RyansBooze

Bellwoods Brewery A Stout With Coffee (Sam James Coffee Bar) – American Stout at 5.0% ABV (C$11.38 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 22-Sep-2025, 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: coffee, chocolate, hint of berries. (9/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate carbonation, slightly sticky medium duration finish. (3/5)

Collective Advent #21. Yes, I was hoping there would be a Bellwoods in the calendar, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed by it being a Stout. Imaginative (not) naming aside, it is what it says on the label, and coffee very much dominates. It’s impressive how much flavour and body it exhibits for such a low ABV, but it’s also a bit too sweet for my preference. (15/20)

This will be my 6,309th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Whitetooth Brewing Company Equinox Strawberry Rhubarb Sour – Sour / Wild Ale at 4.3% ABV (C$11.38 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 12-Sep-2025, acquired 1-Dec-2025, reviewed 22-Dec-2025)

Appearance: murky pale amber with a short ivory head that retains poorly, minimal spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: lactic sour, field berries. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, moderate-low bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate carbonation, short moderate tart finish. (4/5)

Collective Advent #20. The advent calendar continues to feature some odd choices. What, precisely, does a low-gravity kettle sour have to do with advent? Anyway, it is what it is: little to no complexity, except what’s provided by the fruit adjunct. Meh. (13/20)

This will be my 6,308th unique Untappd check-in.

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Town Square Brewing Barrel Aged Buffalo Trace Bourbon Whiskey Variant 4 – Rye Beer at 5.8% ABV (C$11.38 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 1-Dec-2025, reviewed 22-Dec-2025)

Appearance: clear deep cola with two fingers of fluffy beige head, good retention and moderate stringy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: big whiskey and barrel notes, dried fruit, chocolate and roasty malts. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, sweetish medium duration finish. (4/5)

Collective Advent #19. What in the hell even is this? It looks and smells like a double digit BA Stout, but tastes much lighter, finishing lively and mild. I’m actually pretty impressed that they’ve managed to pack so much flavour into something that’s neither sickly sweet nor unmanageably boozy hot. (16/20)

This will be my 6,307th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Blood Brothers Brewing Everything Goes Away “You Should Open A Brewery” – Triple IPA at 10% ABV (C$11.38 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 10-Oct-2025, acquired 1-Dec-2025, reviewed 21-Dec-2025)

Appearance: murky pale amber with one fat finger of fine pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: big peach/stone fruit, hint of dank. (8/10) Taste: high sweet, high bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate-soft carbonation, lingering warming finish. (4/5)

Collective Advent #18. “w/ Nectaron, Tropical Fusion, & 1019”. I’ve had one other of the EGA series, Things Will Go Wrong, which was similarly bombastic, but by contrast had a little more complexity, and in particular a bit more resiny pine to balance out the sweet fruit character. This one seems to be a bit more single-note, with a whole lot of peach (though not really, because it’s all hop-derived, and not adjunct, but my point stands) but not a whole lot else. Still pretty great. (16/20)

This will be my 6,306th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

The Red Hart Brewing Co. Modern Day Warrior – American Brown Ale at 6% ABV (C$11.38 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 1-Dec-2025, reviewed 21-Dec-2025)

Appearance: clear brown with one finger of fine beige head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: toasted bread, dark fruit, honey, faint nuts. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, medium duration slightly edgy finish. (3/5)

Collective Advent #17. Can’t decide whether to penalize the label for blatant Rush ripoff, or award for Rush homage, so we’ll leave it neutral. A fairly pleasant Brown, all about the malt on the front end and unfortunately lacking any real hop presence. It’s fairly clean through the mid, but tends just a touch edgy for the style through the finish. Not one to excite. (14/20)

This will be my 6,305th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Village Brewery Monk Vanilla Chai Porter Special Edition – American Porter at 6.2% ABV (C$11.38 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 19-Aug-2025, acquired 1-Dec-2025, reviewed 19-Dec-2025)

Appearance: clear brown with one finger of fine beige head diminishing gradually to a thin ring, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: mild, chai, chocolate/roasty malt, vanilla. (6/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate-lively carbonation, medium duration finish. (3/5)

Collective Advent #16. The label says “Special Edition” but I’m not able to find out any details beyond that. I had their Monk Chai Winter Porter something like eight years ago, and didn’t note any vanilla at the time, so maybe that’s the difference? In any case, this isn’t wowing me any more than it did the first time, and strikes me as being too light in the body to support this kind of flavour profile. (12/20)

This is apparently not a unique Untappd check-in.

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Dageraad Brewing Rainshine – Blond Ale at 6.0% ABV (C$11.38 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 30-Apr-2025, acquired 1-Dec-2025, reviewed 19-Dec-2025)

Appearance: clear straw with two fat fingers of rocky white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: cloves, grapefruit zest, floral. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium-light body, moderate-lively carbonation, medium duration tart mildly warming finish. (4/5)

Collective Advent #15. Nice hoppy blond, with zesty grapefruit adjunct. I like it. (15/20)

This will be my 6,304th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Blind Enthusiasm Brewing Company Un Petit Peu – American Wild Ale at 7.9% ABV (C$11.38 at Collective, 375 ml, packaged on 15-Aug-2023, acquired 1-Dec-2025, reviewed 19-Dec-2025)

Appearance: hazy deep gold with a short loose off-white head diminishing rapidly to nothing, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: barnyard funk, barrel, vinous, red berries. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, mild bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium-light body, lively carbonation, medium duration tart mildly warming finish. (4/5)

Collective Advent #14. I mean, structurally this is basically a Gueuze – and a good one, at that. It alleges to be dry-hopped with Barbe Rouge and Mistral, but the wild and barrel notes completely overwhelm any hop character that might once have been present – not that I’m complaining. (17/20)

This will be my 6,303rd unique Untappd check-in.

8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Ale Architect Brewing Ltd. Joy Wave 3 – American IPA at 7.8% ABV (C$11.38 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 1-Dec-2025, reviewed 18-Dec-2025)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of rocky pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus zest, tropical and stone fruit, cereal grains. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration slightly tart and edgy finish. (3/5)

Collective Advent #13. Double dry-hopped with Krush, Dolcita, and Vic Secret. Definitely zestier than its predecessors, but carrying a not entirely pleasant bite through the finish. (15/20)

This will be my 6,302nd unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Burdock Brewing Cabo (2023) – American Wild Ale at 7.9% ABV (C$11.38 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 1-Dec-2025, reviewed 18-Dec-2025)

Appearance: clear ruby red with a short fizzy pink head diminishing rapidly to a thin ring, no lacing. (4/5) Aroma: red wine, oak, field berries. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium-light body, lively carbonation, short tart finish. (4/5)

Collective Advent #12. I really like this, but I think I’d’ve liked it more if there were a touch less Cab Franc adjunct, allowing more of the Wild to show through. (16/20)

This will be my 6,301st unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com