A taste of… Ranger India Pale Ale

New Belgium Brewing Co.
500 Linden Street
Fort Collins, CO 80524-2457
(970) 221-0524

Preface: This 12 oz. bottle of Ranger India Pale Ale was sent to me by the folks at New Belgium Brewing Co. . (There is a dating code on the label of the bottle is 16JULY10.

The following notes are made after a mouth wash with room temperature sparkling water. These notes have not been influenced by reading promotional material or any other review of this brew.

I am including this preface to inform the reader of any and all circumstances that might be conceived of as creating a biased review or a conflict of interest regarding the choice of words used in the following review. I could go on and on with semi-legal jargon but I guess you will just have to trust me eh?

The following are my tasting notes:

Appearance: A deep golden honey colored brew is carbonated by tiny bubbles that develop into a rocky slightly sandy colored head of tiny and small bubbles. There is significant Belgian Lace as the head slowly recedes.

Aroma: The first impression is of fresh hops flowers. The second visit reveals more layers to the grassy green hop flowers. (If you have never had the chance to smell fresh hops this is as close as you can get to that aroma.) The third nose dive had my olfactory senses calibrated and my flavor receptors anticipating a hop flavor onslaught.

Flavor: The first impression, after the refreshing chill, is a series of citric impressions that bounce between lemon and grapefruit with some orange thrown in. The second sip found a caramel under taste that smoothed the citric tang. The third swallow was tuned and ready for the flavors but found a few new touches of dryness.

Mouth feel: A full bodied brew.

Finish: There is a dry finish here with the hops leaving town on the express train.

Comments: This bottle is most likely over a month old. However, it was kept cool and in a dark place. My overall impression is that it was a fine fresh brew that could have used a bit more hops.

Should I be asked to bring a beverage to an event where grilled brook trout was going to be featured I would take a six package of this brew.


The Brewery: http://www.newbelgium.com/

What others say:

BeerAdvocate: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/192/55081

RateBeer: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/new-belgium-ranger-ipa/108325/