Month: December 2024

Boxing Rock Brewing Co. Shuck Off! – Blond Ale at 5% ABV (2024 BeerAdvent Calendar #5, 473 ml, packaged on 23-Jul-2024, acquired 23-Nov-2024, reviewed 5-Dec-2024)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale gold with one finger of fine white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: cereal grains, corn, faint citrus. (6/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, sweetish medium duration finish. (3/5)

The Advent Calendar continues to fail to impress. Basic Blond with absolutely nothing memorable going on. (12/20)

This will be my 6,033rd unique Untappd check-in.

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company / Ale Architect Brewing Ltd. One Night – American IPA at 6.2% ABV (C$6.25 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 30-Oct-2024, acquired 28-Nov-2024, reviewed 5-Dec-2024)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of fluffy pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: zesty citrus, cereal grains, stone fruit, hint of resin. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: smooth medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, sweetish medium duration finish. (4/5)

Hopped with Strata, Motueka, Citra. Balanced bright juicy hoppiness without excessive sweetness. (16/20)

This will be my 6,032nd unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Nokomis Craft Ales Long Lake Lager – American Pale Lager at 4.5% ABV (BeerAdvent Calendar #4, 473 ml, packaged on 30-Jul-2024, acquired 23-Nov-2024, reviewed 4-Dec-2024)

Appearance: slightly hazy straw with one finger of fine white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: biscuity malt, grass, faint citrus, light diacetyl. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate-lively carbonation, off-dry short duration finish. (4/5)

My first from this brewery, and it’s a bit unfortunate that it’s a Lager, given the presence of “Ales” in their name would presumably suggest their specialty lies elsewhere… And, well, it’s a Lager. It’s a pretty clean one, but super traditional. As in, super boring. Yes, I know, I want everything to be a hop bomb – it’s a character failing. (14/20)

This will be my 6,031st unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Growlery Beer Company Kvega – American IPA at 6.0% ABV (C$4.72 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 28-Nov-2024, reviewed 4-Dec-2024)

Appearance: clear deep gold with one finger of fine off-white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: earth, pine, floral, light barnyard funk. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, off-dry moderate bitter slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

Sometimes earthy and funky is interesting, and sometimes it’s just… earthy and funky. I know it’s Kveik, so it’s by design, but it almost feels accidental. This isn’t bad, but it’s not overly interesting either. (14/20)

This will be my 6,030th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Black Bridge Brewery Irish Dry Stout – Irish Dry Stout at 5.5% ABV (2024 BeerAdvent Calendar #3, 473 ml, packaged on 5-Jul-2024, acquired 23-Nov-2024, reviewed 3-Dec-2024)

Appearance: clear deep cola red with one finger of fine beige head, excellent retention and moderate well-defined lacing. (5/5) Aroma: dark roasted malts, coffee, chocolate, hint of red berries. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, dry lingering bitter slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

A decent Dry Irish Stout with some coffee notes layered in. Speaking of the coffee notes, I kept expecting it to go overextracted and astringent, and it very slightly did – but only slightly. The body might have been a little heavier than medium were it not for the slightly enthusiastic (for the style) carbonation. All in all, a solid effort and a bit of an improvement for the Advent Calendar performance. (15/20)

This will be my 6,029th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Bellwoods Brewery Purple Paisley – American IPA at 7% ABV (C$7.95 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 29-Jul-2024, acquired 28-Nov-2024, reviewed 3-Dec-2024)

Appearance: hazy straw with one finger of fine off-white head diminishing rapidly to nothing, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: berries, citrus, cereal grains. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Palate: pillowy medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, short duration slightly sharp finish. (3/5)

I’m always automatically up for a new Bellwoods. And this one is different than the norm (more berry-like, in particular) which is always to the good. But, it’s not a complete success – in particular, there’s a little not entirely welcome sharpness through the finish. It’s good, sure, but it’s not even close to being one of their best. (15/20)

This will be my 6,028th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Superflux Beer Company Corsica – American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$6.95 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 26-Sep-2024, acquired 28-Nov-2024, reviewed 3-Dec-2024)

Appearance: hazy straw with two fingers of fluffy off-white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, tropical fruit, cereal grains, light pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Palate: pillowy medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, short duration finish. (4/5)

Gun to my head, I’m not sure I could pick this out of a lineup of half a dozen to a dozen other Superflux offerings. A cynic might think this is a bad thing. I do not. (16/20)

This will be my 6,027th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Bridge Brewing Company The Cream of The Crop – Cream Ale at 5% ABV | 20 IBU (2024 BeerAdvent Calendar #2, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 23-Nov-2024, reviewed 2-Dec-2024)

Appearance: slightly chill hazed pale gold with one finger of fine white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: bready malt, corn, grass, light lemon, hint of butyric. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate-lively carbonation, short duration finish. (3/5)

Well, the Advent Calendar isn’t improving a whole lot. Largely a straightforward Cream Ale, with mild malt dominating over typical grassy hops with just a touch of citrus. There is a creamy note through the finish, but it’s not completely clean and tends a little to the butyric. I don’t hate it, but it’s hard to conceive of a circumstance where I’d seek this out. (12/20)

This will be my 6,026th unique Untappd check-in.

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Belching Beaver Brewery Imperial Phantom Bride – American Double / Imperial IPA at 9% ABV (C$7.15 at Collective, 568 ml, packaged on 15-Oct-2024, acquired 28-Nov-2024, reviewed 1-Dec-2024)

Appearance: clear pale gold with a massive fluffy pale ivory head, excellent retention and spotty soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: resiny pine, citrus, tropical fruit, cereal grains. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter warming finish. (4/5)

Citra, Amarillo, Simcoe, and Mosaic hops. Big and bombastic, hop-burny and warming. I like it! (16/20)

This will be my 6,025th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brewsters Brewing Company Original Lager – American Pale Lager at 5.0% ABV | 30 IBU (2024 BeerAdvent Calendar #1, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 23-Nov-2024, reviewed 1-Dec-2024)

Appearance: clear pale straw with one finger of fine white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: biscuity malt, grass, hint of diacetyl. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate-lively carbonation, short duration finish. (3/5)

Boy, that’s pretty hard to get excited over – a bog standard American Pale Lager. It starts off fine, but gets a little less so as it warms. Overall it’s just OK. Here’s hoping the Advent Calendar improves over time! (12/20)

This will be my 6,024th unique Untappd check-in.

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com