Capt Keith's Beer Blog

Today, I had the chance to taste the new Ranger IPA from New Belgium Brewing Company, before it’s release to the public. The team of “beer rangers” that I know from NBBC are solid guys with a passion for good beer. Not just their beer, but all beer. The story behind this IPA is that the Rangers on the street wanted a hopped up beer to sell. They wanted an IPA that could compete with the best in the market.

The hops used are Simcoe, Chinook and Cascade. The IBU’s (International Bittering Units) are around 60 which is up there. The color is a pale golden-amber with a solid white head that last awhile. It has a strong floral aroma and maybe some grapefruit. (I had four people taste it with me and one says grapefruit and it sticks.) I say some type of interesting flower that I cannot put my finger on and another agrees that it has something unique. It is bitter for sure but has enough malts to make it subtle and not really a hop slam like some IPAs. (Don’t get me wrong – I like the occasional hop slam in my beer too.) The mid-section of this brew has a creamy tinge of something sweet, but I could not place it. Maybe its the yeast. The hop bitterness lingers and it has a dryness at the end, but also that ever-so-mild sweet something right in the middle.

I like it and I would drink it again. In fact, put me in Wholefoods or Central Market in hunt for an IPA and I’ll snag a sixer or two. It quite possibly is my new favorite NBBC brew. Well, maybe after La Folie. If you dig NBBC and you dig hoppy IPA’s, I really think you will like this beer. Find it in your local market and at the Flying Saucer in mid Frebruary.