RyansBooze

Cabin Brewing Company Retro Saturation – American Pale Ale at 6% ABV (C$5.85 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 27-Mar-2025, acquired 5-Jun-2025, reviewed 13-Jun-2025)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of fine off-white head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, caramel, citrus. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, sweetish medium duration finish. (3/5)

Supposedly a blend, conceptually if not literally, of Retrospectrum and Super Saturation. I mean, maybe? Far as I can tell, I only had the former once, more than six years ago, but the latter is an occasional go-to for me, and I see some resemblance there. In my opinion, however, this one is not well served by the maltier presence, and ends up feeling a bit too sweet and sticky, especially for the fairly middling weight. Doesn’t particularly work for me. (13/20)

This will be my 6,124th unique Untappd check-in.

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Cabin Brewing Company Pinwheel – Session IPA at 4.5% ABV (C$5.55 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 5-Jun-2025, reviewed 13-Jun-2025)

Appearance: hazy straw with one fat finger of fine off-white head, excellent retention and chunky lacing. (4/5) Aroma: zesty citrus, pale malt, hint of coconut. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, low bitter. (7/10) Palate: light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry short thin finish. (3/5)

Hopped with Sabro and Cryoboosted CGX Amarillo. I will now proceed to damn it with faint praise: it’s not bad… for a Session. Thinness is the name of the game here, through flavour and body, culminating in an almost tart, almost sharp finish. And, the other dreaded description: it’s not bad… for what it is. (14/20)

This will be my 6,123rd unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Eighty-Eight Brewing Go-Go – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.1% ABV (C$6.50 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 5-Jun-2025, reviewed 11-Jun-2025)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of fine off-white head diminishing rapidly to a thin cap, moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: sugary stone fruit, citrus, tropical fruit. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-full slightly creamy body, moderate-low carbonation, sweetish mildly warming finish. (4/5)

I don’t dislike it, but it’s too sweet: fuzzy peach candy, instead of actual peaches. That sweetness carries through into the finish, and is only slightly offset by the mild warming. (15/20)

This will be my 6,122nd unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Cabin Brewing Company Tropicoco – American IPA at 6% ABV (C$5.65 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 28-May-2025, acquired 5-Jun-2025, reviewed 11-Jun-2025)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of fine off-white head diminishing gradually to a thick persistent cap, moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: coconut, tropical fruit, citrus, cereal grains. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-low carbonation, medium duration off-dry finish. (4/5)

Hopped with Krush, Citra, and Sabro, and with huge amounts of coconut adjunct, this is a ridiculous abomination. I love it. (16/20)

This will be my 6,121st unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company High Visceral – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.2% ABV (C$6.14 at Okotoks Co-Op, 473 ml, packaged on 21-Apr-2025, acquired 9-Jun-2025, reviewed 9-Jun-2025)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of fine off-white head diminishing gradually to a thick persistent cap, moderate lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, cereal grains, dank resin, hint of coconut. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-low carbonation, medium duration mildly warming finish. (4/5)

A new offering from these guys is generally a “yes please” from me. A new white label DIPA, on the other hand, is “not just yes, but HELLS yes!”. Hopped with Citra, Motueka, Citra HyperBoost. A definite win in my book – smooth and balanced, pretty easy drinking for the weight, with just a mild warming about halfway through the pint that warns you to check yourself ‘fore you wreck yourself. (17/20)

This will be my 6,120th unique Untappd check-in.

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Four Winds Brewing Co. Blue Dream – American IPA at 6% ABV | 50 IBU (C$6.35 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 2-Feb-2025, acquired 5-Jun-2025, reviewed 7-Jun-2025)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one finger of fine off-white head diminishing rapidly to a thin ring, minimal spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, dank resin. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-low carbonation, medium duration slightly edgy finish. (4/5)

Supposedly reminiscent of the cannabis strain of the same name, not that I’d know. A pleasant mix of tropical fruit, citrus, and earthy dank resin, drinks a lot easier than the 50 IBU might suggest. Very similar to the also-cannabis-named Purple Haze, but not quite as good and slightly sharper through the finish. Possibly because it’s been in the can for too long – not sure I’d’a bought this if I had been able to decipher the date in the store. (15/20)

This will be my 6,119th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Four Winds Brewing Co. Purple Haze – American IPA at 6% ABV | 50 IBU (C$6.35 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 16-Apr-2025, acquired 5-Jun-2025, reviewed 7-Jun-2025)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of fine off-white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, dank resin, melon. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-low carbonation, medium duration slightly tart finish. (4/5)

Supposedly reminiscent of the cannabis strain of the same name, not that I’d know. A pleasant mix of tropical fruit, citrus, and earthy dank resin, drinks a lot easier than the 50 IBU might suggest. (16/20)

This will be my 6,118th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Driftwood Brewery Juicy IPA – American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$5.15 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 30-Apr-2025, acquired 5-Jun-2025, reviewed 5-Jun-2025)

Appearance: clear pale gold with a short, short-lived head, moderate spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: citrus, berries, tropical fruit, pale malt. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate-low carbonation, medium duration mildly warming finish. (4/5)

Juicy? Yeah, I suppose, if only somewhat. Definitely reminds me of Raised By Wolves, which is absolutely not a bad thing considering that’s one of my go-to four-packs for a hockey game. Not particularly memorable, but maybe a little better than the sum of its parts, which I guess counts for something. (14/20)

This will be my 6,117th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Analog Brewing High Score Haze – American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$5.75 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 5-Jun-2025, reviewed 5-Jun-2025)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale gold with a short, short-lived head, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: melon, citrus, catty. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, medium duration finish. (3/5)

Hopped with Mackinac, Mosaic, Callista, and Tonatiuh. Two new-to-me hops. Not even a little impressed. (12/20)

This will be my 6,116th unique Untappd check-in.

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Vaycay Brew Co. Pocket Rocket – American Double / Imperial IPA at 7.5% ABV (C$5.80 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 5-Jun-2025, reviewed 5-Jun-2025)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale gold with two fingers of pillowy fine white head, excellent retention and spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tart citrus and muddled fruit, sugary malt. (6/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate tart, low bitter. (5/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, sweet tart short duration finish. (3/5)

This tastes nothing like an IPA – if anything, it’s more like a crappy-ass kettle sour, which I guess is due to the addition of Rockets candy? Funny thing, though, is that IPAs are my favourite beers, and Rockets pretty much my favourite candies, this really isn’t working for me. (12/20)

This will be my 6,115th unique Untappd check-in.

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com