Author: dpatrickryan

Spearhead Brewing Company Festbier Copper Lager – Festbier at 5.2% ABV (2024 BeerAdvent Calendar #23, 473 ml, packaged on 9-Jul-2024, acquired 23-Nov-2024, reviewed 23-Dec-2024)

Appearance: slightly hazy medium amber with one fat finger of fine pale ivory head, excellent retention and  moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: bready caramel, light floral, hint of red berries. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, sweetish medium duration finish. (4/5)

There are some all-malt styles that I actually enjoy, and Festbier is one of them. And, this isn’t a bad example of the style. Not to mention, it’s actually halfway seasonal. I guess I have to call this OK and move on. (14/20)

This will be my 6,055th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

AleSmith Brewing Company Tropical Party Tricks – American IPA at 6.8% ABV (C$5.31 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 11-Sep-2024, acquired 28-Nov-2024, reviewed 22-Dec-2024)

Appearance: clear pale gold with one fat finger of loose white head, good retention and spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: sweet pineapple and tropical fruit, cream, citrus. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter, light tart. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, sweetish medium duration finish. (4/5)

With Citra, El Dorado, Strata, Mango, and Pineapple. Very much dominated by the pineapple and mango tropical adjuncts, but it doesn’t not work. I’m not sure I could drink very many of these, but I wouldn’t actually say no to another one, and that’s pretty much the acid test, right? (16/20)

This will be my 6,054th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Blood Brothers Brewing Blood 5.0 – Traditional Ale at 5% ABV (2024 BeerAdvent Calendar #22, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 23-Nov-2024, reviewed 22-Dec-2024)

Appearance: slightly hazy straw with one fat finger of rocky white head, excellent retention and heavy soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: bready caramel, mixed fruits, mild grass. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, slightly sweetish medium duration finish. (3/5)

Hah! When I pulled the can out of the Advent Calendar, my immediate thought was “Labatt 50??!?!” so it wasn’t actually a surprise to read the brewer description of taking ingredients from one of their “nostalgic go-to beers.” It’s certainly reminiscent of that, although with a bit more character. Not bad, and certainly deserving of a bit more than “It’s wet.”. (14/20)

This will be my 6,053rd unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Skeleton Park Brewery Proper – Premium Bitter / ESB at 4.5% ABV | 28 IBU (2024 BeerAdvent Calendar #21, 473 ml, packaged on 11-Jul-2024, acquired 23-Nov-2024, reviewed 21-Dec-2024)

Appearance: slightly hazy deep gold with one fat finger of fine pale ivory head, good retention and minimal spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: bready caramel, light floral, hints of grape must. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, slightly sweetish short duration finish. (4/5)

Fairly traditional English Bitter from a new-to-me brewery. Props for using a locally-rediscovered hop that was apparently imported to the region a couple of centuries ago. I actually don’t mind the carbonation being just slightly high for the style, but purists might quibble. Not bad overall. (14/20)

This will be my 6,052nd unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

2 Crows Brewing Badabing! – Pilsner at 5.5% ABV (2024 BeerAdvent Calendar #20, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 23-Nov-2024, reviewed 20-Dec-2024)

Appearance: slightly hazy straw with two fingers of pillowy white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: grass/herbal, honey, citrus. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate-lively carbonation, slightly sweetish short duration finish. (4/5)

A bit sad to say, but I actually started to get my hopes up when I saw the colour scheme, thinking it might actually be seasonal. Yeah. As if. That being said, it’s a decent pilsner, so it would be unfair to the brewer to complain about that aspect of it. Pleasant flavour and fairly crushable, but just a bit too sweet for my preference. (15/20)

This will be my 6,051st unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Prince Edward Island Brewing Company Gahan Vic Park – American Pale Ale at 5.0% ABV | 40 IBU (2024 BeerAdvent Calendar #19, 473 ml, packaged on 11-Jul-2024, acquired 23-Nov-2024, reviewed 19-Dec-2024)

Appearance: slightly hazy medium gold with one fat finger of fluffy white head, good retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: grapefruit, pine, pale malt, grass. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Medium-light body tending somewhat thin, moderate carbonation, off-dry moderate duration bitter finish. (3/5)

Another repeat in the Advent Calendar, again from eight years ago. As I said then, this verges a bit towards the simplistic, but for what it is, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. (14/20)

This is not a unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Cabin Brewing Company Hyper Saturation – American IPA at 7% ABV (C$6.14 at Okotoks Co-Op, 473 ml, packaged on 23-Nov-2024, acquired 12-Dec-2024, reviewed 18-Dec-2024)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of pillowy pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: tropical & stone fruit, citrus, cereal grains. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: smooth medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, sweetish medium duration finish. (4/5)

See, the thing about Cabin is that they’re actually world-class, so when they try to be all cynically ironic and hype-tastic, it still works. Yeah, they pretty much threw the kitchen sink at it and it’s a little bit over the top – so? My only nitpick of this one is that ultimately it’s a bit too sweet for my preference. Others might well disagree, but this is my review, so there. (16/20)

This will be my 6,050th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Tool Shed Brewing Company Pete’s Pils – Pilsner at 4.5% ABV (2024 BeerAdvent Calendar #18, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 23-Nov-2024, reviewed 18-Dec-2024)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale gold with one fat finger of pillowy pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: mild, bready caramel, grass, hint of citrus. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate-lively carbonation, sweetish medium duration finish. (3/5)

Oh. Good. Another Lager in the Advent Calendar. Yes, fine, it’s an OK Pils, but as far as holiday seasonal styles go, this is like kissing your sister. (13/20)

This will be my 6,049th unique Untappd check-in.

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Manual Labour Beer Co. That’s Gold – Golden Ale at 4.6% ABV (2024 BeerAdvent Calendar #17, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 23-Nov-2024, reviewed 17-Dec-2024)

Appearance: hazy medium gold with two fingers of fluffy pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: bready malt, floral, hint of citrus. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, medium duration slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

Doughy yeast dominates this, with a hint of citrus (or maybe berries) underneath. The flavour is fairly unremarkable, and there’s a slight but unwelcome sharpness through the finish. Just dull. (12/20)

This will be my 6,048th unique Untappd check-in.

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Burdock Brewing Deluxe Golden Lager – Helles Lager at 4.5% ABV (2024 BeerAdvent Calendar #16, 473 ml, packaged on 5-Jul-2024, acquired 23-Nov-2024, reviewed 16-Dec-2024)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale gold with one fat finger of rocky white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: bready caramel, faint orchard fruit & grass. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, lively carbonation, off-dry short finish. (4/5)

I think the Advent Calendar is literally half Lagers at this point – because nothing says “Christmas” like a low weight Lager, right? Gah. Anyway, that’s not Burdock’s fault, I guess. So, rating this on its merits, it’s actually a solid example of the style, very Germanic and low-key authentic. I may be going a touch enthusiastic on the scoring, but the fact is there’s absolutely nothing wrong with this, and the flavour profile is actually a bit impressive for such a low ABV. (16/20)

This will be my 6,046th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com