Little Creatures IPA

[kevo]

Would I drink it again, yeh sure.
Would I seek it out, nope.

Perhaps those who look at the offerings of most commercial breweries in terms of 'styles' are kidding themselves a little?

For many breweies (companies) styles are a means of marketing.

The above statement sums it up - it's drinkable and enjoyable(for this person). Maybe we should worry less about the 'style' and consider the drinkability of the beer.

 

[Byran]

I would love to try it when it gets over to sydney.
If people are saying its too sweet and the bitterness is "lost" doesn't that mean that the 60 IBU is quite balanced with the sweetness?
I just made an IPA that was about 65IBU and I made it quite sweet on purpose to help balance it. But I too seem to think IPA tastes better when its got shitloads of hop aroma to go with it, im not too keen on the bitter as **** bland ones. Hop hog is a good example of this, it finishes pretty sweet and its great.

 

[piraterum]

Tried it on tap at the Local Taphouse in Syd.

Similar to the pale ale tropical, stonefruit and a little bit of pine. I could see myself buying this instead of the pale for a change of scenery. It's not sweet but the bitterness is moderate. It's hard to tell it's 6.4% it seems to have a similar body to the pale.

If you're in Syd The Union Hotel at Newtown tapping a keg today. They are also selling takeways in their bottleshop. Disappointing to see it's being released as a four pack

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=606610842724074&set=a.336463096405518.94679.128574123861084&type=1&theater

I would love to try it when it gets over to sydney.
If people are saying its too sweet and the bitterness is "lost" doesn't that mean that the 60 IBU is quite balanced with the sweetness?
I just made an IPA that was about 65IBU and I made it quite sweet on purpose to help balance it. But I too seem to think IPA tastes better when its got shitloads of hop aroma to go with it, im not too keen on the bitter as **** bland ones. Hop hog is a good example of this, it finishes pretty sweet and its great.

 

[mikec]

BJCP state IBU of 40 to 60 (English) and 40 to 70 (American).

I think a factor is that if you are a regular IPA brewer and a hop head your palate definitely changes. I'm convinced that a lot of the posts you read about "Whatever happened to JS Amber Ale, it's not like I remembered", and "Fat Yak has been emasculated".

I'll reveal that I was tee total for six years following a bit of a breakdown in the early 1990s and got back into it in 2000. Even though I wasn't brewing I still remember the first few months of beers - the likes of XXXX and Melbourne Bitter were delicious, malty and hoppy - even the odd VB had some charm. Now of course they taste like mouse piss and I'd put that down to my changed palate.

I'm not a hop head, I prefer rich malty beers with hop accents, which is why I took up AG because it's the only way to produce really authentic UK Real Ales that usually come in sub 30 IBU. When I'm out and about I find that White Rabbit Dark on tap and JS Amber are as hoppy as I like, but I'm looking forward to trying the IPA out of interest.

Edit: I had a few HBs yesterday with my brew buddy round the corner. We both agreed that the reason neither of us buy "Craft Beers" at the bottlo - even though there is a big range locally - is that whenever we try one, we almost always find it a bit "meh" and samey. Here comes that NS and Amarillo again and what is that cheesy background note many of them have? We both far prefer own brews. So we had a bit of a chat about "palate change", or more like "palate creep" I guess.

Spot on.
I've been drinking heaps of IPA's lately and now many other beers just taste sweet.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Spot on.
I've been drinking heaps of IPA's lately and now many other beers just taste sweet.

You need a palate reset - at least every 6 months. A week or so off beer, drinking mineral water, then something mainstream. If a week off is too much, then 2 weeks of Boags Draught does the trick for me, with the odd CPA if I'm too sick of it.

Palate reset - malty beers taste good, hoppy beers taste bitter.

 

[Liam_snorkel]

Anyone done a side by side with hop hog yet? I'm sipping on a hog now and it seems to be more bitter than I remember the LC despite being 12 IBU less. Which makes me wonder whether LC measured the bitterness or only calculated it? I was under the assumption that larger breweries measure and adjust at some point. Or could it be that they have yet to 'iron out the kinks' in the brew?

