Vaycay Brew Co. Pocket Rocket – American Double / Imperial IPA at 7.5% ABV (C$5.80 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 5-Jun-2025, reviewed 5-Jun-2025)
Appearance: slightly hazy pale gold with two fingers of pillowy fine white head, excellent retention and spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tart citrus and muddled fruit, sugary malt. (6/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate tart, low bitter. (5/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, sweet tart short duration finish. (3/5)
This tastes nothing like an IPA – if anything, it’s more like a crappy-ass kettle sour, which I guess is due to the addition of Rockets candy? Funny thing, though, is that IPAs are my favourite beers, and Rockets pretty much my favourite candies, this really isn’t working for me. (12/20)
Moosehead Brewery Grapefruit Radler – Radler at 4% ABV (C$4.00 at Ace Liquor Okotoks, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 15-May-2025, reviewed 18-May-2025)
Appearance: hazy pale gold with one finger of fine white head diminishing rapidly to a thin skim, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: sugary citrus, grainy malt. (7/10) Taste: high sweet, low bitter. (5/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, sticky mild finish. (3/5)
Less like a true Radler and more like a sugary alcopop. I don’t actually hate it (because I’m pretty much a sucker for a Radler no matter what) but it basically follows the standard mass-market approach of piling a whole bunch of sugars into shit to hide the fact that it’s, well, shit. When done properly, a Radler combines a balance of natural juice and a pleasant beer that could stand on its own to create a refreshing alternative experience. This does neither of those. (12/20)
The Establishment Brewing Company Perfect Day – American IPA at 6.4% ABV (473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 13-May-2025, reviewed 13-May-2025)
Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of fluffy pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, tropical fruit, cereal grains, light pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (4/5)
Not particularly distinguishable from any number of other offerings by The Establishment, not that that’s a bad thing – “ho hum, another world-class hazy IPA” is, as problems go, a good one to have. (16/20)
Cabin Brewing Company Hydrosphere – American Pale Ale at 5.4% ABV (C$4.75 at Safeway Liquor D’Arcy Crossing, 473 ml, packaged on 21-Apr-2025, acquired 9-May-2025, reviewed 9-May-2025)
Appearance: clear pale gold with one finger of fine pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: resiny pine, citrus, biscuity malt, caramel, faint floral. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, off-dry short duration finish. (4/5)
Traditional WCAPA of the type you might have seen a decade ago, with starts-with-C hops dominant on biscuity sweet malt. Pleasant enough, but not particularly memorable. (15/20)
Eighty-Eight Brewing Skyride – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.0% ABV (C$5.75 at Safeway Liquor D’Arcy Crossing, 473 ml, packaged on 31-Jan-2025, acquired 9-May-2025, reviewed 9-May-2025)
Appearance: hazy pale gold with one finger of pillowy fine white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, stone & tropical fruit, dank pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry medium duration mildly warming finish. (4/5)
Nice one. Pleasant balanced aromas and flavours, smooth oaty and creamy body, super drinkable mildy warming finish. Totally sneaks up on you with the fairly emphatic DIPA ABV. (16/20)
Grupo Modelo (Corona) Sunbrew – Non-Alcoholic Beer at 0% ABV (330 ml, packaged on 20-Dec-2024, acquired 7-Apr-2025, reviewed 3-May-2025)
Appearance: clear pale gold with one finger of fine white head diminishing rapidly to nothing, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: honey/corn syrup, grass. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (6/10) Palate: light body, moderate-lively carbonation, sweetish short duration finish. (3/5)
Almost close enough to the real thing to pass for it, but just slightly darker and with no head retention. I don’t hate this. I’m not sure I actually like it, but I don’t hate it. And at 60 calories with a dose of vitamin D, I’m willing to have it in the fridge as a thirst quencher. (12/20)
6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
Grupo Modelo (Corona) Corona Extra – American Pale Lager at 4.6% ABV (710 ml, packaged on 13-Jan-2025, acquired 3-May-2025, reviewed 3-May-2025)
Appearance: clear straw with one finger of fine white head diminishing gradually to a persistent cap, moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: honey/corn syrup, grass. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (6/10) Palate: light body, moderate-lively carbonation, sweetish short duration finish. (3/5)
The classic lawnmower beer that beer snobs love to hate. Maybe I’m mellowing in my old age, but: I don’t actually hate it. It is what it is. Look, if your yardstick is big hoppy aromas and interesting flavours, this is of course going to fail miserably. But many of the same people who denigrate this for needing the standard wedge of lime are perfectly fine with fruit adjuncts in the brew kettle of their favourite craft offerings. Personally, I’ve come out the other side of my craft beer snobbery and am willing to accept this on its own terms. (That being said, the reason I got the big bottle is because that’s the only single my local had. My willingness to accept it on its own terms doesn’t extend to buying a dozen of ‘em.) (12/20)
6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
I did these simultaneously because when I first tried the Sunbrew I figured it was so close to the “real” one that the only way I’d be able to differentiate them was side by side – not least of which because it’s been ages since I had an Extra. I wasn’t wrong. The Extra has a slightly punchier aroma and much better head retention than the Sunbrew, but it’s not enough of a difference to make a measurable difference to the rounded overall score. All things considered, I slightly prefer the Extra – but I’ll still keep the Sunbrew in the drinks cooler as a routine thirst quencher.
