Flying Low is Little Creatures' entry into the world of non-alc beer, although you could argue it's also a case of flying under the radar as the first trial batches of the beer appeared at their Freo HQ in late 2020. The version that's made an appearance in cans two-and-a-half years on comes with a revised recipe but the same goal: giving drinkers a pale ale experience with no more than 0.5 percent ABV.
The hops – an all-American trio of El Dorado, Amarillo, Mosaic – are tasked with a fair chunk of the work on that front, but it would be wrong to overlook the work of the specialty malts that lend Flying Low its bright bronze colour. They contribute a light caramel sweetness that supports and helps add a candy like quality to the fruitiness derived from the dry hopping, predominantly in the shape of sweet citrus flavours.
The brewery's “full bodied” claim might be a stretch, and there’s a familiar carbonated soda character in the background that people who’ve encountered many such non-alcs before will recognise, but not even the brewers at a place that helped change the face of Aussie beer are miracle workers. But if you’re after a pale ale substitute with both hop and malt presence yet next to no booze, there's no harm in aiming Low.
James Smith
Published June 6, 2023 2023-06-06 00:00:00
