RyansBooze

Nokomis Craft Ales Long Lake Lager – American Pale Lager at 4.5% ABV (BeerAdvent Calendar #4, 473 ml, packaged on 30-Jul-2024, acquired 23-Nov-2024, reviewed 4-Dec-2024)

Appearance: slightly hazy straw with one finger of fine white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: biscuity malt, grass, faint citrus, light diacetyl. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate-lively carbonation, off-dry short duration finish. (4/5)

My first from this brewery, and it’s a bit unfortunate that it’s a Lager, given the presence of “Ales” in their name would presumably suggest their specialty lies elsewhere… And, well, it’s a Lager. It’s a pretty clean one, but super traditional. As in, super boring. Yes, I know, I want everything to be a hop bomb – it’s a character failing. (14/20)

This will be my 6,031st unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Growlery Beer Company Kvega – American IPA at 6.0% ABV (C$4.72 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 28-Nov-2024, reviewed 4-Dec-2024)

Appearance: clear deep gold with one finger of fine off-white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: earth, pine, floral, light barnyard funk. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, off-dry moderate bitter slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

Sometimes earthy and funky is interesting, and sometimes it’s just… earthy and funky. I know it’s Kveik, so it’s by design, but it almost feels accidental. This isn’t bad, but it’s not overly interesting either. (14/20)

This will be my 6,030th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Black Bridge Brewery Irish Dry Stout – Irish Dry Stout at 5.5% ABV (2024 BeerAdvent Calendar #3, 473 ml, packaged on 5-Jul-2024, acquired 23-Nov-2024, reviewed 3-Dec-2024)

Appearance: clear deep cola red with one finger of fine beige head, excellent retention and moderate well-defined lacing. (5/5) Aroma: dark roasted malts, coffee, chocolate, hint of red berries. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, dry lingering bitter slightly astringent finish. (3/5)

A decent Dry Irish Stout with some coffee notes layered in. Speaking of the coffee notes, I kept expecting it to go overextracted and astringent, and it very slightly did – but only slightly. The body might have been a little heavier than medium were it not for the slightly enthusiastic (for the style) carbonation. All in all, a solid effort and a bit of an improvement for the Advent Calendar performance. (15/20)

This will be my 6,029th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Bellwoods Brewery Purple Paisley – American IPA at 7% ABV (C$7.95 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 29-Jul-2024, acquired 28-Nov-2024, reviewed 3-Dec-2024)

Appearance: hazy straw with one finger of fine off-white head diminishing rapidly to nothing, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: berries, citrus, cereal grains. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Palate: pillowy medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, short duration slightly sharp finish. (3/5)

I’m always automatically up for a new Bellwoods. And this one is different than the norm (more berry-like, in particular) which is always to the good. But, it’s not a complete success – in particular, there’s a little not entirely welcome sharpness through the finish. It’s good, sure, but it’s not even close to being one of their best. (15/20)

This will be my 6,028th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Superflux Beer Company Corsica – American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$6.95 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 26-Sep-2024, acquired 28-Nov-2024, reviewed 3-Dec-2024)

Appearance: hazy straw with two fingers of fluffy off-white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, tropical fruit, cereal grains, light pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Palate: pillowy medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, short duration finish. (4/5)

Gun to my head, I’m not sure I could pick this out of a lineup of half a dozen to a dozen other Superflux offerings. A cynic might think this is a bad thing. I do not. (16/20)

This will be my 6,027th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Bridge Brewing Company The Cream of The Crop – Cream Ale at 5% ABV | 20 IBU (2024 BeerAdvent Calendar #2, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 23-Nov-2024, reviewed 2-Dec-2024)

Appearance: slightly chill hazed pale gold with one finger of fine white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: bready malt, corn, grass, light lemon, hint of butyric. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate-lively carbonation, short duration finish. (3/5)

Well, the Advent Calendar isn’t improving a whole lot. Largely a straightforward Cream Ale, with mild malt dominating over typical grassy hops with just a touch of citrus. There is a creamy note through the finish, but it’s not completely clean and tends a little to the butyric. I don’t hate it, but it’s hard to conceive of a circumstance where I’d seek this out. (12/20)

This will be my 6,026th unique Untappd check-in.

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Belching Beaver Brewery Imperial Phantom Bride – American Double / Imperial IPA at 9% ABV (C$7.15 at Collective, 568 ml, packaged on 15-Oct-2024, acquired 28-Nov-2024, reviewed 1-Dec-2024)

Appearance: clear pale gold with a massive fluffy pale ivory head, excellent retention and spotty soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: resiny pine, citrus, tropical fruit, cereal grains. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter warming finish. (4/5)

Citra, Amarillo, Simcoe, and Mosaic hops. Big and bombastic, hop-burny and warming. I like it! (16/20)

This will be my 6,025th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brewsters Brewing Company Original Lager – American Pale Lager at 5.0% ABV | 30 IBU (2024 BeerAdvent Calendar #1, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 23-Nov-2024, reviewed 1-Dec-2024)

Appearance: clear pale straw with one finger of fine white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: biscuity malt, grass, hint of diacetyl. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate-lively carbonation, short duration finish. (3/5)

Boy, that’s pretty hard to get excited over – a bog standard American Pale Lager. It starts off fine, but gets a little less so as it warms. Overall it’s just OK. Here’s hoping the Advent Calendar improves over time! (12/20)

This will be my 6,024th unique Untappd check-in.

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Godspeed Brewery Světlý Ležák 12º – Pale Lager at 5.0% ABV (C$6.25 at Collective, 355 ml, packaged on 2-Oct-2024, acquired 28-Nov-2024, reviewed 1-Dec-2024)

Appearance: clear deep gold with one fat finger of fine pale ivory head, excellent retention and well-defined heavy soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: toasted bread, grass. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, medium duration finish. (4/5)

Super clean and simple, and one that I could quite happily drink all day – but another one that I don’t feel overly qualified to evaluate. It’s clean and pleasant, easy to drink, and has no negative characteristics at all, but I’m not sure I could pick it out of a lineup with any number of other well-brewed Lagers. I will, however, point out the one thing of which I am sure: it’s the only beer I’ve had with “Premium” on the label, that actually deserves the description. (15/20)

This will be my 6,023rd unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Irrational Brewing Company Exp. Opacity 15 – American IPA at 6.0% ABV (C$6.25 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 28-Nov-2024, reviewed 30-Nov-2024)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with a short, short-lived loose off-white head, minimal spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: stone & tropical fruit, citrus, cereal grains, mild dank. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, medium duration finish. (4/5)

“DDH Hazy IPA w/ Luminosa”. Only my third (I think) experience with Luminosa, but I seem to pretty consistently enjoy it. This example is bright and juicy, with notes of sweet stone and tropical fruit as well as citrus flesh. The brewer description indicates it to be “almost completely void of the pine/resinous character” (almost as if this were a good thing???) but I’m detecting some not-unwelcome dank on the back end. Very pleasant overall. (16/20)

This will be my 6,022nd unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com