RyansBooze

île Sauvage Brewing Company Occidental West Coast Pale Ale – American Pale Ale at 5.0% ABV (C$5.90 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 3-Mar-2024)

Appearance: hazy/muddy medium amber with one fat finger of rocky pale ivory head, excellent retention and heavy soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, caramel, pine, slight funk. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: smooth medium-full body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (4/5)

Their web site references Cryo Pop hops and Lutra Kveik yeast. I waffled a little on my scoring here – mostly because I’m finding the overall flavour profile to be about as muddled as the appearance – but ultimately it’s not unpleasant, even though it’s by no means straight-up “West Coast”. There’s a very mild hint of barnyard funk and an off-dry finish that I’m attributing to the use of the kveik yeast, and neither of those are a drawback. All in all, it’s perhaps better than “just OK”, but short of great. (15/20)

This will be my 5,783rd unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Drekker Brewing Co. Clueless Wonder – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.3% ABV (C$9.80 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 21-Dec-2023, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 2-Mar-2024)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with one fat finger of rocky pale ivory white head, good retention and heavy soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: juicy melon, tropical fruit, citrus, oats. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: smooth medium-full body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration mildly warming finish. (4/5)

Hopped with Mosaic, Citra, Azacca, Cashmere, Lemon Drop, 007, and Huell Melon. So yeah, a bit of a kitchen sink approach, but it’s fairly cohesive overall, and not as muddled as some other hop combinations I’ve encountered. It’s soft, smooth and fruity, exactly like I prefer the style to be, and it hides its enthusiastic ABV fairly well. (16/20)

This will be my 5,782nd unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Banished Brewing Ltd. Makes Less Sense – Session IPA at 4% ABV (C$6.75 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 7-Dec-2023, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 29-Feb-2024)

Appearance: hazy straw with two fingers of fluffy white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: citrus, resiny pine, cereal grains. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry short duration finish. (4/5)

I left Newfoundland (again/for the last time?) right about when these guys were getting going, so I haven’t had a whole lot of exposure to them. They say this one has the same hopping as its larger sibling (Makes Sense) so that would mean Solero, Nelson Sauvin, and Citra. No real complaints here, except that you almost do have to apply the dreaded “for a Session” qualifier to the review. Which is to say, the aroma and flavour aren’t quite too light – but they flirt with it. And it’s not quite thin and watery – but it flirts with it. All in all, it’s not bad – for a Session. (15/20)

This will be my 5,781st unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Analog Brewing Cheat Code – American Pale Ale at 5.0% ABV | 35 IBU (C$5.30 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 28-Feb-2024)

Appearance: clear deep gold with two fingers of fluffy pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: grass, melon, citrus, pine, herbal. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter finish. (3/5)

Hopped with Sultana, Centennial, and Citra. If anything I’m being generous in my scoring here, because to be honest, the hopping is fairly boring. And I don’t have much more to say about that. (14/20)

This will be my 5,780th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Small Gods Brewing Co. Promised Land – American Pale Ale at 4.8% ABV (C$6.25 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 27-Feb-2024)

Appearance: hazy medium gold with one fat finger of fluffy pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: melon, citrus, herbal. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration slightly sharp finish. (3/5)

“Loaded with Citra, Mosaic, and Idaho 7”. The aroma is OK, but not as bright and punchy as I would have hoped given that malt bill. The taste is a bit less OK, with a sharpness developing through the finish. Even though the body doesn’t actually tend thin, that sharpness in the finish makes it seem slightly that way. For me, this is one of those PAs that seems like a watered-down IPA. Just OK. (13/20)

This will be my 5,779th unique Untappd check-in.

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Drekker Brewing Co. / Xül Beer Danger is our Bu$iness – American IPA at 7% ABV (C$8.90 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 29-Nov-2023, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 26-Feb-2024)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with some particulate, two fingers of rocky white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: berries, melon, tropical & stone fruit, pale malts, hints of lactose. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium bitter finish. (4/5)

New brewery (breweries, I guess, since it’s apparently a collab?) to me – as in, not only have never tried, but never heard of. The label says it’s hopped with HBC 586, Simcoe, and Cashmere. I think Cashmere dominates, with its slightly herbal mix of melon and citrus, but that’s not to say it isn’t a decently balanced blend. But, it doesn’t go much further than decent. (15/20)

This will be my 5,778th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Superflux Beer Company Moo Cow IPA – American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$7.00 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 9-Jan-2024, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 26-Feb-2024)

Appearance: hazy/murky medium gold with one fat finger of rocky white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, lactose, cereal grains. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium bitter finish ending slightly sharp. (3/5)

Secondary sources say this is hopped with Galaxy, Vic Secret, and Citra, and, no surprise, has a milk sugar adjunct. I was a little disappointed with this one, because it doesn’t really deliver what the labelling strongly indicated to be the intended style. Yes, there’s milk sugar in the aroma, but the taste and finish are sharper than that would imply, to the extent where I consider it a strike against the score. Ultimately, this one is a fair bit below average for my prior experience with this brewer (for n=14, μ=8 & σ=0.52) but one might argue that’s more a function of their record of excellence, than of this being particularly offensive – because it isn’t. It’s just not up to their standards. Sorry, guys, but that’s what you get for being consistently great: people start to expect greatness, and mere competence doesn’t cut the mustard. (14/20)

This will be my 5,777th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company Everything is Real – American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$5.95 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 12-Feb-2024, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 25-Feb-2024)

Appearance: hazy straw with one fat finger of rocky white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, juicy citrus, melon, cereal grains, mild dank pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (4/5)

Brewer notes refer to the “addition of loads of oats, experimental hop HBC 1019, and healthy doses of Hop Kief and Incognito”, but doesn’t actually say this is single-hopped with 1019, nor does it specify what hop(s) the Kief and Incognito (both concentrates/extracts) are from. Regardless of the specific hopping, this is pleasant, juicy, and bright. (16/20)

This will be my 5,776th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Anchorage Brewing Company Beast At The Door – American IPA at 6.4% ABV (C$9.65 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 14-Dec-2023, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 24-Feb-2024)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of rocky white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: juicy citrus, tropical & stone fruit, pale cereal grains, mild dank pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration lingering bitter warming finish. (3/5)

Hopped with Superdelic, Nectaron, and Luminosa – the first and third of which are new to me, but based on some quick reading seem completely appropriate to the style, in addition to being very much up my alley. I like this, but it feels like the bittering is slightly unbalanced and disproportionate to the predominantly brightly juicy aroma. Probably not worth the price tag, but I stopped paying attention to such things a long time ago. (15/20)

This will be my 5,775th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Maplewood Brewery & Distillery Charlatan – American Pale Ale at 6.1% ABV (C$7.95 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 21-Nov-2023, acquired 23-Feb-2024, reviewed 23-Feb-2024)

Appearance: slightly hazy medium gold with one fat finger of rocky white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: earthy pine, caramel, mild citrus. (6/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (3/5)

Hopped with Warrior, Centennial, Simcoe, and Citra. I’m not impressed by this one: the aroma and taste are just as muddled as the slightly muddy appearance. No, it’s not all that fresh, but I still expect the hop character to be bright and clean, whereas this just isn’t. (13/20)

This will be my 5,774th unique Untappd check-in.

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com