Well, I told the world that I was done drinking. That I'd never touch alcohol again. For all intents and purposes, I was correct. I was ardent about not drinking. To a great degree, I still am and will be.
But I had the chance to hang out with two of the most awesome people on earth, and one of them started talking about beer. About how he liked certain Belgian style beers because they were a bit sweeter than most. I listened and broke out into an analysis of hops, explaining that certain hops have different characters in beer, how some hops add a citrus character and some add a more pine character. About the difference in taste created by roasting a malt for a different period of time, and the difference between an Ale and a Lager.
Once I stopped talking, he just looked at me and went... "dude, you can't quit drinking beer."
He's right. I can't. Not because I physically cannot, but because it's too much of a hobby for me.
So tonight I sit with a beer in my hand. An anomaly that shouldn't be, but is. I realized that I don't like drinking, but I love beer. Even the beer I hold is an anomaly.
I'm doing what was suggested by one of my favorite brewers in the world. - "Follow your folly."
Anomalies:
1. I'm following a slogan.
2. I've found something I both love, and hate.
3. I presumed that hell would freeze over before the beer I'm drinking was created.
So, I would like to salute New Belgium Brewery.
I am currently drinking a beer called "Ranger" made by New Belgium, the first ever of it's type created by a brewer that normally sticks to Belgian style beers yet has deviated from the norm. I always said - Whenever New Belgium does it, they do a DAMN good job of it, whatever it is. I had always said how much of a shame it is that New Belgium never made an IPA...
True to the expectation, the New Belgium Ranger IPA is worthy of the title, "Christ-like." Being a hop head, this beer is everything I wished Hoptober would have been. Mind you, Hoptober was absolutely fantastic, this is the next step of awesome, for the Hophead.
The bottle advertises the use of Cascade, Simcoe and Chinook hops. It's a similar taste to what I noticed in Hoptober, though with a bit less potency, though the fact that the only hop similarity is Cascade, it leads me to think that these are the dominant hops.
Chinook hops give the primary character found in the Stone IPA, and Cascades seem to be the primary character found in the Odell IPA (won't lie though, it could be Citra hops.) - These two beers are the personification of each respective hop. The difference? The Stone IPA is as piney as you get, and the Odell IPA has a taste comparable to Grapefruit (how's that for citrus character?)
What New Belgium has done here, is created a new line in between the two poles. The Ranger IPA is as piney as it is citrusy, and the effect it carries on a trained (or likely, untrained) palate is awestriking. Many may not be able to handle the bitter, but for those daring enough... I'll finish your six pack if you don't like it.
I love beer.
