New Belgium Ranger India Pale Ale

The final “surprise” in the mixed sixer from New Belgium Brewing, New Belgium Ranger India Pale Ale.

New Belgium Ranger IPA poured honey-hued and clear. A slightly off-white head that was small but sticky floated above a flat body with no observable carbonation, and the nose was floral and dark. 

New Belgium Ranger IPA began with a well carbonated front complimented by a subdued hop front. The hops were herby with some pine and had an almost tobacco-like note.  The body darkened up and almost became a burnt taste as it faded.  Ranger IPA ended with a lot of bitterness, not entirely pleasant, but thankfully no New Belgium yeast.

New Belgium Ranger IPA breaks away from the traditional New Belgium yeast-strain, and benefits for it.  It adheres more closely to the NW-style IPA, with more focus on pine and sap than citrus, and other than an overly-bitter finish it fits right in line as a good, but not great, IPA.

New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale

My first foray into better/craft beer was discovering New Belgium Brewing on the shelves of local stores ten years ago… one of the only real craft brews amid a bunch of imports and perennials from St. Lois, Milwaukee, and Golden.   The beer?  New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale. 

New Belgium Fat Tire Ale poured orange into the glass, transparent with no carbonation trails. A somewhat sickly, medium white head clung to the side of the glass, with aromas of pizza crust and barley.

New Belgium Fate Tire Ale opened bright with the iconic, pizza crust/biscuit-like yeast notes that permeate most New Belgium brews.  As the ale warmed in my mouth it became drier and even more bread-like.  The ale ended on an extended "ate a slice of bread" note. The hops seemed to be introduced only to the point of balance, not bitter flavor.

New Belgium Fat Tire is still a good beer, but it’s one that I’ve grown past.  It’s distinct, biscuit-like yeast flavor is a blessing and a curse… great paired with pizza but a bit too big and bready to feel good as a session beer.

New Belgium Mighty Arrow Pale Ale

Benefiting from the accidental mixed six-pack from New Belgium Brewing, today’s beer is New Belgium Mighty Arrow Pale Ale.

New Belgium Mighty Arrow Pale Ale poured the color of weak tea without the cloudiness, topped with a loose, foamy white head almost no observable carbonation.  It was surprisingly hop-forward in the nose with lots of pine.

New Belgium Mighty Arrow Pale Ale drank a little flat up front, with hints of grapefruit and mineral water quickly fading as it settled into a mediocre body of dusty malt covered by the New Belgium yeast almost all the beers have (think Fat Tire).  There wasn’t much in the linger... I bit of dry bitterness and a distinct dryness.

New Belgium Mighty Arrow Pale Ale isn't bad; it just doesn't really excel at anything.  I would pass.

New Belgium Lips of Faith La Folie Sour Brown Ale

Part of New Belgium’s Lips of Faith series, New Belgium Lips of Faith La Folie Sour Brown Ale poured a hazy, brick red into the glass with a loose, oily tan head.  The nose had a tart vinegar start with some cherry sweetness hiding in the background.

New Belgium Lips of Faith La Folie opened the opposite of how its nose implied, with the fruity sweetness taking charge before suttling into the dry, vinegar tartness that was the base body of the beer.  More tart than sour, the body was surprisingly light and refreshing and complimented the undertones of farmy funkiness as the ale warmed. 

La Folie hit all the high marks I expect from a  true sour… wild, a little funky, and carrying a balsamic tartness rather than the limbic sour taste I see many sour ales hiding behind.  Well worth checking out!

New Belgium Somersault Seasonal Ale

New Belgium Somersault Seasonal Ale, from New Belgium Brewing, poured a clear honey color into the glass, with heavy carbonation building a bright white head.  Citrus and stone fruits dominated the otherwise subdued nose.

New Belgian Somersault Seasonal Ale opened with a tart apple start that quickly mellowed into a sweet lime with rind flavor over an oat-led malt body.  The ale ended slightly sour and bitter in the fade.

Thanksgiving Beer Dinner!!!

