Sunday, February 7, 2010

Flying Dog Raging Bitch

With a beer named Raging Bitch, we could go on all day with bad puns and run-on jokes like in the past. However, we are going to do our best of keeping this one clean as possible.
Flying Dog has always presented us with some average to very good brews. Subpar performances include K-9 Cruiser, Dogtoberfest and Tire Bite. Their best selections include Double Dog & Gonzo Imperial Porter. Even if their beer sucks, you have at least some interesting Ralph Steadman artwork and a Hunter S. Thompson quote on the bottom to help you forget how awesomely mediocre that brew was.

Enter Raging Bitch: a feisty Belgian style IPA with a biting 8.3% ABV. If you are not familiar with the Belgian style IPA, then you will be soon. From Stone to Victory to New Belgium, it seems this style is gaining popularity. A Belgian style IPA is basically an IPA with a Belgian yeast strain. More or less, it's an IPA with a yeast infection.

The brew smells like a citrusy Belgian ale- the hops aren't too overpowering but it let's you know they are there. The color is a light amber reminiscent of most IPAs. When the Bitch hits the tongue, it tastes like what it promises- a Begian style IPA. However, this Bitch doesn't bite quite like we thought. The body is a little weak for the DIPA style. For being a 20th anniversary beer, maybe the Raging Bitch turned into that old dog that just puts it's head up when you walk in the door. It might growl, bark and it sure does look mean- but it just lays there thinking you aren't worth it's energy to get up.

I might have barked up the wrong tree on that run-on paragraph. It IS a good beer, it just doesn't taste like an 8.3% beer, it tastes like a session beer. Not that a session beer is bad, the Raging Bitch just didn't live up to expectations. It should have been called Angry Girlfriend Because You Forgot To Call On Time Belgian Style IPA.

Oz Scale: 6.9
Mike Scale: 6.9

*Editor's note: I failed on the bad puns and run-on jokes. I apologize.

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