RyansBooze

Brasserie du Bas-Canada Entrelacs – American IPA at 7.0% ABV (C$10.90 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 28-Nov-2025, acquired 10-Feb-2026, reviewed 14-Feb-2026)

Appearance: hazy medium gold with one fat finger of creamy pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, white grape, citrus, cereal grains. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium slightly creamy body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (4/5)

“Citra, Hallertau Blanc, Nelson Sauvin & Amarillo”. New brewery to me, and, I have to say, a pretty auspicious start. I suppose it might have faded just slightly given its age, but figured it wasn’t quite old enough to reject on that basis. As it is, it’s pleasant and fruity, with very little indication of its fairly respectable ABV. No complaints at all for this offering from Lower Canada. (16/20)

This will be my 6,345th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Canmore Brewing Company 9th Birthday – American Double / Imperial IPA at 9.0% ABV (C$5.45 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 1-Jan-2026, acquired 10-Feb-2026, reviewed 11-Feb-2026)

Appearance: hazy pale amber with one fat finger of creamy pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: mild, tropical fruit, cereal grains, faint acetone. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium slightly creamy body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration mildly warming finish. (3/5)

I flip-flopped on scoring aroma and flavour here, but ultimately decided that both fall just a little bit short, especially for the enthusiastic ABV. Although I might have been more inclined to give it a pass at a more crushable gravity, ultimately it’s just not quite as juicy and punchy as I like the style to be. Not only that, as I got near the end of the pint, a faint acetone edge started to develop in the finish. (14/20)

This will be my 6,344th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company Pure Phase – Triple IPA at 10% ABV (C$6.50 at Safeway Liquor D’Arcy Crossing, 473 ml, packaged on 30-Jan-2026, acquired 4-Feb-2026, reviewed 9-Feb-2026)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of creamy pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: juicy tropical fruit, cream, mild dank pine. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium creamy body, moderate-soft carbonation, warming mildly boozy finish. (4/5)

“Riwaka, Motueka, Rakau, Motueka Quantum, Citra 803” A creamsicle that knocks you on your ass with very little warning. (17/20)

This will be my 6,343rd unique Untappd check-in.

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company Electric Mainline – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.3% ABV (C$6.25 at Safeway Liquor D’Arcy Crossing, 473 ml, packaged on 13-Jan-2026, acquired 4-Feb-2026, reviewed 8-Feb-2026)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of fine pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: juicy stone & tropical fruit, cereal grains, mild dank pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium slightly creamy body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry mildly warming finish. (4/5)

“Nelson Sauvin, NZ Cascade, Nectaron, Nelson Hop Kief, Citra 803” Pleasantly juicy fruit dominates here, with just a hint of dank pine in the back end. I’d prefer more dank, but I get that that’s totally a personal preference thing. Not quite crushable, but close – super mild and easy drinking for the weight. (16/20)

This will be my 6,342nd unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Oldman River Brewing Dry Hopped Triple – Tripel at 9.5% ABV (C$6.25 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 24-Jan-2026)

Appearance: clear deep gold with one finger of fine white head, good retention and spotty soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: stone fruit, citrus, oak, clove, faint vanilla. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter, mild funky tart. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, sweetish lightly funky finish. (3/5)

This has certainly got some good points going for it, foremost among which is that it drinks much more easily than one might expect given the high ABV. And, all other things being equal, in most cases I’d rather the funk be restrained, instead of overwhelming. But, this is a challenging style to get right, and this just doesn’t have the complexity or depth of character that’s appropriate. (14/20)

This will be my 6,341st unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Propeller Brewery Chocolate Cake Imperial Dessert Stout – American Double / Imperial Stout at 9.5% ABV (C$6.45 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 3-Dec-2025, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 24-Jan-2026)

Appearance: clear deep brown with one finger of fine beige head diminishing gradually to a thin ring, spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: milk chocolate, coffee & dark roasted malts, faint vanilla. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: full body, soft carbonation, sweet mildly warming finish. (4/5)

Sweet but not excessively so, balanced with appropriate bitterness and delivered on an appropriately full body with soft carbonation, and only the mildest hints of a pretty emphatic ABV. In other words, pretty much everything is done correctly here. If I were inclined to pick a nit, it would be to suggest that a bit better head retention and defined lacing would be nice, but that’s truly a very minor quibble. I like it. (16/20)

This will be my 6,340th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Boombox Brewing Company Archangel – Belgian Strong Dark Ale at 8% ABV (C$7.55 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 5-Dec-2025, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 22-Jan-2026)

Appearance: clear amber-brown with one finger of fine light beige head diminishing fairly quickly to a thin ring, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: orange peel, candi sugar, dark berries, light clove, banana. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, sweet mildly warming spicy finish. (4/5)

Not bad, but fairly heavily dominated by the orange peel adjunct, and slightly too sweet for my preference. (15/20)

This will be my 6,339th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Sierra Nevada Barrel Aged Narwhal – American Double / Imperial Stout at 11.9% ABV | 55 IBU (C$8.85 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 18-Sep-2025, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 20-Jan-2026)

Appearance: opaque black with no relief at the margins, a fizzy beige head diminishing rapidly and loudly to nothing, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: dark roasted malt, coffee & chocolate, liquorice, bourbon, boozy dark dried fruit, coconut, hint of smoke. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-full slick body, moderate carbonation, sweet lingering bitter warming finish. (4/5)

I was a bit hard (some might suggest harsh) on the non-BA version of this I had about nine years ago. Well, I’m going to do it again with this one. My biggest “complaint” (come on, you know I’m not going to give it less than an “A”) here is that the barrel aging seems to have contributed very little over and above the standard version. I’m detecting some oaky bourbon notes, but I have to work at it. I’m also surprised at how (relatively) light the body is and how (relatively) emphatic the carbonation is – I really think this would be better with a thicker body and softer carbonation. On the other hand, it’s of course boozy, but it really doesn’t feel like it’s nearly 12%, so there’s that. (16/20)

This will be my 6,338th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Eighty-Eight Brewing Give Me The Night – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.1% ABV (C$6.75 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 1-Dec-2025, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 18-Jan-2026)

Appearance: clear pale gold with one fat finger of pillowy white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: resiny pine, tropical fruit, cereal grains. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry bitter warming finish. (4/5)

A fairly classic West Coast-leaning DIPA with the emphasis on dank pine. I won’t say the aroma is mild, but it’s not as hop forward as I’d like it to be. The dry finish leaves nowhere for the bitter to hide, but it’s not overwhelming. (16/20)

This will be my 6,337th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Born Brewing Co. Park Pass 008 – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.1% ABV (C$5.75 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 14-Dec-2026, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 18-Jan-2026)

Appearance: clear pale amber with one fat finger of fine pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: resiny pine, caramel malt, pithy citrus, earth. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate carbonation, bitter warming finish. (4/5)

An old(er)-fashioned West Coast-leaning DIPA with significant malt character. Big and bitter, but not to the point of being unbalanced, with an appropriate mild warming. (15/20)

This will be my 6,336th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com