Author: dpatrickryan

Driftwood Brewery Sartori Harvest IPA (2025) – American IPA at 7% ABV (C$7.25 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 19-Sep-2025, acquired 20-Oct-2025, reviewed 25-Oct-2025)

Appearance: clear pale amber with two fingers of fluffy pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: resiny pine, light caramel, herbal, faint citrus. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Driftwood can knock out an IPA, and their annual fresh hop is no exception. I missed last year’s, but I’m sure it was the same as this one… and the previous year’s… and the year before that… and, well, fine, they just keep doing a truly excellent IPA, so sue them. That being said, I’m wavering just a hair on scoring, and wonder if maybe this year’s hop harvest wasn’t quite up to snuff. Bottom line, maybe just a little lower score than some previous versions, but still pretty great. (17/20)

Not a unique Untappd check-in.

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Category 12 Brewing Fresh Hop IPA (2025) – American IPA at 6% ABV | 58 IBU (C$6.75 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 15-Sep-2025, acquired 20-Oct-2025, reviewed 25-Oct-2025)

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

Single-hopped with fresh Centennial. Solid, with an emphatic piney presence on a caramel malt backbone. I like it, but I don’t love it: neither the aroma nor the taste have the kind of bright presence I like in a hop showcase. (15/20)

This will be my 6,247th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Powell Street Craft Brewery / Small Gods Brewing Co. Monsters Like Us – Saison at 5.5% ABV (C$6.25 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 20-Oct-2025, reviewed 23-Oct-2025)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one finger of loose white head diminishing gradually to nothing, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: citrus, horseblankety funk, floral, faint tropical fruit. (7/10) Taste: mild funky tart, moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, mildly funky lingering bitter slightly sharp finish. (3/5)

I generally like the Saison (Farmhouse, whatever) style, but this one is a bit inconsistent. In particular, despite the fairly mild aroma it tastes a bit more bitter than I consider appropriate to the style, continuing with a slightly sharp and edgy finish. Not a complete success for me. (13/20)

This will be my 6,246th unique Untappd check-in.

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Bellwoods Brewery / Outer Range Brewing Co. Cheers – American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$8.15 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 15-Sep-2025, acquired 20-Oct-2025, reviewed 22-Oct-2025)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with one fat finger of pillowy pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, cereal grains, light pine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-full carbonation, short duration building bitter finish. (4/5)

I’m not sure I would characterize this as a West Coast, seeing how it’s hazy and citrus-dominant, with only mild pine. I suppose there’s a little more resin character as the finish builds, but overall there’s not a lot of complexity. (15/20)

This will be my 6,245th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company / Blindman Brewing New Friends – Pilsner at 5.4% ABV (C$5.75 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 2-Oct-2025, acquired 20-Oct-2025, reviewed 21-Oct-2025)

Appearance: clear straw with one fat finger of pillowy white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: white wine, cereal grains. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, short duration finish. (4/5)

Definitely has the vinous character one would expect for something labelled “New Zealand Pilsner” but it’s just not as bright and cheerful as I was expecting. And yes, I’ve said this before about The Establishment, but when you make a habit of excelling, you’ve got to expect this, so: it’s merely good, not great.(15/20)

This will be my 6,244th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company Well Acquainted – Czech Pilsner at 5% ABV (C$5.15 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 22-Sep-2025, acquired 20-Oct-2025, reviewed 21-Oct-2025)

Appearance: clear deep gold with one finger of fine white head, excellent retention and well-defined soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: bready caramel, grass, faint floral. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, short duration clean bitter finish. (4/5)

Yep, that’s how you do a Czech Pils. All about the malt yet not excessively sweet, balanced bitterness for a clean finish. (16/20)

This will be my 6,243rd unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

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