Month: November 2022

Indie Alehouse Brewing Co. Goldeye – American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$6.07 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 1-Nov-2022, reviewed 30-Nov-2022)

Appearance: hazy pale amber with two fingers of rocky pale ivory head, good retention and moderate chunky lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, cereal grains, mild dank pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: soft medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (4/5)

Maybe just slightly better than their Love Triangle 15 I recently tried, if only because this one doesn’t seem to have that little astringent edge in the finish. Pretty good overall, if not all that good-looking. (15/20)

This will be my 5,434th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Parallel 49 Cosmic Soup – American IPA at 6.4% ABV (C$4.00 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 28-Sep-2022, acquired 1-Nov-2022, reviewed 27-Nov-2022)

Appearance: hazy medium gold with one fat finger of fine pale ivory head, good retention and well-defined soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, cereal grains, pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium soft body, moderate carbonation, sweetish medium duration slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

Decent aroma but a little too sweet on the tongue, turning to a slight astringency as it finishes. Nothing offensive, as such, but this certainly doesn’t rise to the level of memorable in a very crowded field. (14/20)

This will be my 5,433rd unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Modist Brewing Co. Noteworth – American IPA at 6.2% ABV (C$9.95 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 1-Nov-2022, reviewed 27-Nov-2022)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with two fingers of rocky pale ivory head, excellent retention and well-defined soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: bright citrus & tropical fruit, cereal grains, faint coconut. (9/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium soft body, moderate carbonation, sweetish medium duration finish. (4/5)

“Hopped and double dry-hopped w/ Citra, Citra Cryo, Sabro & Ekuanot Cryo.” Lovely bright aromas of citrus and tropical fruits are by far this one’s best characteristic. Similar to their Double False Pattern, it’s a little sweeter than I’d like, and that continues through into the finish. However, this one succeeds in being just as bright and juicy, but with a somewhat lower ABV. Nicely done. (17/20)

This will be my 5,432nd unique Untappd check-in.

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Indie Alehouse Brewing Co. Love Triangle 15 – American IPA at 6% ABV (C$6.07 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 1-Nov-2022, reviewed 22-Nov-2022)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of rocky pale ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, cereal grains, light field berries, hint of mint. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium soft body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

This variation hopped with Solero, Exp 09326, and Trident. I have a note that I tried 09326 way back in 2018, but this is my first exposure to the other two. As far as I can see, the berry note might be the 09326, while the other two seem to be fairly standard Cascade-like fruits and citrus. And “fairly standard” is a pretty good description for this – not a lot to distinguish it in a pretty crowded field. Fine to drink, forgettable when gone. (14/20)

This will be my 5,431st unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Ale Architect Brewing Ltd. Joy Wave 2 – American Double / Imperial IPA at 7.8% ABV (C$5.08 at Collective, 473 ml, best before 3-Apr-2023, acquired 1-Nov-2022, reviewed 21-Nov-2022)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of rocky pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, cereal grains. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium soft body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (4/5)

I tried the original early this year, and I can’t say I’m seeing any differences here. At all. Are there any differences? I mean, the first one was hopped with Citra, Simcoe, and El Dorado, while this version is Citra, Simcoe, and Strata. Based on that, I’d expect a little less tropical fruit, and a bit more field berry, but I’d be lying if I said I was getting that to any noticeable degree. As with the original, there’s a pleasant aroma and restrained sweetness on a clean malt background, with a soft medium body. I’d still like to see the kind of resiny pine note I expect from Simcoe, but ultimately this is a very respectable representation of the style. (16/20)

This will be my 5,430th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Collective Arts Brewing / Bellwoods Brewery Origin of Darkness Wheated Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout with Dulce de Leche – American Double / Imperial Stout at 11.9% ABV (C$7.00 at Collective, 355 ml, packaged on 30-Aug-2022, acquired 6-Oct-2022, reviewed 20-Nov-2022)

Appearance: nearly solid black with one finger of fine brown head diminishing gradually to nothing, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: milky caramel, bourbon, oak, roast malt & chocolate, vanilla. (9/10) Taste: high sweet, high bitter. (9/10) Palate: full slick body, soft carbonation, sticky warming lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Well, hello! Two of my absolute favourite Canadian breweries collaborating, albeit on a style that I don’t really consider to be the flagship for either. Could be good, could be not so good. …aaand it’s good. Great, actually. I mean, it is what it is: not one you’d want as a refresher after a day working construction, or a post-workout recovery beer, but as a late-night sipper? Boy, howdy. Shamelessly sweet and boozy, but with just the right balance of milky caramel Dulce de Leche and bourbon barrel notes to balance things out. Definitely the best out of the four Origin of Darkness I’ve tried this year, and among the best beers of the year. (17/20)

This will be my 5,429th unique Untappd check-in.

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Modist Brewing Co. Double False Pattern – American Double / Imperial IPA at 7.5% ABV (C$8.85 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 1-Nov-2022, reviewed 19-Nov-2022)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fat fingers of rocky pale ivory head, excellent retention and heavy soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: stone & tropical fruits, mild resiny pine, citrus, cereal grains. (9/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: smooth medium-full body, moderate-soft carbonation, sweetish medium duration finish. (4/5)

The label says this is double dry-hopped with Mosaic and Simcoe, while the brewer notes give a little more detail, indicating “double dry hopped with Mosaic, Simcoe, Cryo Mosaic and Cryo Simcoe.” That combined with the oats in the malt bill make for an overall  fruit juice-like finish, or perhaps a tropical fruit nectar. The sweetness tends a little high, but isn’t inappropriate for the overall effect. Lots of fun, and a pretty damn fine example of the style. (17/20)

This will be my 5,428th unique Untappd check-in.

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Growlery Beer Company Phat & Hazy – American IPA at 7% ABV (C$4.50 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 1-Nov-2022, reviewed 18-Nov-2022)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale gold with one fat finger of fluffy white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, tropical fruit, pale biscuity malt, light pine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, sweetish short duration finish. (3/5)

The label says this is hopped with “Citra and Cryo”. Cryo what? Dunno. Citra, maybe? A fairly typical interpretation of the “hazy” style, with a less-than-enthusiastic commitment to haze, and less-than-juicy aroma. It’s decent, but not very memorable – fine for e.g. watching the game. (14/20)

This will be my 5,427th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Driftwood Brewery Sartori Harvest – American IPA at 7% ABV (C$5.31 at Collective, 473 ml, best before 22-Mar-2022, acquired 1-Nov-2022, reviewed 18-Nov-2022)

Appearance: clear deep gold with two fat fingers of rocky pale ivory head, excellent retention and well-defined soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: resiny pine, light caramel, herbal, faint citrus. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Single-hopped with wet (freshly-harvested) local (to them) Centennial.  That’s a goddamned good beer. I have no further notes. (18/20)

This will be my 5,426th unique Untappd check-in.

9/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Zero Issue Brewing Primordial (Issue #77) – American IPA at 6.0% ABV (C$4.45 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 1-Nov-2022, reviewed 17-Nov-2022)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one finger of fine white head diminishing gradually to a thin ring, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: stone & tropical fruit, catty pine, bready malt, citrus. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium slightly creamy body, moderate-low carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (4/5)

I’ve only had twenty-some-odd of their 77 issues, so technically I can’t compare this to their entire lineup. That being said, it’s closer to the bottom than to the top for me. Nothing really wrong here (obviously, or I wouldn’t have rated it as highly as I have) but it’s just not very exciting and suffers in comparison to some of their other offerings. Solid, but not memorable. (14/20)

This will be my 5,425th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com