RyansBooze

Born Colorado Brewing Moose Mountain Trail Races Uphill Climb / Downhill Grind – Session IPA at 5% ABV | 15 IBU (C$4.05 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 5-Jul-2021, acquired 15-Jul-2021, reviewed 24-Jul-2021)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fat fingers of rocky white head, excellent retention and heavy soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: mild, stone fruit, pine, pale biscuity malt, citrus. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Medium-light body tending slightly watery, moderate-low carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (3/5)

Not bad, but a bit forgettable. Everything is light here, including the aroma and flavour, but the ABV is not so light that I’m inclined to make allowances. As well, the light body tends just a little into “watery” territory, especially with the slightly light carbonation. There’s nothing really wrong with any of this, but the overall effect of the “death by a thousand cuts” is that it’s just a little “meh”. (Also, what’s up with putting the same beer behind two different labels, other than trying to sucker people like me into buying two examples instead of one?) (14/20)

7/10 ryansbooze.com #ryansbooze

S.Y.C. Brewing Co. The More – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.9% ABV (C$4.63 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 1-Jun-2021, acquired 15-Jul-2021, reviewed 22-Jul-2021)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fat fingers of rocky pale ivory head, excellent retention and heavy soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: stone fruit, zesty citrus, bready malt, resiny pine. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration minimally boozy finish. (4/5)

Yes, it is more, and yes, I’d like more. That’s all I have to say about that. (16/20)

8/10 ryansbooze.com #ryansbooze

Lake of the Woods Brewing Company Dead Man’s Switch – American IPA at 6.8% ABV | 40 IBU (C$4.50 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 9-Jun-2021, acquired 15-Jul-2021, reviewed 22-Jul-2021)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of dense pale ivory head, excellent retention and heavy soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: mild, citrus, floral, pale biscuity malt, pine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Smooth slightly creamy medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration sweetish finish. (3/5)

I like label notes that make me go, “Wait, what?”, and to do it twice and force me to go to the Google is, well, at least twice as good. (The first one is kind of interesting from a historical perspective: the Kenora Thistles defeated the Montreal Wanderers in 1907 to win the Stanley Cup. {I had heard of the Wanderers, but not the Thistles.} The second event is far more WTF: an ultimately unidentified man robbed the CIBC in Kenora armed with a rifle, a pistol and a homemade bomb {!} consisting of six sticks of dynamite, with a dead man’s switch in his teeth {!!}, was shot by a police sniper, triggering his bomb {!!!} killing only himself and injuring Constable Don Millard, whose pants were ripped off {!!!!} by the explosion.) Anyway, obscure Canadiana aside, this is hopped with Citra and Amarillo, but I’m getting a distinct floral note that I don’t usually identify with either. I don’t dislike it, but it’s definitely not typical. Perhaps like Kenora? (14/20)

7/10 ryansbooze.com #ryansbooze

DuClaw Brewing Company Four Hops This Time! – American IPA at 7.5% ABV | 61 IBU (C$5.40 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 17-May-2021, acquired 2-Jul-2021, reviewed 21-Jul-2021)

Appearance: hazy medium gold with two fat fingers of rocky pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: doughy yeast, tropical fruit, citrus, coconut. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Smooth creamy medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, medium duration sweetish mildly spicy slightly sticky finish. (3/5)

Hopped with Azacca, Mosaic, Sabro, and Lotus, but even that combination is struggling to keep up with the doughy cereal grains that dominate on the front end. What fruit character is there, is somewhat muddled, and doesn’t really shine through as bright or juicy. It’s OK at best, which for this brewery is a massive disappointment for me – though it certainly seems like they don’t do anywhere near as well with IPAs and the like as they do with Porters etc. (13/20)

6.5/10 ryansbooze.com #ryansbooze

Upstreet Craft Brewing Third Place – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.5% ABV | 40 IBU (C$4.50 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 18-May-2021, acquired 2-Jul-2021, reviewed 19-Jul-2021)

Appearance: clear pale gold with two fingers of rocky white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, caramel, citrus, pine. (5/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, off-dry medium bitter finish. (4/5)

I initially thought, if that’s third place, what won? But, there is an odd note on the nose that I’m not completely in love with. Tropical fruit, yes, but more “bruised mango” than “fresh pineapple”, and it becomes progressively more off-putting the more it warms. Definitely one to drink quickly, and despite the high ABV it’s smooth enough to allow that. Third place, yes, but one where you can hold your head up high because you won the semifinal playing your own game. (14/20)

