Little Creatures

[trevc]

Welcome to AHB Alex

Thanks for providing a beer option at the bottle shops! It's much appreciated, really. If you're ever on the GC, the brews on are on me.

 

[Tony]

Missed that.......... Hi Alex

Very happy you have stuck your head in on this! 10 points!

I remember LCPA being maltier....... hops were less"bright" if you know what i mean. The maltier beer was better ballanced. I remember (and they all went in a glass to look at) it was darker in colour, not much, just a couple EBC and a bit more body to the beer.

Its not a bad beer. ITs well made, clean, clear ect but its a bit thin and the lower malt character (lager yeast in an APA...... third letter standing for "ALE") makes it a bit astringent and tyring. I can drink one but would drink water before drinking a second.

I hope my criticism is taken constructivly as im not out to dis LC brewing! 10 points to you guys for what you have done for the beer comunity. The beer has its fans... as it should and will but its obvious it has it dertactions also...... not hatred for the beer..... just some comments posible worth taking note of.

cheers

 

[tazman1967]

Thanks Alex for the reply..My last couple beers I have bought havnt been the same. I put this down to seasonal hops and malt variations. Again...great to see a brewer on this forum. Another loyal customer.

 

[dr K]

When swill becomes pearls you have to wonder if they were not there all the time.
I taste a lot of beers and there is no doubt in my mind that the "better" commercial beers vary considerably (within a fairly tight range if that makes sense), now I put most of this down to the process between leaving the brewery and getting to me.
When LCPA came out in around 2000 maybe early 2001 they hit the net with some pretty sexy advertising ,as I recall, apart from the Blues Bros ref..we're getting the band back together..was the fact that travelled West to East in refrigerated trucks. I travelled to the only shop in Canberra that apparently had it (in Kingston) paid a motza and was not dissapointed.
I had a bottle less than a week ago and was not dissapointed, has the beer changed, well almost certainly, have my perceptions changed, absolutely definitely.
Personally I have always wondered whether Little Creatures was a reference to the fact it had little creatures in it or a reference to Talking Heads.

K

 

[Alex T]

Hey all,

Thanks for the of the input.

Dr K - I often wonder about talking heads reference or the yeast as well.... but the official answer is the yeast!

Tony - thanks for the comments. It is good there is this forum for all to push a bit back and forth on the beers we like and don't like. I don't expect all to like our version of APA, but at least those on here have tried it and know why they do or don't like it. FYI, we use ale yeast for primary fermentation, and then filter bright and re-innoculate with a lager strain - there are some microbiological reasons for doing so.

I should also mention that we are continually looking at our malts and hops. Current late hop grist is US Cascade with Tassie cascade and US Chinook, with a touch of Galaxy (nice hop from Tassie/Vic). If you guys haven't checked out what is going on in our own local hop industry - you should! There is a lot more than Pride of Ringwood and SuperPride going on......

Cheers,

Alex

 

[glennheinzel]

If you guys haven't checked out what is going on in our own local hop industry - you should! There is a lot more than Pride of Ringwood and SuperPride going on......

You'll be happy to know that you are preaching to the converted, although there are a couple of ardent supporters of fresh Pride.

 

[buttersd70]

You'll be happy to know that you are preaching to the converted, although there are a couple of ardent supporters of fresh Pride.

Yes, but happily their bicycle helmets and state-sponsored helpers allow them to brew safely. :lol:

 

[HoppingMad]

I had this forum posted to me and thought I would join in. Coming from originally a homebrewing background (Westgate Brewers in Melb), and now commercially involved in brewing as Chief Brewer of Little Creatures, I am interested in your comments...

and keep your tastebuds ready for what we will do in Healesville - many discussions are being had behind closed doors, and we intend to strech the limits a bit more.....

Cheers,

Alex

Thanks for filling us in Alex. Good to know there are some brewers out there listening to us 'little guys' and also willing to contribute on the forum and provide some info from the source. There is a lot of talk on AHB about 'megaswill' but it certainly doesn't apply to your brews in my opinion - I think it's great that there's such an interest in APAs in Australia amongst us homebrewers, and I think Little Creatures can take some of the credit for popularising the genre down here. There certainly weren't too many of my homebrewing mates rushing out to use amarillo hops a couple of years ago!

Am very interested in the new stuff at Healesville (kinda obvious from my posts), and will be down there like a rocket when it opens up. Good to see someone from a club level moving through to the commercial side too. Gives some of us hope!

Hopper.

