Month: July 2025

The Establishment Brewing Company Chaise Longue (Wild Things 001) – American Wild Ale at 2.9% ABV (C$4.60 at Collective, 355 ml, packaged on 25-Nov-2024, acquired 24-Jul-2025, reviewed 27-Jul-2025)

Appearance: hazy pale straw with one finger of fine white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: lemon zest, mild horseblankety funk, floral, hay. (9/10) Taste: moderate-low sweet, moderate-low bitter, moderate tart. (9/10) Palate: light body, moderate-lively carbonation, dry short duration tart finish. (5/5)

Similar to its sibling That’s What Time Does (Wild Things 002) (yes, I had them out of order) but with more of a lemon zest leading the way in the aroma. Another very nice example of the style, with a pleasant restrained Brett funkiness beneath the zesty lemon front end. Light and attenuated, with lively carbonation, making it crisp and refreshing. I actually think I like this one just a bit more than 002, but as with its sibling, I consider this can far too small and think it should be sold by the litre. (18/20)

This will be my 6,158th unique Untappd check-in.

9/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Backcountry Brewing Nuke It From Orbit, It’s The Only Way To Be Sure – American IPA at 7.0% ABV | 50 IBU (C$7.45 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 24-Jul-2025, reviewed 26-Jul-2025)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale gold with one finger of fine pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: juicy citrus, dank resin, tropical & stone fruits, cereal grains. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate-lively carbonation, sweetish mildly warming building bitter finish. (3/5)

An old school dank high gravity WCIPA that references Alien? Talk about being in my wheelhouse! Unfortunately, that means I’m also super picky about it. And although it starts off as a strong contender (and an auspicious first offering from this brewery for me, even though they’re not all that new) it doesn’t finish quite as strongly. Not to say it’s not good overall, but that’s what it is: good, not great. It smells slightly better than it tastes, and it tastes slightly better than it finishes. Which means that, ultimately, it doesn’t quite manage to distinguish itself.(14/20)

This will be my 6,157th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company / Dageraad Brewing Sun Giant Sommerbier – Kellerbier / Zwickelbier at 4.2% ABV (C$5.45 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 10-Jul-2025, acquired 24-Jul-2025, reviewed 26-Jul-2025)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale straw with one finger of fine white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: floral, crackery malt, grass. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, medium duration off-dry finish. (4/5)

Neither of these brewers cause me to think “Lager”, let alone “Kellerbier”, but I respect them both, so I had high hopes. And, as I’ve pointed out many times, I don’t consider myself sufficiently sophisticated or well enough-acquainted with the style to be overly confident in my analysis, but what the heck. As I understand it, this “Pale” version of Kellerbier is basically an unfiltered young Helles, and that’s largely what I get: soft malts and mild hops. It’s lighter than I understand it should be, but it’s also intended to be drunk by the litre, so that’s probably fine too. All things considered, it’s not radically different than a Kölsch, albeit with a touch more malt presence and less dry through the finish. Very German, very pleasant. (16/20)

This will be my 6,156th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Bellwoods Brewery Kölsch – Kölsch at 4.5% ABV (C$7.75 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 24-Jul-2025, reviewed 26-Jul-2025)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale straw with one finger of fine white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: floral, grass, mineral/petrichor, faint DMS/sulphur. (7/10) Taste: moderate-low sweet, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Palate: light body, moderate carbonation, short duration crisp dry finish. (4/5)

I always say I’m not sophisticated enough to truly appreciate subtle Lagers or Lager-like Kölsch, but when it’s one of my favourite Canadian brewers (plus an excuse to trot out my Stange!) I’m going to give it a shot. I had to go re-read the BJCP style guidelines to be certain of my scoring, but the hazy appearance is considered a strike, while the faint DMS is not. All in all, a very easy drinker that I could quite happily spend a long afternoon with on a sunny patio. (Particularly if being served by a buxom Fräulein, but that’s probably a bit outside the style guidelines…) (15/20)

