Ranger IPA
Ever met a New Belgium Beer Ranger? They are our beloved folks out in the field. Spanning all 26 of our states from the Pacific to the Atlantic, our Beer Rangers do their best to protect, to pour and to partake. And explore many a beer from many a brewery, they do. The fellows up in the Northwest kept calling for “more hops!” Soon it became a common theme across the land. Rangers, fans and craft lovers everywhere were searching for hoppier beers.
So, here it finally is – New Belgium’s foray into the true American India Pale Ales. Bring out the hops! This clear amber beauty bursts at the starting gate with an abundance of hops: Cascade (citrus), Chinook (floral/citrus), and Simcoe (fruity) lead off the beer, with Cascade added again for an intense dry hop flavor. Brewed with pale and dark caramel malts that harmonize the hop flavor from start to finish, Ranger is a sessionable splendor for all you hopinistas. Thank your Beer Ranger!
70 IBUs
6.5% ABV
Andrea Lara, Pastry Chef in Long Beach, California.
Dallas Byerley, our L.A. Beer Ranger, introduced us to the chipotle chocolates that New Belgium pairs with the Ranger IPA. Although IPAs are not normally paired with desserts … we could not resist the challenge. Dipping huge waffle cones in the melted chipotle chocolate inspired us to create a homemade creamy ice cream that would not only balance the spice but also play nicely into the caramel malts of the beer. A trip to the farmers’ market was all we needed to determine the flavor of the ice cream, as bundles of fresh seasonal strawberries screamed out as the perfect ingredient to compliment the fruits of the Simcoe hops.
We finished the dessert with two sauces fanned out under the cone, which not only gave a touch of character and design to the plate but also rounded out the flavor profiles of the beer. Mixing the Ranger IPA with strawberries and orange blossoms resulted in a light sweet and citrus sauce. The second sauce was a balsamic reduction which worked perfectly to heighten all the sweet flavors in the dish while providing a bridge between the spicy chocolate and coating the tongue with just enough bitterness to stand up to the combination of hops in the beer.
Suzanne Wolcott, Cheese Consultant, Chicago, Illinois
Cheese: Mellow and grassy blue cheeses and fresh (local) goat cheeses that are citrusy and grassy.
Food: Herb rubbed roasted chicken
*Blue cheese is the classic pairing because of its saltiness but this IPA is quite fruity and bright so I think that to do a blue would require a mellower and grassy blue. (No salt bombs like Roquefort or really anything French)
Steve Morkin - Chef/ Owner of Rimside Grill & Cabins
Char-Grilled Peaches and Honey Glazed Grilled Chicken
This recipe has char-grilled fresh peaches pureed with peach honey, lemon juice, fresh cracked pepper and thyme. Chicken breasts are cooked on the grill and finished with the char-grilled peach and honey glaze. Top the chicken with chunks of more char-grilled peach and a fresh sprig of thyme. The combined flavors of the dish will blend perfectly with the citrus/pine and floral aroma of the Ranger IPA. As you take a bite of the dish followed by a breath of the Ranger IPA and healthy swallow of the beer, you will notice how nicely the char-grilled flavor of the peaches along with the earthy taste of the thyme really bring forward the citrus/pine and floral characteristics of the hops, while the subtle hint of honey combined with the grilled chicken bring out the malt flavors of the Ranger IPA, producing an overall great mouth feel with the well blended malts and hops of this American India Pale Ale.