 

[Katherine]

Im a major fan never had a bad word to say. Little Creatures just got it all right in my books and Im not just talking the beer. One handed (PUB) food which is great and unpretentious. People that visit Little Creatures (Im lucky as I live very close) are there for all the same reason good food, good beer GREAT atmosphere. And probably the cheapest place in Perth to get a pint of Little also.

Can you hurry up and finish the front...LOL!

 

[domonsura]

:wub: LC Pale Ale :wub: .......whenever I actually get out of the workshop, I like to call into the Wheaty and treat myself to a pint. I had noticed an increased intensity to the hops last time, but that suits me FINE ......

Top job Alex, and the rest of the crew over there. Love your work. Wish I lived in Freo, but probably better for my liver that I don't :lol: ...........

 

[ant]

Stone make an IPA called Ruination

And Russian River and Avery make a beer called "Collaboration Not Litigation" which arose after they found they both brewed a beer called Salvation, and instead of one having to relinquish the rights to the name, they blend the two beers and put it out under joint name. Tasty drop too.

And dig - hope you're working on that West Coast IIPA/DIPA/TIPA you were keen on doing... going to need a hit when I come back next year!

 

[dig]

And Russian River and Avery make a beer called "Collaboration Not Litigation" which arose after they found they both brewed a beer called Salvation, and instead of one having to relinquish the rights to the name, they blend the two beers and put it out under joint name. Tasty drop too.

And dig - hope you're working on that West Coast IIPA/DIPA/TIPA you were keen on doing... going to need a hit when I come back next year!

On the back burner that one... My AIPA from earlier this year (in a different life) picked up a gold and a 'best in class' for draught ale at this year's AIBA... That was a tasty beer and I'd love to have a go at amping that one up to double in the future. You've got to have a dream...

 

[Tony]

with a touch of Galaxy (nice hop from Tassie/Vic). If you guys haven't checked out what is going on in our own local hop industry - you should! There is a lot more than Pride of Ringwood and SuperPride going on......

Cheers,

Alex

Already got a Red Ale 100% hopped with it almost done fermenting.

Smells and tastes great from the fermenter

Not really having a go here (well maybe a bit ) but this comment just reeks of the "big boys" industrial perception of the average joes brewing knowledge.

Pride of what?

 

[mika]

... going to need a hit when I come back next year!

Damn...that means you'll be wanting your fridge back <_<

 

[Alex T]

Already got a Red Ale 100% hopped with it almost done fermenting.

Smells and tastes great from the fermenter

Not really having a go here (well maybe a bit ) but this comment just reeks of the "big boys" industrial perception of the average joes brewing knowledge.

Pride of what?

Hey, wasn't having a go, but to be honest heaps of brewers I have spoken to (both pro and amateur) in the past couple of years have assumed that Aussie hops are all about Pride of Ringwood and that's it. The guys in Tassie are doing a lot of work to change that perception, and I'm on board. Tassie Hallertau, Cascade, Saaz - all wicked, just to name a few.

I remember entering two "Wort Hogs Pale Ale Mania" in Melbourne and winning Best of Show a couple of times with an APA that strongly featured Pride's. My philosophy is that you can make wicked beer with all local ingredients, just need to know how to use 'em. For example, I always preferred Joe White amber malt over UK stuff anyday......

Cheers,

Alex

 

[Batz]

Hey, wasn't having a go, but to be honest heaps of brewers I have spoken to (both pro and amateur) in the past couple of years have assumed that Aussie hops are all about Pride of Ringwood and that's it. The guys in Tassie are doing a lot of work to change that perception, and I'm on board. Tassie Hallertau, Cascade, Saaz - all wicked, just to name a few.

I remember entering two "Wort Hogs Pale Ale Mania" in Melbourne and winning Best of Show a couple of times with an APA that strongly featured Pride's. My philosophy is that you can make wicked beer with all local ingredients, just need to know how to use 'em. For example, I always preferred Joe White amber malt over UK stuff anyday......

Cheers,

Alex

+1

And POR has it's place.Super Pride is an affordable bittering hop,at 60 min. addition it as good anything else IMO
The new Summer Saaz is fantastic,only tried a sample from the fermenter but this pilsner is going to be a winner

Batz

 

[winkle]

:icon_offtopic: +1 for Summer Saaz Pilsener - noice. :icon_cheers:

 

[Alex T]

Hey,

There are actually two different varieties of Tassie Saaz - "Southern" and "Summer" from memory. Southern is much more like traditional Cz Saaz, and Summer is quite a bit more lemony from my memory.

But hey, both a cracker...

Alex

 

[hairofthedog]

i know this question has been asked & answered more than once but has anyone got any ideas for a LCPA hop schedule

 

[mika]

Browndog seemed pretty confident of this

If you know it's been discussed before, why not search ?