This will be my 6,155th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Sapporo Breweries Sapporo Premium Alcohol Free – Non-Alcoholic Beer at 0% ABV (C$1.67 at Save-On-Foods Okotoks, 355 ml, best before 25-Dec-2025, acquired 1-Apr-2025, reviewed 26-Jul-2025)

Appearance: clear pale gold with a short, short-lived loose white head, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: corn, stewed fruit, hint of grass. (5/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-low bitter. (5/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, medium duration sweetish finish. (3/5)

You know the rule about beers with “Premium” in the name right? They aren’t. Deeply unimpressive, even for a non-alcoholic – you’re looking for an NA light lager, go for a Corona Sunbrew instead. (11/20)

This will be my 6,154th unique Untappd check-in.

5.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

St. James’s Gate (Diageo) Guinness Draught 0.0 – Non-Alcoholic Beer at 0% ABV (Packaged on 11-Feb-2024, reviewed 17-Jul-2025)

Appearance: deep cola red/brown with one fat finger of dense tan head, excellent retention, spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: cocoa, coffee, hints of red berries. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration sweetish finish. (3/5)

Y’know, if I were drunk, I might be fooled by this. Except for the sweetish note through the finish, this is awfully close to the real deal. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Wills Mile-Ex – American Pale Ale at 5.2% ABV (C$8.35 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 13-May-2025, acquired 26-Jun-2025, reviewed 10-Jul-2025)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with one finger of loose pale ivory head diminishing rapidly to a thin ring, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: sweet stone fruit & berries, citrus, white grapes, cereal grains. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet tending slightly high, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration sweetish finish. (3/5)

Hopped with Citra and Nelson Sauvin. Pleasant and aromatic, if just very slightly sweet for my preference. No real negatives here, but it’s not particularly memorable. (15/20)

This will be my 6,150th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Wills Phase – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8% ABV (C$8.35 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 20-May-2025, acquired 26-Jun-2025, reviewed 10-Jul-2025)

Appearance: hazy medium gold with one finger of fine pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: pineapple, stone fruit, citrus, cereal grains. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration slightly warming finish. (4/5)

“Citra,  Riwaka, Krush”. Hells yes, this is how to do a hazy DIPA. Smells just slightly better than it tastes, but drinks easily for the weight, with just the merest hint of warming in the finish. Slightly too sweet to be called “crushable” but damn close to that for something with this ABV. (17/20)

This will be my 6,149th unique Untappd check-in.

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Wills Ghost Farm – American IPA at 6% ABV (C$8.35 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 13-May-2025, acquired 26-Jun-2025, reviewed 8-Jul-2025)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with one finger of pillowy pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: juicy citrus and tropical fruit, cereal grains, light pine, hint of herbs. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry medium duration slightly spicy finish. (4/5)

“Citra,  Mosaic,  Simcoe”. A balanced implementation of these hops. No notes. (16/20)

This will be my 6,148th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company That’s What Time Does (Wild Things 012) – American Wild Ale at 3.6% ABV (C$4.85 at Collective, 355 ml, packaged on 11-Sep-2024, acquired 26-Jun-2025, reviewed 7-Jul-2025)

Appearance: hazy pale straw with one finger of loose white head diminishing rapidly to a thin ring, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tart citrus, mild horseblankety funk, grass. (9/10) Taste: moderate-low sweet, moderate bitter, moderate tart. (9/10) Palate: light body, moderate-lively carbonation, dry short duration tart finish. (5/5)

A very nice example of the style, but be warned: it’s a true Wild, right down to foaming and overflowing upon opening. Masterfully done, with a pleasant restrained Brett funkiness underlying a tart lemony citrus. The light attenuated body and prickly carbonation make this very refreshing, much like a traditional Saison (with which it would also share the correct, low, ABV). My one serious complaint: the can is much too small – this should be sold by the litre. (17/20)

This will be my 6,147th unique Untappd check-in.

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com