 

[BeerNess]

Anyone done a side by side with hop hog yet? I'm sipping on a hog now and it seems to be more bitter than I remember the LC despite being 12 IBU less. Which makes me wonder whether LC measured the bitterness or only calculated it? I was under the assumption that larger breweries measure and adjust at some point. Or could it be that they have yet to 'iron out the kinks' in the brew?

I think its a great example of showing the difference between measured IBU and perceived bitterness.
LC's tendency towards full bodied malt profiles (more sweetness to absorb the bitterness) vs. Hop Hog, Feral has definitely created a dryer beer, which will accentuate the amount of bitterness.

Also won't the hop varieties used will impart different bitterness qualities?

I haven't tried the LC IPA yet but will be saving one of my Hogs to do a side by side this weekend. Will be interesting to compare with this bitterness point in mind.

 

[Dan Pratt]

Look what I picked up last night at FC liquor central coast NSW - BOOM! come on 5pm today :super:

 

[mwd]

Still not available in our local Dan's so invested in a case of Hop Hog. It better be good because it works out more expensive than Ballast Point Bigeye which is a bigger bottle and 7%. You would think being Australian it would be sensibly priced.

 

[Liam_snorkel]

here's their stockist list if you're looking for it. https://littlecreatures.com.au/stockists

 

[slash22000]

Still not available in our local Dan's so invested in a case of Hop Hog. It better be good because it works out more expensive than Ballast Point Bigeye which is a bigger bottle and 7%. You would think being Australian it would be sensibly priced.

The big advantage Hop Hog has is that it's local, so it actually still tastes/smells like an IPA when you drink it. Ballast Point etc lose about 99% of their hop goodness by the time it reaches my mouth.

 

[mje1980]

I went to first choice to see if they had got more trois monts in, but none there so I grabbed a 4 pack of this. Slightly different beer haha. I'm a bit over pale ales and IPAs to be honest but well see how this goes tonight.

I too find the creatures beers a bit too sweet, and agree with the pilsner comments For me I'd much prefer the pils than the pale and bright. Though I'd happily drink them. They are at least consistent and drinkable.

 

[hughman666]

(haven't had one myself yet) the beer is ridiculously sweet. The same BJCP you linked says an IPA should have "Medium-high to very high hop bitterness". So, yeah, it hits the numbers for an IPA, but it doesn't taste like an IPA (apparently).

As soon as you see an IPA advertised primarily as being "approachable", "drinkable", etc it usually means "It's an IPA that doesn't taste like an IPA".

Wow, I'm so glad we have Hop-heroes on this forum. What would we do without their knowledge and infinite wisdom?

Like Slash22000, I haven't had one either although I won't start making sweeping assumptions until I have one.

One thing we do know is that palates adjust over time and the hardcore IPA fans tend to keep moving towards harder IPAs. Maybe this is why some people are saying it's too light-on even though it looks to be in spec for the style.

Heading out for a couple now, will see how it goes...

 

[manticle]

This discussion is a prime example of why breweries worry more about making a beer people will buy and enjoy than concerning themselves about whether 5 nerdy homebrewers consider it fits some guidelines designed specifically for homebrewing competitions.

Especially if they've never actually tried one.

I like their pale. I like Rogers. I'll try this.

 

[Byran]

Got a 4pack at a local bottlo in sydney. Loved it, in fact I think hop hog finishes sweeter. The hop flavour comes through as does the fruity aroma. And not the typical fruit salad type either. Good for a change of scenery in the hoppy beer calendar. And I think they have it on tap here now too so Ill go try it fresh.

 

[Innes]

This discussion is a prime example of why breweries worry more about making a beer people will buy and enjoy than concerning themselves about whether 5 nerdy homebrewers consider it fits some guidelines designed specifically for homebrewing competitions.

This is so very true. There is no law which states all beer must be brew to conform to the style guidelines developed by an American homebrew association.

LC have already said that it is in the style of an English IPA, so why are people comparing it to American IPA's like Hop Hog etc?

I just don't really understand why breweries make these "approachable" IPA's, especially breweries like Little Creatures who don't make a "real" IPA.

I would have thought that as the IPA style was developed in England, that a real IPA would be an English style IPA.

