Little Creatures Dog Days

[Bird1986]

Went to the the pub for lunch today and saw they had the new little creatures dog days on tap which says it is a summer ale, whatever that means. Anyway a really nice beer! Will buy it again, Anyone else tried it yet?

[Chuznut]

Yeah, I tried one the other day too. I'm undecided on whether I like it or not. I'll reserve judgement until I've tried a few more. It reminded me a lot of the Mountain Goat Summer Ale which I like.

 

A lot of breweries are bringing out 'summer ales' at the moment. Though it's obviously not an official beer style, I think they're essentially meant to be a light coloured beer, with lots of hop flavours and aromas, but very little bitterness.

 

4 Pines have just released an 'Indian Summer Pale Ale', though at 16 IBU's, I can't help but feel like they're trying to trick people into thinking that it's something that it's not, by putting the word 'Indian' in it. The name just seems purposefully misleading. That being said, I'm still pretty keen to try it.

 

All I can say is, all of the summer ales that I've tried so far have all been a big improvement on the XXXX Summer Lager that a lot of the mega-swill drinkers go crazy for at this time of year. Who knows... The Summer Ales may end up tricking some MSD's to try (and like) something good for a change.

[Bird1986]

Yeah' date=' I tried one the other day too. I'm undecided on whether I like it or not. I'll reserve judgement until I've tried a few more. It reminded me a lot of the Mountain Goat Summer Ale which I like.

 

A lot of breweries are bringing out 'summer ales' at the moment. Though it's obviously not an official beer style, I think they're essentially meant to be a light coloured beer, with lots of hop flavours and aromas, but very little bitterness.

 

4 Pines have just released an 'Indian Summer Pale Ale', though at 16 IBU's, I can't help but feel like they're trying to trick people into thinking that it's something that it's not, by putting the word 'Indian' in it. The name just seems purposefully misleading. That being said, I'm still pretty keen to try it.

 

All I can say is, all of the summer ales that I've tried so far have all been a big improvement on the XXXX Summer Lager that a lot of the mega-swill drinkers go crazy for at this time of year. Who knows... The Summer Ales may end up tricking some MSD's to try (and like) something good for a change. [/quote']

 

I'll admit I was a little skeptical when I read "summer ale" thinking maybe it would be bland similar to as you mention that summer lager. But pleasantly surprised will get a 6 pack next time I'm going out. Good to see Creatures still making decent beer.

[Doomy]

I've had the Dog Days and thought it was good, some nice hop flavor.

 

There is a period called a Indian Summer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_summer so 4 Pines might still be being a bit tricky but there could be some background to it to.

 

Long hot days are great for drinking a light refreshing beer all day!

[Bird1986]

Exactly, great summer beer

[Hairy]

I enjoyed this beer. Not sure if Summer Ale is specifically a style but they go down well in summer.

 

Except for the John Boston summer ale, that is a bottle of poo (figuratively speaking).

[CRAITLOK]

Hi guys, I don't have all the information but I believe the summer ale is a specific yeast which doesn't get Sun damaged like it's other counterparts, hense you'll notice many "summer blends" in clear bottles.

 

Cheers.

[Doomy]

Hi guys' date=' I don't have all the information but I believe the summer ale is a specific yeast which doesn't get Sun damaged like it's other counterparts, hense you'll notice many "summer blends" in clear bottles.

 

Cheers.[/quote']

 

The beers we are referring to are more like a light pale ale.

 

Lower ABV and maybe with some wheat to add some tartness/cloudyness but still hoppy with lighter floral/citrus hops.

 

You may be talking about XXXX Summer which is a Corona ripoff and only drinkable at 0c.

 

Try any of the below and compare

Little Creatures Dog Days

Feral Sly Fox

4 Pines Indian Summer

Mountain Goat Summer Ale

[Otto Von Blotto]

I find that a bit hard to believe. Besides, light strike affects more facets of the beer than just the yeast, which is in a lot of cases removed before it's even bottled in the first place.

[headmaster]

At a guess, light strike probably affects the hop compounds that 'skunk' more than anything else in beer, so if you have hardly any hops, like corona, then you can afford to ship in a groovy looking clear glass bottle.

