New Belgium Ranger IPA

I am a fan of the New Belgium brewery, but I picked up a bottle of their Ranger IPA, 6.5% ABV and was bit disappointed. I usually like IPAs. Ranger uses Simcoe, Cascade and Chinook hops to make a 70 IBU (international bittering units) IPA. Ranger pours medium amber color with a one and a half finger white head that slowly dissipates and leaves very nice lacing. I found a nice amount, but not a lot of light coming though the glass with a medium amount of carbonation bubbles. The aroma is a huge pine needle and a nice sour grapefruit and an off smelling orange. Ranger smells a good for an IPA. The taste on Range is a big piney sour grapefruit, just a huge sticky bitter bomb. The mouth feel is light with a bitter finish. The aftertaste really sticks around with huge amounts of a bitter grapefruit. There are not a lot of other citrus fruit flavors to this at all. I’m giving this D. It’s just not as great as I was expecting at all. This has too much hop bitterness with out any good mix of citrus fruit.  I was disappointed in this because I like New Belgium’s beers but this was not something I enjoy. I know people out there like/love Ranger IPA, and that is cool, but I am just not one of them. So don’t expect me to say I do recommend this because I don’t.  I’m not saying that the New Belgium brewery doesn’t know how to make good beer; I like their other beers. They are good beers. This one didn’t make me want more, but I didn’t drink twelve ounces. So I like IPA’s, just not this one. Cheers! Please enjoy responsibly!