Month: July 2023

Container Brewing Instant Chemistry – American IPA at 5.8% ABV (C$4.95 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 4-Jul-2023, reviewed 13-Jul-2023)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of loose white head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tart citrus, tropical & stone fruit. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, lively carbonation, dry mildly tart finish. (4/5)

I like this. It’s tart like the label says, but more like a radler than kettle sour, nicely attenuated and refreshing. In fact, the colour is also reminiscent of a grapefruit radler. Which is pretty much what I’d swear it was, in a blindfolded taste test. So, yeah, I like it a lot. (16/20)

This will be my 5,606th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Rogue Ales Neon Snowpocalypse – Cold IPA at 8.2% ABV | 50 IBU (C$7.55 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 9-Jan-2023, acquired 4-Jul-2023, reviewed 12-Jul-2023)

Appearance: clear pale gold with two fingers of loose white head diminishing gradually to a thick cap, moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: bready yeast, citrus, tropical fruit, pine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium slightly slick body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter warming slightly sticky and boozy finish. (3/5)

Look, I hemmed and hawed about adding a “Cold IPA” category to my collection in the first place, I can’t see “Imperial Cold IPA” being a frequent enough thing to justify another category. Brewer notes say this is hopped with Mosaic, El Dorado, Motueka, Galaxy, and Bru-1. This is probably too old for me to be giving it a fair shake, but I’m actually finding the bready yeast note to be dominant here, not the hopping. Edgy throughout and just very slightly astringent in the finish, this is one of those relatively rare cases where I think I’d have preferred the brewer stuck with a lighter malt bill and dialled things back a touch. (14/20)

This will be my 5,605th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Polyrhythm Brewing Snare Buzz – American IPA at 6.7% ABV (C$4.81 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 4-Jul-2023, reviewed 10-Jul-2023)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one finger of fine white head diminishing rapidly to a thin skim, spotty soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, stone fruit, cereal grains, light pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (4/5)

Another new (well, to me) local (well, almost – Edmonton) brewer, and they’re off to a good start (well, in my opinion). (Actually, I double-checked, and they’ve only been open since mid-March, so, yeah, new.) Hopped with Mosaic, Citra, and Sultana, which is definitely a combination that works well with the NEIPA style. And this is really nice overall: approachable and pleasant, well-balanced and clean. Definitely a brewer I’ll keep my eye on. (16/20)

This will be my 5,604th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Moody Ales West Coast IPA – American IPA at 6% ABV | 50 IBU (C$6.00 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 8-Mar-2023, acquired 4-Jul-2023, reviewed 9-Jul-2023)

Appearance: clear pale gold with two fingers of fluffy white head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: stone fruit, dank pine, caramel, citrus. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, slightly sticky finish with lingering piney dank. (3/5)

The pine grows in this one (which is welcome, given the ostensible style) and eventually takes its rightful place as the dominant flavour element, particularly in the finish. The caramel, which first seemed a little unbalanced, turns out to be about the right weight to support the piney fruity hops. I liked this a lot more at the end of the pint than I did at the beginning. (15/20)

This will be my 5,603rd unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Moody Ales Sundew Double IPA – American Double / Imperial IPA at 7.5% ABV (C$6.35 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 19-Apr-2023, acquired 4-Jul-2023, reviewed 9-Jul-2023)

Appearance: clear pale amber with two fingers of rocky pale ivory head, excellent retention and well-defined lacing. (5/5) Aroma: melon, tropical fruit, caramel, citrus, light pine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, mildly warming slightly sticky finish with a mild lingering astringency. (3/5)

Brewer notes indicate Galaxy, Strata, and Rakau hops, as well as Huell Melon, maybe as a dry hop? I’m certainly getting the melon out in front, so that tracks. In terms of flavour, it’s not bad, but I’m getting a little lingering astringency in the finish that I’m not enjoying. This is pretty as hell, no question, but speaking as an ugly sumbitch I’ll prioritize personality over looks any day of the week… (14/20)

This will be my 5,602nd unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Moody Ales Beach Haze – American IPA at 6.5% ABV | 40 IBU (C$6.00 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 4-Jul-2023, reviewed 8-Jul-2023)

Appearance: opaque pale amber with two fingers of fluffy pale ivory head, good retention and heavy well-defined lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, oats, citrus, light pine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet tending high, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: smooth medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration off-dry finish. (4/5)

I guess they accomplished the “tropical nectar” they’re describing on the label. Certainly this looks and pours like some sort of tropical fruit nectar – guava juice, maybe. And yeah, I get what they’re going of there, but it’s a bit too heavy and sweet for even a hazy style IPA. (14/20)

This will be my 5,601st unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Vancouver Island Brewing Broken Islands – American IPA at 6% ABV | 50 IBU (C$5.35 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 2-May-2023, acquired 4-Jul-2023, reviewed 8-Jul-2023)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale gold with one finger of short-lived white head, minimal spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, bready malt, citrus, hint of mint. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet tending high, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body tending slightly light, moderate-soft carbonation, short duration off-dry finish. (4/5)

“This hazy IPA is anything but expected.” You mean, as in how I expected it to be hazy, but it wasn’t? Nothing wrong with this, other than it being a forgettable entry in a crowded field. (14/20)

This will be my 5,600th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Parallel 49 Heliphant – Session IPA at 4.5% ABV (C$3.25 at Collective, 355 ml, packaged on 23-May-2023, acquired 4-Jul-2023, reviewed 8-Jul-2023)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with a short, short-lived white head, minimal spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: stone fruit, citrus, tropical fruit, cereal grains. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body tending slightly light, moderate-soft carbonation, short duration off-dry finish. (4/5)

Decent enough, I guess. Crushable and reasonably juicy without being excessively sweet. Not exactly crisp and clean enough to be what I consider “refreshing”, but not far off, and slightly above average for my experience (for n=61, μ=6.7 & σ=0.92) with this near-macro brewery. (14/20)

This will be my 5,599th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Common Roots Brewing Company Time – American Pale Ale at 5.5% ABV (C$7.95 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 17-Apr-2023, acquired 4-Jul-2023, reviewed 7-Jul-2023)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fat fingers of fluffy white head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: stone fruit, citrus, cereal grains. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: smooth medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, short duration off-dry slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

Brewer notes call this an “exploration of the Galaxy hop”, so I assume it’s a single-hop – but they don’t actually specify whether that is in fact the case. Not a lot of depth or complexity here. I mean, it’s fine, but it’s not very exciting, and there’s actually a tiny bit of astringency in the finish that isn’t exactly on-spec. (14/20)

This will be my 5,598th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Born Brewing Co. (Born Colorado Brewing) Scenic Route – American Double / Imperial IPA at 7.5% ABV (C$4.50 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 4-Jul-2023, reviewed 7-Jul-2023)

Appearance: clear pale amber with two fat fingers of rocky pale ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: dank pine, caramel, pithy citrus. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter off-dry finish. (4/5)

Damaged date code, but I think this thing wasn’t brewed prior to May, so it can’t be very old. This is very much a “Haze craze? What haze craze?” kind of an old-school WCDIPA (or, I suppose, WCIPA, depending on where you draw that particular line) with dank pine leading the way over pithy citrus on a caramel backbone. Not a whole lot of it, though, which is a bit surprising for the weight. (15/20)

This will be my 5,597th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com