Vale Little Creatures Pale Ale

[browndog]

Bought myself a 568ml bottle of LCPA tonight, haven't had one for yonks. What has happened to the vibrant, rich and in your face hop/malt profile of this once flagship of Aussie craftbeer? The beer I tasted was somewhat hoppy, but without the tangy grapefruit burst I used to know and it was watery, no sign of a head at all. I'd rate it no better or worse than a Fat Yak. Seems to me LC have sold out to the dollar and their customers, won't be buying it again. What a shame.

 

[slcmorro]

Any chance at all that the bottle you got might have been poorly stored?

 

[stakka82]

I find little creatures very hit and miss dependent on age/handling. Same with stone and wood or any hoppy domestic beer.

The bottleshop near me moves mainly megaswill and every domestic hoppy ale is rubbish due to having sat on the shelves for 6 - 12 months.

 

[kevo]

Long way from WA to the 'Swich.

 

[philmud]

Yep, poor handling and storage kills this beer. I've had so many misses, I usually bypass it these days but I bought one the other week that was delicious

 

[manticle]

I've had some recently (bottled) and it's been fairly reasonable. Just a session beer for me - I even drink it out of the bottle on occasion.

Bit of malt, bit of hops, discernible galaxy on last taste (not my favourite hop but that's Ok). Well I thought I tasted galaxy - could be wrong.

Fat Yak is awful - at least the last few times I've tried it on tap it has been. I'd prefer Carlton Draught. Like Orange juice and butterscotch, the old FY. Might be the pub/pubs where I've had it. Carlton is consistently awful but a $12 jug from regularly cleaned lines served at cold temps after 40 mins of futsal does me OK week to week. At least I know what it will taste like (as opposed to the same pub somehow making Samuel Adams taste like rubbish. How do they do this?)

 

[browndog]

Long way from WA to the 'Swich.

Yes true, but the beers I bought 4 or 5 yrs ago were bought here in Ipswich not in WA or even Vic now. I don't think their transport methods would be any worse now than they were 4 or 5 yrs ago either. So distance has nothing to do with it. The bottle says best before 02 Aug 14 so age has nothing to do with it either. Many years back I brewed 6 beers in a row to try and clone it so I think I have a pretty good idea of what it used to taste like back then. The bottle I had tonight was a paled in comparison.

Manticle, once LCPA tasted of grapefruit (chinook) now it's somewhat fruit salad.

 

[Stormahead]

Thats how beers from the east coast taste to us

For that reason I'll stick to local bottled stock

Having said that, if its a little creatures pale and the best before indicates its more than 4 months old, then I wouldn't bother either

 

[jyo]

The last few Pale Ales I have had have been pretty decent.

:icon_offtopic: Not that it should matter, but was it brewed in Freo or Geelong, Browndog?
I received a sixer of Bright Ale from my eldest at Christmas and was very surprised to see it was Geelong. Pretty sure Fremantle is closer to me :blink:

 

[browndog]

The last few Pale Ales I have had have been pretty decent.

:icon_offtopic: Not that it should matter, but was it brewed in Freo or Geelong, Browndog?
I received a sixer of Bright Ale from my eldest at Christmas and was very surprised to see it was Geelong. Pretty sure Fremantle is closer to me :blink:

How do you tell where it has been brewed?

 

[manticle]

I know they change the hops on a semi-regular basis due to availability and other factors. I'd prefer chinook to galaxy for sure. Bit more bite maybe.

 

[jyo]

How do you tell where it has been brewed?

On the front of the label, mate. It's written in tiny font in a semi circle under the main icon. I happened to notice it.

 

[GundyBrewer]

I'm with the OP. I remember a night about 2.5 years ago when I was out in Brisbane and Little Creatures Pale Ale was on tap. I gave it a go and loved it from the first sip, then got into all different types of beer from there. I still see it as a moment that set me on the path to enjoyment of diverse beers and eventually brewing. It's kind of a special beer for me, and I'm sure I'm not alone here.

Maybe it's my changing tastes but I don't think it is as good as it used to be either. I've got some Geelong brewed ones in the fridge now, BB 8/7/14 so it's not that old, maybe I'll give one a crack now. Does anyone know how long do they give it on the best before date? I think I bought these about a month ago. It'll sure as hell beat a Fat Yak hands down either way.

 

[NewtownClown]

Consensus is: Pale Ales, and their ilk, are best consumed fresh. No Brainer.
I cry, inside, when I hear a homebrewer say his latest APA will be "good' in 5-8 weeks

 

[GundyBrewer]

Yeah I drank it just before. Grapefruit was still prominent, as well as a slightly skunked flavour was probably my fault for putting in the hall for a month. It was still pretty damn good. But still, not what I remember it as. Might be a mouthfeel thing, maybe a bit thinner now, and also less flavoursome?

 

[chunckious]

To my tastes it's as hoppy as it used to be but just always changing in hops used. The PA used to burst in my mouth, I put that down to my pallet evolving. Still nice and good value though.
Don't think you could bring it down into Fat Yak territory though, I give it more props than that.

 

[philmud]

I've got some Geelong brewed ones in the fridge now, BB 8/7/14 so it's not that old, maybe I'll give one a crack now. Does anyone know how long do they give it on the best before date?

Not sure about manufacturer's recommended shelf life, but that beer is 6 months old - I wouldn't call that especially fresh. Coopers Sparkling Ale is a beer that I always check the "bottled on" date for. It's a vastly better beer within 3 months of bottling, and if it's more than 4 or 5 I buy something else.

Edit: I misread your post. Thought it was bottled ON 8/7/13 - I wonder how feeds that means it is? I prefer to see a 'bottled on' date.

 

[Spiesy]

LCPA is usually my stalwart, fail safe "go to" local APA. I know the recipe is modded yearly to account for changes in hop crops, but the last slab I got was very ordinary and very disappointing.
Not sure if it's a coincidence, but it's also the first LCPA I've had that was made in Geelong.
I'll be keen to try LCPA when back at out West next to see if there's a notable difference.

 

[Midnight Brew]

Maybe it's my changing tastes but I don't think it is as good as it used to be either. I've got some Geelong brewed ones in the fridge now, BB 8/7/14 so it's not that old, maybe I'll give one a crack now. Does anyone know how long do they give it on the best before date? I think I bought these about a month ago. It'll sure as hell beat a Fat Yak hands down either way.

From memory it was 9 months on the bottle with all their beers and the ciders are 12-18 months. I think their kegs they give 3 months. When consumed straight from the bottle I always pick up a metallic taste maybe its from the bottle cap but I never get that from other craft beers.

Had a pint of creatures in Melbourne and it was nothing to talk about, just an average pale ale maybe it wasn't fresh who knows. About a month later I was in Tassie and had another pint again and it was amazing. Unfortunately once the beer leaves the brewery and goes to distribution or pubs, its then in the hands of the venue to store correctly, have good rotation, not serve it freezing cold, clean lines, good glassware cleanliness and so on.

Off topic a tad but I love it when I taste a home brewed pale ale and you know its better then most you can buy. Whether its from a case swap or your own. That is when you know you're winning.

 

[Cosh]

I had a pint in a pub in Perth just before Christmas and it was amazing. I've never found lcpa to be that great, just ok. Guess it doesn't travel too well.