Voodoo Ranger Passion Fruit Imperial IPA
New Belgium Brewing Company

 

 

Today is the long-anticipated New Beer Sunday (Week 666) & I figure that voodoo is devilish enough to fill the bill on this auspicious occasion. I was amazed by the low price point on this one, so even if the beer is no bueno, it was still a bargain. I didn't have to sell my soul to get it is what I am trying to impart.

From the bottle: "We're told to eat 1 pint of fruit per day. I don't know much about food, but I do know about pints. I also know that you should buy my Passion Fruit Imperial IPA. What should you expect from this expertly crafted ale? Tons of fresh tropical aromas backed by strong hop presence from Citra and Galaxy hops. Crack open my Passion Fruit Imperial and add a pint of IPA to your day."

And whotta bottle! It was a bomber, so I Pop!ped the cap & began a gentle pour into the awaiting glass since it represented a LOT of liquid if anything went awry. My efforts paid off as it poured a gorgeous Yellow-Gold (SRM = 4 - 5) with NE-quality clarity, prompting a visit from The Gelt Gang of Mammon, Midas & Croesus, all clamoring for a taste. I was reluctant to perform an in-glass swirl since it was so pretty, like liquid sunshine on an overcast Fall morning. Eh, I got over it. The swirl raised two-plus fingers of dense, bone-white head with good retention, leaving behind loads of sticky lacing. Nose was REALLY fruity & while I might not have guessed Passion Fruit, it definitely had something going on! Let's get it on! Mouthfeel was on the thin side for a DIPA. The taste was insanely fruity!

I recently had a beer that put me in mind of Cap'n Crunch Crunchberries & this one was like Fruity Pebbles! I seem to be regressing into my childhood. I haven't eaten cold cereal with milk in decades.

I really liked the way that this tasted, even as a hophead who lives for bitterness. Instead, this was not sweet, but not bitter, either. Instead, it was just unrelentingly fruity.

I remember when DIPAs first appeared & we had the Imps vs. Dubs war on this site. Someone remarked that they would be a passing fad since the malt bill would make them prohibitively expensive, the hops would overwhelm peoples' palates & their shelf life would be measures in days. I am happy to say that this beer belies all of that.

I wasn't getting a lot of Citra, but the Galaxy really shined in this beer. I could get passionate for Passion Fruit Imperial IPA! Finish was semi-dry, amazing for an 8% ABV DIPA. It had a fruitiness that was evocative of some white wines, but without the sweetness that always turns me off like hitting a switch. Now, let us revisit what I said about the price point at the outset - WOTTA BARGAIN! Holy Underpriced, Batman! Gee, in reading some of the previous reviews, it is clear that I will be a R-side outlier, but stats be damned on this hellish NBS! I really liked this beer.

 

 

Draft at New Belgium Hub, DIA.
Hazed orange with a fluffy head of lace and plenty of sticky lacing.
Aroma was soft but the tropical passionfruit note accented the citrus.
Taste was more citric with a lightly resiny bitterness and faint passionfruit.
Full bodied and smooth, light carbonation. Overall it wasn't bad, could use a little more overt passionfruit, but otherwise fine.

 

Pour an effervescent & slightly hazed bronze with a thumb of cream colored head. Decent head retention & lacing

S: Some mango & breadyness

T: Grapefruit, pomelo, dryness & a hint passion fruit sweetness up front. Dryness, pomelo and breadyness as this warms, a little tangerine , the Passion Fruit is AWOL. Dryness & tangerine, plus breadyness in the finish

MF: Medium body, moderate carbonation, nice balance

Easy enough to drink, but nothing memorable to be sure

Poured from a growler. The beer pours a dark amber with a big, thick white head and lots of lacing.

The smell is very tropical fruit forward with a nice West coast hop presence.

The taste follows with tons of passion fruit and a nice, slightly bitter hoppy finish.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium carbonation.

Overall a very drinkable and delicious beer.

 

On tap the brewery taproom in Asheville.
Clear amber colored body with a semi-durable white head.
Inviting but slightly boozy aroma with suggestions of passionfruit and other tropical fruits. The flavor with largely follows but adds a subtle breadiness. Fine, lingering flavor of fruits, light pine and toasted grains.
Medium+ body; High ABV is partially hidden.

 

 

Strong fruit plus alcohol seems to be the equation of the moment. Pours a clear yellow with enthusiastic, long-lasting white foam. Hot and rather acidic mouthfeel. I 'm not sure that passion fruit would have come to mind if I didn't read the label, but the aroma brings it out as the beer warms a little. Orange peel and pineapple.

Sharp finish with a hoppy edge that takes it out of the Hawaiian Punch realm. This just seems like a random fruit-flavored beer that is not very hop-flavored. Can't complain about drinkability but the bitter and fruity gets old after half a glass. From the 22 oz bottle purchased at The Market in Anacortes.

 

Poured a clear, golden orange color with a small, white head of foam. It smelled of passion fruit, caramel and some pine notes. Sweet caramel and passionfruit dominate with a subtle piney bitterness.

22 oz bottle. Pours clear yellow gold with a medium frothy white head that goes to a thin film and laces the glass.

The aroma is sweet passion fruit with some fruity hops.

The flavor is a bit washed out - sweet sugary fruit with some bready malts and a light chemical bitter finish. The mouthfeel is light to medium bodied and a bit watery.

Overall, OK mild fruity IPA. A bit subdued and watery with low hops.