RyansBooze

The Establishment Brewing Company Shine A Light – American IPA at 6.8% ABV (C$6.35 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 15-Dec-2025, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 14-Jan-2026)

Appearance: clear pale gold with one fat finger of fluffy white head, good retention and minimal stringy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, dank pine resin, berry. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, bitter finish. (4/5)

Simcoe, Nelson Sauvin, Citra, Nelson Hop Kief. Released nearly simultaneously with Kool Thing, but a diametrically opposite approach to the whole “IPA” thing, being clear, dank, and bitter. Still really good stuff. (16/20)

This will be my 6,330th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Establishment Brewing Company Kool Thing – American IPA at 6.6% ABV (C$6.35 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 11-Dec-2025, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 13-Jan-2026)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of fluffy white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, lactose, tropical fruit, hint of white grape. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: creamy medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration mildly bitter finish. (4/5)

Rakau, Riwaka, Motueka, Nectaron. Ho hum, another world-class hazy from The Est. Much like many of their other offerings, although this one combines a slightly creamy citrus with an ANZ grape character, without getting excessively sweet. Really good stuff. (16/20)

This will be my 6,329th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

No, I don’t know why it’s blurry. Blame it on the booze.

Deschutes Brewery Symphonic Chronic – American Double / Imperial IPA at 9% ABV | 50 IBU (C$7.55 at Collective, 568 ml, packaged on 30-Sep-2025, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 9-Jan-2026)

Appearance: clear deep gold with two fingers of fluffy pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: sweet pulpy citrus, tropical fruit, dank pine, herbal. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, building bitter warming finish. (3/5)

Nugget, Chinook, Zeus, Mosaic, Idaho, Simcoe. I suppose I shouldn’t be buying American beer – because, seriously, fuck those guys – but I must confess to a soft spot for some south of the border brewers, and this is one. And, I gotta say, this isn’t bad overall – bright and juicy, if somewhat unbalanced through the mid and into a building bitter finish only slightly moderated by the boozy warming. I see what they’re doing here – mashing up WC dank with Hazy juicy – but I’m not completely convinced that’s a combination that should exist. I like it, but I don’t love it. (14/20)

This will be my 6,327th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Sierra Nevada Big Little Thing – American Double / Imperial IPA at 9.5% ABV | 34 IBU (C$6.75 at Collective, 568 ml, packaged on 10-Oct-2025, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 5-Jan-2026)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one finger of fine pale ivory head, good retention and moderate chunky lacing. (4/5) Aroma: sweet juicy citrus, faint melon. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium  body, moderate carbonation, sweetish warming slightly boozy finish. (3/5)

Citra, Comet, El Dorado, Mosaic. Sweet juicy citrus aroma dominates the front end to good effect, but that sweetness carries through on the tongue and through the finish. Overall, just a bit too sweet for me, and the slightly emphatic booziness doesn’t salvage that. (14/20)

This will be my 6,326th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Cabin Brewing Company Max Sat – American IPA at 8% ABV (C$6.25 at Collective, 568 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 5-Jan-2026, reviewed 5-Jan-2026)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of pillowy pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate chunky lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, faint white wine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium slightly creamy body, moderate-soft carbonation, slightly edgy warming finish. (4/5)

Motueka, Nelson Sauvin, and Riwaka. A juiced-up Super Saturation, and super-sized – both of which I approve of, and the NZ hop blend works for me. If I have a complaint, it’s maybe a little harshness through the finish. Not the first time they’ve done a beefier Super Saturation, and I think maybe I slightly prefer Super Duper Saturation to this re-imagining. (15/20)

This will be my 6,325th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

For future reference, here’s my summary of the 25 offerings from this year’s Advent Calendar by Collective in Calgary.

