Month: September 2024

Gösser Brauerei Biostoff – Helles Lager at 4.8% ABV (€1.19 at Spar Unterer Stadtplatz Kufstein, 330 ml, packaged on 1-Sep-2024, acquired 12-Sep-2024, reviewed 12-Sep-2024)

Appearance: clear deep gold with one fat finger of fine pale ivory head gradually diminishing to a thin cap, minimal spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: caramel, grass, herbal/floral, light DMS. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration finish. (4/5)

The aroma is fine, if slightly less than exciting. The style guide says that light DMS is not out of spec for the style, so I’m not penalizing for that. Fairly straightforward and enjoyable. (14/20)

This will be my 5,941st unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Luppolo Brewing Co. Birds of a Feather – Session IPA at 4% ABV (C$6.35 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 3-Aug-2024, acquired 23-Aug-2024, reviewed 10-Sep-2024)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of fine white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: zesty citrus, tropical fruit, cereal grains, light resiny dank. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body tending slightly thin, moderate-soft carbonation, short duration very slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

That’s pretty good, especially for its low weight. Brightly juicy and zesty citrus leads the way over tropical, clean malt, and a hint of rank resin. The low weight does catch up with it, though, resulting in it finishing just a touch thin and very slightly astringent. It’s a pretty good effort, easy-drinking and crushable – but it does ultimately sort of need the dreaded “for the style” qualifier. (15/20)

This will be my 5,937th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Eighty-Eight Brewing Summer Slam – Triple IPA at 10.1% ABV (C$6.35 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 6-Aug-2024, acquired 23-Aug-2024, reviewed 9-Sep-2024)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of pillowy pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical & stone fruit, cereal grains, hint of coconut. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: smooth medium-full body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration mildly warming finish. (4/5)

Nice one. Juicy and approachable, with very little indication of the double digit happy juice. Hah – and I just checked the brewer web site, and they describe it as having “a lighter haze that creates an illusion that this beer is approachable and light drinking.” Indeed. I’d be quite happy to slam a few of these from the top rope, until I hit the mat. (16/20)

This will be my 5,936th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Small Gods Brewing Co. Otis! – American IPA at 6.8% ABV (C$6.35 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 23-Aug-2024, reviewed 9-Sep-2024)

Appearance: hazy straw with two fingers of fine white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, stone fruit, cereal grains. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: smooth medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration finish tending very slightly sharp. (3/5)

1019 and El Dorado hops. Pleasant enough on the front end, but there’s a little something through the mid and finish that I’m just not completely sold on – almost melon rind-like, or a hint of tartness that doesn’t quite belong. Better than just OK, but a bit shy of great. (15/20)

This will be my 5,935th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Collective Arts Brewing Deceptive Creature Nectaron NEIPA (IPA No. 28) – American IPA at 6.8% ABV (C$5.26 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 29-Jul-2024, acquired 23-Aug-2024, reviewed 7-Sep-2024)

Appearance: hazy straw with one finger of loose white head diminishing gradually to a thin ring, moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: citrus, tropical fruit, cereal grains, floral, grass, hint of onion. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration finish tending very slightly sharp. (4/5)

Hopped with Nectaron, Nectaron Cryo, Citra. I have to admit that despite my fairly long history with this brewer (for n=58, μ=7.7 & σ=0.54) they’ve kind of fallen off my radar a bit lately – probably because there are just so many local brewers doing such a good job here in Alberta, that I’m disinclined to go looking further afield. There’s also the fact that they seem to be, if not in decline, resting on their laurels a little. This one exemplifies that: it’s fine? y’know? but it doesn’t really excite me. And while I’m not actually offended by the slight hint of onion in the flavour profile, it’s not helping raise this to next-level territory.(15/20)

This will be my 5,934th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Polyrhythm Brewing Phase Shifter – American IPA at 6.4% ABV (C$5.17 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 24-Jul-2024, acquired 23-Aug-2024, reviewed 7-Sep-2024)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fat fingers of fluffy pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, strawberry, stone fruit, pine, cereal grains. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium slightly creamy body, soft carbonation, sweetish medium duration finish. (4/5)

Hot side hops: Mosaic Incognito, Citra Dry hops: Citra, Simcoe. Aroma and flavour pretty much follow what one might expect for the hops. Solid offering with absolutely nothing actually wrong with it, but tending just very slightly light in the aroma and thin in the body. (16/20)

This will be my 5,933rd unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Polyrhythm Brewing Tricky Sticks (Amped Up) – American IPA at 6.0% ABV (C$4.99 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 21-Aug-2024, acquired 23-Aug-2024, reviewed 6-Sep-2024)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of loose white head, good  retention and no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: citrus, stone fruit, pine, cereal grains. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium slightly creamy body, soft carbonation, sweetish medium duration finish. (4/5)

Dry hopped with Citra, Motueka, and Motueka Hop Oil. No complaints here, no notes. This is how you do it. (17/20)

This will be my 5,932nd unique Untappd check-in.

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Microbrasserie Les Trois Mousquetaires Pale Ale Au Poivre – American Pale Ale at 5% ABV (C$4.95 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 8-Apr-2024, acquired 23-Aug-2024, reviewed 5-Sep-2024)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of fluffy pale ivory head, excellent  retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: black pepper, citrus, caramel, grass. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, building peppery spice. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, building peppery spicy warming finish. (4/5)

Hops: Magnum Qc, Centennial Qc, QCascade, Amarillo. (What, no QAmarillo?) Although hit’s emphatically there, the black pepper isn’t overwhelming on the nose, but it certainly builds throughout and ends up creating a spicy warming finish. (15/20)

This will be my 5,931st unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Dageraad Brewing Tous Les Jours – Saison at 3.2% ABV (C$6.35 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 8-Jun-2024, acquired 23-Aug-2024, reviewed 5-Sep-2024)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale straw with one fat finger of loose white head diminishing rapidly to a thin ring, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: citrus zest, Belgian esters, grass, light funk. (8/10) Taste: moderate-low sweet, moderate-low bitter, light funky tart. (8/10) Palate: light body, lively carbonation, dry short crisp finish. (4/5)

“Ingredients: Malted barley, malted wheat, oats, wheat, hallertau tradition, tettnanger, saaz, brettanomyces, saccharomyces, water” That’s a nice change of pace, interesting without being aggressive (or, alternatively, light without being boring). They describe this as a table beer “that won’t interfere with work”, but that’s pretty much the definition of Saison in my book, so that’s how I’m classifying it. Fairly dry and attenuated, this disappears as soon as it’s swallowed, leaving you ready for the next sip. You could literally drink this all day long, and in fact I wouldn’t mind doing so. (16/20)

This will be my 5,930th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Blood Brothers Brewing Trilly Wonka (Devil’s Trill #36) – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8% ABV (C$9.85 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 21-Jun-2024, acquired 23-Aug-2024, reviewed 4-Sep-2024)

Appearance: hazy/opaque medium gold with one finger of fine pale ivory head diminishing rapidly to a thin ring, moderate sheet lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, melon, cereal grains. (9/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium slightly creamy body, moderate-soft carbonation, warming mild bitter finish. (4/5)

“IIPA w/ Nectaron, Citra & Alora”. Fairly easy-drinking for a fairly boozy offering, lots of juicy fruit on the front end with a mild warming and moderate bitter finish. I like it. (16/20)

This will be my 5,929th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com