Month: November 2021

Omnipollo Halliza – American IPA at 7% ABV (C$4.50 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 19-Oct-2021, acquired 4-Nov-2021, reviewed 19-Nov-2021)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of rocky pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: resiny pine, citrus, tropical fruit, mild catty funk. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, sweetish mildly warming bitter finish. (4/5)

Sweet – fresh Omnipollo brewed in Toronto! This one is a single-hop Simcoe, which is in my experience can be a risky hop. In this case, I’m getting just a very little lightly funky catty note. Not enough to be offensive, and this is still good, but I’ve had better. (16/20)

This will be my 5,128th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brasserie Dunham Cyclope (Nectaron / Citra) – American IPA at 5.7% ABV | 60 IBU (C$5.26 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 16-Sep-2021, acquired 4-Nov-2021, reviewed 19-Nov-2021)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of fluffy white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, resiny pine, pale malt. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Very nice, and based upon my notes very similar to the Simcoe, Topaz, Mosaic version I had a couple of years ago. Which I suppose is hardly surprising, since although this is my first exposure to Nectaron hops, I understand they’re an NZ hop, full sister to Waimea, so I’d expect similarities to Mosaic. Juicy and fruity on the front end, with an emphatic but still pleasant bitter finish. This is pretty firmly my favourite of the perhaps four Cyclope variants I’ve had so far. (17/20)

This will be my 5,127th unique Untappd check-in.

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Steel & Oak Brewing Co. Radiant Things – American Pale Ale at 4.6% ABV (C$4.55 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 24-Aug-2021, acquired 4-Nov-2021, reviewed 18-Nov-2021)

Appearance: slightly hazy ruby-tinged amber with one finger of soapy pale pink head, good retention, moderate soapy soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: floral, oily citrus, spicy rye, cereal grains. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, short lightly tart slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

This one has hibiscus and grapefruit peel adjuncts in addition to rye and other grains, making for an interesting blend of botanicals and malts. Fairly pleasant, and I definitely appreciate the fact that the sweetness isn’t excessive, preventing the floral component from becoming perfumy. It is, though, a little astringent through the finish. (14/20)

This will be my 5,126th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Troubled Monk Brewery Brave Noise – American Pale Ale at 4.5% ABV (C$4.36 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 26-Oct-2021, acquired 4-Nov-2021, reviewed 17-Nov-2021)

Appearance: clear deep gold with one finger of loose off-white head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, moderate soapy soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: floral, citrus, pale biscuity malt, grass, pine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, medium duration finish. (4/5)

Pleasantly up-beat, clean and easy-drinking. Not particularly memorable, but certainly no off character either. The floral character is slightly different, but not enough to really differentiate it as anything other than a middle of the road example of the style. (14/20)

This will be my 5,125th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Revival Brewcade Midnight Society – Black IPA at 7% ABV (C$4.50 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 4-Nov-2021, reviewed 16-Nov-2021)

Appearance: clear ruby brown with two fat fingers of rocky beige head, good retention and moderate soapy soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: resiny pine, toasted bread, citrus, caramel. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration building bitter finish. (4/5)

Hopped with Centennial, Ahtanum, and Columbus. Nicely balanced between hop and malt characteristics, with resiny pine and citrus intermingling amongst toasted bread and caramel. (15/20)

This will be my 5,124th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Hop Butcher For The World Megabite – American Double / Imperial IPA at 7.5% ABV (C$8.95 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 11-Oct-2021, acquired 4-Nov-2021, reviewed 15-Nov-2021)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of loose white head diminishing rapidly to a thin ring, spotty soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: grape, citrus, resiny pine, tropical fruit, slight herbal. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Palate: creamy medium-full body, moderate-soft carbonation, sweet slightly sticky medium duration slightly spicy finish. (3/5)

Hopped with Citra and Amarillo. Pretty similar to Green Moss, with a  different hop character in the aroma. Still has the same excess sweetness, though, making me think this one has close to the same malt bill. Really too sweet for me. (13/20)

This will be my 5,123rd unique Untappd check-in.

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Hop Butcher For The World Green Moss – American Double / Imperial IPA at 7.5% ABV (C$8.95 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 4-Oct-2021, acquired 4-Nov-2021, reviewed 15-Nov-2021)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of fluffy white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: sweet stone fruit, tropical fruit, citrus, light dank pine, pale malt. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Palate: creamy medium-full body, moderate-soft carbonation, sweet slightly sticky medium duration slightly spicy finish. (3/5)

Hopped with Citra and Simcoe, so I’m not sure which is responsible for the stone fruit that seems to lead the way over tropical fruit and citrus. I am, however, getting a lot of sweetness in both the aroma and flavour, and it’s only exaggerated by the thicker body and lower carbonation. That sweetness remains through to the slightly mouth-coating sticky sweet finish. No off flavours, sure, but I really find this one to be too sweet. (14/20)

This will be my 5,122nd unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Snake Lake Brewing Company Star Gazer – American Pale Ale at 4.8% ABV | 20 IBU (C$4.36 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 4-Nov-2021, reviewed 15-Nov-2021)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with a short, short-lived off-white head, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, light grass & pine, pale malt. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, short duration slightly tart clean finish. (4/5)

Dry-hopped with Mosaic t-45 and Strata. Definitely hop-centric (although not as bright and juicy as I’d like), with very little malt character, and an almost tart bite keeping the finish clean. Pretty straightforward, without a whole to to recommend it, but easy-drinking and clean. (15/20)

This will be my 5,121st unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Fremont Brewing Head Full of Fresh Hops – American IPA at 6.8% ABV (C$6.39 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 4-Oct-2021, acquired 4-Nov-2021, reviewed 14-Nov-2021)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of rocky white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, cereal grains, grass, pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: smooth medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration mildly warming slightly spicy finish. (4/5)

Brewer notes say this is hopped with Citra and Mosaic, and that’s what I’m getting on the front end: lots of tropical and citrus. The malt is neutral, very much in a supporting role, and there’s just enough hop burn and warming on the back end. Nicely done, but a bit short of truly stupendous. (16/20)

This will be my 5,120th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Troubled Monk Brewery Knights Who Say NE (IPA) – American IPA at 6.6% ABV | 40 IBU (C$4.45 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 27-Oct-2021, acquired 4-Nov-2021, reviewed 13-Nov-2021)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with a short, short-lived loose off-white head, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: coconut, tropical fruit, berries, dank pine, cereal grains. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: smooth medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration finish. (4/5)

I heartily approve of the punning reference to Monty Python, the properly-dated can, and the QR code link to usefully detailed brewer’s notes. I don’t approve of the poor head development and retention (or the “palette” / “palate” sort-of-homonym error in the brewer’s notes). I was also a little surprised to see that this was hopped with Strata and Galaxy, because the coconut I was getting at the outset made me think for sure there’d be some Sabro – not complaining, just observing. Overall, it’s a nice, fairly easy-drinking example of the NE style, with just enough enthusiasm to remind you that’s it not an insignificant ABV. (16/20)

This will be my 5,119th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com