Big Rock Brewery River Valley – Session IPA at 5.5% ABV (355 ml, packaged on 4-Mar-2025, acquired 28-Apr-2025, reviewed 30-Apr-2025)
Appearance: clear pale amber with one finger of rocky pale amber head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: bready caramel, grass, citrus, pine, earth. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (3/5)
A “Session IPA” at above five percent ABV? Big Rock really doesn’t understand the whole “craft beer” thing AT ALL, do they? Hardly surprising, since they were perfectly situated to take full advantage of the craft beer resurgence over the past decade or more, but instead boldly chose to continue to do exactly the same thing they’d been doing for the decade before that. Good job, guys, good job. Anyway, that’s not to say that this is a bad beer, and certainly for the price (I didn’t buy it but my kid tells me it’s cheap) it’s a decent enough, if somewhat old-fashioned, offering. (12/20)
Minhas Micro Brewery Triple 7 – Strong Pale Lager at 8% ABV (355 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 7-Apr-2025, reviewed 30-Apr-2025)
Appearance: slightly hazy gold with one finger of fizzy white short-lived head, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: boozy apple, sugary malt, overripe fruit. (4/10) Taste: high sweet, moderate bitter. (5/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate-lively carbonation, slightly sticky warming finish. (3/5)
My elder son gave me this one, telling me it was part of his ongoing quest with some friends to find the shittiest beer in Alberta. I’m not completely sure they succeeded – I’m looking at you, Two Sergeants Passion d’Ale – but dammit, it’s close. This is the kind of thing that hobos might buy as singles, but only if the convenience store is out of Colt 45 and rubbing alcohol. And no, Minhas, I don’t think “Do you like taking chances? Try this beer!” is the swagger you think it is. You know how sometimes these high-ABV ones will grow on you after you’ve had a bit, just because you’re getting a little buzz? That doesn’t happen here – if anything, it gets nastier as the aftertaste builds. Sink poured after trying a few sips FOR SCIENCE. The things I do for this hobby… (8/20)
Partake Brewing IPA – Non-Alcoholic Beer at 0.5% ABV (C$2.25 at Save-On-Foods Okotoks, 355 ml, best before 7-Dec-2025, acquired 1-Apr-2025, reviewed 9-Apr-2025)
Appearance: clear pale amber with one finger of fine pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: caramel, grass, citrus. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (6/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry finish. (3/5)
I sometimes find it difficult to tease out what aspects of a given Non-Alcoholic brew are attributable to its absence of alcohol, or to the more general issues of the ingredient selection and brewing process. Here, for example, my biggest objection probably stems less from it being an NA, and more to do with its being an old-fashioned heavily English-influenced “American” IPA where the malt leads the way and the hops are grassy. Bottom line, I wouldn’t have it again – but not because it’s got no wowee juice in it. (12/20)
S.Y.C. Brewing Co. Phantom Buzz Pale Ale – Non-Alcoholic Beer at 0.5% ABV (C$3.50 at Safeway Liquor D’Arcy Crossing, 473 ml, packaged on 17-Dec-2024, acquired 30-Mar-2025, reviewed 30-Mar-2025)
Appearance: hazy deep gold with one fat finger of loose white head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, minimal lacing. (3/5) Aroma: citrus, grainy malt, hint of dank resin. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry finish. (3/5)
It’s not blowing me away, but it’s fine – which is to say, it’s pretty good for a non-alcoholic, and it would be fine as “just a beer”. I’ve had better NA’s, but I’ve had worse beers, so yeah – it’s fine. (13/20)
