Month: November 2025

Irrational Brewing Company Opacity 26 – American IPA at 6% ABV (C$6.00 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 21-Nov-2025, reviewed 29-Nov-2025)

Appearance: hazy straw with one fat finger of pillowy white head, excellent retention and well-defined soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: white wine, tropical fruit, citrus, cereal grains, dank pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium slightly creamy body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration finish. (4/5)

“w/ Freestyle Motueka, Nelson, & Riwaka”.  Nice one. No notes. (16/20)

This will be my 6,272nd unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Burdock Brewing Triple Ducks – Triple IPA at 10% ABV (C$7.00 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 20-Aug-2025, acquired 21-Nov-2025, reviewed 27-Nov-2025)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with two fingers of loose pale ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, moderate spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: overripe tropical fruit, mild dank pine. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate-soft carbonation, sweetish building bitter warming finish. (4/5)

Reminds me a little of Arrogant Bastard, except a bit more muddled. To be honest, I’d rather have a couple of bright NEIPAs than one of these. (14/20)

This will be my 6,271st unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Cabin Brewing Company / Bale Breaker Brewing Company / Last Best Brewing and Distilling Hopsicle Frozen Fresh Hop IPA – American IPA at 6% ABV (C$5.85 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 21-Nov-2025, reviewed 27-Nov-2025)

Appearance: clear pale straw with one finger of loose white head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, moderate spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus zest, light resiny pine. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, sweetish medium duration finish. (4/5)

It’s fine, I guess… not quite as much bright hop character as I’d like, and a bit sweeter. (14/20)

This will be my 6,270th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Eighty-Eight Brewing Divine – American Pale Ale at 5.5% ABV (C$5.90 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 21-Oct-2025, acquired 21-Nov-2025, reviewed 24-Nov-2025)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of loose white head, medium retention and moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: stone and tropical fruit, cereal grains, citrus, light resiny pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium slightly creamy body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (4/5)

I suppose purists would hate this, since the fruit adjunct is unmistakeable and emphatic. But, it’s not all fruit: there’s still a significant hop component present that reminds you that, yes, this is a beer and not juice. And, it doesn’t end up anything as sweet as I was worried it would. Not a bad balance, in fact, and a decent offering overall. (15/20)

This will be my 6,268th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Ale Architect Brewing Ltd. Peaks & Valleys – Blond Ale at 5.4% ABV (C$5.75 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 21-Nov-2025, reviewed 22-Nov-2025)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with two fingers of loose white head, medium retention and moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: citrus, tropical fruit. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (3/5)

“Luminosa, Vic Secret”. Note sure what a “Vermont Blonde” is supposed to be, other than an NE spin on a Blond? At any rate, it ends up being a bit middle of the road, with nothing to really get annoyed or excited at. It’ll do, I suppose. (14/20)

This will be my 6,267th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Boombox Brewing Company / Kilter Brewing Final Phantasy – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8% ABV (C$7.65 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 1-Oct-2025, acquired 13-Nov-2025, reviewed 20-Nov-2025)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with two fat fingers of fluffy pale ivory head, good retention and heavy soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: white wine, tropical fruit, dank resiny pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, building bitter warming finish. (3/5)

The can says Nelson Sauvin pellets and cryo, Freestyle Mega Motueka, and Phantasm – but I dunno if that’s the full hop bill or not. It’s not bad, but gets a little edgy and bitter on the tongue, building through the finish and only slightly tempered by the ABV warming. I’ve got nothing against bitter beers as such, but if you’re going for hoppy and hazy, I prefer to keep that aspect under control. Yes, it’s balanced off a little by the weight, but the fact is most times I’d rather have two lighter gravity hazys than one heavier edgy one. But hey, that’s just me. (15/20)

This will be my 6,266th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Eighty-Eight Brewing Wham! – American IPA at 8% ABV (C$6.65 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 2-Oct-2025, acquired 13-Nov-2025, reviewed 18-Nov-2025)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of fine pale ivory head, excellent retention and heavy soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: pineapple, citrus, coconut, oats. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter tending slightly high. (8/10) Palate: creamy medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration finish. (4/5)

“Citra, Nelson, Galaxy, El Dorado”. I like this. It’s not quite creamsicle (though the body is slightly creamy) but there’s lots of pineapple and citrus, in addition to a little coconut. And there’s very little indication of the enthusiastic ABV, so you can happily drink these sneaky buggers until you suddenly fall over… and go Wham! (16/20)

This will be my 6,264th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Eighty-Eight Brewing Lost Boys – American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$6.25 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 14-Oct-2025, acquired 13-Nov-2025, reviewed 17-Nov-2025)

Appearance: clear pale gold with one fat finger of fluffy pale ivory head, excellent retention and heavy soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: stone fruit, resiny pine, citrus zest. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration off-dry bitter finish. (4/5)

Nice WCIPA, if maybe just a touch sweet for the style. (15/20)

This will be my 6,263rd unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company Shot In The Dark – Oatmeal Stout at 5.2% ABV (C$5.50 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 5-Nov-2025, acquired 13-Nov-2025, reviewed 17-Nov-2025)

Appearance: clear deep ruby/cola red with one fat finger of fine beige head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: dark chocolate, toasted bread, mild anise, slight ash. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration bitter finish. (4/5)

Nice, but maybe just a bit overly roasty, verging on ashy. I expect an Oatmeal Stout to lean a little more into the caramel sweetness and richness of the oats, while this tends a little drier, a bit more like a Dry Irish Stout. Still good, if maybe just a bit below this brewer’s normal standards. (15/20)

This will be my 6,262nd unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company Houseplants – Pilsner at 5% ABV (C$5.65 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 20-Oct-2025, acquired 13-Nov-2025, reviewed 16-Nov-2025)

Appearance: clear pale straw with one finger of fine white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: lemon zest, dank resin, grass. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, short moderate bitter finish. (4/5)

“Water Valley Saaz, Water Valley Cascade, Water Valley Chinook, YCH Cryo Fresh Simcoe” I don’t usually bother with Pilsners, but “fresh hop”, “West Coast”, and “The Establishment” are sufficient modifiers for me to consider it likely to be worthwhile. Was not disappointed, though purists might turn up their noses at it. Personally, I like the hoppy, grassy notes making it exactly what the label says. (16/20)

This will be my 6,261st unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com