Is it just me, or are there others out there who hate New Belgium’s Ranger IPA? I’ve had it several times. I’ve have never found anything enjoyable about it, but I know there are a lot of people who love it. So I tried it again last night when we went out for dinner. I couldn’t finish it. It’s way too pungent for me. Sort of in the same way that I hate vinegar.
Wow, not me. I mean it’s not something I would seek out but if I’m craving an IPA and there’s nothing else I will definitely drink it and like it. It’s definitely resinous, but I wouldn’t say pungent, at least on my palette.
Yeah, it’s definitely very resinous. That combined with the strongly floral character make it seem pungent to me.
In the interest of full disclosure, I’m fairly picky about IPA’s. I prefer light IPA’s (i.e.,a touch of C60 or lighter…or no crystal at all) and I’m not into resiny/piney, strongly floral IPA’s. For me it’s easy to overdo it with Simcoe and Chinook. I think New Belgium has broken both of my “rules” in Ranger.
I think Ranger is the first IPA I’ve ever dumped.
Edit: I forgot about Devil Dancer. That’s another one I’ve dumped.
Dump a Ranger…shame on you…
I rather like Ranger myself and it’s fresh it’s even better. I would not call it a favorite, but I would never dump it. I do prefer Lagunitas and Odell 
Ranger is alright with me.
Yeah, it’s definitely very resinous. That combined with the strongly floral character make it seem pungent to me.
In the interest of full disclosure, I’m fairly picky about IPA’s. I prefer light IPA’s (i.e.,a touch of C60 or lighter…or no crystal at all) and I’m not into resiny/piney, strongly floral IPA’s. For me it’s easy to overdo it with Simcoe and Chinook. I think New Belgium has broken both of my “rules” in Ranger.
I think Ranger is the first IPA I’ve ever dumped.
Edit: I forgot about Devil Dancer. That’s another one I’ve dumped.[/quote]
I had Devil’s Dancer for the first time last week (draft) and really enjoyed it.
Strange; seemed to be a quite enjoyable, more modern west-coast oriented IPA (light, up-front hop varieties). I guess if you like your IPAs on the sweeter side and more subtle or floral this one might not be for you. Or if you don’t like IPAs, you don’t like IPAs…what IPAs do you like?
Sounds like you might be more of an English IPA person.
If you can find ‘Samuel Smith India Ale’ its a very good english IPA. IMO
[quote=“S.Scoggin”]Sounds like you might be more of an English IPA person.
If you can find ‘Samuel Smith India Ale’ its a very good english IPA. IMO[/quote]
Thanks for the recommendation. It is a good English IPA.
I love American IPA’s. By far it’s the style I drink most according to my Untappd profile. Also two of my six faucets are currently dispensing IPA’s.
I think Ranger just hits all the wrong notes for me.
I’d blame the chinook over the simcoe. Adds some serious Resiny-pine to the table. IME chinook is easier to over-do than simcoe. Some love it (like me) and some hate it.
That being said. Ranger is not my favorite rendition of the style. Although to me, it’s a solid beer
I’d blame the chinook over the simcoe. Adds some serious Resiny-pine to the table. IME chinook is easier to over-do than simcoe. Some love it (like me) and some hate it. [/quote]
You’re probably right. As I type this, I’m drinking an IPA in which I blended Amarillo with 2 oz. of Simcoe. Also dry hopped with an oz. each of Simcoe and Amarillo. Very tasty.
However great each part is, I think it’s the sum of its parts that do not work for me.
I like it. My current favorites are O’Dell, Ska Brewing, and Empyrian’s IPAs. Would I actively seek it out over my favs? No. Would I buy it if it were on sale? Yes.
Ranger is my favorite IPA. IDKY I’ve never really compared side-by-side say with a Stone, which I also very much enjoy. But when I’m jonesin’ for a commercial IPA…Ranger is where I go!
