So what's the deal with Ranger IPA?

[Homercidal]

Got some NBB Ranger and it's pretty good. I still think I prefer the flavor of Two Hearted, but a friend is liking the Ranger right now. I'm thinking about brewing my first 10 gallon batch and giving him a keg of it since he doesn't have much time right now to brew his own.

I can't seem to find a proper recipe! I looked at the BYO recipe that's floating around but it doesn't look right to me. 2# of sugar? wow.

Ok, maybe, but I just wondered if anyone has been infatuated with Ranger enough to actually come up with a reasonable facsimile at home. Otherwise I might just have to throw some Chinook, Simcoe, and Cascade in there and take a wild stab at the grainbill!

 

[phenry]

I've recently been getting a lot of grassy character from the past few times I bought Ranger. I'm not sure if it's my tastes changing or them doing something different. But apparently the grainbill is only 2-row and C-120, so I feel like it shouldn't be too hard to come up with a color match and get the %ages from that.

 

[PtreeCreekBrew]

Then use Belgian yeast and next to no hops and you're good to go.

 

[CBMbrewer]

I've recently been getting a lot of grassy character from the past few times I bought Ranger.

I've also noticed a "grassy" flavor to ranger I've bought recently. I would characterize it as more of a "dank" flavor, which I actually really like. Love this brew as a solid every day IPA!
I've looked into a lot of ranger recipes myself and definitely think 2 pounds of sugar is a hell of a lot. i'd say stick with the 2 row, 120 and maybe a pound of sugar. Let us know what recipe you end up going with and how it turns out.

 

[Xpertskir]

Then use Belgian yeast and next to no hops and you're good to go.

LOL..

Not my fav either.

I went to college in CO about 10 years ago and NB was quite fashionable and to be honest one of my first real exposures to micro breweries(at least thats what we called them way back then). Some of their beers were pretty good, but with the growth of their production and my taste buds I no longer see the need to buy their beer.

IMO they arent even in the top 5 breweries in CO.

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

Definitely some plain white cane sugar. I was at the brewery around GABF time and saw the large 50-lb bags of cane sugar.

I've brewed a beer that closely resembles it, malt-wise. Goes like this:

For 10.5 gallons:

12.5 lbs US 2-row
0.5 lbs Cara pils
0.5 Crystal 120L
4.0 lbs white sugar.

Mash 150F

I used Delta hops in mine. The mintiness of Delta really shows in that beer.

MC

 

[thaworm69]

+1 on the grassy flavor. This was pretty much my gateway IPA, but have switched to Summit's Saga. Ranger has tasted a bit off lately from what I remember it. I still like the beer though and would like to know if this turns out. On a side note I purchased the last 2 bombers of this at my grocery store because it was the only Ipa they had in 22oz, (wanted the bottles for homebrew) and they did taste a bit better than the last 12pk, but I never checked for a date.

 

[Homercidal]

2 row and 120L seem to be the consensus. So may I'll try with just 1# lb. of sugar and see what happens. The hops shouldn't be too hard to come up with.

Or maybe I should just brew up 10 gallons of Two Hearted instead. Or maybe some Steven's Point Cascade Pale Ale. Ever think there are just TOO MANY choices when it comes to brewing beer?

 

[thaworm69]

Or maybe I should just brew up 10 gallons of Two Hearted instead. Or maybe some Steven's Point Cascade Pale Ale. Ever think there are just TOO MANY choices when it comes to brewing beer?

Point Brewery announced today that they are doing another expansion this year. As well as Bull Falls brewery (a small brewery in Wausau, WI). Point is increasing production 30% and if i remember the article, they will be up to 150k barrels and canning more of their beer. Sorry off topic, but its nice to see breweries growing! :rockin:

http://rock947.com/news/articles/2013/jan/31/point-brewery-expanding-again/

 

[thaworm69]

+1 on the grassy flavor. This was pretty much my gateway IPA, but have switched to Summit's Saga. Ranger has tasted a bit off lately from what I remember it. I still like the beer though and would like to know if this turns out. On a side note I purchased the last 2 bombers of this at my grocery store because it was the only Ipa they had in 22oz, (wanted the bottles for homebrew) and they did taste a bit better than the last 12pk, but I never checked for a date.

