Better Than Night Ranger

Sister Christian there's so much in life
Don't you give it up before your time is due
Actually, Night Ranger had some pretty good songs. Wonder if they are going to playing the NM casino circuit anytime soon. More importantly, when is Ranger, the first IPA from New Belgium, coming to Albuquerque? Looks like we are going to be waiting till Feb. 1 before it arrives here, though I was given one by a thoughtful reader who obtained it out of state. The 6.5% IPA is liberally hopped with Cascade, Chinook, and my favorite, Simcoe. My friend remarked that the beer had a cat pee smell, but don't take that as a bad thing; Simcoe hops kind of have that going for them. And I like them. So there. The beer has a floral first sip that quickly turns into a harsh bitterness unlike anything New Belgium has ever brewed. It was kind of surprising, but not unwelcome, considering this is an IPA, after all. And at a healthy 70 IBUs, this should satisfy those who would be skeptical of New Belgium's attempt at an IPA. It'll be here soon, and you can decide for yourself!