Month: April 2026

The Establishment Brewing Company Strange Secrets Worth Knowing – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.2% ABV (C$6.25 at Safeway Liquor D’Arcy Crossing, 473 ml, packaged on 11-Mar-2026, acquired 12-Feb-2026, reviewed 23-Apr-2026)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of dense white head, excellent retention and heavy sheet lacing. (4/5) Aroma: orange creamsicle, light tropical fruit. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate-soft carbonation, smooth mildly warming slightly sticky finish. (4/5)

Freestyle NZ hops, but they don’t say which ones. Yes, I acknowledge I’m spoiled by having this in my own back yard, but I can only say “another amazing hazy” so many different ways. In fact, I’ll go one better: if I were on a tasting trip and got served this in some beer mecca, there’s probably a good chance I’d rate it higher – familiarity and contempt, and all that. But yes, this is great – though if I’m picking nits, it’s just a tiny bit simplistic, and the aroma could probably do with a little more depth and complexity. (17/20)

This will be my 6,390th unique Untappd check-in.

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Backcountry Brewing Vail? Nah, Looks Like The Guy Who Designed Wendy’s Went Nuts In Here – American Pale Ale at 5.5% ABV (C$7.15 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 7-Mar-2026, reviewed 8-Apr-2026)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with a short white head diminishing rapidly to a thin ring, moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: citrus, tropical fruit, coconut, melon, light pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration bitter finish. (4/5)

Nice aroma and flavour for a relatively light ABV, largely citrus aroma but definite notes of coconut from the Sabro hops. (15/20)

This will be my 6,379th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Polyrhythm Brewing Psych Pop Oat Cream IPA – American IPA at 6.9% ABV (C$6.00 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 7-Mar-2026, reviewed 8-Apr-2026)

Appearance: hazy medium gold with one finger of fine pillowy white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: pithy citrus, stone fruit, oats, mild pine. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration bitter finish. (4/5)

“Dry Hops: Nelson, Alora, Citra, Citra Cryo”. Quite nice: it tastes good, and despite maybe being slightly out of spec for the style the bitter finish is a welcome surprise when you’re worried it’ll be too sweet – but the aroma is really where this one shines, with a lovely pithy citrus dominating and underpinned by stone fruit, pine, and of course smooth oats. (16/20)

This will be my 6,378th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery Light Moves – Session IPA at 4% ABV (C$5.00 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 27-Jan-2026, acquired 7-Mar-2026, reviewed 5-Apr-2026)

Appearance: clear pale straw with two fingers of fine white head, excellent retention and heavy soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: melon, stone fruit, light pale crackery malt. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (6/10) Palate: light body, moderate-lively carbonation, short finish. (3/5)

This is largely a case of “it is what it is”, so I’m not grading the aroma or flavour by the same metrics I’d use for a real IPA. That being said, it still doesn’t completely satisfy me even so. And, I say “short” finish, but there’s a little something lingering in the back of my throat that’s neither expected nor desirable for such a light offering. It’s not terrible by any means, but it’s also not exactly a great example of how to accomplish the style. (14/20)

This will be my 6,377th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Backcountry Brewing Pop Quiz Hot Shot – American IPA at 6.5% ABV | 30 IBU (C$7.45 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 7-Mar-2026, reviewed 2-Apr-2026)

Appearance: hazy medium gold with one fat finger of fine pale ivory head diminishing rapidly to a thin cap, moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: sweet citrus, pineapple, mild pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium bitter slightly sweet finish. (3/5)

“fermentation dry hopped with Citra, Idaho 7 and Eldorado and then dry hopped post fermentation with the same”. This one smells and tastes pretty good, but I’ve got to mark it down a little on appearance (which, yes, is fairly trivial, but does matter a little) and finish (which matters a whole lot more). My biggest complaint here is that the sweet aroma carries through on the palate and into the finish, making this a little stickier than the ABV justifies. I don’t dislike it, but it would be a whole lot better if it were more attenuated. (15/20)

This will be my 6,376th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Born Brewing Co. South Peak – American IPA at 5.5% ABV | 20 IBU (C$5.65 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 7-Mar-2026, reviewed 2-Apr-2026)

Appearance: slightly hazy straw with one fat finger of loose white head diminishing rapidly to a thin cap, moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: melon, berries, light pine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, medium bitter off-dry finish. (4/5)

There’s nothing objectionable here, but there’s also not a whole lot else. The aroma certainly tends bright the way the label promises, but it’s also quite light. On the up side, that translates through into a fairly clean off-dry finish. A bit different than the norm, sure, but a bit too mild for my preference, even acknowledging the relatively benign ABV. (14/20)

This will be my 6,375th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Annex Ale Project / Born Brewing Co. Equal Measure – American IPA at 6% ABV (C$6.25 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 24-Feb-2026, acquired 7-Mar-2026, reviewed 2-Apr-2026)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of fluffy white head, excellent retention and moderate lacing. (5/5) Aroma: tropical & stone fruit, white grape, cereal grains, hint herbal. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium bitter finish. (4/5)

“Loaded with fresh 2025 crop Australian hops”. Well… if you say so. Neither the aroma nor the flavour speak of a plethora of hops to me. Relatively mild in both aroma and flavour, this is pleasant, but not much more than that. (15/20)

This will be my 6,374th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Eighty-Eight Brewing Feel the Noise – American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$6.35 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 7-Mar-2026, reviewed 31-Mar-2026)

Appearance: clear pale gold with two fingers of fluffy pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate lacing. (5/5) Aroma: pithy citrus, tropical fruit, resiny pine, pale crackery malt. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium bitter finish. (4/5)

A fairly classically-styled WCIPA, but with more modern (ANZ?) hops giving a flavour profile a bit more complex than the standard “citrus plus cannabis”. It’s interesting, which counts for a lot, but if I’m honest I’d like a bit more presence in the aroma. However, that’s a fairly minor quibble, so I think overall it crosses the line (if only barely) into world-class territory. (16/20)

This will be my 6,373rd unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Changing Colours Brewing Project Astro Zombies – American IPA at 6% ABV (C$6.75 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 12-Feb-2026, acquired 7-Mar-2026, reviewed 28-Mar-2026)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with a short off-white head diminishing rapidly to a persistent cap, moderate lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, berries, cereal grains. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium bitter finish. (4/5)

Simcoe Cryo, Dolcita, Mosaic Cryo. It’s good, but it doesn’t quite pop. (15/20)

This will be my 6,372nd unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Backcountry Brewing DDH Widowmaker – American IPA at 6.7% ABV | 30 IBU (C$7.55 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 7-Mar-2026, reviewed 28-Mar-2026)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with one fat finger of fluffy pale ivory head, good retention and soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical & stone fruit, floral, resiny pine, oats. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate carbonation, medium bitter finish. (4/5)

This is apparently their flagship Widowmaker but with double the hop bill (Citra and Mosaic). Well, I haven’t yet had Widowmaker, but now I don’t much see the point – I very much doubt I’ll prefer it over this more full-throated interpretation. Nice one, a pleasant implementation of two of my favourite hops. It’s a bit too… well, everything, to be considered crushable, but it’s definitely not overwhelming, sippable and enjoyable. (16/20)

This will be my 6,371st unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com