New Belgium "Voodoo Ranger - Hop Raider" IPA

I've given in. I am retroactively applying a Voodoo Ranger tag to all of these beers. I'm not even sure that New Belgium is putting out beers without that sub-brand anymore. As it sits, this is the... I want to say 8th beer... that I've had with the Voodoo Ranger moniker, and that's more than most other brands have without creating a sub-brand.

The gold beer has a white head that is retained well, but there isn't nearly as much lacing as I would normally see on an IPA. Well, I only let it settle - so maybe that isn't enough. The aroma is tremendous. It says on the label that this is an IPA, but it really smells more like a DIPA. The malt is hitting hard and sweet with lightly roasted toffee, but the hops are really not assertive. 

First sip is firm yet supple. The toffee malt is strong, but it's not overwhelming while the hops seem to be mostly tropical and pine. Pine normally jumps up and down on the tongue in some kind of protestation that anyone would even think to ignore them or think that they are unworthy. As a result, they are too much for most malts to contend with. This is quite harmonious so far.

Tip-in is sweet toffee and resin with no carbonation to speak of. The middle rises with carbonation quite suddenly hitting the roof of the mouth while toffee and kind of a slurry of tropical and some citrus fruits with pine adding a bit of bitterness. The finish is dryness and bitterness that don't bite so much as grip the tongue hard and doesn't let go for the trail off.

Bottom Line: Was better when I sipped it.

2.5/5