Superflux / Gigantic Pretty Much Yeah – American IPA at 6.5% ABV (C$5.35 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 18-Jun-2021, acquired 2-Jul-2021, reviewed 14-Jul-2021)
Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of loose pale ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: citrus pith & zest, tropical fruit, oats & cereal grains, dank cannabinoids. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (9/10) Medium soft body, moderate carbonation, short duration slightly sticky finish. (4/5)
Secondary sources indicate oats in the malt bill and Galaxy hopping. Not too sweet and totally crushable. Is this the right way to brew beer? Pretty much, yeah. (17/20)
Eighty-Eight Brewing Leisure Centre – American IPA at 6.3% ABV | 35 IBU (C$4.81 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 25-Jun-2021, acquired 2-Jul-2021, reviewed 13-Jul-2021)
Appearance: hazy straw with one finger of fluffy white head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: citrus, field berries, stone fruit, pale malt, pine, vegetal. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Medium soft body, moderate carbonation, sweetish medium duration slightly sticky finish. (3/5)
The brewer notes describe this as super dank, but I have to disagree. In fact, despite their description of using incognito and cryo hop versions, in addition to Dip hopping, I’m getting suggestions of green vegetation that I usually associate with overextraction. It’s also just a bit too sweet for my preference. Not really one of their better offerings, in my opinion. (14/20)
Whitetooth Brewing Company Sickbird Northwest Pale Ale – American Pale Ale at 5.2% ABV | 36 IBU (C$4.23 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 15-Apr-2021, acquired 2-Jul-2021, reviewed 12-Jul-2021)
Appearance: clear pale gold with two fingers of fluffy white head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: pine, citrus, pale crackery malt, floral, stone fruit. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Medium-light body, moderate-lively carbonation, short duration moderate bitter slightly astringent finish. (3/5)
Not quite as brightly citrus or dankly pine as their full-on IPA Blower Pow, which is pretty much the profile I was hoping for (albeit with lower intensity, on a lighter malt base). But, instead of merely being lighter, it’s duller. As well, the bitterness is initially mid-range, but starts to turn into a slight astringency in the finish, becoming more emphatic towards the end of the pint. It’s OK, but unmemorable. (14/20)
The Establishment Brewing Company / Annex Ale Project Separate Together – Gose at 4.8% ABV (C$4.50 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 2-Jul-2021, reviewed 12-Jul-2021)
Appearance: clear deep gold with one finger of fluffy off-white head diminishing rapidly to nothing, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: citrus peel, band-aid esters, stone fruit, coriander. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, low bitter. (8/10) Medium-light body, lively carbonation, tart faintly briny finish. (4/5)
My first collaboration with these two brewers, though I’ve had perhaps two dozen from each separately. This one is not really up to standard for The Establishment (for n=18, μ=8 & σ=0.5) but right about average for Annex (for n=27, μ=7.1 & σ=1.03), so draw your own conclusions about who’s moving towards whose standards with this one… My biggest complaint here is the plastic-y band-aid ester note, which though not exactly dominant, is certainly present. On the tongue and through the finish, though, it’s pretty solid, and doesn’t go over the top with brine the way some examples of this style do. A decently refreshing sunny patio beer. (14/20)
Corsaire Microbrasserie Pirate USS Vermont – American IPA at 6.3% ABV | 47 IBU (C$4.45 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 27-Apr-2021, acquired 2-Jul-2021, reviewed 11-Jul-2021)
Appearance: hazy straw with two fingers of rocky white head, excellent retention and heavy soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: melon, stone fruit, citrus, pale malt. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Medium-light body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium bitter slightly astringent finish. (3/5)
Maybe a little long in the can, so I acknowledge I might be slightly unfair on the scoring. Not bad overall, but there’s a little more rindy melon and stone fruit than I prefer to see in this style, and not enough citrus. Yes, that’s largely personal preference, but I’m the person rating it, so… As well, the finish is a little bit astringent, particularly towards the end of the pint. Not offensively so, certainly, but enough to matter. All in all, a fairly middle of the road interpretation of the style, without a whole lot to differentiate it from a lot of others. (14/20)
Apex Predator Brewing (Bench Creek Brewing) Stephanie – Rye IPA at 5.5% ABV | 45 IBU (C$4.68 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 31-May-2021, acquired 2-Jul-2021, reviewed 11-Jul-2021)
