Category: Reviews

Brasserie d’Achouffe Chouffe Cherry – Fruit / Vegetable Beer at 8% ABV (C$7.35 at Collective, 330 ml, best before 30-Sep-2026, acquired 13-Nov-2025, reviewed 13-Nov-2025)

Appearance: clear deep cola red with one finger of fine ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: sweet cherry, hint almond. (7/10) Taste: high sweet, moderate tart, low bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, sweet slightly sticky finish. (3/5)

This is a full-frontal assault of sweet cherry, and not much else. I bought it mostly because it’s been ages since I had a Houblon Chouffe, or for that matter any true Belgian, but it’s a bit of a disappointment compared to their real beers because it’s so very sweet. I dunno, others apparently like this, but for me it’s just too one-dimensional. (14/20)

This will be my 6,257th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company / Burdock Brewing Duckworth – Vienna Lager at 5.5% ABV (C$4.50 at Safeway Liquor D’Arcy Crossing, 473 ml, packaged on 17-Oct-2025, acquired 4-Nov-2025, reviewed 6-Nov-2025)

Appearance: clear pale amber with one finger of fine ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: toasted bread, herbal/floral. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, moderately bitter slightly spicy finish. (4/5)

Not bad – pleasant toasty malts, with a little noble hop character coming through, typical for the style. (It’s not like this style is ever going to be particularly exciting, so “pleasant” is probably as good as you’re likely to find.) I do think the bitterness and spiciness through the finish are a bit more than the style guide suggests to be appropriate, though. (15/20)

This will be my 6,256th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company Trippin’ The Life Fantastic – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.2% ABV (C$5.62 at Safeway Liquor D’Arcy Crossing, 473 ml, packaged on 24-Oct-2025, acquired 4-Nov-2025, reviewed 4-Nov-2025)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with two fat fingers of pillowy pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: orange creamsicle, stone fruit, hint of pine resin. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter mildly warming finish. (4/5)

“Rakau, Peacharine, Motueka” Ho-hum, another great Imperial Hazy from a local brewery. I assume this is what people who live near Treehouse or Trillium feel like. As far as I know, this is my first encounter with Peacharine hops, a dual-purpose from NZ, but I rather suspect it won’t be my last. (17/20)

This will be my 6,255th unique Untappd check-in.

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

948 Brewing Company No Joke – American IPA at 6.2% ABV (C$4.62 at Millarville General Store, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 1-Nov-2025, reviewed 1-Nov-2025)

Appearance: brown-tinged pale amber with one fat finger of pillowy pale beige head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: sweet caramel malt, light grass, hint of cardboard. (5/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (5/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, sweetish medium bitter finish. (3/5)

The label claims a “massive hop nose from juicy tropical hops”. Uh, no. Looks and smells oxidized, but I can’t find a date code to excuse anything. (And how exactly does a can oxidize? I thought that was one of the big improvements over glass?) At best, this is very old-fashioned, but more like a bland malty mess. No joke? Maybe, but no great shakes either. A pretty inauspicious introduction to a new-to-me local brewery. (11/20)

This will be my 6,252nd unique Untappd check-in.

5.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery Paranormal – Spice / Herb / Vegetable Beer at 10% ABV (C$6.75 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 7-Aug-2025, acquired 9-Sep-2025, reviewed 31-Oct-2025)

Appearance: clear medium amber with two fat fingers of pillowy beige head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: sweet, cinnamon, nutmeg. (7/10) Taste: high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate-lively carbonation, sweet lingering bitter warming edgy finish. (2/5)

That’s a lot. Pretty as all git out, but a fairly simple aroma that’s heavy on the typical spices, and then it slides further downhill on the taste and the finish, ending up edgy, bitter, and boozy. All in all, a hot mess. (13/20)

This will be my 6,251st unique Untappd check-in.

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Field House Brewing Co. Strawberry Raspberry Lime Sour (Fresh Batch #025) – Sour / Wild Ale at 6.0% ABV (C$12.85 at Collective, 500 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 20-Oct-2025, reviewed 28-Oct-2025)

Appearance: murky pink with a short, short-lived fizzy pinkish head, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: lactic sour, field berries, faint lime. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high tart, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, lively carbonation, short tart finish. (4/5)

Far as I can tell, this is exactly the same base beer as their Blueberry Cherry Vanilla Sour, except with a different fruit puree added. This one is probably a little tarter as a result of the raspberry and lime in this one – the lime in particular comes through brightly toward the end, almost retronasally – but they’re otherwise not worlds apart. (15/20)

This will be my 6,250th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Field House Brewing Co. Blueberry Cherry Vanilla Sour (Fresh Batch #027) – Sour / Wild Ale at 6.0% ABV (C$12.85 at Collective, 500 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 20-Oct-2025, reviewed 28-Oct-2025)

Appearance: cloudy reddish purple with a short, short-lived fizzy pinkish head, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: lactic sour, stone fruit, hint of vanilla. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high tart, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, lively carbonation, short tart finish. (4/5)

This is part of their “BRRL Room” series, the naming of which implies barrel aging. That may well be the case, but this to me seems an awful lot like a standard lactic kettle sour with some fruit puree (I suppose it could be cherry, but I’m not sure I’m getting any blueberry) and a bit of barrel conditioning. It’s not without its charms, but it falls short in complexity compared to true wilds. (15/20)

This will be my 6,249th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Steamworks Brewing Company Pumpkin Ale – Spice / Herb / Vegetable at 6.5% ABV (C$4.65 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 10-Sep-2025, acquired 20-Oct-2025, reviewed 26-Oct-2025)

Appearance: clear deep amber with two fingers of rocky pale beige head, excellent retention and minimal soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: mild, spices, pumpkin. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, medium duration bitter finish. (4/5)

I suppose it’s almost Halloween, so I might as well do the obligatory pumpkin ale or two. Only mild amounts of the standard issue “pumpkin spice” on the front end for this one, and there’s actually a little real pumpkin present in the aroma. The taste, however, is completely sweet pumpkin spice – or maybe pumpkin pie, if you’re feeling a little more generous.  Although it’s a bit sweet through the mid, that falls off fairly quickly, and it ends with a fairly respectable medium duration bitter finish without excess sweetness. I don’t hate this, though I’m not sure I’d want to drink more than one. (15/20)

This will be my 6,248th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

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