Since I'm hosting Thanksgiving this year, I decided to get a little adventurous and have an all-beer Thanksgiving dinner, with each dish prepared with some type of beer, while trying to keep it a cohesive whole.  Here is the rundown-

-New Belgium Tripel, Tangerine, and Fennel Brined Turkey- Very succulent and flavorful with the beer and citrus never overpowering the turkey flavor.  

-New Belgium Tripel Sourdough Stuffing- The stuffing actually carried through a bit more of the beer and citrus flavors than the turkey, but it was still so subtle no one would have known other than there was a pleasant "otherness" going on.

-Deschutes Dissident Sour Cranberry Cherry Sauce- I don't like canned cranberry sauce, and I've never really craved cranberry sauce with my turkey, but this stood out with the complexity of the honey, sour ale, and fresh vanilla bean.

-Deschutes Jubelale Roasted Potatoes, Fennel, and Brussels Sprouts- Just standard fair, tasty roasted veggies.

-New Belgium Tripel Turkey Gravy- There wasn't enough, if that says anything :)

-Blue Moon Winter Ale Butter Biscuits- This was an afterthought, but a welcome addition by daughter slammed down.

-Homebrew Pumpkin Ale Butternut Squash- Slightly sweeter and more spiced than mashed potatoes, way less sweet than any sweet potato dish I've tried, those who wanted savory used gravy and were happy, those who wanted sweet used a little cinnamon sugar.

-Homebrew Pumpkin Ale Pumpkin Pecan Crunch with Pumpkin Ale Whipped Cream- The pecans/butter/cinnamon caramelization on top made dish for me.  

Caldera Brewing Hopportunity Knocks Ale

Now that the boutique "beer-in-a-can" movement has some traction, it's not uncommon to see good beer in an aluminum pop-top (Big Sky Brewing, Oskar Blues, and even Fat Tire from New Belgium Brewing), but Caldera Brewing Co in Ashland, OR has been selling their quality brews in cans for 13 years now.  Their reason?  It's easier (and lighter) to pack out after an outdoor activity and cans are allowed in venues glass isn't.  I've always been a fan of their IPA, which perfectly balances strong, hoppy pine with thirst-quenching drinkability, so after a flight at the Caldera Brewing Tap House I grabbed a bottle of Hopportunity Knocks, part of their seasonal, 22oz. only beers to get my hop on.

Hopportunity Knocks poured a slightly cloudy orange into the glass, with copious small carbonation streams and a medium-sized, white head.  The ale was mostly sweet lime with light pine in the nose, and fairly subdued.

Hopportunity Knocks had a bright and crisp start, successfully bringing plenty of hop flavor without the aggressive bitterness.  There were hints of lime and tropical fruit that came through, and it ended on an earthy note of dried nectarines, plum, and tobacco.  

Hopportunity Knocks is probably one of  the most delicate big-flavor beers I've tried this year.  As such, it's a pleasure getting through the first bottle, but a night full of Hopportunity would be fatiguing.  It's occasionally nice to have a big-flavored beer without a double-digit ABV.

Bridgeport Kingpin Double Red Ale

I'm up in Portland, one of the beer capitals of the Pacific Northwest, picking up some more exotic brews to fill the pantry for future tastings, and am starting off the experience with a new brew from Bridgeport Brewing, the self-proclaimed and to my knowledge uncontested "oldest micro-brewery in Oregon"... Bridgeport Kingpin Double Red Ale.

Bridgeport Kingpin Double Red Ale was a orange-red color, heavy with carbonation and topped by a small but fluffy white head.  The nose had light orange notes to it, backed by some caramel malts.

Bridgeport Kingpin Double red Ale had a highly carbonated front with no real distinct hop flavor.  There was an almost Belgium yeast quality to the middle before it settled into a malty, bready body that stuck around.  The ending notes were sugary and candy-like.

I wanted to like this one better than I did.  It's a good beer and very drinkable, but it's a malt bomb and doesn't really hit the hop standards set by other big reds.  It succeeds in masking a high ABV, but came off a bit too dimensional.