Category: Reviews

Sierra Nevada Cosmic Little Thing IPA – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8% ABV | 35 IBU (C$6.55 at Collective, 568 ml, packaged on 23-Feb-2024, acquired 28-May-2024, reviewed 2-Jun-2024)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale gold with two fingers of fine white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, berry, melon, pale crackery malt, slight dank, hint of pissiness. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, sweetish mildly warming finish. (4/5)

Comet, Strata, and Helios hops. I understand that it’s part of the “Little Things” family, but should it be? I mean, in what sense – packaging, flavour, or ABV – is this “Little”? I don’t think it’s actually too long in the can, but it probably wasn’t helped by that. More importantly, I’m getting a hint of Simcoe-ish cat pissiness as it warms, which can arguably have its place in e.g. a WCIPA, but probably not in a supposedly NE-style / hazy IPA. On the other hand, it carries the high ABV very well, with almost no hint of that coming through. All in all, it’s good, sure – but not great. (15/20)

This will be my 5,839th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

RavenWolf Brewing Co. Ltd. Lil’ Hazy Experiment – American Pale Ale at 5% ABV (C$4.63 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 28-May-2024, reviewed 2-Jun-2024)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale gold with one fat finger of loose white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: grass, citrus, pale crackery malt. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry finish. (4/5)

Meh. Better than the first one of theirs I had, but still a bit a middle-of-the-road offering of a middle-of-the-road style. (14/20)

This will be my 5,838th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company Paradise Circus – American IPA at 6.2% ABV (C$6.00 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 15-May-2024, acquired 28-May-2024, reviewed 2-Jun-2024)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fat fingers of fluffy white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: juicy tropical fruit, citrus, melon/berry, lactose, cereal grains, hint of dank cannabis. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (9/10) Palate: smooth medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration finish. (4/5)

A locally-made world-class hazy IPA canned two weeks ago? I’m SO spoiled… The brewer describes the hopping as “a Mosaic-heavy hop bill that includes a juicy experimental from Yakima Chief (Mosaic 701) and some supporting Nelson Sauvin”.  I’ve called the sweetness level moderate here, though it might edge just slightly higher than that – but it’s definitely not as high as one might expect give the super juicy and sweet aromas. Helluva nice beer. (17/20)

This will be my 5,837th unique Untappd check-in.

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

RavenWolf Brewing Co. Ltd. Groovy Session Ale – Session IPA at 4.5% ABV | 36 IBU (C$5.00 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 28-May-2024, reviewed 1-Jun-2024)

Appearance: clear deep gold with two fat fingers of loose pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: grass, citrus, caramel. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration finish. (4/5)

Not bad, I suppose, but very much a throwback style where noble-style grassy hops dominate. (13/20)

This will be my 5,836th unique Untappd check-in.

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Born Brewing Co. (Born Colorado Brewing) Airglow Anniversary Hazy IPA – American IPA at 6.5% ABV | 28 IBU (C$4.90 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 16-Apr-2024, acquired 7-May-2024, reviewed 31-May-2024)

Appearance: hazy particulate-laden pale gold with two fingers of fluffy white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: juicy berry, citrus, cereal grains. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration finish. (4/5)

The brewer refers to “the use of Strata hops” but doesn’t say it’s a single-hop. Juicy and pleasant, if not particularly noteworthy – unless you count the “chunky style” appearance. (Which, unless I actually have to chew the floaties, I don’t particularly mind all that much.) (15/20)

This will be my 5,835th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Irrational Brewing Company Exp. Opacity 11 – American IPA at 6% ABV (C$5.31 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 7-May-2024, reviewed 30-May-2024)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of rocky white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: juicy tropical fruit, orange juice, cereal grains, floral. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, medium duration clean finish. (4/5)

“New Zelda Hazy IPA w/ Riwaka”, malted with Pilsner, Malted Oats, Flaked Oats, Chit Malt, and Malted Wheat. I think this might be the first Riwaka single-hop I’ve had, and I have to say, it’s really working for me. Juicy tropical fruit and orange juice, without being sickly sweet, and a short finish that verges on dry. I haven’t had many by this brewery, but this ties with their Turbidity as the best thing of theirs I’ve had. (16/20)

This will be my 5,834th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Rebellion Brewing Co. Astro Comet – American Pale Ale at 4.5% ABV (C$4.81 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 20-Mar-2024, acquired 7-May-2024, reviewed 22-May-2024)

Appearance: clear straw with one fat finger of rocky pale ivory head diminishing rapidly to a thin skim, spotty soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: melon, citrus, grass. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate-lively carbonation, short clean finish. (4/5)

Single-hopped with SK-grown Comet hops, making it very much your grandfather’s hop profile. To be fair, though, this is reasonably well done, with a clean flavour profile and crisp finish. (14/20)

This will be my 5,833rd unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Cabin Brewing Company Yardarm – Session IPA at 4.4% ABV (C$4.89 at Ace Liquor Okotoks, 473 ml, packaged on 25-Apr-2024, acquired 18-May-2024, reviewed 22-May-2024)

Appearance: slightly hazy straw with two fingers of rocky pale ivory head diminishing gradually to a thick persistent cap, spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: mild, citrus, grass, hint of tropical fruit. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate-lively carbonation, short clean finish. (4/5)

Hopped with Simcoe, Centennial, and HBC 586. It’s not bad, but it’s pretty near the bottom for this brewery. It’s got nowhere near the usual intense hoppiness they usually accomplish, and comes perilously close to needing the dreaded “for a Session” qualifier. (14/20)

This will be my 5,832nd unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Hop Butcher For The World Lord Octopus – American Double/Imperial IPA at 7.5% ABV (C$10.25 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 7-May-2024, reviewed 21-May-2024)

Appearance: hazy medium gold with one fat finger of rocky pale ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: overripe tropical & stone fruit, floral, caramel, citrus, vegetal. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate-soft carbonation, short clean finish. (4/5)

Hopped with Mosaic and Mosaic Cryo. A bit thick and overdone, with fruit notes that come across as overripe and floral, with vegetal hints. It’s hard to put my finger on precisely how this falls short, but it’s just not a complete success for me, and leaves me wondering if Mosaic single-hop might be prone to this issue. A quick search suggests I’ve encountered similar overripeness in at least one other single-hop Mosaic (Field House’s Cryo Pop Mosaic DIPA) but also a couple better (Collective Arts’ Mosaic Four Ways and Eighty-Eight’s Power Wheels) so I’m not sure. (15/20)

This will be my 5,832nd unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Tool Shed Brewing Company Golden Hour – American Pale Ale at 5.5% ABV (C$4.72 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 7-May-2024, reviewed 21-May-2024)

Appearance: hazy medium gold with two fingers of rocky pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical & stone fruit, citrus, cereal grains. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light tart. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, short clean finish. (4/5)

Started off quite juicy, to the point where I initially wondered if there was a fruit juice adjunct. There was an initial intense pineapple note that I quite liked, and that continued retronasally throughout. Ultimately, though, it just ended up being a little bit thin, coming across a little bit like a watered-down IPA. Good, but not great. (15/20)

This will be my 5,831st unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com