Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA

Over 6 years ago I wrote my first blog post about New Belgium's Ranger here. Since then those good craftsmen in Colorado have churned out a number of varieties. Not afraid of messing with a good thing, they have, in fact, improved on a good thing. This hazy nectar is sweet and complex and an excellent example of the goodness of hops.

Tartastic

Having someone else pick out beers for me at Advent time, provides me with some choices I wouldn't normally have paid money for, like this sour. I appreciate new experiences. This is a really sour experience. I can now say I know what it's like and I won't have to get it ever again.

Voodoo Ranger

Once every 5 or 10 years I like to go to a hockey game. Sandy has never been, so we decided we'd make a night out at Young Arena and watch the Blackhawks. Fun times and surprisingly good beer.

I've been a fan of New Belgium's IPAs for quite a while now. This is the first I've got a chance to blog about this citrus juicy hop bomb that's on the top of the lists for favorite DIPAs.

Anne-Francoise

A work day lunch at Old Chicago gave opportunity for this flavorful strong ale produced by the collaborative work of New Belgium and Orval breweries.  The additive spices bring out the malty and ester flavors of this dark beer.

Citradellic IPA

This well-balanced IPA tastes great even though there's so very little about it that stands out among the crowd of  IPAs out there.

Hoptober Golden Ale

Watching the smoker do its good work on a mess of ribs, we broke open a box of New Belgium's Folly to find this pleasing drink of sweet malts and herbal hops. Good beer and good friends help pass the time as we work on good food.

Snapshot

I have been hearing a number of people lately ask for this wheat beer. It's easy going flavors and drinkability must be the reason for it's growing popularity.

Somersault

This is a tasty refreshing summer beer. But I am growing tired of this fad of adding "natural flavors" to good beer just to call it something different. I am much more excited about the fad of infusing different gases into the bubbles in beer. Nitrogen makes beer have a rich and smooth mouth feel. And Helium makes beer very funny.

Wild2 Dubble

New Belgium in Fort Collins was a highlight of our Colorado trip. We had a beer, some small bites from a taco stand in the parking lot, and a little walking tour of the facility. For this post, pictures will do better than words:

Wood Casks

Beers in the Lab

Excellent Beer

Spring Blonde

March 20, 2014 – the first day of spring, supposedly.  I had to sweep off about an inch of new snow from my car this morning. In an effort to rush the end of this winter a little faster, I bought New Belgium’s spring seasonal.

It’s not too bad: light and refreshing.  I paired it with a loaded chili dog which took the edge off the funk that comes with this style. Belgiums aren’t my favorite, but this was better than cider. It seems every time you turn around there’s a new flavor of cider at the beer stores. Last night my wife gave me a sip of one she was working on. It said something about being “angry” on the label and what I got was a good mouthful of angry and vinegar and cinnamon. Thanks, but I’ll stick with beer. I like beer . . . and even this Spring Blonde Belgian Style Ale is no exception to that rule.

2° Below Ale

Turkey leftovers, College football and a houseful of in-laws on a chilly Black Friday combine to create the perfect moment to try this winter ale from New Belgium. Some fruity hop notes and a warming malt suggest that it’s good for cold weather. Personally, I could drink it on a hot day, too.

Rampant

New Belgium’s contest, currently on their website is making for a little fun diversion. It is working for their purposes, too. I went out of my way to try their Imperial IPA, after seeing so much about it on the website, including this especially funny commercial:  http://youtu.be/37V1qd_XX6A

Pleasing hop flavors that do not overpower give this one a favored place in my book.

Accumulation

This year our first accumulation of snow comes on Veterans Day. (See the Wikipedia article on Armistice DayBlizzard, for the historical significance of snow on this day in the upper midwest.) So it's an appropriate day to sample an Accumulation from New Belgium. This white IPA has some wonderful citrus flavor and a bit of black pepper in the dry finish. These flavors with a fairly light body make this a very refreshing beer.

1554 Enlightened Black Ale

New Belgium’s 1554 is tasty nostalgia. It's like a trip back to Renaissance Europe in each bottle. There's a sweetness like cola, then maple. The hops are noticeable but not overpowering, giving a nice finish to the otherwise darker flavors.

1554 warmed me nicely on this cold April day out on the deck as I brew the next batch of homebrew following a recipe from Bluff St. Brew Haus in Dubuque called "He Ain’t Heavy" Wee Heavy - Scottish Ale.

Trippel

The number 3 offering in my Advent Calendar is New Belgium’s Tripple.

This strong ale has added coriander to enhance the spiciness of the Belgian style yeast. Not  my favorite style, but I assume they are doing it well here.

Snow Day

On day 14 of my AdventCalendar, my wife Sandy again shows she has a knack at making me happy. This Snow Day Winter Ale from New Belgium was wonderful. Deep and rich and dark flavors of roasted malts of barley and wheat are followed by a nice helping of American hops.  There’s only a dusting of snow on the ground outside just now. I look forward to more to come and give us a day snowed in with an afghan a good movie and another one of these Winter Ales.

Ranger

            I am on a quest to find my favorite IPA on the market today.  I’m looking for a whiff of hops that is as fresh as when I pick them from the vines in my backyard.  I want a very crisp finish with amazing floral and citrus flavors. But it has to be beer, not just a glass of liquified hops; I’m still looking for the taste of malted barley.

             With this Ranger Iowa Pale Ale, you guys in Fort Collins are getting me close to where I want to be.

New Belgium Ranger IPA

Seldom do I have two beers in front of me at the same time when I’m in a nice restaurant, so let me explain this photo:

 I saw New Belgium Ranger IPA advertized and on the hot summer day that it was, my mouth watered at the expectation of the hoppy aroma and floral finish of an IPA. So I ordered and our waiter quickly brought me a cold beer in a nice glass.  I sniffed it, as I am wont to do.  Then I sniffed again this time even more deeply, surprised and disappointed that there was no hops in the aroma. I took a drink.  I swallowed and waited for the hops aftertaste, and then waited a little more, but nothing. 

When the waiter stopped for our food order I patiently asked, “How sure are you that this is a New Belgium Ranger IPA.”  He very dutifully answered, “umm, lemme check.”  He soon returned with an apology and an actual glass of IPA.

All in all it was a good experience.  I proved to my family that in a blind taste test I can tell the difference between a Coors Light and a quality IPA.

Abbey Belgian Style Ale

My dear Sandy is stressed.  With house guests coming this weekend for our youngest child’s confirmation, she is busy making lists of chores to be done, planning menus and giving orders to the rest of us in the house.  At one point this evening she was completely frazzled because if she added “onion salt” to the wrong side of the page, her shopping list would somehow become imbalanced.  At that, she put down her pen and said, “I need a drink”.

I don’t really share the stress she’s feeling right now, but I am happy to share the same cure.  I chose this delicious Belgian Style Ale with a complexity of flavors.  A prominent aroma in the head that carried through on my tongue reminded me of bananas.