RyansBooze

Coronado Brewing Company / Belching Beaver Brewery Tail & Tooth Collaboration Hazy IPA American IPA at 7.5% ABV (C$4.72 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 27-Mar-2019, acquired 8-May-2019, reviewed 26-May-2019)

Appearance: opaque medium gold with one fat finger of pillowy pale ivory head, excellent retention and heavy soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: juicy tropical fruit, resiny pine, citrus, pale malt. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, moderate bitter lingering finish. (4/5)

I really like this one, but that’s hardly surprising given the collaborators and the Azacca / Idaho 7 hop selection. Fruity aromas and resiny pine dominate over clean malt, and the bitterness, though slightly high as compared to most NEIPAs, is well-balanced and never astringent. This one is brewed at Coronado, but I’m hopeful the flip side of the collaboration (Tooth & Tail, brewed at Belching Beaver) shows up at some point, as I’d like to try it as well. (17/20)

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company Straight Razor American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$4.32 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 16-Apr-2019, acquired 8-May-2019, reviewed 25-May-2019)

Appearance: opaque deep gold with one fat finger of creamy pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: juicy tropical fruit, resiny pine, citrus, stone fruit, pale malt, hint of green onion. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, moderate bitter lingering finish. (4/5)

Very similar to its Afternoon Delight sibling, but given it’s got nearly the same hops that’s hardly surprising. (This has Mosaic, Chinook, Bravo, Simcoe, and Amarillo, while Afternoon Delight had Mosaic, Chinook, Bravo, and Centennial.) At this point I’m convinced a guy could spend an enjoyable afternoon at their taproom. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company Afternoon Delight American Pale Ale at 5.4% ABV (C$4.32 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 16-Apr-2019, acquired 8-May-2019, reviewed 24-May-2019)

Appearance: opaque deep gold with a one fat finger of loose pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: juicy tropical fruit, resiny pine, citrus, stone fruit, pale malt, hint of green onion. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, moderate bitter lingering finish. (4/5)

I indicated a hint of green onion in the aroma, but that faded almost immediately and didn’t really return. It certainly wasn’t sufficient that I would consider it an off note, and never even came close to becoming catty. The bitterness was moderate at most, shaded with hints of tartness and spiciness. All in all, a very pleasant and drinkable APA, and good enough that I’m thinking about prioritizing a visit to the taproom. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Boombox Brewing Company Rad Seeker American IPA at 7% ABV (C$4.41 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 12-Apr-2019, reviewed 24-May-2019)

Appearance: opaque medium gold with a one fat finger of loose pale ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: juicy tropical fruit, citrus, resiny pine, bready malt, floral. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

This looks like it’s going to be an NEIPA, and actually smells sort of that way as well – but one sip tells you that it’s definitely not going the low bitterness route associated with that style. Don’t get me wrong, its definitely not an unpleasant bitterness, but it’s emphatically there, especially in the finish. A thoroughly modern IPA, with big fruity aromas while retaining the resiny pine bitterness of an old-school DIPA (presumably the reason for the throwback name and art?). Could stand to be a bit prettier, but otherwise a pretty decent brew. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Stone Brewing Company Enter Night Pilsener at 5.7% ABV (C$4.29 at Okotoks Co-Op, 473 ml, packaged on 13-Mar-2019, acquired 19-May-2019, reviewed 22-May-2019)

Appearance: slightly chill hazed pale gold with a one fat finger of rocky white head, excellent retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: cereal grains, bready malt, light citrus, grass. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium bitter finish. (3/5)

Try though I might, I just can’t discern a lot of distinguishing characteristics in Pilseners, except for the highly-hopped variants (that presumably cause fits in purists). In that vein, there’s not a lot I can say here: it’s clean, crisp, and easy-drinking… just like any other number of Pilseners, and Lagers more generally. Is it worth the price tag as compared to a mass-market Pils or Lager? Eh. Maybe. I was going to include a diatribe about this being a collaboration between sellouts, but fuck it – if you agree with me, it’s redundant, and if you don’t, it’s pointless. Oh, but how cool is that guitar pick-shaped mat? I lucked into it at my preferred watering hole, completely separate from buying this thing. I like it. (14/20)

