Author: dpatrickryan

Bellwoods Brewery Jelly King Raspberry & Meyer Lemon – Sour / Wild Ale at 5.6% ABV (C$14.25 at Collective, 500 ml, packaged on 31-Mar-2021, acquired 10-Jun-2021, reviewed 27-Jun-2021)

Appearance: hazy pink with two fingers of loose pale pink head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, minimal lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tart raspberry, lemon. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high tart, moderate sweet, low bitter. (8/10) Medium-light body, lively carbonation, off-dry short duration tart finish. (4/5)

I think the only variant of this I’ve had where the adjunct actually works with the base character is the Guava. With pretty much every other one, the adjunct becomes the central focus. In most cases, that’s been a little bit of a detraction for me, and I’ve generally preferred the original. And, that’s the case again here, but perhaps not to the extent I was worried it would be: I was thinking that the combination of raspberry and Meyer lemon would result in overwhelming tartness, but it’s merely emphatic. However, fruit does completely dominate the aroma, rendering any underlying hop character undetectable, to its detriment. (16/20)

8/10 ryansbooze.com #ryansbooze

Medicine Hat Brewing Co. / Valley Brewing Reaper of Death 2.0 Double NEIPA – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.8% ABV | 34 IBU (C$4.85 at Liquorville Legacy, 473 ml, packaged on 1-Jun-2021, acquired 25-Jun-2021, reviewed 27-Jun-2021)

Appearance: hazy straw with two fingers of loose off-white head diminishing gradually to a persistent cap, moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, cereal grains, resiny pine, coconut. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter warming finish. (4/5)

Label notes say this is hopped with Azacca, Eclipse, El Dorado, Idaho 7, Sabro Cryo, and Pink Boots Hop. That’s a bit more complex than the first version of this I had, just over a year ago, which listed only Azacca, Idaho 7, and Sabro Cryo. (This is also the first time I’ve encountered the concept of Pink Boots hops, but apparently there’ve been four such blends to date, with the current one consisting of Cashmere, Ahtanum, Citra, Loral, ​and Sabro.) I really don’t feel like the added complexity is helping here. Specifically, I thought the first one was heavily Idaho 7 dominated, making it some holy shit dank-ass dankitude. This one has got a lot more tropical fruit, and maybe even a little Sabro coconut, cutting the dank and making it feel sweeter. (15/20)

7.5/10 ryansbooze.com #ryansbooze

Banded Peak Brewery Mount Crushmore – Pilsner at 4.4% ABV | 26 IBU (C$3.79 at Liquorville Legacy, 473 ml, packaged on 25-Mar-2021, acquired 25-Jun-2021, reviewed 27-Jun-2021)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale straw with two fingers of loose white head diminishing rapidly to a thin ring, minimal spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: grass, pale crackers malt, citrus. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Palate: light body, moderate-lively carbonation, crisp short finish. (4/5)

The brewer notes say this is hopped with Citra, Amarillo, and Summit, but all I’m getting is the normal grassy Pilsner character, with maybe just a hint of citrus. Might’ve been fresher last time I had it, affecting the hop expression? (14/20)

7/10 ryansbooze.com #ryansbooze

Collective Arts Brewing IPA No. 17 – American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$5.25 at Liquorville Legacy, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 25-Jun-2021, reviewed 26-Jun-2021)

Appearance: hazy straw with one finger of loose white head diminishing rapidly to nothing, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: grapefruit zest, stone fruit, faint tropical fruit. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high tart, moderate sweet, low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, lively carbonation, dry short duration tart finish. (3/5)

I’m pretty done with kettle sours, so I almost didn’t pick this up. But, it’s Collective, and the can says it’s hopped with Amarillo, Columbus, Ekuanot Cyro, and El Dorado, so I figured, what the hell? I was pleased to note that the aroma was basically all hops, and to the extent any sourness at all was present, it felt like grapefruit zest instead of a kettle lactic. That came through on the tongue as well, particularly through the finish, where it felt almost Radler-like. Overall, however, I don’t think it entirely works. Although it’s not really puckeringly so, the tartness largely overwhelms the other flavours, and the sweetness tends slightly high, resulting in a bit of a disconnect from the pleasantly hoppy aroma. I’m not exactly unhappy with it, and could maybe have graded it just a touch higher, but ultimately it’s not a complete success. (14/20)

7/10 ryansbooze.com #ryansbooze

Annex Ale Project Focal Shift San Diego Style IPA (Batch 104) – American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$5.25 at Liquorville Legacy, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 20-Jun-2021, reviewed 25-Jun-2021)

