Beer Review: New Belgium Ranger IPA
Late last year, we caught wind that New Belgium was going to change the labels of some of its beers and simultaneously release a new beer called Ranger IPA. Ranger rounds out the new Explore Series of beers from New Belgium, which also includes old favorites: Mothership Wit, Abbey, and Trippel. All four beers have been branded with new, simple, two-tone labels that are a pretty dramatic departure from the artistically painted labels that have helped make New Belgium beer bottles so easily recognizable.
While I do like the new labels, I don't like them for New Belgium. It somehow feels like New Belgium is abandoning a part of the brand that everyone knows, that everyone appreciates, and that no other brewery can easily replicate. In looking at the labels here, it's easy to see that these new labels stand out. But admittedly, it's the new look that caught my eye when I was shopping this weekend - and lead me to pick up a six pack of Ranger IPA.
I like the story behind the beer: Ranger IPA is a tribute to New Belgium's regional representatives, or Beer Rangers as they're called. From the brewery:
Beyond the Pacific Northwest: Out of Market Beers Worth Checking Out
While I tend to lean towards beers that are brewed locally, over the past few weeks I've had a few beers brewed outside the Pacific Northwest that stood out for me. Each of these are pretty readily available, and I think each are worth checking out:
New Belgium Le Fleur Misseur
Le Fleur Misseur is part of New Belgium's Lips of Faith series of beers. We were looking for something different when we picked up a bottle of this beer; we hadn't tried this one from New Belgium, the name was intriguing, and the attractive packaging sealed the deal. We weren't disappointed.
Beer Review: BrewDog / Stone Brewing Company Bashah
I recently reviewed the collaboration beer Bashah from Stone Brewing Company and BrewDog as part of a panel review for Ezra Johnson-Greenough's (aka Samurai Artist) The New School beer blog. While expensive (about $6.50 / 12 oz. bottle), I was happy to review the beer - as it gave me an excuse to pick up a beer that I may have otherwise overlooked.
My Review
Bashah, described as a Belgian Style Double India Pale Ale, is a complex blend of flavors you'd expect from an IPA with those you might find in a stout or porter. Very dark brown, and nearly black in color, the pour leaves a thin tan head that dissolves quickly. The beer doesn't have an overwhelming scent, but there are sweet and chocolate notes here. The initial flavor is roasted malt and mocha with some hop bite; this is followed by a bigger hop hit you'd expect from an IPA - but it doesn't pack the punch I'd expect from a Double IPA. The finish takes another turn, and leaves you with more roasted flavors, and subtle chocolate and coffee notes.
Beer Review: Mash Tun Black & Gold Imperial IPA
Mash Tun is my neighborhood brewpub. In the few months we've lived in Portland, I've been to the Mash Tun a handful of times and have tried several of the brewpub's beers. Unfortunately, I've found that most of the beers they brew are middle of the road. I stopped in this week to find a special house beer on tap:
Black & Gold Imperial IPA
As other brewers around town are brewing and releasing black IPAs right now, I found the name of this beer to be a bit misleading. The beer isn't black; and it's not gold. While it's described as being 'slightly darker', I found the color to be a pretty typical amber color you'd expect to find with an Imperial IPA. The beer is actually named for a football team, and as far as I could tell, has nothing to do with the color of the beer itself.