Appearance: slightly hazy pale amber with two fat fingers (and growing) of rocky ivory head, excellent retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: spicy rye, bready caramel, citrus, hint of stone fruit. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration bitter spicy finish. (4/5)
The label calls this a Citra Rye Pale Ale, but I’d call it a RYE RYE RYE Citra Pale Ale – though that’s usually the case any time rye comes out to play. And actually, there’s ultimately a bit less rye than you might expect for a full-on Rye IPA, and the citrus notes eventually do claw their way back to some kind of balance. I was a bit uncertain when I saw that combination of rye and Citra hops, but it’s actually not bad. (And the name and artwork is Ally Sheedy’s role in Short Circuit, in case you were wondering and/or not an 80’s kid.) (15/20)
Pile O’ Bones Brewing Co. Cosmic Celebration – American IPA at 6% ABV (C$4.50 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 3-Jun-2021, acquired 2-Jul-2021, reviewed 10-Jul-2021)
Appearance: hazy pale gold with one finger of fine pale ivory head diminishing rapidly to a thin skim, moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: resiny pine, citrus, tropical fruit, oats & cereal grains. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (7/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration bitter slightly spicy finish. (4/5)
Pleasant aroma of pine, citrus, and tropical fruits on a cereal grain base, medium-bodied tending somewhat smooth, with a little hop burn in the finish. A decent enough example of the style, I suppose, but nothing really stands out to kick it up to the next level. (14/20)
Field House Brewing Co. Hazy Citra Pale – American IPA at 5.6% ABV | 20 IBU (C$5.35 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 2-Jul-2021, reviewed 10-Jul-2021)
Appearance: hazy straw with one fat finger of fine white head, good retention and spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: resiny pine, orange & grapefruit juice, pale biscuity malt. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (8/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry medium duration bitter lightly tart finish. (4/5)
Brewed with “extra powerful lupulin enriched Citra”. So… the same lupulin powder everybody and their dog’s been using for years? Not that I’m complaining, mind you – I suspect going with straight lupulin helps avoid any of the overextracted cattiness I sometimes associate with Citra (and which is completely absent here). The orange and grapefruit juice adjunct definitely comes through, especially in the finish, but is a good match to the Citra hopping and ends up being a bit suggestive of a Radler overall. A new brewery to me, but a very impressive first exposure. (16/20)
Category 12 Brewing Chromatic IPA – American IPA at 7% ABV | 79 IBU (C$5.26 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 1-Jun-2021, acquired 2-Jul-2021, reviewed 9-Jul-2021)
Appearance: clear deep gold with two fat fingers of rocky pale ivory head, excellent retention and heavy soapy lacing. (5/5) Aroma: resiny pine, citrus, pale biscuity malt, tropical fruit. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, high bitter. (9/10) Medium body, moderate carbonation, off-dry lingering bitter slightly spicy finish. (4/5)
Brewer notes say this is hopped with “Mosaic & Big C’s” and that’s pretty much what smacks you in the face when you crack the can. Not much more to say here: this is pretty much a reference standard for how to brew an old school West Coast IPA. After having a ton of low bitter East Coast haze, it’s refreshing to get a crystal clear, in your face, unapologetic hop beast. (18/20)
Cannery Brewing Company HDHC Citra – American IPA at 7.0% ABV | 55 IBU (C$4.36 at Collective, 473 ml, packaged on 4-Jun-2021, acquired 2-Jul-2021, reviewed 8-Jul-2021)
Appearance: hazy straw with one fat finger of fluffy white head diminishing gradually to a thin ring, moderate soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: juicy citrus, pale biscuity malt, resiny pine. (9/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (9/10) Medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, off-dry moderate bitter slightly spicy finish. (4/5)
My third HDHC (High-Density Hop Charge, for those not in the know) offering from Cannery, and not gonna lie, I had high hopes for Citra as the single hop. Cutting right to the chase, it’s not quite as great as I hoped, and I’m gonna place it somewhere in between the Mosaic and Ekuanot versions. I was a bit surprised that it didn’t develop or retain its head as well as the other two, because I sort of assumed that they used pretty much the same malt bill and brewing process across all three, but maybe the hops themselves are contributing different levels of oils? Regardless, we’re getting into nit-picking detail here, and I have to say: Cannery has immensely raised the bar on their product with these three. Plus, when I went to their web site to look for details, there were details of a music collaboration (which I always love) for another brew, recommending Unleash the Archers’ cover of Stan Rogers’ Northwest Passage, both of which are holy fuck awesome Canadiana. OK, Cannery, you’ve got my attention: I now expect great things. (16/20)
