Month: August 2020

Snake Lake Brewing Company Sylvan Lake Summer DIPA – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.3% ABV | 50 IBU (C$3.35 at Collective, 355 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 4-Aug-2020, reviewed 11-Aug-2020)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of pillowy white head, excellent retention and well-defined soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: grapefruit and citrus, pale crackery malt, hint of pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Very nice – a double that drinks more like a single, with an enthusiastic citrus aroma, a pleasant off-dry body, and very little hint of the big ABV. Definitely a great beer for a summer lake. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Hub Town Brewing Colourblind – Belgian IPA at 5.9% ABV | 44 IBU (C$14.00 at Hub Town Brewing, 1.89 l, packaged on 9-Aug-2020, acquired 9-Aug-2020, reviewed 9-Aug-2020)

Appearance: slightly hazy straw with two fat fingers of loose white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: Belgian esters, coriander, citrus, pale malt. pine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium bitter mildly spicy finish. (4/5)

I can’t say I’m getting an awful lot of the promised West Coast character – it’s certainly dominated by spicy Belgian esters, and next in line behind that is citrus. The pine I usually associate with the WC style is pretty far in the background. However, it’s fairly clean overall, and reasonably refreshing, so I’m not complaining too bitterly. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Ol’ Beautiful Brewing Co. East Towner – American IPA at 6% ABV (C$3.25 at Collective, 355 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 4-Aug-2020, reviewed 8-Aug-2020)

Appearance: hazy pale straw with two fat fingers of rocky white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, tropical fruit, pale bready malt, light pine, hint vanilla. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium bitter slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

First in their “One & Dun” series of rotating small batch beers, hopped with Galaxy and Vic Secret. I’m always up for ANZ hopping, but this one is a bit more citrus than the tropical fruit dominance I expect. A bit bitter for the style, especially in the finish, which tends a little astringent. Not bad, but a little rough around the edges – though for all that, it’s probably the best Ol’ Beautiful I’ve had so far. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Apex Predator Brewing (Bench Creek Brewing) Distant Howl – India Pale Lager at 5% ABV | 25 IBU (C$3.91 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 13-Jul-2020, acquired 4-Aug-2020, reviewed 7-Aug-2020)

Appearance: slightly hazy deep gold with two fingers of rocky pale ivory head, excellent retention and well-defined soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: citrus, tropical fruit, cereal grains, grass. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: smooth medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter mild hop spicy finish. (4/5)

Nice one, and definitely not a traditional lager. Citrus and tropical fruit dominate on the nose, and the presence of oats gives a smooth, instead of crisp, mouth feel. The hopping is pronounced but not overwhelming, with a lingering bitterness and hop spice in the finish. There’s a hint of Pilner-ish grass towards the end, but except for that this hardly seems like a lager at all. (17/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Coronado Brewing Company Pineapple Farm – American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$5.26 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 16-Jun-2020, acquired 4-Aug-2020, reviewed 6-Aug-2020)

Appearance: hazy pale straw with two fingers of loose white head diminishing gradually to a thick cap, spotty soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: mild, pineapple, citrus, pine. (6/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering building bitter finish. (3/5)

Simcoe, Azacca, and Amarillo hopping, with pineapple adjunct. Unfortunately, the pineapple comes across as overripe and/or the tinned variety, with excessive accompanying sweetness. Rather than a balance between hops and fruit, this is dominated by a not entirely convincing fruit, with hops only as a bit of an afterthought. On the tongue, it’s excessively sweet, making it far less dry and refreshing than I expect to see for kveik yeast. Underwhelming, if not actively disappointing. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Yukon Brewing Company Conspiracy IPA – American IPA at 6.7% ABV (C$4.18 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 7-Jun-2020, acquired 4-Aug-2020, reviewed 6-Aug-2020)

Appearance: clear pale amber with one fat finger of rocky pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: caramel, resiny pine, citrus. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering building bitter finish. (3/5)

Fairly malt-forward piney NW-style IPA. I might’ve rated this higher if it were ten years ago, but, well, it isn’t. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

S.Y.C. Brewing Co. Nimbus Maximus – American Double / Imperial IPA at 9.0% ABV (C$4.81 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 15-Jul-2020, acquired 4-Aug-2020, reviewed 5-Aug-2020)

Appearance: clear pale gold with one fat finger of rocky pale pink head diminishing rapidly to a thin skim, spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, tropical & stone fruit, caramel. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering building bitter lightly spicy finish. (4/5)

Galaxy, Citra, and Sabro – what’s not to like? In addition to decent hopping, this high-proofer is dangerously easy to drink. It smells and (largely) feels like it should be an NEIPA, except for the emphatic building slightly spicy hop bitterness that’s not really in keeping with the style – but not unwelcome for me at all. Good fun. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Born Colorado Brewing Blackberry’on – American IPA at 7.5% ABV | 10 IBU (C$4.72 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 29-Jul-2020, acquired 4-Aug-2020, reviewed 5-Aug-2020)

Appearance: opaque pale purple with one fat finger of rocky pale pink head, good retention and spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, pale malt, mild field berries, light pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry mild bitter lightly tart finish. (4/5)

Hopped with Ella, Vic Secret, and Galaxy. I was deeply concerned that the NEIPA character would be overwhelmed by blackberry, but in fact this is very nicely balanced. There’s enough blackberry content to give intense colour, but the associated aroma and flavour very much take a back seat to the ANZ hopping. I really like this. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Phillips Brewing Company Pandamonium Super IPA – American Double / Imperial IPA at 6.8% ABV (C$4.22 at Okotoks Co-Op, 473 ml, best before 13-Sep-2020, acquired 3-Aug-2020, reviewed 5-Aug-2020)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with two fat fingers of rocky pale ivory head, good retention and well-defined soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: pine, overripe tropical fruit, caramel, citrus. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate carbonation, sweetish building bitter finish. (3/5)

Meh. A bit of a lazy unfocussed mess. It’s OK, but no better. (12/20)

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Great Lakes Brewery Sunnyside Session – Session IPA at 3.9% ABV | 25 IBU (C$3.82 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 11-Jun-2020, acquired 4-Aug-2020, reviewed 5-Aug-2020)

Appearance: hazy straw with two fingers of rocky white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: mild, citrus, tropical fruit, crackery pale malt, hint of earthy pine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, mild bitter. (7/10) Palate: light body, moderate carbonation, crisp mild bitter finish. (4/5)

Not bad for such a low ABV. I suspect the addition of flaked oats prevents the body from falling off too thin or watery, and there’s no astringency in the finish as sometimes occurs with these very light beers. It is what it is: a pleasant, unchallenging patio beer. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com