Beer O’Clock: Little Creatures Pale Ale

Real Beer's Neil Miller has your recommendation for the weekend.

Little Creatures Pale is not only a cracker beer but also provided me with one of my favourite beer guru stories.

Over a year ago, I was approached by a gentleman in the supermarket telling me a beer I had recommended in my last newspaper column was awful. Now, because I had known him for many years so it wasn’t quite as odd as it sounds but I was still taken aback.

Neil: “I’m sorry to hear that. Which beer was it?”
Man: “That Chimay White stuff. Dreadful!”
Neil: “Well, there is no right and wrong when it comes to beer… but you are wrong. That is one of the world’s greatest beers!”

However, to make amends, I offered to recommend another beer for him on the spot. I picked Little Creatures Pale Ale which at that time had just started coming into the country.

Man: “Twenty dollars for a six pack? That’s a bit steep!”
Neil: “If you are not fully satisfied, return the five remaining beers to me on Monday and I’ll give twenty bucks.”

Man (by email on Monday): “I think I will keep them.”

That was the entire message but it was a short tribute to how good this beer is.

Little Creatures is a micro-brewery housed in an ex crocodile farm down by the water in Fremantle, Perth.

“Little Creatures” is a reference to the live yeast which remains in the beer.

This is a famous American style Pale Ale whose character is driven by the use of fresh whole hop flowers from America. Hop flowers – as opposed to the more usual and stable hop pellets - are bursting with aroma and flavour but can be difficult to transport and brew with.

Little Creatures actually have a special arrangement with Customs to get their hop flowers through without them being gassed or stomped on by the trained Customs gorilla that regularly has a go at my bags when traveling.

No artificial preservatives or additives are included.

Little Creatures Pale pours a hazy copper bronze with a frothy head. The nose is outstanding with layers of fresh hops, pine, crisp citrus and even a touch of lychees.

It is full in the mouth with plenty malt sweetness balances with notes of grapefruit, passionfruit, pine and honey. It finishes long and deep.

Little Creatures Pale is available in many supermarkets and bottle stores so be sure to “Drink a Little… Creatures!”

Cheers, Neil.

LINKS: Little Creatures Brewery
Real Beer

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