Nothing makes me happier than trying a new Colorado brewed IPA. This one is extra special. This one is from New Belgium, Colorado’s finest craft brewery. I didn’t think it was in New Belgium’s DNA to make an IPA. But low-and-behold, as I walked into the liquor store tonight to purchase my favorite beer (Modus Hoperandi), there it was — Ranger, the long awaited New Belgium IPA.

Ranger is delicious. An immediate jump into my Top 5 favorite India Pale Ale’s brewed in Colorado. New Belgium claims there are 3 pounds of hops per barrel, and I’m thinking that’s accurate. Ranger is very hoppy. There are three hops used in the beer: Cascade (citrus), Chinook (floral/citrus), and Simcoe (fruity). Although the beer is extremely hoppy, Ranger finishes dry. It’s fantastic!

Ranger hits you hard with lots of insanely bitter citrus hops, and then — bam! — it dissipates as soon as it’s off the tongue.  It’s a fun beer.

The packaging for Ranger is different than anything I have seen from New Belgium. For a very long time, looking at a bottle of New Belgium was a bit like playing Where’s Waldo?.  In this case, replace Waldo with Horsetooth Rock, which towers above Fort Collins west of town.  You could spot Horsetooth Rock in most of New Belgium’s marketing efforts, including their beer labels, but there’s no such imagery in the new packaging.  A new look for New Belgium?

The alcohol content in Ranger is 6.5%, which is about average for an IPA.  Beer, in general, tends to have more flavor when the alcohol content is lower.  Ranger is no exception.  New Belgium’s website states Ranger will be available “where good beer is served and sold February 1, 2010.”  But trust me, it’s January 24th, and it’s on the shelves.  Got to your favorite liquor store and indulge today!