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Big Beaver Brewing Big Beaver Brut American IPA at 5% ABV (C$4.32 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 8-May-2019, reviewed 22-May-2019)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale straw with a short white head diminishing rapidly to a thin skim, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: citrus, bready yeast, barnyard funk. (4/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter, light tart. (5/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, mild bitter short lightly tart finish. (3/5)

OK, let’s just get this out of the way first: these guys HAVE to do a collaboration with Dildo Brewing… maybe a Cream Ale…? Anyway, childishness aside, this is, well, not very good. I’ve found the Brut style to be a bit hit and miss, and this certainly tends more to the “miss” side of things. In a blind tasting, I would have called this a Farmhouse style, and not a terrible one at that, but as an IPA the flavours are all wrong. Actually, the more I drink of it, the more I’m convinced it’s infected. I’ll have to keep an eye out for this on tap and give it another shot. (10/20)

5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Long Hop Brewing Co. Long Hop Pale Ale American Pale Ale at 5.2% ABV (C$4.00 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 15-Apr-2019, acquired 8-May-2019, reviewed 21-May-2019)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale gold with two fingers of fluffy white head, good retention and moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: mild, citrus, melon, berry, bready malt, hint of resiny pine. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body tending slightly watery, moderate carbonation, mild bitter short finish. (3/5)

The can art is less than clear as to the name of this one, and the brewery is so new they don’t have a web site or an internet presence yet. It might be “Let’s Not Beat About The Bush”, and in that spirit of directness: it’s OK, but not much better. Clean enough, and reasonably refreshing, but just not a whole lot going on. The mild aroma is followed by a similarly mild taste, and a slightly watery finish. Welcome new guys, but the local scene is getting a bit crowded (not that I’m complaining) and this level of product isn’t going to put you ahead of the pack. (13/20)

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Twin Sails Brewing High Socks Mosaic IPA American IPA at 7% ABV | 45 IBU (C$5.67 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 9-Apr-2019, acquired 8-May-2019, reviewed 18-May-2019)

Appearance: opaque pale gold with one fat finger of rocky white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: resiny pine, tropical fruit, citrus, berry, pale malt, light green onion/cattiness. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, moderate bitter slightly spicy finish. (4/5)

Aside from its haziness, I’m not sure this really qualifies as an “NE style” – the bitterness is fair-to-middlin’ emphatic here, and there’s actually a little spiciness coming from the hops. Not that that’s a criticism, just an observation. I generally love Mosaic hops, and I don’t dislike this one, but there’s just a hint of a vegetal green onion and/or catty aroma here, which seems in my experience to be a bit more common when going single-hop.  It’s not really a serious defect, but it prevents me from ranking this any higher than “merely” excellent. (16/20)

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Against the Grain Brewery Pile of Face American IPA at 6.5% ABV | 65 IBU (C$6.34 at Collective, 473 ml, best before 21-Sep-2019, acquired 8-May-2019, reviewed 17-May-2019)

Appearance: chill hazed pale amber with one fat finger of rocky pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, resiny pine, caramel, grass. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

No explanation for the name or trippy can art, other than, they’re brewers, and so presumably drink heavily? [Update: I went to their web site and discovered, in addition to a whole bunch of foul language, a more fulsome description. It has to do with so many brewers choosing skulls for logos, so all the skulls are used up, leaving a pile of faces. So, yeah, like I said: Brewers. Heavy drinking.] Fairly straightforward A/IPA, with citrus and resiny pine duking it out over a moderate caramel backbone and just enough alcohol content to make life worth continuing. Solid enough, I suppose, if not particularly interesting or memorable. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Field & Forge Brewing Co. Field & Forge Pale Ale American Pale Ale at 5.4% ABV | 54 IBU (C$2.52 at Collective, 355 ml, packaged on 31-Jan-2019, acquired 8-May-2019, reviewed 16-May-2019)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with one finger of loose pale ivory head that retains fairly well, moderately heavy soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, caramel, mild tropical fruit, light pine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Another new local(-ish) brewery, and I think it was a good choice for them to go with a straightforward APA as one of their first offerings. I also like the unapologetic bitterness here, which is slightly old-fashioned but not in a negative way. Nicely balanced and quite enjoyable overall. I might actually be slightly unfair in my ranking here, because the single biggest issue for me is the somewhat mild aroma, lacking in any really punchy fruit – but it’s also more than three months in the can, so it might well have faded. Will have to try and find this fresher. (15/20)

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com