1: Annex Ale Project Ego Death American Double / Imperial Stout at 8.9% ABV: 7.5/10
2: Superflux Beer Company YCH Krush CryoFresh American IPA at 6.5% ABV: 8/10
3: Smithers Brewing Co. Di Moda Pilsner at 5.3% ABV: 7.5/10
4: Born Brewing Co. (Born Colorado Brewing) Warming Hut Winter Warmer at 7.7% ABV: 7/10
5: Two Pillars Brewing Grandma’s Secret Recipe Sugar Cookie Tripel Tripel at 7.2% ABV: 6.5/10
6: Bent Stick Brewing Co. Eleven Fifty-Nine PM American Double / Imperial Stout at 11.9% ABV: 8/10
7: Fierce Beer Ltd. Maple Pancake American Pale Ale at 6.5% ABV: 8/10
8: Small Gods Brewing Co. Uncommon Grounds Bock at 6.2% ABV: 6/10
9: 2 Crows Brewing Return to Innocence Blended Saison at 6.3% ABV: 7/10
10: Irrational Brewing Company Ethereal 24 Pilsner at 4.8% ABV: 7/10
11: Refined Fool Brewing Co. Bobhouse Banger Peanut Butter Porter American Porter at 6% ABV: 7/10
12: Burdock Brewing Cabo (2023) American Wild Ale at 7.9% ABV: 8/10
13: Ale Architect Brewing Ltd. Joy Wave 3 American IPA at 7.8% ABV: 7.5/10
14: Blind Enthusiasm Brewing Company Un Petit Peu American Wild Ale at 7.9% ABV: 8.5/10
15: Dageraad Brewing Rainshine Blond Ale at 6% ABV: 7.5/10
16: Village Brewery Monk American Porter at 6.2% ABV: 6/10
17: The Red Hart Brewing Co. Modern Day Warrior American Brown Ale at 6% ABV: 7/10
18: Blood Brothers Brewing Everything Goes Away “You Should Open A Brewery” Triple IPA at 10% ABV: 8/10
19: Town Square Brewing Barrel Aged Buffalo Trace Bourbon Whiskey Variant 4 Rye Beer at 5.8% ABV: 8/10
20: Whitetooth Brewing Company Equinox Strawberry Rhubarb Sour Sour / Wild Ale at 4.3% ABV: 6.5/10
21: Bellwoods Brewery A Stout With Coffee (Sam James Coffee Bar) American Stout at 5% ABV: 7.5/10
22: Camp Beer Co. Bounty Chocolate Coconut Dark Lager Dark Lager at 4.2% ABV: 6.5/10
23: Changing Colours Brewing Project The Beautiful People American IPA at 7.5% ABV: 8/10
24: Sheepdog Brewing Island Time Pilsner at 5.2% ABV: 7.5/10
25: The Bruery Bakery: Rocky Road Brownie (2025) American Double / Imperial Stout at 9.5% ABV: 8/10

Overall, the average score was 7.36/10, which I think might be the strongest showing for any Advent calendar I’ve ever had. Whether it was worth the price is entirely another question…

The Bruery Bakery: Rocky Road Brownie (2025) – American Double / Imperial Stout at 9.5% ABV (C$11.38 at Collective, 375 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 1-Dec-2025, reviewed 23-Dec-2025)

Appearance: nearly opaque clear brown with one finger of fine dark tan head, good retention and moderate chunky lacing. (5/5) Aroma: chocolate, marshmallow, walnuts, vanilla. (8/10) Taste: high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (8/10) Palate: full slightly slick body, moderate-soft carbonation, lingering sticky warming finish. (4/5)

Collective Advent #25. I’ve complained about some of the choices for this calendar, especially after yet another Pilsner, but all is forgiven. I’m not quite as excited by The Bruery as I once was – they kind of jumped the shark a little in my opinion – but they still hold a special spot for me. And this is very much a seasonally-appropriate offering, even if it is an over-the-top sticky beast that, especially after a big dinner, takes a long time to sip. (16/20)

This will be my 6,313th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Sheepdog Brewing Island Time – Pilsner at 5.2% ABV (C$11.38 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 1-Dec-2025, reviewed 23-Dec-2025)

Appearance: slightly hazy pale gold with two fingers of rocky white head, excellent retention and heavy chunky lacing. (5/5) Aroma: sweet apple, mineral, floral, grass. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, short crisp finish. (4/5)

Collective Advent #24. It’s another Pilsner. (15/20)

This will be my 6,312th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Changing Colours Brewing Project The Beautiful People – American IPA at 7.5% ABV | 25 IBU (C$11.38 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 11-Nov-2025, acquired 1-Dec-2025, reviewed 23-Dec-2025)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with two fingers of fluffy pale ivory head, excellent retention and spotty soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: bright citrus, stone & tropical fruit, light dank pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium slightly creamy body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration mildly warming finish. (4/5)

Collective Advent #23. “Triple Dry Hopped with Citra, Mosaic Cryo then boosted with Riwaka Subzero Hop Kief for maximum depth and saturation.”  Hell yeah. Nice balance of bright fruit on the nose, restrained sweet on the tongue, and just enough warming through the finish to remind you that this in fact beer. (16/20)

This will be my 6,311th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Camp Beer Co. Bounty Chocolate Coconut Dark Lager – Dark Lager at 4.2% ABV (C$11.38 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 1-Dec-2025, reviewed 22-Dec-2025)

Appearance: nearly opaque clear brown with a short beige head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, minimal spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: mild, chocolate, toasted malt. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate-lively carbonation, medium-short duration finish. (3/5)

Collective Advent #22. Yes, I know it’s only 4%, so I didn’t expect very much bombast, but it’s light and thin even so. And I’m deeply disappointed by the complete absence of the alleged coconut. I’m not saying there has to be coconut present, unless you claim it on the label, in which case, yeah, there does! (13/20)

This will be my 6,310th unique Untappd check-in.

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com