RyansBooze

Blindman Brewing Light Shadows – American IPA at 5.5% ABV | 55 IBU (C$4.95 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 4-Nov-2026, reviewed 12-Nov-2026)

Appearance: clear medium gold with one finger of loose pale ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, spotty soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: zesty citrus, dank resin. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, building bitter finish. (4/5)

Well, I didn’t think the higher-gravity version of Long Shadows was an improvement over the original, and now I find that the lighter version is also a little bit of a swing and a miss. And, just like Longer Shadows, it actually seems to have very little in common with the standard from which it’s supposedly derived. Bottom line, it’s fine, but it’s not as good as the original. (15/20)

This will be my 6,563rd unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Polyrhythm Brewing Higher Fidelity – American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$6.25 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 21-Oct-2026, acquired 4-Nov-2026, reviewed 12-Nov-2026)

Appearance: clear pale gold with two fat fingers of fluffy pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, stone fruit, dank resin. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, medium duration slightly sticky finish. (4/5)

Citra T-90 and Citra Cryo Fresh. I mean, yes, the inability to get fresh hops is one of a large number of reasons that living in Edmonton sucks, but I’m not sure that gives you a free pass to call freeze-dried hops “fresh”. I feel like I should be marking it down for that reason, but really it’s it’s pretty decent. (16/20)

This will be my 6,562nd unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Sea Change Brewing Co. / Superflux Death From Vancouver – American Pale Ale at 5.7% ABV (C$5.31 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 19-Oct-2026, acquired 4-Nov-2026, reviewed 9-Nov-2026)

Appearance: clear medium gold with two fat fingers of fluffy white head, excellent retention and moderate stringy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: vegetal, grass, melon, grape. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, medium duration slightly sticky finish. (3/5)

“Featuring Citra, Experimental HBC-630, and fresh Nelson Cold-Pressed Hop Juice.” When I poured it, my first thought was that there’s a little tea-coloured brown tinge to the medium gold, almost like oxidation – were it not for the fact that that’s no longer really a thing with cans. However, the aroma did very little to disabuse me of that notion, with cooked vegetables leading the way and very little in the way of bright vinous notes I expect from something calling itself an NZPA. I’m not sure if it’s damaged, or just unimpressive, but either way, it’s not for me. (13/20)

This will be my 6,561st unique Untappd check-in.

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Blind Enthusiasm Brewing Company Barrelfest Blend – Sour / Wild Ale at 7.4% ABV (C$23.85 at Collective, 750 ml, packaged on 13-Nov-2025, acquired 4-Nov-2026, reviewed 7-Nov-2026)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with a short loose off-white head diminishing rapidly to a thin ring, minimal spotty lacing. (2/5) Aroma: red wine, oak, citrus. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Medium-light body, moderate-lively carbonation, medium duration finish. (4/5)

The label is Blind Enthusiasm, but it’s a collaboration with 2 Crows, Dunham, Burdock, Dageraad, Low Life, Neighbourhood, Nokomis, Sea Change, and Temporal. As a blend of 2, 3, 4, and 5 year-old barrel-aged sours, it would be awfully tempting to call this a Lambic (and a fairly good one), were that not a sorta-kinda protected designation. Really good stuff. (16/20)

This will be my 6,560th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company Cyboogie – American IPA at 6.8% ABV (C$6.45 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 28-Sep-2026, acquired 4-Nov-2026, reviewed 7-Nov-2026)

Appearance: clear pale gold with two fingers of fine white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: dank pine and grass, citrus, crackery malt, berry. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration finish. (4/5)

Nelson Sauvin, Nectaron, Mosaic Cryo, and Columbus Cryo. Dank resin leads the way over citrus and berries, accompanied by a big but not overwhelming bitter through the mid that doesn’t build or linger. It’s much fruitier than a traditional WCIPA, and doesn’t sustain the same way, but is still very much in keeping with the dank-forward philosophy of the style.(16/20)

This will be my 6,559th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company Plantasia – American IPA at 6.8% ABV (C$6.35 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 21-Oct-2026, acquired 4-Nov-2026, reviewed 4-Nov-2026)

Appearance: clear straw, two fingers of fine white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: citrus, berries, pine, light floral. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (6/10) Medium-light body, moderate carbonation, medium duration finish falling off slightly watery. (4/5)

Local WVHops Chinook & Nugget, Yakima Chief Cryo Fresh Strata, Freestyle Fresh Nelson Cold-Pressed Hop Juice. Pleasant enough, but a bit more floral and sweet than I want to see in a WCIPA – even a modern one full of New World and ANZ hops. A bigger bitter bite might have helped with the slightly watery, maybe even flaccid finish. Good, but not great. (15/20)

This will be my 6,558th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company Really Much – American Wild Ale at 5% ABV (C$4.90 at Collective, 355 ml, packaged on 28-Feb-2025, acquired 4-Nov-2026, reviewed 4-Nov-2026)

Appearance: hazy straw with one finger of loose white head diminishing rapidly to a thin skim, minimal spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: horseblankety funk, zesty citrus, light floral, hint of pepper. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet & tart, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Light body, moderate carbonation dry mildly tart finish. (4/5)

Brett announces its presence immediately upon opening, with a foam geyser. Pleasant funk and citrus and a nicely balanced mildly tart body. Finishes dry and fairly clean without a lot of residual funk. I’m really surprised at that packaging date, and impressed that such a low ABV could hold up. That’s gotta be an error, doesn’t it? Anyway, good stuff. (16/20)

This will be my 6,557th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Eighty-Eight Brewing Fast Times – Session IPA at 3.5% ABV (C$5.45 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 10-Aug-2026, acquired 25-Sep-2026, reviewed 1-Nov-2026)

Appearance: hazy straw with two fingers of fluffy white head, excellent retention and moderate stringy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, cereal grains. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Light body tending watery, moderate carbonation, off-dry thin astringent finish. (2/5)

Smells good, and initially (very initially) tastes good, but the front end flavour gives way almost immediately to a thin astringent finish. Any approval of this is very much in “for a Session” territory. (13/20)

This will be my 6,556th unique Untappd check-in.

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Cabin Brewing Company Daydream – American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$5.90 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 13-Aug-2026, acquired 25-Sep-2026, reviewed 18-Oct-2026)

Appearance: hazy particulate-laden pale gold with two fingers of fluffy white head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, moderate stringy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: sweet tropical fruit, berry, citrus. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (4/5)

“Olicana, Superdelic, Ekuanot and Dolcita”. Yes, I know the chunky bits aren’t a flavour problem, but they’re an aesthetic one. Docked marks. Move on. A solid albeit not particularly memorable effort. I’m trying hard not to mark it down for the Monkees earworm it’s given me, and you can thank me for that. (15/20)

This will be my 6,555th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Collective Arts Brewing Scenic Pass (IPA 34) – American IPA at 6.4% ABV (C$6.45 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 29-Jun-2026, acquired 25-Sep-2026, reviewed 18-Oct-2026)

Appearance: slightly hazy straw with one finger of loose white head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: stone & tropical fruit, earthy pine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry building bitter finish. (3/5)

“HBC 522, Simcoe Hyperboost, Columbus Cryo, Simcoe”. Not one of their best. I get that they’re going for a WC-style here, so the earthy pine is just fine, but it doesn’t completely work with the tropical and stone fruit notes. If anything, it ends up being somewhat reminiscent of bruised or overripe fruit.  It’s fine, but hardly at the top of their game. (13/20)

This will be my 6,554th unique Untappd check-in.

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com