Month: April 2020

Medicine Hat Brewing Co. Rebel Daughter Hazy Pale Ale – American Pale Ale at 5.4% ABV | 32 IBU (C$4.09 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 16-Apr-2020, acquired 24-Apr-2020, reviewed 30-Apr-2020)

Appearance: slightly chill hazed pale gold with two fat fingers of fluffy white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, pale crackery malt, hint of pine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium bitter finish. (3/5)

No lie, I was starting to wonder if it was actually a requirement that Pink Boots beers be pink in colour. Glad this one cleared that up! The label says it’s hopped with Azacca, El Dorado, Idaho Gem, and Loral, and I’m getting the expected combination of tropical fruit and citrus with a hint of pine, but overall the intensity of the hopping seems a bit too mild. Similarly, the body tends a bit thin, especially in the finish. All in all, it’s not bad, but one of those APAs that sort of comes across as a slightly watered-down IPA. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Steamworks Brewing Company Battleship Double IPA – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.9% ABV | 65 IBU (C$4.25 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 10-Apr-2020, acquired 24-Apr-2020, reviewed 29-Apr-2020)

Appearance: clear pale amber with two fat fingers of fluffy pale ivory head, good retention and heavy soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: resiny pine, citrus, caramel, tropical fruit. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium slightly slick body, moderate carbonation, big building bitter finish. (4/5)

Old-school DIPA, resiny and bitter. Not everyone’s cup of tea, to be sure, but correctly balanced for the style in my opinion: pine and citrus leading the way over a sweet caramel backbone, rounded out by mild tropical fruit. Definite troublemaker of a beer. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Muskoka Brewery Key Lime Pie – American Pale Ale at 6% ABV | 29 IBU (C$4.35 at Collective, 473 ml, best before 25-Jul-2020, acquired 24-Apr-2020, reviewed 29-Apr-2020)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one finger of fine white head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, spotty soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tart lime, lactose, sweet graham cracker. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate tart, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium slightly creamy body, moderate carbonation, sweetish tart finish. (4/5)

Side note: most unreadable label ever – white on pale green. I had no idea what the exposition or contents were because I gave up trying to suss it out, but a trip to the brewer web site clarified things a bit. It doesn’t really smell like key lime pie (more like just key limes) but it certainly does taste that way, right down to the graham cracker crust. Somewhat surprisingly for me, although the sweetness tends high, I don’t find it excessive. Though, that said, I’m the same with desserts – chocolate I can take or leave, but I do love a lemon meringue or key lime pie. So, yeah – it’s an alcoholic key lime pie, or maybe key lime pie ice cream. If that appeals to you, you’ll probably like this. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Town Square Brewing 2D Sour NEIPA – American IPA at 5.5% ABV (C$4.45 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 11-Mar-2020, acquired 24-Apr-2020, reviewed 28-Apr-2020)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale straw with two fat fingers of fluffy white head, good retention and spotty soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: lactic tart, lemon zest, resiny pine, grainy pale malt. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, moderate tart. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, moderate lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

The label says hopped with Mosaic, with Citra, Mosaic and El Dorado dry hopping. And yeah, they’re there – and it’s not even really that they’re overwhelmed by the lactic tart. It’s more like, I wish they were overwhelming the lactic tart, instead of being balanced against it. It’s not quite the same old same old single-note kettle sour, but it’s not a long way off that. A bit less tart and a bit more hops would make this really something. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Moody Ales Power Tube Hazy IPA – American IPA at 6.7% ABV | 32 IBU (C$4.45 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 1-Apr-2020, acquired 24-Apr-2020, reviewed 28-Apr-2020)

Appearance: opaque and particulate-laden pale amber with two fingers of fluffy pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical & stone fruit, resiny pine, citrus, caramel. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium slightly creamy body, moderate carbonation, moderate lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Brewer notes say this was hopped with Mosaic, Galaxy, and Vic Secret – and that’s a selection that’s sure to win my approval. I’m getting just a hint of lactose sweetness in the aroma, accompanied by a slight creaminess in the body. In fact, if you ask me this is a better “milkshake IPA” than just about any I’ve had that were actually labelled as such. Nicely balanced sweetness, juiciness, and mild bitterness make this a solid winner. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Twa Dogs Beer Through the Clouds Hazy IPA – American IPA at 6% ABV (C$4.55 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 2-Mar-2020, acquired 24-Apr-2020, reviewed 28-Apr-2020)

