If you haven’t heard then I’m happy to tell you that New Belgium Brewing Company will be coming to Ohio on December 16th, just over a month away. In perpetration for there roll out they kindly hooked me up with some samples. We took a taste of Accumulation last week when the first snows fell and today I’m trying their Ranger IPA. I first reviewed New Belgium’s Ranger IPA last year after bringing a bottle back from North Carolina.
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!
Style: IPA
ABV: 6.5%
IBU: 70
Calories: 187
Hops: Chinook, Simcoe, Cascade
Malts: Pale, C-120
Yeast: Ale Yeast
Great citrus & pine hop bouquet doing a great job of showing off the hops. All this hop action is backed by a nice malty biscuit/bread aroma.
This is a gorgeous IPA, a bright golden hued liquid topped with a pure as the driven snow-white head.
Taste follows the with the flavor but throws in more malt action as is expected still showing more toasted biscuit goodness. Bitterness is noticeable and pleasant but not overpowering as can be in some west coast styled IPAs like this. Maltiness builds slowly as it warms. Also starting to notice the alcohol now as I’m finishing the glass. It’s noticeable but not strong or inhibiting, it is only 6.5% after all.
Body is medium weight with lots of carbonation making this a really enjoyable mouth feel.
There are a wide range of IPAs out there these days, from the absurdly bitter to the bountifully fruity. This IPA isn’t extreme in any way except it’s quality and truth to style.
FULL DISCLOSURE: This beer was sent to me for free by New Belgium. To our readers, and any breweries interested in sending me samples, giving me free beer does not guarantee you a favorable review, though I do promise to review your product and publish a post on it.
BrewMinds 
How would you rate Ranger to all the local IPA’s?
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Ranger, and many of our local IPAs, are relatively average IPAs. PsycHOPathy and Truth are the only local IPAs (not counting one offs or IPAish brews like Fork in the Road) that jump out at me as being above average. All that said I’d take a local over Ranger when possible because I always default to supporting the local guys.
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I agree – I find this brew to be solidly “middle of the road,” but by no means bad. I’d take a Rampant over Ranger, but Ranger seems to do well with friends of mine who aren’t IPA crazy.
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