 

If this is true, make sure to look after your precious hop heavy IPA'a and Pales, by keeping them in the dark, even if in tinted bottles, especially the green ones. Brown is best I hear, hence why the Coopers PET units are this shade.

[ben 10]

I believe the summer ale is a specific yeast

 

No.

[Beeblebrox]

I'd expect if "Summer Ale" become popular enough it will eventually be recognized as an official beer style.

Regardless, a nicely hopped beer that isn't too bitter or malt heavy is just the thing to drink over the summer.

 

I think beers are like dog breeds in that regard, they're recognized by drinkers/brewers/breeders/owners, as a style or breed long before they are officially recognized by any governing body or style guide.

 

For example, the Jack Russell Terrier is not officially recognized as a breed in the UK - where it originated, as the Rev Jack Russell never registered the breed he created, whereas it's officially recognized here in Oz, which means it's technically recognized as originating over here!

 

Likewise Pale Ale is often recognized as an American style, though I expect someone somewhere had started brewing pale ales before Columbus went off course trying to find another way to get to India!

[Doomy]

Likewise Pale Ale is often recognized as an American style' date=' though I expect someone somewhere had started brewing pale ales before Columbus went off course trying to find another way to get to India![/quote']

 

Pale Ale was basically the beer that came after porter in the UK when the started kilning with coking coal instead of wood and got a paler malt.

 

It wasn't very pale compared to some of today's malts but it was paler then porter.

 

Some conjecture as to why it became more popular as to begin with it was 3 times the price of porter but the rising middle class (wanting to differentiate themselves from the lower class) and the introduction of glass drinking ware (showing off the paler color as in pewter/clay etc no one knew what the hell you were drinking).

 

Some of the history I have read anyway.

"Shut up about Barkley Perkins" is a good blog to have a read of.

[Dirtynidge]

Sorry to revive an old one here but has anyone tried this? I would love to try to make an extract brew of something similar. Would be great if someone has tried it and can point me in the right direction.

 

I have found out the following about it:

 

Hops: Cascade, Summit and Mosaic

Malt: Pilsner malt, Carahell Malted Wheat, CaraRye and Rolled Oats

Alcohol Content: 4.4%, 30 IBU

Yeast: Standard Ale ferment

 

 

Any thoughts on where I should be starting? TC Pilsner kit with Wheat malt extract or visa versa?

[Chuznut]

Sorry to revive an old one here but has anyone tried this? I would love to try to make an extract brew of something similar. Would be great if someone has tried it and can point me in the right direction.

 

I have found out the following about it:

 

Hops: Cascade' date=' Summit and Mosaic

Malt: Pilsner malt, Carahell Malted Wheat, CaraRye and Rolled Oats

Alcohol Content: 4.4%, 30 IBU

Yeast: Standard Ale ferment

 

 

Any thoughts on where I should be starting? TC Pilsner kit with Wheat malt extract or visa versa? [/quote']

 

I attempted an extract clone of the Mountain Goat Summer Ale last year which is a very similar beer, which I thought turned out great, especially considering how simple it was.

 

I only made a small batch (11.5L) in the craft fermenter, so obviously just double the quantities if you want to make a full size batch (23L).

 

800g Light DME

500g Wheat DME

 

Galaxy 10g @ 20mins

Motueka 10g @ 5mins

Galaxy + Motueka + Nelson Sauvin + Mosaic (10g of each) @ 0mins (30min steep)

 

Dry Hopped - Nelson Sauvin + Motueka (20g of each)

 

Yeast - US05

 

The only thing I would change about that recipe, is I would drop the Mosaic (and maybe replace it with 5g more of both the Galaxy and Motueka), as I found that the flavour and aroma from the Mosaic overpowered most of the other hops in the end.

 

So if you were looking to make a Dog Days clone, I'd do a similar recipe to mine, but just replace the hops I used with Cascade, Summit and Mosaic instead (but just don't over-do the Mosaic).

 

[Dirtynidge]

Great, thanks for the response.

So no 'kit' at all, just the malt extracts? What was the ABV of your brew?

 

Recipe looks spot on, nice and simple for a newb like me. I had scribbled down a similar recipe, just using a TC wheat can instead of wheat DME (based on Coopers Sunkissed Weiss but with US05 yeast) and obviously the different hops.

