Month: March 2024

Anchorage Brewing Company Dual Sided – Triple IPA at 10% ABV (C$9.75 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 4-Jan-2024, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 8-Mar-2024)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with one fat finger of rocky pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: melon, citrus, white grape, dank pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: smooth medium-full body, moderate-soft carbonation, slightly sticky warming mildly astringent finish. (3/5)

Not bad, but a little edgy through the finish.  (15/20)

This will be my 5,788th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Evil Twin Brewing Supreme Leader Marlon – Quadruple IPA at 12% ABV (C$15.75 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 18-Jan-2024, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 7-Mar-2024)

Appearance: hazy pale amber with one finger of fine pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: juicy citrus, tropical & stone fruit, cereal grains, light pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: smooth medium-full body, moderate-soft carbonation, sticky warming finish. (4/5)

“Double dry-hopped with Citra, Comet, Mosaic”. That works. Totally not worth the price – the only other “QIPA” I’ve tried is Flying Monkeys Space Age Sunshine Orange Creamsicle, which is almost identically the same ABV and got exactly the same score, at one-third the price. Such minor quibbles aside, this is boozy good dangerous fun, that drinks much more easily than the ABV would suggest. (16/20)

This will be my 5,787th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Drekker Brewing Co. Involuntary Narcissistic Rage – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.5% ABV (C$9.80 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 21-Dec-2023, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 6-Mar-2024)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with one fat finger of rocky pale ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tropical & stone fruit, melon, mild lactose, light metallic. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: smooth medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, slightly sticky warming finish. (4/5)

A “lactose double IPA brewed with Vic Secret, Belma, and Huell Melon hops. It’s not bad, but there’s a bit of a metallic edge in the aroma that carries through the finish. A bit sticky and boozy too. (15/20)

This will be my 5,786th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Evil Twin Brewing / Trillium Brewing Company Corner of George St and Shawmut Road – American IPA at 7.2% ABV (C$10.75 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 18-Jan-2024, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 6-Mar-2024)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with two fingers of rocky pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: juicy citrus flesh and pith, tropical fruit, cereal grains, hint of melon. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (9/10) Palate: smooth medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (4/5)

“Whirlpooled & dry hopped exclusively with Citra hops”. Very nice. I haven’t had a lot of Trillium prior to this one but my limited experience has been overwhelmingly positive: for n=8, μ=8.4 & σ=0.56, with nothing less than a 7.5 (and that one was a collab). I’ve had far more extensive experience with Evil Twin, but found them to be much less consistent: for n=56, μ=7.6 & σ=0.69, with some real stinkers in the mix (though to be fair, the lowest-scoring in my experience was also a collab, so arguably a little less Jeppe’s fault). This is pretty damn great, though almost certainly not worth the price tag – but who cares about such plebeian considerations? Not me, that’s who. (17/20)

This will be my 5,785th unique Untappd check-in.

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Rival Trade Brewing Co. Cowboy Trail – Session IPA at 4.6% ABV (C$5.00 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 31-Jan-2024, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 4-Mar-2024)

Appearance: brown-tinged clear pale gold with two fingers of loose white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: cardboard, citrus, grass. (4/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (5/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (3/5)

An ugly, damaged mess, and a deeply inauspicious introduction for a new-to-me brewer. Untappd shows at least one other review with similar appearance, so this oxidation issue doesn’t appear limited to mine. Sink pour. (10/20)

This will be my 5,784th unique Untappd check-in.

5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

île Sauvage Brewing Company Occidental West Coast Pale Ale – American Pale Ale at 5.0% ABV (C$5.90 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 3-Mar-2024)

Appearance: hazy/muddy medium amber with one fat finger of rocky pale ivory head, excellent retention and heavy soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, caramel, pine, slight funk. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: smooth medium-full body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (4/5)

Their web site references Cryo Pop hops and Lutra Kveik yeast. I waffled a little on my scoring here – mostly because I’m finding the overall flavour profile to be about as muddled as the appearance – but ultimately it’s not unpleasant, even though it’s by no means straight-up “West Coast”. There’s a very mild hint of barnyard funk and an off-dry finish that I’m attributing to the use of the kveik yeast, and neither of those are a drawback. All in all, it’s perhaps better than “just OK”, but short of great. (15/20)

This will be my 5,783rd unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Drekker Brewing Co. Clueless Wonder – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.3% ABV (C$9.80 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 21-Dec-2023, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 2-Mar-2024)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with one fat finger of rocky pale ivory white head, good retention and heavy soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: juicy melon, tropical fruit, citrus, oats. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: smooth medium-full body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration mildly warming finish. (4/5)

Hopped with Mosaic, Citra, Azacca, Cashmere, Lemon Drop, 007, and Huell Melon. So yeah, a bit of a kitchen sink approach, but it’s fairly cohesive overall, and not as muddled as some other hop combinations I’ve encountered. It’s soft, smooth and fruity, exactly like I prefer the style to be, and it hides its enthusiastic ABV fairly well. (16/20)

This will be my 5,782nd unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Banished Brewing Ltd. Makes Less Sense – Session IPA at 4% ABV (C$6.75 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 7-Dec-2023, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 29-Feb-2024)

Appearance: hazy straw with two fingers of fluffy white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: citrus, resiny pine, cereal grains. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry short duration finish. (4/5)

I left Newfoundland (again/for the last time?) right about when these guys were getting going, so I haven’t had a whole lot of exposure to them. They say this one has the same hopping as its larger sibling (Makes Sense) so that would mean Solero, Nelson Sauvin, and Citra. No real complaints here, except that you almost do have to apply the dreaded “for a Session” qualifier to the review. Which is to say, the aroma and flavour aren’t quite too light – but they flirt with it. And it’s not quite thin and watery – but it flirts with it. All in all, it’s not bad – for a Session. (15/20)

This will be my 5,781st unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Analog Brewing Cheat Code – American Pale Ale at 5.0% ABV | 35 IBU (C$5.30 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 28-Feb-2024)

Appearance: clear deep gold with two fingers of fluffy pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: grass, melon, citrus, pine, herbal. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter finish. (3/5)

Hopped with Sultana, Centennial, and Citra. If anything I’m being generous in my scoring here, because to be honest, the hopping is fairly boring. And I don’t have much more to say about that. (14/20)

This will be my 5,780th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Small Gods Brewing Co. Promised Land – American Pale Ale at 4.8% ABV (C$6.25 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 27-Feb-2024)

Appearance: hazy medium gold with one fat finger of fluffy pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: melon, citrus, herbal. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration slightly sharp finish. (3/5)

“Loaded with Citra, Mosaic, and Idaho 7”. The aroma is OK, but not as bright and punchy as I would have hoped given that malt bill. The taste is a bit less OK, with a sharpness developing through the finish. Even though the body doesn’t actually tend thin, that sharpness in the finish makes it seem slightly that way. For me, this is one of those PAs that seems like a watered-down IPA. Just OK. (13/20)

This will be my 5,779th unique Untappd check-in.

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com