Appearance: clear medium gold with two fingers of rocky off-white head, good retention and spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: pine, floral, caramel, citrus, melon. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Old-school without feeling too old-fashioned, this is very much a reminder of how the West Coast style used to roll. The label says this is hopped with Simcoe, Centennial, Amarillo, and Chinook, and I’m getting pretty much what you’d hope to from that blend: pine, floral, and citrus on a clean caramel background, and an emphatic lingering bitterness. (The label also says “No gods, no masters”, to which I can add only, “Fuck yeah!” And yes, I’m well aware of how silly it is for a well-off middle-aged white male to be an anarchist, to which I respond “Do I contradict myself? Very well then I contradict myself, (I am large, I contain multitudes.)”) (15/20)

7.5/10 ryansbooze.com #ryansbooze

The Establishment Brewing Company We Are Floating In Space – Triple IPA at 10.5% ABV (C$6.00 at Liquorville Legacy, 473 ml, packaged on 8-Jun-2021, acquired 20-Jun-2021, reviewed 23-Jun-2021)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of fluffy off-white head, excellent retention and minimal lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, white grape, oats and pale malts. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium pillowy body, moderate carbonation, building bitter warming finish. (4/5)

Never hurts to be reminded of our place in the universe… Lots of different malts here (Origin Malting Pilsner, 2 Row, Flaked Oats, Flaked Wheat, Malted Wheat, and Cara-Pils) but only two hops, albeit one in three different forms (Citra, Citra Incognito, Citra Cryo, and Nelson Sauvin), and of course Foggy London yeast. There’s no missing the emphatic alcohol content, but it never becomes harsh. Similarly, there are emphatic sweetness and bitterness on the tongue, but well balanced and tempered by the soft body. All in all, a beast – but an easy-drinking one. (16/20)

8/10 ryansbooze.com #ryansbooze

Collective Arts Brewing Matter of Fact – Blond Ale at 4.8% ABV (C$4.50 at Liquorville Legacy, 473 ml, packaged on 12-Apr-2021, acquired 20-Jun-2021, reviewed 23-Jun-2021)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of fluffy off-white head, excellent retention and minimal lacing. (4/5) Aroma: oily citrus zest, floral, pale malt, light melon. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, crisp short duration mild bitter finish. (4/5)

Brewer notes say this is hopped with Ella, Centennial, and Citra, making for interesting dry-hop aromatics on a clean base Blond. Impressively flavourful for a relatively light beer. They’ve been here before – Saint of Circumstance comes to mind – but I think this is done slightly better. (16/20)

8/10 ryansbooze.com #ryansbooze

Banded Peak Brewery Tail Wave – American IPA at 6.4% ABV | 45 IBU (C$4.49 at Liquorville Legacy, 473 ml, packaged on 10-May-2021, acquired 20-Jun-2021, reviewed 22-Jun-2021)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of fluffy off-white head, good retention and minimal lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus zest, tropical & stone fruit, pale malt. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium slightly creamy body, moderate-soft carbonation, short duration mild bitter finish. (4/5)

In quick succession I drank both this “East Coast” ale by Banded Peak, and their “West Coast” ale. They’re nearly identically the same ABV, but this one drinks far softer and easier, though not really sweeter. That’s not to denigrate the West Coast brother from another mother, just to underscore how differences in style can give rise to dramatically different profiles quite independently of ABV. This one is also slightly prettier, with better head retention and lacing. Advantage: East Coast. (16/20)

8/10 ryansbooze.com #ryansbooze

Banded Peak Brewery Mount Columbia – American IPA at 6.5% ABV | 72 IBU (C$4.74 at Liquorville Legacy, 473 ml, packaged on 25-Feb-2021, acquired 20-Jun-2021, reviewed 22-Jun-2021)

Appearance: hazy pale amber with one fat finger of loose pale ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin ring, minimal lacing. (3/5) Aroma: dank resiny pine, citrus, caramel. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry lingering building bitter finish. (4/5)

Well, it ain’t pretty, that’s for sure. But, it’s a decent example of the style, with emphatic dank resiny pine and citrus over top of appropriate-weight caramel. I drank several of these while running my Father’s Day smoker, and didn’t get bored of them, and that’s not nothing. (15/20)

7.5/10 ryansbooze.com #ryansbooze

Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel! Lazer Lager – American Pale Lager at 4.3% ABV (C$5.00 at Liquorville Legacy, 473 ml, packaged on 13-Apr-2021, acquired 20-Jun-2021, reviewed 20-Jun-2021)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale straw with two fingers of pillowy white head, excellent retention and well-defined soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: mild, floral, grass, crackery cereal grains, citrus. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Palate: light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry short duration lightly spicy finish. (4/5)

The label says this is hopped with Ariana, which I’ve found to have interesting complexity in some applications. Here, however, it’s sort of bridging a fairly typical Pilsner-like noble hop profile with some hints of American-style citrus hops. It’s not unpleasant by any means, and pretty decent for a low-ABV Lager. Also a good one to start my day of running the smoker! (15/20)

7.5/10 ryansbooze.com #ryansbooze