Day 33: 02.02.10 New Belgium Ranger IPA

-New Belgium Brewing Co.

Fort Collins, Colorado


Ranger India Pale Ale


Style: American India Pale Ale
Availability: Year Round
Format: 12oz -6pk
ABV: 6.5%
IBUs: 70
Hops: Cascade, Chinook, Simcoe
Malt: Pale, Caramel


Bottle text & Info:


"Ever met a New Belgium Beer Ranger? They are our beloved folks out in the field. Spanning all 26 of our states from the Pacific to the Atlantic, our Beer Rangers do their best to protect, to pour and to partake. And explore many a beer from many a brewery, they do. The fellows up in the Northwest kept calling for “more hops!” Soon it became a common theme across the land. Rangers, fans and craft lovers everywhere were searching for hoppier beers.

So, here it finally is – New Belgium’s foray into the true American India Pale Ales. Bring out the hops! This clear amber beauty bursts at the starting gate with an abundance of hops: Cascade (citrus), Chinook (floral/citrus), and Simcoe (fruity) lead off the beer, with Cascade added again for an intense dry hop flavor. Brewed with pale and dark caramel malts that harmonize the hop flavor from start to finish, Ranger is a sessionable splendor for all you hopinistas. Thank your Beer Ranger!"


for more specs on this beer click riggghhhhttt..... HERE!


Tasting Notes:


Poured into a pint glass showing quarter inch pure white head. The ale itself pours thing and a bright golden color that is completely clear (yes it's a highland glass i poured this into. i didn't expect you'd be able to see the backside of the pint.) What I mean to say is that the color of this is everything I don't want to see in an IPA. How many times did they filter this? I've had American lager that poured darker than this. (rolls eyes)* what the hell new belgium. what the hell. anyways lets check this out.


Smells of hops. Biscuit, lemon, grass and citrus - in that order. How's it taste? Like disappointment, that's what. 3 pounds of hops per barrel? Either you're a liar, New Belgium, or your hop supplier pulled one over on you. This beer is so watered down. Yuck. I'd totally pull this off the shelf if we weren't gonna sell a bazillion (a real number. look it up.) cases of this to 40 year-old collared shirt wearing, Stella drinkers. Don't get me wrong, this guy definitely has some hop presence, mostly pine with some citrus, but it also has that awful biscuity malt ending with lemon - the same note that made NB Skinny Dip so horrendous. Basically, this is a training wheels IPA. In a market saturated with killer IPA's i wouldn't be caught dead with this. Scratch that. I might drink this if i was outside in a 105 degree heat and humidity and had to have something cold with some hops. Like i said. Might. Congratulations to New Belgium for another mediocre beer that will undoubtedly sell like crazy. I don't get it...