Appearance: slightly hazy straw with two fingers of fluffy white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, tropical fruit, pale crackery malt, grass. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body tending slightly thin, moderate carbonation, short duration slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

One of the clearest “hazy” beers I’ve had – ever notice how some brewers seem positively terrified of haze? This is their second NEIPA-ish attempt I’ve tried, and although it’s a slight improvement over The Hazy Mist it’s still got a ways to go. In particular the body drops off a bit thin, and the more of it I drink the more astringent the finish becomes. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Sea Change Brewing Co. Prairie Fairie – Wheat Ale at 5% ABV (C$4.85 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 12-Mar-2020, acquired 24-Apr-2020, reviewed 27-Apr-2020)

Appearance: pinkish pale gold with one finger of loose off-white head diminishing gradually to a thin ring, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: field berries, wheat. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light tart. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate-lively carbonation, short duration clean lightly tart finish. (4/5)

Nice tart berry flavour without excessive accompanying sweetness. Easy to drink, and quite pleasant overall. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Modern Times Beer Proxima – American IPA at 7.5% ABV | 40 IBU (C$5.35 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 3-Feb-2020, acquired 24-Apr-2020, reviewed 26-Apr-2020)

Appearance: opaque deep gold with one finger of loose pale ivory head diminishing gradually to a persistent cap, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, caramel, toasty malts, coconut, light resiny pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, mild bitter finish. (3/5)

Brewers notes indicate Mosaic, Comet, and Chinook hops, but I’m almost convinced I’m getting coffee notes in addition to the expected tropical fruit and citrus. I might be being a little unfair, and it might be suffering from its ten weeks in the can, but as Modern Times offerings go, it’s near the bottom of the pack. Which, don’t get me wrong, is still pretty good in absolute terms, but I certainly don’t regret the decision to limit my purchase to just one of these. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Medicine Hat Brewing Co. / Valley Brewing Reaper of Death Double NEIPA – American Double / Imperial IPA at 9% ABV | 34 IBU (C$5.08 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 22-Apr-2020, acquired 24-Apr-2020, reviewed 26-Apr-2020)

Appearance: opaque straw with one finger of loose pale ivory head diminishing gradually to a persistent cap, minimal lacing. (3/5) Aroma:dank resiny pine, tropical fruit, citrus, cereal grains. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, mild bitter and warming finish. (4/5)

Holy shit, that’s some dank-ass dankitude right there. The label says Azacca, Idaho 7, and Sabro Cryo hops (the label actually says “Sabros” but I think that’s just a typo and not some variant), but to me it’s predominantly Idaho 7, with huge dank pine in the forefront and everything else way, way in the background. Despite the huge hop aroma, the bitterness is quite restrained, and the big ABV feels minimal to non-existent. Not sure what it’s got to do with a T-Rex fossil I’ve actually seen at the Royal Tyrrell Museum, but, hey, why not, let’s roll with it. (17/20)

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

O.T. Brewing Company Bump, Set, Double Dry Hop – American Double / Imperial IPA at 9% ABV (C$5.26 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 18-Apr-2020, acquired 24-Apr-2020, reviewed 26-Apr-2020)

Appearance: opaque pale gold with one finger of loose pale ivory head diminishing gradually to a persistent cap, minimal lacing. (3/5) Aroma: juicy tropical fruit, citrus, cream, cereal grains, stone fruit, hint of pine. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter, light tart. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, mild bitter lightly spicy warming finish. (4/5)

Nice one. Not the prettiest, I’ll grant you, and it doesn’t taste quite as good as it smells, but it drinks more like an IPA, or maybe even an APA, than a DIPA. Some might argue that’s more a negative, than a positive, but I’ve got nowhere to be right now so I’m OK with getting knocked on my ass by surprise. I will, however, note that the alignment (or, more to the point, the lack thereof) of the label text makes my OCD more than a little twitchy. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com