Month: September 2025

Boombox Brewing Company / Irrational Brewing Company Golden Ratio – Triple IPA at 11% ABV (C$8.25 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 13-Aug-2025, acquired 9-Sep-2025, reviewed 16-Sep-2025)

Appearance: hazy pale amber with one fat finger of dense pale ivory head, good retention and heavy soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: boozy tropical fruit, pine, cereal grains. (8/10) Taste: high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (6/10) Palate: full syrupy body, moderate-soft carbonation, sticky sweet hot lingering boozy finish. (2/5)

“Citra, Mosaic, and Simcoe” Way too sweet, and harshly boozy. I have nothing against bombastic, but this is unbalanced. Just a hot boozy mess. I’d really rather have two of just about any other normal gravity beer, than this. (13/20)

This will be my 6,197th unique Untappd check-in.

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company / Badlands Brewing Fluffy Tufts – American Double / Imperial IPA at 9.2% ABV (C$6.75 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 22-Aug-2025, acquired 9-Sep-2025, reviewed 15-Sep-2025)

Appearance: hazy straw with one fat finger of pillowy pale ivory head, excellent retention and heavy soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, lactose, cereal grains, melon, light pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate-soft carbonation, sweetish warming lingering boozy finish. (3/5)

“Motueka, Motueka Cryo, Motueka Hop Kief.” No, the photo’s not overexposed, and yes, it actually looks like that. I think I’ve had maybe one offering ever from The Establishment with a higher ABV than this one, and I’m not sure that’s a good thing. I’m perfectly fine with boozy, but this just seems a bit unnecessarily aggressive and edgy, especially through the finish where a solvent note starts to develop. This one just isn’t really working for me. (14/20)

This will be my 6,196th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company Pillow Retreat – American IPA at 6.4% ABV (C$6.15 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 27-Aug-2025, acquired 9-Sep-2025, reviewed 14-Sep-2025)

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

“NZ Cascade, Citra, Motueka, Citra HyperBoost” I’m not sure this is in any way different than any number of Establishment offerings – but that’s not a bad thing.  (16/20)

This will be my 6,195th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Born Colorado Brewing Hopper Dropper – American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$5.65 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 28-Jul-2025, acquired 9-Sep-2025, reviewed 13-Sep-2025)

Appearance: clear pale amber with one fat finger of fluffy pale ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin cap and ring, moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, caramel, light pine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, dry funky finish. (3/5)

Straightforward old(er) fashioned AIPA. Well implemented, with no real flaws. I don’t like to use the word “boring”, but… (14/20)

This will be my 6,194th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Category 12 Brewing Chronos – American Wild Ale at 6.8% ABV (C$6.75 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 26-Mar-2025, acquired 9-Sep-2025, reviewed 13-Sep-2025)

Appearance: clear deep gold with one finger of fine pale ivory head, good retention and patchy soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: horseblankety funk, oak, citrus. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter, moderate-low tart. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, dry funky finish. (3/5)

It’s been far too long since I’ve had a good Wild, and this is a pretty good Wild. Brett funk dominates the aroma, but oak and citrus give it a run for its money, and the lively-tending carbonation keeps things elevated through the mid. My only real complaint here is that it falls down a little through the finish, with an aftertaste that doesn’t quite follow through with the initial promise. (16/20)

This will be my 6,193rd unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Polyrhythm Brewing Art Pop – American IPA at 6.1% ABV (C$6.00 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 9-Sep-2025, reviewed 10-Sep-2025)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with one finger of fine pale ivory head diminishing rapidly to nothing, minimal spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: citrus, tropical fruit, oats, resiny pine. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium slightly creamy body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (4/5)

“Dry Hops: Citra, Citra Cryo, Nelson Brite Addition: Quantum Nelson”. Not the prettiest of offerings, but it smells pretty great. On the other hand, it then doesn’t taste quite as good as it smells, but that’s still pretty darned good. Despite some minor quibbles, this is next-level. (16/20)

This will be my 6,192nd unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Cabin Brewing Company Banger! – American IPA at 7% ABV (C$6.00 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 28-Aug-2025, acquired 9-Sep-2025, reviewed 9-Sep-2025)

Appearance: hazy medium gold with one fat finger of pillowy pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, tropical fruit, resiny pine, cereal grains. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration slightly edgy finish. (3/5)

Strong family resemblance to e.g. Super Saturation – and I say that with all respect, not as a criticism. It’s hard not to carry over my experience with this brewery and hold them to a higher standard, but all things considered I think this actually does fall just very slightly short of “banger” status, with or without the exclamation point. (15/20)

This will be my 6,191st unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel! 6e Soir – American Double / Imperial Pilsner at 8.9% ABV (C$6.90 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 15-Aug-2025, reviewed 8-Sep-2025)

Appearance: slightly hazy deep gold with one fat finger of rocky pale ivory head, excellent retention and chunky soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, herbal/floral, honey on toasted bread, apple. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-full slightly oily body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter boozy warming finish. (3/5)

Bravo and Sterling hops. Meh. This really didn’t impress me. In fact, it came perilously close to reminding me of those high ABV gas station offerings, particularly as the aroma started to approach “stewed fruit” towards the end of the pint. I could have scored this lower both in aroma and taste, and maybe dropped the overall score by half a point or more, but I’m trying to avoid personal preference: not everything has to be bright New World or ANZAC hops… I suppose… And there are no real negatives, beyond the booziness, which might again be argued to be a personal preference thing. But, at the end of the day, I’m the person writing the review. So. There you go. (13/20)

This will be my 6,190th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel! Ça Mon Ami, C’Est Une Pinte! – Blond Ale at 5% ABV (C$6.50 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 6-May-2025, acquired 15-Aug-2025, reviewed 4-Sep-2025)

Appearance: slightly hazy medium gold with one fat finger of fine pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: toasted bread, honey, mild citrus. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, medium duration finish. (3/5)

“That My Friend, Is A Pint!” Well, yes. Yes, it is. A pint of solid, albeit not particularly memorable, Blond. Not much else to say: no negatives at all, but also no real positives. (14/20)

This will be my 6,188th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Polyrhythm Brewing Metronome – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8% ABV (C$6.65 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 10-Jul-2025, acquired 15-Aug-2025, reviewed 3-Sep-2025)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with one fat finger of pillowy pale ivory head, excellent retention and heavy chunky lacing. (5/5) Aroma: stone fruit, citrus, cereal grains, tropical fruit, melon, mild pine, hint of coconut. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate-soft carbonation, sweetish slightly sticky mildly warming finish. (3/5)

“Dry hopped with Alora & Freestyle Nelson Bliss.” Smells pretty good, but tastes a little too sweet for my preference. That sweetness carries through the slightly sticky finish, offset slightly by the mild warming. I guess I can’t actually call it unbalanced, since warming and sweetness go hand-in-hand, so it’s really more a personal preference issue here. (16/20)

This will be my 6,187th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com