 

[BeerNess]

To me the LC's have taken a bit of a middle ground with this IPA, the blend of hops is interesting and it's a bit more hoppy than English IPA's I've tried, but certainly more restrained and balanced than many American IPA's, I'd label it an Aussie IPA - best of both worlds, I like the malt profile of it and the hop aroma and taste is great - tropical fruit and background spiciness... my first impression was strong Lychee character. The bitterness was balanced out with the malt sweetness so much that the whole beer just faded away, just lacking "something" ... it does go down well and I was keen for more when I emptied my glass.

I think they've done a great job, certainly pleasant to drink and would choose it over some other beers out there - so I think they've got it right for the market they're pitching. Not in my list of top IPA's, but certainly in the good list.

 

[manticle]

About to have my second pint.

Just a decently made hoppy beer, slightly sweet malt finish and supporting bitterness. Good hop flavour ( fruity au or nz I would guess). Sweet and bready malt character.

Nice beer. Won't knock your socks off but I like nice beer and don't always need my socks knocked off. Certainly not a pint that should upset.

 

[Logman]

Trying one atm, something I would buy to go to a BBQ if I didn't really feel like getting on the turps, 4 of these would go down nicely.

 

[Byran]

Ok tried it on tap today. Very nice and quite consistent with the bottle flavour which I was very impressed with.

Straight after it i tried a 4 Pines IPA......... Stick with the Little creatures.

 

[Yob]

Timing.. Just trying one now, little sweet and a touch dry for my tastes.. A better of the creatures brews though..

Took hog off to serve it at the GB which is a little upsetting

 

[mje1980]

I tried one today. Not a fan, bit too sweet for me. Though I'm into highly attenuated Belgians at the moment. I like their pils, and don't mind their pale ale, but not something I love to drink.

 

[Byran]

Timing.. Just trying one now, little sweet and a touch dry for my tastes.. Lol Is that legit?


Took hog off to serve it at the GB which is a little upsetting. Now that is an appalling move by your local, although I wouldnt mind if my local even had an IPA on tap, I have to go for an adventure to find one.

 

[bmarshall]

Not as good as Hawthorn. All that hype and this is all they come up with.
I think i prefer the pale ale more than the IPA.

 

[manticle]

Having said nice things about it previously (draught at great northern) I picked up a 4 pack last night. Definitely a better experience on tap. Some hop flavour but seemed a bit 1 dimensional. Hop, malt and bitterness profile all lacking something.

 

[kevo]

I found it interesting that on the label the volume was recorded in metric and imperial units.

Do LC export much? Wondered if this might be a beer aimed at Northern hemisphere markets.

The beer itself, really enjoyable, flavourful without being overwhelming. Would buy it again and hoping to have the opportunity to try it from a tap rather than out of a bottle.

This wasn't the epiphany beer that LCPA was for me many years ago, but enjoyable all the same.

Kev

 

[jyo]

Grabbed a four pack the other night and I really enjoyed it. I can understand the comments about it finishing a touch sweet, but I found the hops presence to be nice and balanced. Great aroma. Will definitely try again.

 

[Khellendros13]

Went to the White Rabbit Brewery on the way home from Healsville this morning.

Spoke to Elton (very friendly guy, shared some stories with me too) there and tried some beers. They had an IPA on tap, I enjoyed that. Took home a LC IPA bottle too. Comparing them, similar actually but the IPA on tap just had something extra. Maybe the beer itself or maybe the fact it was fresher and from a keg. Would of stuck around longer but I was in a group of non beer freaks.

Either way, I like the White Rabbit Dark Ale and LC IPA more than what I have tried from 4 Pines and Hawthorn. Not a fan of the LC Bright Ale though.

 

[Adr_0]

Having said nice things about it previously (draught at great northern) I picked up a 4 pack last night. Definitely a better experience on tap. Some hop flavour but seemed a bit 1 dimensional. Hop, malt and bitterness profile all lacking something.

I think it's called finish. :unsure:

Drinkability, smell, flavour are great but it just finishes far too quickly for an IPA in my opinion. My opinion...

...but... it is really nice. Great combo of hops, and I do find myself reaching for the third one since SWMBO is quickly getting through the second...

 

[pist]

I think this ones a winner. I tried it on tap for the first time last night and i think they have done really well. Plenty of hops...and not that bitter that you cant taste anything that follows. I chased it with a feral hop hog, and whilst i love that beer, the lcipa was the winner!