I picked up another sixer and served it "warm" 50*? (on accident) Twice as good! Sticks to the tounge. Let it sit out for an hour and try again. Its the beer I remembered anyway. Simcoe...yum

 

[Daniel1980]

Is there any follow up on this yet? I would like to try this one out. I love Ranger but wanted to hear some feedback on how these turned out.

 

[bobbrews]

I had this rough draft recipe for Ranger laying around, but never attempted it:

84-88% American 2-row
9-12% Sucrose (pitched at high krausen)
3-4% C-120

boil 60 min ½ oz. Chinook pellet 13.3%
boil 30 min ½ oz. Simcoe pellet 12.8%
boil 10 min ½ oz. Cascade pellet 7.0%
boil 10 min ½ oz. Chinook
boil 5 min 1 oz. Simcoe
post-boil hopstand 30 min 1 ¼ oz. Cascade
post-boil hopstand 30 min ¾ oz. Simcoe
2-stage dry hop 10 days 1 ¾ oz. Cascade
2-stage dry hop 10 days 1 ¼ oz. Simcoe

Denny's Favorite 1450 Starter

With all that sugar, I'm guessing a slightly higher mash temp. than you would expect at 1.5 L water per lb. grain.

 

[Homercidal]

Is there any follow up on this yet? I would like to try this one out. I love Ranger but wanted to hear some feedback on how these turned out.

I haven't brewed it yet. It's taking longer to get my system up and running and I'm not sold on the Ranger yet. I do still plan on making 10 gallons of IPA, so I can split it and give a keg to a friend, but I may brew my 2H recipe again. I just love that beer.

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

I had this rough draft recipe for Ranger laying around, but never attempted it:

84-88% American 2-row
9-12% Sucrose (pitched at high krausen)
3-4% C-120

boil 60 min ½ oz. Chinook pellet 13.3%
boil 30 min ½ oz. Simcoe pellet 12.8%
boil 10 min ½ oz. Cascade pellet 7.0%
boil 10 min ½ oz. Chinook
boil 5 min 1 oz. Simcoe
post-boil hopstand 30 min 1 ¼ oz. Cascade
post-boil hopstand 30 min ¾ oz. Simcoe
2-stage dry hop 10 days 1 ¾ oz. Cascade
2-stage dry hop 10 days 1 ¼ oz. Simcoe

Denny's Favorite 1450 Starter

With all that sugar, I'm guessing a slightly higher mash temp. than you would expect at 1.5 L water per lb. grain.

That would make a very tasty beer, but there's no Simcoe in Ranger, so not really like Ranger.

MC

 

[CBMbrewer]

That would make a very tasty beer, but there's no Simcoe in Ranger, so not really like Ranger.

MC

There is most definitely Simcoe in Ranger.
Says so right on their website.
http://www.newbelgium.com/beer/detail.aspx?id=c35e8a3e-0a8c-404d-8b74-b03fe3e90c44

So yes, that recipe would make a very tasty beer.

 

[jonmohno]

Alot of my top commercial Ipa's I like have sugar in them Ive come to find out. Pliny even has it. As well as a few others I cant think of off hand. I think it gives a good crisp clean/dryish drinkability to them. It seems to make hops stand out in a different way. I just made one and kegged my first keg(Pliny would have been my first but my keg ended up being backordered) but kinda maybe messed up my mash water a little,didint exactly hit my OG but did end up at 6.3%.Low FG too,after a week now its a bit sweet/too hoppy yet. Im seing it get better lately so I think it will be pretty good in another week or two. Every time I had ranger it was/is always a fresh clean tastey highly drinkable hoppy ipa.

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

There is most definitely Simcoe in Ranger.
Says so right on their website.
http://www.newbelgium.com/beer/detail.aspx?id=c35e8a3e-0a8c-404d-8b74-b03fe3e90c44

So yes, that recipe would make a very tasty beer.

I take it back. That being said... I would never have known. Doesn't taste remotely like it!

MC