Month: December 2023

Bellwoods Brewery Jelly King Spicy Margarita – Sour / Wild Ale at 5.6% ABV (C$8.35 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 26-Jul-2023, acquired 30-Oct-2023, reviewed 7-Dec-2023)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with a short, short-lived white head, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: lime, jalapeño, salt. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, moderate spice, light bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, spicy warming finish. (4/5)

Spicy Margarita Jelly King? Sure, fuck it, why not, because nothing means anything any more, right? … is what I said before I tried it. After I tried it, my response was, “I need more of this.” Maybe not all at once, you understand, because although the heat isn’t overwhelming, it might well become so after more than one. (16/20)

This will be my 5,694th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Driftwood Brewery Sartori Harvest – American IPA at 7% ABV (C$6.95 at Collective, 473 ml, best before 27-Mar-2023, acquired 30-Oct-2023, reviewed 5-Dec-2023)

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)

Same as last year’s, but I’m not complaining. (Except for the fact that it cost 30% more than last year…) (18/20)

9/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Last Best Brewing and Distilling Radio Quest – Session IPA at 4.5% ABV (C$5.15 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 30-Oct-2023, reviewed 4-Dec-2023)

Appearance: hazy straw with two fingers of fluffy white head, good retention and spotty chunky lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, cereal grains, light tropical fruit. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration bitter finish. (4/5)

Decent little Session, especially for the ABV. (15/20)

This will be my 5,692nd unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Bellwoods Brewery Jelly King Boysenberry & Plum – Sour / Wild Ale at 5.6% ABV (C$13.00 at Collective, 500 ml, packaged on 29-Aug-2023, acquired 30-Oct-2023, reviewed 4-Dec-2023)

Appearance: hazy purple-pink with two fingers of fine pinkish head diminishing gradually to a thin ring, spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: stone fruit, field berries, oats, hint of cream. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high tart, moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium slightly creamy body, moderate carbonation, short tart finish. (4/5)

This is an interesting variation, and at least as good as any of the other plum variants I’ve tried. Boysenberries are one of my absolute favourite fruits, so I was probably predisposed to like this, but the blend of plum and boysenberry is doing interesting things to the base beer. I’m getting an almost lactic creamy note in addition to faint cereal grains on the front end, and through the finish it reminds me of nothing so much as damson pie. Definitely a good one. (16/20)

This will be my 5,691st unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Coronado Brewing Company Fossil Beach – American IPA at 7.3% ABV (C$7.00 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 14-Sep-2023, acquired 30-Oct-2023, reviewed 3-Dec-2023)

Appearance: hazy pale amber with two fingers of loose fluffy pale ivory head, good retention and heavy chunky lacing. (4/5) Aroma: stone fruit, melon, zesty citrus, pale malt. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration mildly warming slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

Hopped with Waimea, HBC 586, and Idaho Gem. I almost scored the aroma higher on this, but ultimately while what’s there is fine, it just doesn’t pop enough to merit a higher score. The taste, on the other hand, I very nearly scored lower, mostly due to the melon note turning a little sharp and lime-like as it finished. This does many things right, or very nearly so, and nothing really wrong – but ultimately it’s just good, not great. (14/20)

This will be my 5,690th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Zero Issue Brewing Uncanny: Kerrow (Issue #95) – American IPA at 5.9% ABV (C$5.10 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 30-Oct-2023, reviewed 2-Dec-2023)

Appearance: slightly hazy straw with two fingers of pillowy white head, excellent retention and heavy chunky lacing. (4/5) Aroma: mild, citrus zest, pine, cereal grains. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, medium duration off-dry slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

I mean, it’s not quite “meh”, but it’s not far off. Certainly it’s not what I look for in a WCIPA, and it’s not (quite) up to par for my experience with this brewery (for n=32, μ=7.3 & σ=0.49). So, yeah: not quite “meh”, but not far off. (14/20)

This will be my 5,689th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com