RyansBooze

Born Brewing Co. Park Pass 008 – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.1% ABV (C$5.75 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 14-Dec-2026, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 18-Jan-2026)

Appearance: clear pale amber with one fat finger of fine pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: resiny pine, caramel malt, pithy citrus, earth. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate carbonation, bitter warming finish. (4/5)

An old(er)-fashioned West Coast-leaning DIPA with significant malt character. Big and bitter, but not to the point of being unbalanced, with an appropriate mild warming. (15/20)

This will be my 6,336th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Polyrhythm Brewing Batter Head – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8% ABV (C$6.25 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 22-Dec-2025, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 17-Jan-2026)

Appearance: clear pale gold with one fat finger of fluffy white head, good retention and moderate chunky lacing. (5/5) Aroma: zesty citrus, resiny pine, cereal grains. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, bitter warming finish. (4/5)

“Dry hops: Citra, Mosaic, Simcoe, Strata Hyperboost” Not bad, but falls just a little short: the aroma’s not quite bright enough and the flavour tends just a little bitter. It’s not overly bitter or boozy, but it definitely communicates both. (15/20)

This will be my 6,335th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Propeller Brewery Peanut Butter Cup Dessert Stout – American Stout at 5.8% ABV (C$6.85 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 17-Jan-2026)

Appearance: clear deep brown with a short beige head diminishing rapidly to a thin ring, moderate sheet lacing. (4/5) Aroma: sweet chocolate, nuts, oats and toasted grains. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration slightly thin finish. (3/5)

Nicely done – I could easily have been convinced there were actual peanut butter cups in the brew on this one. More impressively, perhaps, is the restrained sweetness. My only real complaint is that I found it to be just a touch thin, and think that a heavier, creamier body would fit the flavour profile a little better. (15/20)

This will be my 6,334th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Blood Brothers Brewing Echo Vine – American IPA at 6.2% ABV (C$7.65 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 9-Dec-2025, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 16-Jan-2026)

Appearance: hazy straw with one finger of fine pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: sweet tropical fruit, citrus, cereal grains. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration slightly sweetish finish. (3/5)

“w/ Superdelic & Citra” Not quite as bright and hoppy as I like to see the style, but pleasant enough on the tongue. Finishes a little sweet. (15/20)

This will be my 6,333rd unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Born Brewing Co. Lift Pass – American IPA at 7.0% ABV (C$5.75 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 16-Jan-2026)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of fluffy pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, cereal grains, resiny pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration sweetish mildly warming finish with a slight edge. (3/5)

I don’t dislike it, but the sweetness through the mid falls off sort of suddenly to finish with just a little edginess not entirely offset by the slight ABV warming. It’s almost a case of not being able to make up its mind whether it’s a Hazy or not. Still and all, not bad. (15/20)

This will be my 6,332nd unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company Shine A Light – American IPA at 6.8% ABV (C$6.35 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 15-Dec-2025, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 14-Jan-2026)

Appearance: clear pale gold with one fat finger of fluffy white head, good retention and minimal stringy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, dank pine resin, berry. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, bitter finish. (4/5)

Simcoe, Nelson Sauvin, Citra, Nelson Hop Kief. Released nearly simultaneously with Kool Thing, but a diametrically opposite approach to the whole “IPA” thing, being clear, dank, and bitter. Still really good stuff. (16/20)

This will be my 6,330th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company Kool Thing – American IPA at 6.6% ABV (C$6.35 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 11-Dec-2025, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 13-Jan-2026)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of fluffy white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, lactose, tropical fruit, hint of white grape. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: creamy medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration mildly bitter finish. (4/5)

Rakau, Riwaka, Motueka, Nectaron. Ho hum, another world-class hazy from The Est. Much like many of their other offerings, although this one combines a slightly creamy citrus with an ANZ grape character, without getting excessively sweet. Really good stuff. (16/20)

This will be my 6,329th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

No, I don’t know why it’s blurry. Blame it on the booze.

Deschutes Brewery Symphonic Chronic – American Double / Imperial IPA at 9% ABV | 50 IBU (C$7.55 at Collective, 568 ml, packaged on 30-Sep-2025, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 9-Jan-2026)

Appearance: clear deep gold with two fingers of fluffy pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: sweet pulpy citrus, tropical fruit, dank pine, herbal. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, building bitter warming finish. (3/5)

Nugget, Chinook, Zeus, Mosaic, Idaho, Simcoe. I suppose I shouldn’t be buying American beer – because, seriously, fuck those guys – but I must confess to a soft spot for some south of the border brewers, and this is one. And, I gotta say, this isn’t bad overall – bright and juicy, if somewhat unbalanced through the mid and into a building bitter finish only slightly moderated by the boozy warming. I see what they’re doing here – mashing up WC dank with Hazy juicy – but I’m not completely convinced that’s a combination that should exist. I like it, but I don’t love it. (14/20)

This will be my 6,327th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Sierra Nevada Big Little Thing – American Double / Imperial IPA at 9.5% ABV | 34 IBU (C$6.75 at Collective, 568 ml, packaged on 10-Oct-2025, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 5-Jan-2026)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one finger of fine pale ivory head, good retention and moderate chunky lacing. (4/5) Aroma: sweet juicy citrus, faint melon. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium  body, moderate carbonation, sweetish warming slightly boozy finish. (3/5)

Citra, Comet, El Dorado, Mosaic. Sweet juicy citrus aroma dominates the front end to good effect, but that sweetness carries through on the tongue and through the finish. Overall, just a bit too sweet for me, and the slightly emphatic booziness doesn’t salvage that. (14/20)

This will be my 6,326th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Cabin Brewing Company Max Sat – American IPA at 8% ABV (C$6.25 at Collective, 568 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 5-Jan-2026)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of pillowy pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate chunky lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, faint white wine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium slightly creamy body, moderate-soft carbonation, slightly edgy warming finish. (4/5)

Motueka, Nelson Sauvin, and Riwaka. A juiced-up Super Saturation, and super-sized – both of which I approve of, and the NZ hop blend works for me. If I have a complaint, it’s maybe a little harshness through the finish. Not the first time they’ve done a beefier Super Saturation, and I think maybe I slightly prefer Super Duper Saturation to this re-imagining. (15/20)

This will be my 6,325th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com