Month: June 2019

Zero Issue Brewing Innsmouth Sour Sour / Wild Ale at 4.8% ABV (C$3.46 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 30-Jan-2019, acquired 13-Feb-2019, reviewed 10-Jun-2019)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one finger of fluffy white head diminishing gradually to a thin ring, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: mango, passionfruit, bready malt, light floral. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high tart, moderate sweet, low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate-high carbonation, short tart finish. (4/5)

No idea what a kettle sour has to do with the Mouth of Madness (Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn!) but I’m always up for the greater evil, and I’ve been unfailingly impressed by ZI, so I figured I’d give it a chance despite my low opinion of kettle sours. It’s certainly not the best beer I’ve had from them, but it’s one of the better kettle sours I can recall having. (It’s not changing my mind about kettle sours, though.) (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Troubled Monk Brewery Dangerous American Double / Imperial IPA at 9% ABV (C$12.99 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 500 ml, packaged on 22-Mar-2019, acquired 27-May-2019, reviewed 8-Jun-2019)

Appearance: clear pale amber with one finger of creamy pale ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin skim and ring, moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: caramel, vanilla, light bourbon and pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium full body tending slightly slick, moderate-soft carbonation, slightly sticky lingering bitter warming finish. (4/5)

That’s a whole lotta barrel – it’s more about the BA and less about the DIPA, if that makes sense. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it certainly dominates and doesn’t leave room for much else. My biggest disappointment here is the complete absence of any Brett character, in the head, aroma, or taste. Blind, I’d almost think it was an Old Ale or something along those lines. Regardless, it’s boozy good fun. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Dog Island Brewing Lip Pointer Double IPA American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.5% ABV | 60 IBU (C$5.71 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 28-May-2019, reviewed 7-Jun-2019)

Appearance: hazy straw with one fat finger of creamy white head, excellent retention and heavy chunky lacing. (4/5) Aroma: bright citrus, tropical fruit, grainy pale malt, light pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium slightly creamy body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration mildly warming finish. (4/5)

Very nice DIPA – well-behaved for a fairly high ABV, with a pleasant warming but no harshness. I would have rated this higher based upon the first half of the pint, but in fact as it warmed I started to get just the faintest note of, I swear, wet dog. If you were to drink it fast, it probably wouldn’t become apparent, so drink it fast! (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Whistler Brewing Co. Trailforks Hazy Trail Pale Ale American Pale Ale at 5% ABV | 35 IBU (C$3.55 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 28-May-2019, reviewed 6-Jun-2019)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of rocky white head, excellent retention and moderate spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, caramel, light pine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, medium-low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium slightly creamy body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

Nice enough on the front end, with pleasant aroma and flavour. The finish is slightly disappointing, though, and gets a little astringent. Decent overall. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Born Colorado Brewing Lap 1 Double IPA American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.5% ABV | 70 IBU (C$4.14 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 25-Apr-2019, acquired 28-May-2019, reviewed 5-Jun-2019)

Appearance: lightly hazy pale gold with two fingers of rocky pale ivory head, excellent retention and heavy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus peel, caramel, doughy yeast, resiny pine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering and building bitter warming finish. (4/5)

Brewer’s notes say hopped with Citra, Ariana and El Dorado, and it makes for a pleasant, if somewhat mild, balance. I guess I shouldn’t say the aroma is mild, as such, but it’s somewhat milder than I was expecting, especially given the emphatic bitter and alcohol presence. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Steamworks Brewing Company Hazy Pale Ale American Pale Ale at 5% ABV (C$3.01 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 22-Apr-2019, acquired 28-May-2019, reviewed 5-Jun-2019)

Appearance: hazy/muddy deep gold with two fingers of rocky pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, dank resiny pine, citrus, biscuity malt. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium bitter finish. (4/5)

Well, that’s all right! Tropical and citrus fruits and resiny pine over top of a clean pale malt base, and quite refreshing. (Or maybe it’s just me after another long dusty day.) It’s not the prettiest, perhaps, but it’s got character – and character counts for a lot more than a pretty face doesn’t it? (If it doesn’t, I’m fucked.) (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Yukon Brewing Company Fireweed Honey Pale American Pale Ale at 5% ABV | 30 IBU (C$3.69 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 28-May-2019, reviewed 3-Jun-2019)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale amber with one finger of loose pale ivory head diminishing rapidly to a thin cap, spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: honey, citrus, herbal, grass. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium bitter finish. (3/5)

I guess if the intent was to showcase the honey, it’s a moderate success, but some more hop character would be nice. They claim this is an evolution of their Discovery ESB, and it shows – though not necessarily in an entirely good way. I just don’t see this as a true American-style Pale, and it certainly doesn’t deliver the “every drop full of fresh citrusy hops” the label claims. (And do I even need to start on the foolishness of putting “fresh” on the label when you don’t include a packaging date?) OK, but not much better. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Grain Bin Brewing Company Bring Back Summer American Pale Ale at 5.5% ABV (C$8.05 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 28-May-2019, reviewed 3-Jun-2019)

Appearance: clear pale amber with two fat fingers of rocky ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: citrus, resiny pine, bready malt. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium bitter finish. (4/5)

Very nice. Nothing particularly outstanding (other than the pretty much perfect appearance) but everything is just done right. In fact, it’s so much by the numbers that it’s in danger of becoming boring – but the nicely balanced citrus and resiny pine aroma definitely keeps that from actually happening. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Category 12 Brewing Compressed Data American Pale Ale at 4.5% ABV | 20 IBU (C$5.22 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 4-Apr-2019, acquired 28-May-2019, reviewed 3-Jun-2019)

Appearance: opaque  medium gold with two fat fingers of rocky ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: juicy citrus, tropical fruit, floral, bready malt. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter, mild tart. (9/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, off-dry mild finish. (4/5)

Nice one. Juicy in aroma and appearance, but the flavour is where it really shines, with a bright slightly tart fruitiness supported by a slightly higher-than-normal carbonation. What’s more, they’ve accomplished it in a sub-5 ABV, meaning you can enjoy this all day long – a definite patio beer. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Dandy Brewing / Brasserie Dieu du Ciel! The Richard Riot American IPA at 6% ABV (C$8.99 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 27-May-2019, reviewed 2-Jun-2019)

Appearance: clear straw with two fat fingers of fluffy white head, excellent retention and heavy soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: citrus, resiny pine, tropical fruit, crackery malt. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium bitter finish. (4/5)

A solid IPA, with clean malt supporting a pleasant hop character including notes of citrus, pine, and tropical fruit. It’s not exactly the best DDC product (well, collab) I’ve had, but it’ll do. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com