 

I have taken your advice and omitted the mosaic from the dry hop, will let you know how it turns out.

 

Much appreciated, thanks

[Chuznut]

Great' date=' thanks for the response.

So no 'kit' at all, just the malt extracts? What was the ABV of your brew?

 

Recipe looks spot on, nice and simple for a newb like me. I had scribbled down a similar recipe, just using a TC wheat can instead of wheat DME (based on Coopers Sunkissed Weiss but with US05 yeast) and obviously the different hops.

 

I have taken your advice and omitted the mosaic from the dry hop, will let you know how it turns out.

 

Much appreciated, thanks[/quote']

 

Yeah, I wouldn't worry about using a pre-hopped kit at all. I'd definitely use wheat DME or wheat LME instead of the TC wheat can.

 

I think my ABV ended up at 4.5%.

[Chuznut]

Great' date=' thanks for the response.

So no 'kit' at all, just the malt extracts? What was the ABV of your brew?

 

Recipe looks spot on, nice and simple for a newb like me. I had scribbled down a similar recipe, just using a TC wheat can instead of wheat DME (based on Coopers Sunkissed Weiss but with US05 yeast) and obviously the different hops.

 

I have taken your advice and omitted the mosaic from the dry hop, will let you know how it turns out.

 

Much appreciated, thanks[/quote']

 

Yeah, I wouldn't worry about using a pre-hopped kit at all. I'd definitely use wheat DME or wheat LME instead of the TC wheat can.

 

I think my ABV ended up at 4.5%.

[Henry's Cat]

Sorry to bowl into the thread late in the part - but thought you may be interested to see that country brewer have an extract recipe on their website.

 

Here y'go :

 

http://www.countrybrewer.com.au/products/Little-Creatures-Dog-Day-Style-Recipe.html

 

 

[Hairy]

Has anyone tried the Country Brewer recipes?

 

I have checked a few of them out and they don't seem to be much like the beers they are trying to replicate.

[Henry's Cat]

Hi Hairy (Ha Hiary?)

I haven't tried any of their clones yet (but am planning to do their Rogers Beer soon) but right now I am drinking a hallertau ale from their extract recipe sheet and can report that it is pretty damned good.

[Hairy]

I'm sure their clones are nice beers but you shouldn't name a recipe after a commercial beer and then put a disclaimer at the bottom stating that it may not taste like it.

 

I noticed that the LC Bright Ale recipe calls for dry hopping with Perle. I thought the commercial beer uses Cascade and Motueka.

[Dirtynidge]

Thanks for link, although I must agree with Hairy, their kit recipes seem to bear little resemblance to the hops & grain LC say are in Dog Days.

[Dirtynidge]

Sorry to resurrect an old one here but now Dog Days is re released , I finally have got motivated to brew a clone.

 

From another site:

 

51% Pils (for me I will go 31% DME, 20% 2Row)

20% Wheat

16% Oats

11%Carahell

2% Cararye

 

Mosaic, Summit and Cascade at 10, 5 and 0 for a total of 30 IBU's then a dry hop of 1g/L of each.

 

My only concern is 20% oats, I will use 'quick oats' in the mini mash but that sounds a lot of oats to me.

 

Anyone have any experience with using oats in a partial mash?

 

[Beerlust]

...My only concern is 20% oats' date=' I will use 'quick oats' in the mini mash but that sounds a lot of oats to me.

 

Anyone have any experience with using oats in a partial mash?

[/quote']

I did some research & had a play with doing this a couple of years ago. When using unmalted grains in a mash, you'll need to add in another step in your mash to release the starches from those grains so the enzymes contained in your base malt can convert them into fermentable sugars. This is known as a beta-glucan steep.

 

Depending on your literature source, for oats somewhere around 48-53°C for 30mins prior to stepping up to your typical single step mash temperature where the base malt enzymes do their work.

 

Unmalted grains must be mashed with at least 20% base malt or else you will simply be releasing hazy starch into your wort, that will not be converted into fermentable sugars.

 

In the case of your full AG recipe Dirtynidge, just start your full mash of ingredients at the lower beta-glucan temperature & hold for 30mins before stepping it up to your desired saccharification rest temperature.

 

I hope that helps.

 

Lusty.