Month: July 2026

Banished Brewing Ltd. Makes Sense – American IPA at 6% ABV (C$7.75 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 24-Jul-2026, reviewed 31-Jul-2026)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with one fat finger of fluffy pale ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, caramel, stone fruit, citrus. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration slightly sticky finish. (4/5)

Brewer notes say this is “packed with double the hops of any brew we’ve made, featuring Solero, Nelson Sauvin, and Citra.” I was expecting brighter, to be honest, and wonder if it’s getting a little elderly – too bad there’s no date code to know one way or the other. A little maltier than I like for the style, particularly through the finish. I had its little brother Session Makes Less Sense a couple of years ago, and think I actually prefer that one to this one. (14/20)

This will be my 6,463rd unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Superflux Beer Company Experimental IPA #80 – American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$7.15 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 24-Jun-2026, acquired 24-Jul-2026, reviewed 30-Jul-2026)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with one fat finger of fluffy pale ivory head, good retention, and well-defined soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, cereal grains, light dank resin. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration slightly sticky finish. (4/5)

“An Experimental Hazy IPA with Citra, Citra Cryo, and Rhapzody hops” First time encountering Rhapzody (aka “CIP 014”) and I’m assuming it’s responsible for the tropical fruit dominance here. There’s some citrus, but not as much as I’d expect for Citra/Cryo.  Pleasant enough, but not particularly memorable. (15/20)

This will be my 6,462nd unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Backcountry Brewing Laugh It Up Fuzzball – American Pale Ale at 5.7% ABV | 30 IBU (C$7.45 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 24-Jul-2026, reviewed 27-Jul-2026)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one finger of loose pale ivory head diminishing rapidly to a thin ring, spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, tropical fruit, cereal grains, light dank resin, faint coconut. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration finish. (4/5)

“Brewed with Krush and Idaho 7 hops” Nothing too exciting – it’s a bit above the middle of the pack, but ultimately it’s not particularly memorable. (15/20)

This will be my 6,458th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Born Brewing Co. Park Pass 010 – Session IPA at 4.2% ABV (C$5.85 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 1-Jul-2026, acquired 24-Jul-2026, reviewed 27-Jul-2026)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of loose pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical & stone fruit, field berries, cereal grains. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, short duration slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

“Hops: Krush + Talus.” I mean, it’s fine. For a Session. (14/20)

This will be my 6,457th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brasserie du Bas-Canada Ferme Moore – American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$11.65 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 3-Mar-2026, acquired 6-Jul-2026, reviewed 20-Jul-2026)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of pillowy pale ivory head, good retention and well-defined clingy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: melon, tropical fruit, white grape, dank resin. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

“DDH El Dorado, Nelson Sauvin, Amarillo, Motueka & Enigma” Nice one – fairly complex aroma and flavour profile, which is hardly surprising given the kitchen sink of hops they threw at this. Which sort of leads to a minor nitpick: it’s so hoppy that, even though I assume the majority of the hopping is dry, there’s a little hop burn through the finish. That’s a little out of character for a “traditional” hazy (whatever the hell that is, these days). I dunno if it’s any less stupid expensive at home, and if I actually cared about such things I’d probably say it wasn’t worth the price of admission – but I don’t, so I’m not. It’s an excellent beer that I’d love to try fresh on tap. (16/20)

This will be my 6,456th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Polyrhythm Brewing / Blindman Brewing Ballad of Simcoe – American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$6.25 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 6-Jul-2026, reviewed 18-Jul-2026)

Appearance: clear deep gold with two fingers of fluffy pale ivory head, excellent retention and well-defined clingy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: pine, citrus, pale malt, dank resin, light catty. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter finish. (3/5)

Simcoe T-90, Cryo, Hyperboost, and Quantum. I was expecting a lot more dank resiny pine character, to be honest. At least the typical catty notes I often associate with Simcoe are pretty sedate, but everything else is too, at least a little. It’s good, but that’s about it – I just can’t rank it top tier. (15/20)

This will be my 6,455th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Alley Kat Brewing Co. Cascadian Dark Ale – Black IPA at 6.0% ABV | 45 IBU (C$5.85 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 26-Feb-2026, acquired 6-Jul-2026, reviewed 15-Jul-2026)

Appearance: clear deep cola red with two fat fingers of fluffy beige head diminishing gradually to a thin ring, spotty soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: pine, cacao, toasted bread, citrus. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, dry bitter finish. (4/5)

Been a while since I had one of these – I guess the fad has been over for quite some time. Decent example of the style here, even-handed with a nice balance between the roasty malt and the hops. (15/20)

This will be my 6,453rd unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company / Annex Ale Project Mistadobalina – American IPA at 6% ABV (C$7.15 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 30-Jun-2026, acquired 6-Jul-2026, reviewed 14-Jul-2026)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of fine pale ivory head diminishing rapidly to a thin skim, moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: brightly juicy tropical fruit, citrus, cereal grains, light dank resin. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration mildly warming finish. (4/5)

This one exhibits very little Annex character, and it basically a standard The Establishment offering. Not to be overly snotty, but that’s all to the good. (16/20)

This will be my 6452nd unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Born Brewing Co. Down By The Bay – American Pale Lager at 5% ABV (C$5.90 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 6-Jul-2026, reviewed 14-Jul-2026)

Appearance: clear pale straw with two fingers of pillowy white head, excellent retention and moderate stringy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: watermelon flesh and rind, stony minerals, initial faint cattiness. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Palate: light body, moderate-lively carbonation, short crisp finish. (4/5)

This one definitely got better as it progressed. Upon first opening, there was a catty note (fine, a urine note) accompanied by green vegetal, and precious little sweet watermelon flesh. However, sweet watermelon gradually grew, while the less appetizing notes faded, making for an ultimately pleasant finish. Can’t say I’d particularly want another, though. (14/20)

This will be my 6451st unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company Exploding Rainbows – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.2% ABV (C$7.25 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 18-Jun-2026, acquired 6-Jul-2026, reviewed 13-Jul-2026)

Appearance: hazy medium gold with one finger of fine pale ivory head diminishing rapidly to a thin cap, moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, dank resin, cereal grains, hint of coconut. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry mildly warming finish. (4/5)

“Riwaka, Peacharine, Motueka, Citra Quantum”. I’m getting a hint of Sabra-ish coconut, and I’m not sure from where. Other than that, this is a pleasant blend of mixed fruits, and easy to drink for the weight. That being said, it’s just not wowing me for some reason. Don’t get me wrong: this is good, but it’s not really what I’ve come to expect for “white label good”, and is merely world-class. (16/20)

This will be my 6450th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com