RyansBooze

Oldman River Brewing Dry Hopped Triple – Tripel at 9.5% ABV (C$6.25 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 24-Jan-2026)

Appearance: clear deep gold with one finger of fine white head, good retention and spotty soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: stone fruit, citrus, oak, clove, faint vanilla. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter, mild funky tart. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, sweetish lightly funky finish. (3/5)

This has certainly got some good points going for it, foremost among which is that it drinks much more easily than one might expect given the high ABV. And, all other things being equal, in most cases I’d rather the funk be restrained, instead of overwhelming. But, this is a challenging style to get right, and this just doesn’t have the complexity or depth of character that’s appropriate. (14/20)

This will be my 6,341st unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Propeller Brewery Chocolate Cake Imperial Dessert Stout – American Double / Imperial Stout at 9.5% ABV (C$6.45 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 3-Dec-2025, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 24-Jan-2026)

Appearance: clear deep brown with one finger of fine beige head diminishing gradually to a thin ring, spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: milk chocolate, coffee & dark roasted malts, faint vanilla. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: full body, soft carbonation, sweet mildly warming finish. (4/5)

Sweet but not excessively so, balanced with appropriate bitterness and delivered on an appropriately full body with soft carbonation, and only the mildest hints of a pretty emphatic ABV. In other words, pretty much everything is done correctly here. If I were inclined to pick a nit, it would be to suggest that a bit better head retention and defined lacing would be nice, but that’s truly a very minor quibble. I like it. (16/20)

This will be my 6,340th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Boombox Brewing Company Archangel – Belgian Strong Dark Ale at 8% ABV (C$7.55 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 5-Dec-2025, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 22-Jan-2026)

Appearance: clear amber-brown with one finger of fine light beige head diminishing fairly quickly to a thin ring, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: orange peel, candi sugar, dark berries, light clove, banana. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, sweet mildly warming spicy finish. (4/5)

Not bad, but fairly heavily dominated by the orange peel adjunct, and slightly too sweet for my preference. (15/20)

This will be my 6,339th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Sierra Nevada Barrel Aged Narwhal – American Double / Imperial Stout at 11.9% ABV | 55 IBU (C$8.85 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 18-Sep-2025, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 20-Jan-2026)

Appearance: opaque black with no relief at the margins, a fizzy beige head diminishing rapidly and loudly to nothing, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: dark roasted malt, coffee & chocolate, liquorice, bourbon, boozy dark dried fruit, coconut, hint of smoke. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-full slick body, moderate carbonation, sweet lingering bitter warming finish. (4/5)

I was a bit hard (some might suggest harsh) on the non-BA version of this I had about nine years ago. Well, I’m going to do it again with this one. My biggest “complaint” (come on, you know I’m not going to give it less than an “A”) here is that the barrel aging seems to have contributed very little over and above the standard version. I’m detecting some oaky bourbon notes, but I have to work at it. I’m also surprised at how (relatively) light the body is and how (relatively) emphatic the carbonation is – I really think this would be better with a thicker body and softer carbonation. On the other hand, it’s of course boozy, but it really doesn’t feel like it’s nearly 12%, so there’s that. (16/20)

This will be my 6,338th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Eighty-Eight Brewing Give Me The Night – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.1% ABV (C$6.75 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 1-Dec-2025, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 18-Jan-2026)

Appearance: clear pale gold with one fat finger of pillowy white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: resiny pine, tropical fruit, cereal grains. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry bitter warming finish. (4/5)

A fairly classic West Coast-leaning DIPA with the emphasis on dank pine. I won’t say the aroma is mild, but it’s not as hop forward as I’d like it to be. The dry finish leaves nowhere for the bitter to hide, but it’s not overwhelming. (16/20)

This will be my 6,337th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Born Brewing Co. Park Pass 008 – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.1% ABV (C$5.75 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 14-Dec-2026, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 18-Jan-2026)

Appearance: clear pale amber with one fat finger of fine pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: resiny pine, caramel malt, pithy citrus, earth. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate carbonation, bitter warming finish. (4/5)

An old(er)-fashioned West Coast-leaning DIPA with significant malt character. Big and bitter, but not to the point of being unbalanced, with an appropriate mild warming. (15/20)

This will be my 6,336th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Polyrhythm Brewing Batter Head – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8% ABV (C$6.25 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 22-Dec-2025, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 17-Jan-2026)

Appearance: clear pale gold with one fat finger of fluffy white head, good retention and moderate chunky lacing. (5/5) Aroma: zesty citrus, resiny pine, cereal grains. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, bitter warming finish. (4/5)

“Dry hops: Citra, Mosaic, Simcoe, Strata Hyperboost” Not bad, but falls just a little short: the aroma’s not quite bright enough and the flavour tends just a little bitter. It’s not overly bitter or boozy, but it definitely communicates both. (15/20)

This will be my 6,335th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Propeller Brewery Peanut Butter Cup Dessert Stout – American Stout at 5.8% ABV (C$6.85 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 17-Jan-2026)

Appearance: clear deep brown with a short beige head diminishing rapidly to a thin ring, moderate sheet lacing. (4/5) Aroma: sweet chocolate, nuts, oats and toasted grains. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration slightly thin finish. (3/5)

Nicely done – I could easily have been convinced there were actual peanut butter cups in the brew on this one. More impressively, perhaps, is the restrained sweetness. My only real complaint is that I found it to be just a touch thin, and think that a heavier, creamier body would fit the flavour profile a little better. (15/20)

This will be my 6,334th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Blood Brothers Brewing Echo Vine – American IPA at 6.2% ABV (C$7.65 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 9-Dec-2025, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 16-Jan-2026)

Appearance: hazy straw with one finger of fine pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: sweet tropical fruit, citrus, cereal grains. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration slightly sweetish finish. (3/5)

“w/ Superdelic & Citra” Not quite as bright and hoppy as I like to see the style, but pleasant enough on the tongue. Finishes a little sweet. (15/20)

This will be my 6,333rd unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Born Brewing Co. Lift Pass – American IPA at 7.0% ABV (C$5.75 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 16-Jan-2026)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of fluffy pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, cereal grains, resiny pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration sweetish mildly warming finish with a slight edge. (3/5)

I don’t dislike it, but the sweetness through the mid falls off sort of suddenly to finish with just a little edginess not entirely offset by the slight ABV warming. It’s almost a case of not being able to make up its mind whether it’s a Hazy or not. Still and all, not bad. (15/20)

This will be my 6,332nd unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com