tried.

Yeah they are not in the same league, but i could drink SG no worries over new etc haha.

 

[aktim]

Tried to find one at Dan's today but no joy. Did find their Atomic Pale Ale though so I grabbed one after reading the brewery's description in the link Manticle posted earlier:

""We decided to introduce Atomic for those drinkers who enjoy the fruit and hop character of a good ale, but without the extreme bitterness and higher alcohol content of an English IPA," said Heary. "We took the Pale Ale down the American route"."

Drugs. Lots of them. It is exactly like I imagine Coopers Clear to be. Smells like the water from boiled vegetables and tastes like ****** Australian mega beer but with a higher and much rougher IBU. Ghastly stuff. It was mentioned earlier that someone couldn't work out why these beers aren't being better promoted - I think the ACCC has told them they'll get prosecuted if they commit this APA ******** to print.

I had SWMBO try it (as I almost always do, her palate is pretty good) and she said "What's this supposed to be?" I say "An APA..." she looks mad at the glass and says "It just tastes like beer. A really ****** beer." (in SWMBO-speak "beer" is what she drank in her younger days in America - to this day she claims PBR is alright.) Can't say I can disagree with her.

Ah the PBR was a pretty good beer back in the day. Classic German style lager at a price anyone could enjoy. Not sure what it tastes like today but I bet it's better than Bud!