RyansBooze

Born Brewing Co. / Collective Craft Beer Shop Once It Hits Your Lips – American IPA at 6.7% ABV (C$5.45 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 26-Jun-2025, reviewed 30-Jun-2025)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of creamy pale ivory head, good retention and heavy chunky lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, cereal grains, white grape, hint of melon. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (4/5)

Hopped with Nelson Sauvin Amplifier, Citra and Simcoe. I might be just slightly generous in the scoring here, but it’s not a whole lot less in any case. Not much more to say about that – check it out. (Nice Screaming Chicken, by the way.) (16/20)

This will be my 6,141st unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Wills NZ Pale Ale – American Pale Ale at 4.8% ABV (C$8.35 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 3-Jun-2025, acquired 26-Jun-2025, reviewed 30-Jun-2025)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with one finger of fluffy pale ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical & stone fruit, caramel, citrus. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter tending slightly high. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

Hopped with Motueka and Nelson Sauvin. Not particularly working for me – in particular, the aroma is not as bright and fruity as I like with NZ hops, and there’s a sharpness through the finish that’s fairly out of spec for a hazy Pale. It’s OK, but not much better than that. (14/20)

This will be my 6,140th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Superflux Beer Company Bristol – American IPA at 6% ABV (C$6.85 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 28-May-2025, acquired 26-Jun-2025, reviewed 29-Jun-2025)

Appearance: clear straw with one fat finger of fluffy white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus zest, tropical fruit, cereal grains, light pine, melon rind. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body tending slightly thin, moderate carbonation, off-dry slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

“Dry hopped with HBC638 and Citra Cryo”. Not bad, but for me personally I’m finding a little vegetal melon rind on the front end, which seems to sustain throughout and end as a little astringency in the finish. Clearly (so to speak) not one of their normal hazy offerings, but also not quite a true WC – if nothing else, I don’t think there’s enough dank pine for that particular style. Plus, the thinner body (rice in the malt bill?) is a bit out of spec for the style, and seems to contribute to that astringency. (14/20)

This will be my 6,139th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company Bliss Out – American IPA at 6.4% ABV (C$6.15 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 5-May-2025, acquired 26-Jun-2025, reviewed 27-Jun-2025)

Appearance: hazy straw with one finger of fine white head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: dank resiny pine, tropical fruit, citrus, oats. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium slightly creamy body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (4/5)

A “symphony of New World hops — plus a rare hot-side Citra twist”. Dank (verging on rank) resin leads the way here, almost more WC than NE, but certainly not unwelcome, and bolstered by juicy tropical fruit and citrus. Smooth slightly creamy body helps make this very drinkable. (16/20)

This will be my 6,138th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Born Brewing Co. (Born Colorado Brewing) Park Pass 006 – American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$5.35 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 26-Jun-2025, reviewed 27-Jun-2025)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of fine white head, excellent retention and moderate chunky lacing. (5/5) Aroma: stone fruit, field berries, cereal grains, citrus. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (4/5)

“Hopped using Callista” but no specific indication that it’s a single-hop. I’ve encountered this hop several times, but I still don’t feel like I have a good idea of its character: it seems like it’s primarily intended for lagers and light flavoured beers, but I keep finding in in fruity IPAs. This one seemed pretty promising at first, but the aromas fell off pretty rapidly, and though they always remained pleasant, they weren’t as punchy and juicy as I’d like. (15/20)

This will be my 6,137th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Changing Colours Brewing Project All My Friends Are Metalheads – American IPA at 7.8% ABV (C$6.75 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 7-May-2025, acquired 5-Jun-2025, reviewed 20-Jun-2025)

Appearance: hazy medium gold with one fat finger of fine white head diminishing rapidly to a thin cap, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: dank resiny pine, tropical fruit, citrus, oats, green onion, faint burnt rubber. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry mildly warming finish. (3/5)

Lots of Nelson Sauvin, in four different forms (Freestyle T90, Subzero Hop Kief, Cryo, Amplified hop Pellets). Starts off dank as hell and all good, but takes a left turn into green onion territory, and even worse, burning rubber. (It’s faint, but it’s there.) Not a success. (12/20)

This will be my 6,136th unique Untappd check-in.

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Cabin Brewing Company / Changing Colours Brewing Project Here Comes Summer – American IPA at 7% ABV | 35 IBU (C$5.90 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 29-Apr-2025, acquired 5-Jun-2025, reviewed 20-Jun-2025)

Appearance: hazy straw with one fat finger of pillowy white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, oats. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry slightly sharp finish. (3/5)

Not bad, but a little thin in both body and flavour, with a hint of sharpness through the finish. (15/20)

This will be my 6,135th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Polyrhythm Brewing Synth-Punk – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.1% ABV (C$6.00 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 26-May-2025, acquired 5-Jun-2025, reviewed 17-Jun-2025)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with a short off-white head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: stone & tropical fruit, oats, citrus, hint of vegetal. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry mildly warming finish. (4/5)

Hot Side Hops: Mosaic Incognito, Citra Dry Hops: Galaxy, Citra Cryo, Simcoe. A pretty great beer that flirts with truly legendary, but for a few minor quibbles: the appearance isn’t the greatest, and the aroma isn’t the brightest. The biggest (albeit still pretty small) sin, though, is the merest hint of a cooked vegetable note that really doesn’t belong. It’s not strong, but once you notice it, it becomes hard to ignore. I’ve already given it more breath than it deserves, but it’s enough to keep this at “merely” world-class. (16/20)

This will be my 6,128th unique Untappd check-in.

8.0/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Longroof Brewing Co. Simcoe 1974 – American IPA at 6.9% ABV (C$5.75 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 5-Jun-2025, reviewed 17-Jun-2025)

Appearance: clear pale amber with one finger of fine ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: resiny pine, caramel, grass, zesty citrus, earth. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter finish. (4/5)

Another new-to-me local(-ish) brewer that’s actually been around a while. What can I say? There are quite a few in the province these days. Single-hopped with Simcoe, which I wouldn’t really call a gimmick or a particular challenge. They have, however, accomplished it with no cattiness, which actually is a little bit of a challenge, so good on ‘em. In fact, overall it’s just nicely done: not quite a slavish reproduction of an old school WCIPA, but not so far removed from that so as to be unrecognizable to a refugee from the nineties or early oughts. Not sure about 1974, though…? (15/20)

This will be my 6,127th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Hub Town Brewing Shake Your Lemon Tree – American IPA at 5.0% ABV (C$20.00 at Hub Town Brewing, 1.89 l, packaged on 15-Jun-2025, acquired 15-Jun-2025, reviewed 14-Jun-2025)

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

Not bad. Pleasant but not overpowering lemony citrus on the front end, and it’s not as sweet as I was worried it might be. It’s not thrilling or anything, and ultimately it’s just a little workaday, but I’ve had much worse. (14/20)

This will be my 6,126th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com