Month: August 2024

O.T. Brewing Company Five Hundie – American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$5.20 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 27-Jul-2024, acquired 12-Aug-2024, reviewed 23-Aug-2024)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one finger of fine pale ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, tropical fruit, caramel, pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry moderate bitter finish. (4/5)

I’ve been told this is the first time they’ve brewed this since being fucked by their landlord, losing their taproom, and going into a contract brewing setup with Fahr in Turner Valley. And maybe I’m imagining it, but the yeast profile in particular does seem different than my old notes from having this six years ago – more attenuated and less juicy, with a slightly drier finish. And maybe I’m just older and crankier, but I’m not convinced it’s quite as good. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Small Gods Brewing Co. Rascal King – American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$6.20 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 12-Aug-2024, reviewed 23-Aug-2024)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of fine pale ivory head, excellent retention and chunky lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, floral, cereal grains, melon. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration finish falling off slightly watery. (3/5)

Hopped with Citra, Mosaic, and Azacca. Pleasant aroma initially, but there’s a slightly vegetal melon note in the back end that manifests through the finish, and I’m not a huge fan of it. It’s not offensive by any means, but it seems to contribute to the finish coming across as very slightly thin or watery. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Burdock Brewing Ducks IPA – American IPA at 6.3% ABV (C$6.00 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 30-Apr-2024, acquired 12-Aug-2024, reviewed 22-Aug-2024)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of loose pale ivory head, good retention and minimal spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: citrus, tropical fruit, melon/white grape, oats. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration clean finish. (4/5)

Hopped with Citra, Idaho 7, and Eldorado. Not sure where the brewers got the idea that ducks are “chill”, because they’re actually rapey assholes, but that aside this is a decent offering. The aroma is reasonably juicy and bright, with citrus and tropical fruit leading the way over melon or vinous note, on a clean cereal grain base. That vinous note carries through and it finishes almost tart. No complaints. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Canmore Brewing Company Splash Mountain – Session IPA at 4.3% ABV | 40 IBU (C$5.35 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 12-Aug-2024, reviewed 19-Aug-2024)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale straw with one fat finger of fine white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus zest, wheat, coriander. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light tart. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, short duration slightly spicy finish. (3/5)

Pleasant enough, I suppose. Not really a “white” IPA, though – why is it that so many older brewers have such a hard time actually doing hazy? That’s… about all I have to say here. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Blindman Brewing Drinking – American Pale Wheat Ale at 5.5% ABV (C$5.95 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 12-Aug-2024, reviewed 17-Aug-2024)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale straw with one fat finger of fine pale amber head, good retention and well defined soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: grass, wheat, hint of citrus. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, short duration slightly tart finish. (3/5)

I guess you’re supposed to mix this with Dandy’s Buddies? But there are no details on Blindman’s web site, so I dunno. Not a whole lot going on here, old-fashioned grassy hops dominate what little flavour and aroma there is. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Small Gods Brewing Co. Funkenflieger – Hopfenweisse at 6% ABV (C$6.25 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 12-Aug-2024, reviewed 16-Aug-2024)

Appearance: hazy straw with one fat finger of fine creamy white head, excellent retention and spotty soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: zesty citrus, clove, wheat, banana. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, mild tart. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, lively carbonation, medium duration mildly tart and spicy finish. (3/5)

Hopped with Tango and Mandarina Bavaria. The label calls it a “Bavarian IPA” but for me it’s a Hopfenweisse. I’m definitely getting the zesty citrus of the Mandarina on top of the more traditional Noble-style hopping I’d expect from Tango. Pleasant enough, but the lingering clove prevents it from being exactly refreshing in my book. (And what’s a “funkenflieger” supposed to be, anyway? It literally means “spark flyer”, so a poetic way to describe a firefly?) (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Russell Brewing Company Can You Peel The Love Tonight? – American Pale Ale at 4.8% ABV | 30 IBU (C$4.70 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 12-Aug-2024, reviewed 14-Aug-2024)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale gold with two fingers of fluffy white head, excellent retention and well-defined droopy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: mild, citrus zest. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, mild tart. (6/10) Palate: medium-light body, lively carbonation, short duration off-dry tart finish. (3/5)

Hopped with Azacca Cryo, Citra, and Eclipse. They could have done a better job on the Droste Effect label art, but otherwise not a lot of real big complaints here. The citrus adjunct dominates what little aroma there is, and that continues through the taste into an oily citrus bitter finish. Overall, it’s a bit unbalanced, but a functional pint. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

New Belgium Brewing Company Lips of Faith Series Le Terroir (2014) – Sour / Wild Ale at 7.5% ABV (C$19.49 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 650 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 6-Nov-2014, reviewed 13-Aug-2024)

Appearance: hazy pale amber with a short pale ivory head diminishing rapidly to a thin ring, minimal spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: stone fruit, wood, mild funk. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high tart, low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, lively carbonation, short duration dry tart finish. (4/5)

And, at ten years old, that’s the last of the dusty old ones I had for that particular vintage. Essentially unchanged over another year of cellaring after the last one I did, and still good. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Eighty-Eight Brewing Personal Best – Session IPA at 3.5% ABV (C$4.81 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 16-Jul-2024, acquired 2-Aug-2024, reviewed 8-Aug-2024)

Appearance: hazy pale straw with one fat finger of fluffy white head, excellent retention and  lacing. (4/5) Aroma: zesty citrus, tropical, cereal grains. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: light body, moderate-low carbonation, short clean finish. (4/5)

“Small Hazy IPA w/ Citra”. Dunno if it’s single-hopped, but it might be. Very nice, even without the “for a Session” qualifier. My only real complaint is that the aroma, pleasant though it is, is just a little mild. Still a decent offering. (15/20)

This will be my 5,909th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Atlas Brewing Corp. Loki’s Elixir – Quadruple IPA at 11.7% ABV | 34 IBU (C$6.95 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 2-Aug-2024, reviewed 7-Aug-2024)

Appearance: brown-tinged pale gold with a short, short-lived fine white head, no lacing. (2/5) Aroma: mild, tropical fruit, citrus, wet cardboard. (4/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (4/10) Palate: medium body, low carbonation, short mildly warming finish. (3/5)

This is oxidized (or otherwise damaged) and I was disinclined to rate it – and then I remembered they didn’t date their damn can, so it’s fair game. Sink pour train wreck. Shame, too, because it doesn’t seem like it’s all that aggressive for the ABV. Would like to try an undamaged one. (9/20)

This will be my 5,908th unique Untappd check-in.

4.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com