RyansBooze

Strathcona Beer Company Head Banger XXIII (Galaxy) – Triple IPA at 9.2% ABV (C$6.25 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 23-Apr-2024, reviewed 23-Apr-2024)

Appearance: clear medium gold with one finger of loose white head diminishing rapidly to a thin ring, minimal stringy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: white grape must, over-ripe fruit. (6/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium slightly slick body, moderate-lively carbonation, lingering warming finish. (3/5)

That is… not good. Well, maybe I should say, “not great”. Just a sec, let me take another sip… No, no, I was right the first time. This may be the worst Galaxy single-hop effort I’ve ever tried, with muddy overripe fruit (verging on fecal) dominating. I have no idea why it’s so highly rated, other than it appears to be the 23rd (!) in the series, so maybe there’s a lot of residual good will from prior revisions. For me, though, this one is a long way down from X and XI, the only other two in the series I’ve encountered. And, OK, to be fair, after another few sips I’ve relaxed into it a bit and return to “not great” – but I can’t see rating it any higher than that no matter how many of them I drink. (12/20)

This will be my 5,802nd unique Untappd check-in.

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company Tiny Dancer – Session IPA at 2.5% ABV (C$5.25 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 13-Feb-2024, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 23-Apr-2024)

Appearance: hazy pale straw with one fat finger of fluffy white head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, spotty stringy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: zesty citrus, melon, light grass. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Palate: light body, lively carbonation, short duration finish. (4/5)

I have much respect for this brewery, but I had serious doubts that even they could pull off such an extremely low ABV. Well, I wasn’t entirely wrong about that, in the sense that this is definitely not one of their best products – but it can sure hold its own against any number of offerings from less accomplished brewers. (14/20)

This will be my 5,801st unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Anchorage Brewing Company Grief – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.4% ABV (C$9.95 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 7-Dec-2023, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 3-Apr-2024)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale gold with one fat finger of fluffy off-white head, excellent retention and spotty soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, grape must, cereal grains, light pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration finish. (4/5)

Cosmic Punch yeast, double dry hopped with Phantasm Powder and Superdelic Hops. Very approachable and mild-mannered for a pretty emphatic ABV. I could probably have gone slightly higher on the scoring, but the aroma was just slightly lacking a certain emphasis. (Probably because it’s a little elderly, and I’d be happy to try it fresher, or better yet, on tap.) (16/20)

This will be my 5,791st unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Evil Twin Brewing Ridgewood Resurrection – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8% ABV (C$11.75 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 25-Jan-2024, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 31-Mar-2024)

Appearance: hazy medium gold with one fat finger of loose pale ivory head, good retention and spotty soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, melon, cereal grains, dank pine. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration finish. (4/5)

Brewed with Nelson and double dry hopped with Citra & Nelson. Nearly identical to the Evil Twin / Monkish TIPA I had a couple of days ago, except for this one’s lack of coconut in the aroma or warming in the finish. Easy-drinking, flavourful, and dangerous. (17/20)

This will be my 5,790th unique Untappd check-in.

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Evil Twin Brewing / Monkish Brewing Co. How About One Of Your Pug-Type Beer Names? – Triple IPA at 11% ABV (C$12.35 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 25-Jan-2024, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 29-Mar-2024)

Appearance: hazy medium gold with one fat finger of loose pale ivory head, good retention and spotty soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, coconut, cereal grains, dank pine. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, slightly warming finish. (4/5)

“Double dry-hopped with Mosaic, Motueka, Galaxy.” Yes, it really has been three weeks since I’ve had a beer. Three long, LONG weeks. I’m just getting sick of being called an alcoholic, so I proved some shit. Alcoholics go to meetings, OK? I’m a drunk. Get it right. And this is a particularly good one to re-break my semi-healed hymen on. I have no notes – this is amazingly approachable for a double-digit ABV. Lovely, and I don’t care that its price tag is truly obscene, or that pugs are the epitome of what’s wrong with dog breeding. (17/20)

This will be my 5,789th unique Untappd check-in.

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Anchorage Brewing Company Dual Sided – Triple IPA at 10% ABV (C$9.75 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 4-Jan-2024, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 8-Mar-2024)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with one fat finger of rocky pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: melon, citrus, white grape, dank pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: smooth medium-full body, moderate-soft carbonation, slightly sticky warming mildly astringent finish. (3/5)

Not bad, but a little edgy through the finish.  (15/20)

This will be my 5,788th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Evil Twin Brewing Supreme Leader Marlon – Quadruple IPA at 12% ABV (C$15.75 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 18-Jan-2024, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 7-Mar-2024)

Appearance: hazy pale amber with one finger of fine pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: juicy citrus, tropical & stone fruit, cereal grains, light pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: smooth medium-full body, moderate-soft carbonation, sticky warming finish. (4/5)

“Double dry-hopped with Citra, Comet, Mosaic”. That works. Totally not worth the price – the only other “QIPA” I’ve tried is Flying Monkeys Space Age Sunshine Orange Creamsicle, which is almost identically the same ABV and got exactly the same score, at one-third the price. Such minor quibbles aside, this is boozy good dangerous fun, that drinks much more easily than the ABV would suggest. (16/20)

This will be my 5,787th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Drekker Brewing Co. Involuntary Narcissistic Rage – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.5% ABV (C$9.80 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 21-Dec-2023, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 6-Mar-2024)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with one fat finger of rocky pale ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tropical & stone fruit, melon, mild lactose, light metallic. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: smooth medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, slightly sticky warming finish. (4/5)

A “lactose double IPA brewed with Vic Secret, Belma, and Huell Melon hops. It’s not bad, but there’s a bit of a metallic edge in the aroma that carries through the finish. A bit sticky and boozy too. (15/20)

This will be my 5,786th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Evil Twin Brewing / Trillium Brewing Company Corner of George St and Shawmut Road – American IPA at 7.2% ABV (C$10.75 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 18-Jan-2024, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 6-Mar-2024)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with two fingers of rocky pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: juicy citrus flesh and pith, tropical fruit, cereal grains, hint of melon. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (9/10) Palate: smooth medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (4/5)

“Whirlpooled & dry hopped exclusively with Citra hops”. Very nice. I haven’t had a lot of Trillium prior to this one but my limited experience has been overwhelmingly positive: for n=8, μ=8.4 & σ=0.56, with nothing less than a 7.5 (and that one was a collab). I’ve had far more extensive experience with Evil Twin, but found them to be much less consistent: for n=56, μ=7.6 & σ=0.69, with some real stinkers in the mix (though to be fair, the lowest-scoring in my experience was also a collab, so arguably a little less Jeppe’s fault). This is pretty damn great, though almost certainly not worth the price tag – but who cares about such plebeian considerations? Not me, that’s who. (17/20)

This will be my 5,785th unique Untappd check-in.

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Rival Trade Brewing Co. Cowboy Trail – Session IPA at 4.6% ABV (C$5.00 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 31-Jan-2024, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 4-Mar-2024)

Appearance: brown-tinged clear pale gold with two fingers of loose white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: cardboard, citrus, grass. (4/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (5/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (3/5)

An ugly, damaged mess, and a deeply inauspicious introduction for a new-to-me brewer. Untappd shows at least one other review with similar appearance, so this oxidation issue doesn’t appear limited to mine. Sink pour. (10/20)

This will be my 5,784th unique Untappd check-in.

5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com