The Critic’s Choice Top 100 Beers of 2012

Over the past week at The Local we have been tapping the daily countdown for The Critic’s Choice Top 100 Beers of 2012.  These are the top twelve beers in Australia according to The Beer Lovers Guide and that are on tap today.

Little Creatures Stimulus IPA coming to Taphouses

V soon (not quite sure when), Little Creatures' Stimulus IPA is coming to the Taphouses. Here's what Head Brewer Alex told me about it:

I am pretty pleased with the results. About 50BU, all cascade, real hop-sack sort of aroma. Actually so much cascade it doesn't actually smell like cascade, if that is possible? But great silky mouthfeel, good malt, and a bitterness that is a real creeper. The brewing team is stoked - given a bit of time to warm up slightly it tastes bloody great. Hope you guys enjoy it.

And here's what the marketing types said:

To make sure they keep themselves ultra busy, our crazy team of Brewers have
come out with a special one off beer.... and what have they done this time I hear you say???

Well, we can tell you it has been christened "The Stimulus IPA".

We're not to sure if this is what Kevin had in mind with his stimulus ideas, but we think this is just what we need at a time like this!

This little beauty is a combo of pale, munich and dark crystal malts to give it a touch of colour and backbone.

The new arrival of hops for the USA spurred on this latest project and are used the
whole way through the brewing of this batch. 100% US cascades... hops in the kettle, hops in the whirlpool, hops in the hopback and even some dry-hopping in the fermenter for good measure.

The brewers vote that it beats that other stimulus package going round, but we'll let you decide....all in all though we think it's a Ruddy Good Deal!

"The Decommissionator" coming to The Taphouse

I have managed to score a couple of kegs of Little Creatures new beer mentioned in my previous post. I've been told they'll be delivered next week.

Little Creatures new brew - The Decommissionator

Hot off the press from Litle Creatures:

The team at Little Creatures has been busy for several months commissioning a new brew house. What is not to be forgotten, however, is that there was a hard-working little brew house behind all of our beers for the past 8 years. The brewing team decided to commemorate the old girl with a final brew before she gets born-again in Healesville. The beer was christened "The Decommissionator".

The beer is an Oktoberfest-style lager, slightly amber and malt driven. We have used local and German Pilsner malts, combined with a big whack of Vienna, Munich and carared malts. The bitterness is fairly high (around 30) with all of the hops hailing from Tasmania. 5.2% ABV.

It is on draught now at the brewery in Fremantle, with some soon to be delivered to the Dining Hall on Brunswick Street in Fitzroy .

Needless to say, I'm trying to get my hands on some kegs.

First Pictures of Little Creatures Dining Hall

Here are some photos I found on a Flickr site of the new Little Creatures Dining Hall.

Little Creatures Dining Hall Opens

I heard yesterday that the Little Creatures Dining Hall has now opened in Brunswick Street. I'm in Queensland at the moment so I'll reluctantly have to wait another week or so to check it out!

From what I heard before it opened, I reckon it's going to be way cool and way busy although I understand that some nearby pubs/bars have taken LC off their stocklist as a protest to LC setting up an operation in their backyard. Whatever spin LC put on it, I do think it could have some impact on nearby businesses that may have supported them in the past. Hopefully I'm wrong and everyone (and better beer) wins.

If you've been there and have any comments, please post your comments here.

Little Creatures bar in Fitzroy opening soon

I've heard that Little Creatures bar in Fitzroy is opening in just 5 weeks! The name is a secret but won't include Little Creatures apparently. I can't wait to check it out and work my way through their range (on tap).

The Normandy Ale House in Clifton Hill is close to launching too. Then there will easily enough beer friendly bars around to warrant some clever dick offering a mini bus tour which stops off for a couple at each one I reckon. Where do I buy my ticket?!

Could this be Melbourne's first Beer Tour Bus?