Month: August 2024

Canmore Brewing Company Sundance – Session IPA at 4.5% ABV | 50 IBU (C$4.81 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 2-Aug-2024, reviewed 7-Aug-2024)

Appearance: hazy particulate-laden deep gold with a short, short-lived loose white head, minimal lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, melon, vegetables/tea. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light tart. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, short lightly tart finish. (4/5)

“Tropical Session IPA” I’m not sure what’s going on with the flavour profile here, but there’s an edge that I’m interpreting as vegetal or melon rind (or maybe black tea) that doesn’t feel completely intended or style-appropriate. It’s also a bit overwhelmed by the tropical fruit (pineapple and passionfruit) adjunct – but as I often note, I don’t mind a Radler, so that’s not really so much a negative, as an observation. All in all though, I’m not overly impressed. (13/20)

This will be my 5,907th unique Untappd check-in.

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company Liquid Light – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.3% ABV (C$6.25 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 29-Jul-2024, acquired 2-Aug-2024, reviewed 6-Aug-2024)

Appearance: clear straw with a short, short-lived loose white head, minimal lacing. (4/5) Aroma: dank resiny pine, citrus, tropical fruit, field berries. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate-lively carbonation, short clean mildly warming finish. (4/5)

“Citra, Simcoe, Mosaic and Strata” Just dead average. For them. Which means world-class. Their first WCDIPA, but you wouldn’t know it. A lovely return to the pre-haze craze days of dank WC. (16/20)

This will be my 5,906th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Offshoot Beer Co. Papaya Playa – American IPA at 6.8% ABV (C$6.35 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 5-Mar-2024, acquired 2-Aug-2024, reviewed 6-Aug-2024)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale gold with two fingers of loose white head, good retention and spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: melon, tropical fruit. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light tart. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, lively carbonation, short lightly tart finish. (4/5)

The “with papaya and melon” pretty much overwhelms everything else. It’s not bad, but the melon in particular is almost rind- or vegetal-like, especially towards the end of the pint. Not overly memorable. (14/20)

This will be my 5,905th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Blindman Brewing New Zealand Double IPA – American Double / Imperial IPA at 7.6% ABV | 65 IBU (C$5.26 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 8-Jul-2024, acquired 2-Aug-2024, reviewed 5-Aug-2024)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale gold with one fat finger of fluffy off-white head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: dank citrus and pine, pale malt. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry building bitter finish. (4/5)

Apparently brewed with three ANZ hops: Rakau, Nectaron, and Superdelic. Might be my third exposure to Superdelic, and I still think I approve, especially for this style. Nothing really wrong here, except it’s not quite as bright and juicy as I’d like. Decent enough, but a bit short of great. (15/20)

This will be my 5,904th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Bellwoods Brewery / Eighty-Eight Brewing Co. Shark Pool – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8% ABV (C$8.75 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 2-Aug-2024, reviewed 5-Aug-2024)

Appearance: hazy medium gold with one finger of fine pale ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, heavy soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, cereal grains, resiny pine. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (4/5)

Cool – two of my favourite breweries in the country (one local, one not) did a collab! Gonna have to look for the one that they brewed here as well. They describe this one as a mix of Witchshark and Wave Pool, and say it “features Rakau and Citra hops, and uses a wide variety of hopping techniques”. (I haven’t had a Witchshark for about eight years now, and Wave Pool was six, so probably time to rectify that on both counts.) This is pretty great, juicy and hoppy, with no hint at all of the higher ABV. (16/20)

This will be my 5,903rd unique Untappd check-in.

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

O’Creek Brewing Co. Route 117 – American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$5.13 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 5-Jan-2024, acquired 2-Aug-2024, reviewed 5-Aug-2024)

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

I don’t think I believe the numbers on the bottom of the can (“240105”) are actually the date code, because this doesn’t smell or taste like a six month plus IPA.  Juicy, pleasant, and easy-drinking. Works for me. (16/20)

This will be my 5,902nd unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

O’Creek Brewing Co. Citra In A Galaxy – American IPA at 6% ABV (C$5.22 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 2-Aug-2024, reviewed 4-Aug-2024)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with a massive fluffy ivory head diminishing gradually to a thick cap, heavy soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, resiny pine, cereal grains. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (4/5)

New brewery from the other side of the country. Hopping, as one would expect from the name, is Citra and Galaxy, and the flavour profile follows pretty much as you’d expect. Neither the aroma nor the taste really break out to that next level, though, so I’ve got to mark it just shy of that world-class tier, and consign it to the “good, not great” category. (15/20)

This will be my 5,901st unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery Rainbows & Smiles – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.1% ABV | 40 IBU (C$5.35 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 26-Jun-2024, acquired 2-Aug-2024, reviewed 4-Aug-2024)

Appearance: clear pale gold with two fingers of fluffy white head, moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: lime, sweet berries, lactose, cereal grains. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, sticky mildly warming finish. (3/5)

Oof, that’s a bit saccharine and sickly sweet. But enough about the cover art, what about the beer? Malts: Pale Malt (2-Row), Oat Malt, Crystal Malt Hops: Nectaron, Idaho 7, Motueka Dry-Hopping: El Dorado, Sabro. But it’s more about the adjuncts: lactose, fruit purées, and citrus. I wouldn’t complain about fruit or citrus, but the lactose is a bit heavy-handed, making it a bit sticky sweet. It’s not terrible, but it’s a bit much, even before the ABV starts to make itself known. (14/20)

This will be my 5,900th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Atlas Brewing Corp. Thor’s Hammer – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.7% ABV | 35 IBU (C$5.25 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 2-Aug-2024, reviewed 2-Aug-2024)

Appearance: hazy medium gold with a short, short-lived loose off-white head, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: citrus, tropical fruit, caramel, light pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium slightly slick body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter mildly warming finish. (4/5)

It’s not exactly light or easy-drinking, but it’s light…-ish and easy…-ish, at least for the style. (15/20)

This will be my 5,899th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Superflux Beer Company Soulwax – American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$6.70 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 28-Jun-2024, acquired 2-Aug-2024, reviewed 2-Aug-2024)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one finger of fine pale amber head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: bright citrus and tropical fruit, cereal grains, light pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium bitter finish. (4/5)

Dry hopped with Idaho 7 Cryo, Citra Cryo, and Galaxy. Starts off with a brightly juicy fruit note that is unfortunately almost as short-lived as the head. It doesn’t ever become unpleasant, but it falls off to “merely nice” fairly quickly. Still and all, a solid contender. (16/20)

This will be my 5,898th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com