7/10 ryansbooze.com #ryansbooze

2 Crows Brewing Modern Interpretation – American IPA at 6.1% ABV | 44 IBU (C$5.26 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 6-Apr-2021, acquired 15-Jul-2021, reviewed 19-Jul-2021)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of creamy off-white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus & tropical fruit, cereal grains, melon, light resiny pine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Smooth medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry medium bitter finish. (4/5)

The label says “VELVETY LUSH JUICY”, and that’s reasonable. Hopped with Galaxy and Enigma, and it’s got the tropical and melon notes I’d expect, though not a lot of the vinous character. I would have liked it to be brighter, but that might be largely due to age. All in all, an easy-drinking, reasonably refreshing example of the style. (15/20)

7.5/10 ryansbooze.com #ryansbooze

Familia Brewing Long Walk Kveik Pale Ale – American Pale Ale at 5.0% ABV | 21 IBU (C$4.50 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 23-Jun-2021, acquired 15-Jul-2021, reviewed 17-Jul-2021)

Appearance: clear pale amber with two fingers of pillowy pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: citrus zest, stone fruit, caramel, earthy pine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium bitter finish. (4/5)

Not quite a traditional Pale – at least, not a traditional American Pale, though I suppose the use of kveik-style yeasts is arguably a much older tradition. I don’t have a whole lot of experience with kveik, but the stone fruit and citrus zest notes seem to be in-line with what experience I do have. The flavours are fruity without being sweet or tart, as well as slightly earthy. An interesting offering from a new sort-of local brewery. (15/20)

7.5/10 ryansbooze.com #ryansbooze

Grain Bin Brewing Company Alright Already – American IPA at 5.5% ABV (C$4.72 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 15-Jul-2021, reviewed 17-Jul-2021)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with two fingers of rocky pale ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, stone & tropical fruit, oats, light pine. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Medium soft body, moderate carbonation, sweetish medium duration finish. (3/5)

I like the beer. I fucking hate the name. I mean, I get that my response to that particular misspelling is utterly unreasonable, but I have it anyway. As far as the beer goes, the label gets it right: there’s a lot of them out there, and this is another one. It ain’t the best and it ain’t the worst. Except for that misspelling, which is on par with genocide. (14/20)

7/10 ryansbooze.com #ryansbooze

Great Lakes Brewery Miami Weiss – American Pale Wheat Ale at 4.5% ABV | 30 IBU (C$4.15 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 9-Jun-2021, acquired 15-Jul-2021, reviewed 16-Jul-2021)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of dense pale ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: mild, stone fruit, cereal grains, citrus. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Medium smooth body, moderate-lively carbonation, medium duration slightly sticky finish. (3/5)

I smelled and tasted this before reading the label, so I was all ready to deliver a blistering condemnation before I saw that they freely admitted it’s not a Weiss at all. Well… fine… but it’s still confusing! (And, calling it “just something the guys in marketing came up with” is not much of a defence. This is the craft beer world! You’re supposed to be above such mundane considerations as marketing and filthy lucre!) Despite it being “packed with Pacific Northwest hops” (and relatively young) I don’t find the aroma to be bright or juicy. Rather, it’s got a lot of cereal grains (oats and wheat) vying for dominance over a muddled stone fruit, with what little citrus there is bringing up the rear. Except, the rear isn’t that great, either, as the finish ends up a bit sticky and not very more-ish at all. It’s not terrible, especially for the low ABV, but it’s a long way from great – and more to the point, a long way from some of their other efforts. (I’d much rather have a Burst!, at the same ABV, or two-thirds of an Octopus Wants to Fight.) (14/20)

7/10 ryansbooze.com #ryansbooze

Ale Architect Brewing Ltd. Colour Burst 4 – American IPA at 6.3% ABV (C$4.63 at Collective, 473 ml, best before 14-Dec-2021, acquired 2-Jul-2021, reviewed 14-Jul-2021)

Appearance: hazy medium gold with one finger of loose pale ivory head diminishing rapidly to a thin ring, minimal spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: dank resiny pine, citrus, tropical fruit, oats & cereal grains. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Medium smooth body, moderate-low carbonation, short duration slightly spicy finish. (4/5)

Brewer notes say this is double dry-hopped with a blend of Vic Secret, Citra Cryo, and Cashmere. Far better than 2, and quite comparable to the original, though perhaps a little heavier in the body, particularly with the lower carbonation. (I think I missed 3?) (16/20)

8/10 ryansbooze.com #ryansbooze