Month: October 2025

Troubled Monk Brewery Peaked In High School – American IPA at 4.9% ABV (C$5.17 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 19-Sep-2025, acquired 6-Oct-2025, reviewed 19-Oct-2025)

Appearance: clear pale gold with one fat finger of rocky white head, excellent retention and well-defined soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: citrus, stone fruit, melon, resiny pine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration lingering bitter finish. (3/5)

WC-leaning, old school-ish – so, yeah, stylistically it aligns with when we were in high school. (14/20)

This will be my 6,242nd unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Sea Change Brewing Co. Pub Ale – English Bitter at 4.7% ABV (C$5.08 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 16-Sep-2025, acquired 6-Oct-2025, reviewed 19-Oct-2025)

Appearance: clear brown with one finger of fine beige head, excellent retention and well-defined soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: caramel, light nuttiness. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, sweetish short duration finish with a lingering bitter edge. (3/5)

I don’t have any real complaints about this one, except that there’s not a whole lot of complexity – but there’s also no negatives at all. Bottom line, I wouldn’t mind drinking a few of these, preferably in a dimly-lit pub with live Irish music. (14/20)

This will be my 6,241st unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company Escape Velocity – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.2% ABV (C$5.50 at Safeway Liquor D’Arcy Crossing, 473 ml, packaged on 12-Sep-2025, acquired 11-Oct-2025, reviewed 17-Oct-2025)

Appearance: hazy pale amber with two fingers of fluffy pale ivory head, excellent retention, heavy soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, tropical fruit, resiny pine, cereal grains. (9/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate-soft carbonation, lingering warming finish. (4/5)

Supposedly hopped with Riwaka, Nelson Sauvin, Motueka, and Tropical Fusion, but I can’t find any proper brewer’s notes. Not that I care: in my experience a white label from The Establishment is pretty much a guaranteed win, and this one does not disappoint. Brightly juicy without being excessively sweet – though, to be honest, I waffled a little on scoring the taste because it does flirt with being a touch too sweet – and a restrained finish that only gradually reveals a boozy warmth. (17/20)

This will be my 6,240th unique Untappd check-in.

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Superflux Beer Company Solano – American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$6.95 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 13-Aug-2025, acquired 6-Oct-2025, reviewed 17-Oct-2025)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with one finger of fine pale ivory head diminishing gradually to a persistent cap, moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, berries, citrus, cereal grains, light pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration mildly warming finish. (4/5)

“Nelson, Citra, and Citra Cryo”. Nice one: pleasantly fruity aroma with restrained sweetness and a mild warming through the finish. (16/20)

This will be my 6,239th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Born Brewing Co. Head Wind – American IPA at 6.3% ABV (C$5.20 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 2-Oct-2025, acquired 6-Oct-2025, reviewed 17-Oct-2025)

Appearance: hazy slightly murky pale gold with one finger of pillowy white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: stone & tropical fruit, wheat, citrus. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration finish. (3/5)

“Hopped using Citra, Mosaic, and Idaho Gem”. I dunno – not much to say about this one. It’s pretty basic, it’s fine, it’s any number of other phrases that boil down to damned with faint praise. (14/20)

This will be my 6,238th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Eighty-Eight Brewing / The Establishment Brewing Company Simply Irresistible – American IPA at 6.8% ABV (C$6.75 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 11-Sep-2025, acquired 6-Oct-2025, reviewed 14-Oct-2025)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of fine pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical & stone fruits, cereal grains, mild red berries. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration finish. (4/5)

I mean, there are worse ear worms… and there are definitely far worse beers. So, all good. (16/20)

This will be my 6,237th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Dandy Brewing / Bellwoods Brewery Hells Bells – American IPA at 5.8% ABV (C$5.26 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 6-Oct-2025, reviewed 13-Oct-2025)

Appearance: clear pale amber with one fat finger of fluffy pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical & stone fruits, zesty citrus, cereal grains. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, sweetish lingering hop burn bitter finish. (3/5)

“Nelson Sauvin, Nectaron, Rakau, and Loral hops” Tends a bit sweeter than I’d like, and despite that has a somewhat bitter finish with unexpected levels of hop burn. Not the level I’d expect for Bellwoods, but pretty much par for the course for Dandy. (14/20)

This will be my 6,236th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Long Bay Brewery Bantam – American Pale Ale at 5% ABV | 40 IBU (C$6.00 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 29-Aug-2025, acquired 6-Oct-2025, reviewed 13-Oct-2025)

Appearance: clear pale amber with one fat finger of fluffy pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: mixed fruits, caramel. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, moderate bitter medium duration finish. (3/5)

“Dry hopped with Cascade, Centennial and Citra” Maybe, but I’m not getting the kind of bright hoppiness I like with that particular blend. In fact, despite the low gravity, it’s fairly plodding and malt-forward. No real faults here, but also nothing to recommend it. (13/20)

This will be my 6,235th unique Untappd check-in.

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Origin Brewing Fieldbrew – American Strong Ale at 6.5% ABV (C$4.85 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 4-Mar-2025, acquired 6-Oct-2025, reviewed 12-Oct-2025)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with one fat finger of fine pale ivory head diminishing gradually to a thick persistent cap, moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: mixed fruits, caramel. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration finish. (3/5)

Meh. Age might be playing a role here – not sure how I managed to pick up such an old can, but I wouldn’t have had I noticed the date code – but the hops are fairly muted and muddled. There’s nothing really wrong here as such, but there’s certainly nothing interesting. (13/20)

This will be my 6,234th unique Untappd check-in.

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Born Brewing Co. Western Boundary – American IPA at 6.7% ABV (C$5.08 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 19-Aug-2025, acquired 6-Oct-2025, reviewed 10-Oct-2025)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale gold with one fat finger of fluffy white head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: honey, floral/herbal. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration finish. (4/5)

I like the premise here, of all-Alberta ingredients (honey, malt, hops). As usual, the presence of honey doesn’t really impart extra sweetness because so much of the sugars attenuate, but the flavour remains. It’s not blowing me away, but it’s decent. (15/20)

This will be my 6,233rd unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com