Raging Bitch Belgian-Style IPA - Flying Dog Brewery

OldSchoolGamer

Ohio

4.22/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I am not afraid to admit that I am not a Flying Dog fan. I find their beers quite lackluster, with the exeption of a select few. Their 20th Anniversary beer better be worth the wait. Here is my review:

A: Pours a nice golden amber color. Somewhat hazy. Head is okay with some light lacing. Some carbonation is present.

S/T: The aroma is sweet and very hoppy, with a touch of Belgian yeast. Taste is excellent. Very hop forward on the palate. Lots of grapefruit, citrus and a touch of pine. A little bit of malty sweetness. The Belgian yeast comes though in the finish. Very complex, hoppy and balanced. Easily Flying Dogs best beer.

M/D: Mouthfeel is medium bodied. Pretty bitter with a semi-dry finish. Drinks very nicely. Could be sessioned.

I already said this is Flying Dog's best beer. Easily. Is it the best Belgian IPA? Possibly. There is stiff competition, but I think this one can hold its own. Buy this beer. Flying Dog has to make this their official anniversary beer: a yearly release in the Canis Major series.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2010 22:34:23 | More by OldSchoolGamer

heysuz

Indiana

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%

05-25-2013 12:16:17 | More by heysuz

LoFiDave

California

3.5/5  rDev -11.6%

05-25-2013 05:05:24 | More by LoFiDave

allentownpaguy

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%

05-25-2013 04:15:33 | More by allentownpaguy

Thecasehead

Ohio

3.25/5  rDev -17.9%

05-23-2013 23:05:22 | More by Thecasehead

Leitz

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -11.6%

05-23-2013 21:30:45 | More by Leitz

cozmohollis

Delaware

3.81/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A: Pale golden color, white head with good retention and a good lace.
S: Sweet yeast, tropical and floral scent.
T: Sweet yeast and grainy bread flavors upfront then a tropical, raisin, bubble gum flavor ending with a grassy hops flavor. The flavor changes a lot and bounces around like crazy. Very complexed.
MF: Medium body, low carbonation, waxy feel, a little warming and with a medium/heavy dry finish.
O: Pretty sweet and the hops in it bounces flavors around a lot. But I love the complexly and the bite at the end. I see where she gets her name from. This is my first Belgain-Style IPA so I don't really know how to compare it to others. And I think I could only drink one at a setting.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 17:17:01 | More by cozmohollis

visionaries

California

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%

05-23-2013 17:15:14 | More by visionaries

AngusOg

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%

05-22-2013 20:18:43 | More by AngusOg

puuj

California

3.5/5  rDev -11.6%

05-22-2013 17:53:49 | More by puuj

MistahBeah

Massachusetts

3.49/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Hazy golden amber. Creamy head. Lots of lacing and some pretty good retention. Doesn't look overly carbonated. Looks like a marzen

Smell: Sweet malts and Belgian yeast. A little funky. Belgian candi sugars. Some faint hops in the background like wet grass. Some fruitiness...I think it smells like pineapple. Nice

Taste: Sweet malts off the bat. Caramel. Candied apples. The finish is a nice grapefruit bitterness. Some pine and grass. Yeast is very noticeable. I like it. Hops outweigh the malts in the end. Not super hoppy but it sticks with you.

Mouthfeel: Creamy. Rich. Slick

Overall: I wasn't expecting to like this because of the mixed reviews and I'm not generally a fan of IPAs (Belgian or otherwise). That being said this beer probably won't appeal to the hopheads but if you're trying to get into the style this might be a good starting point

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 23:25:31 | More by MistahBeah

firecrack0r

California

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

05-21-2013 22:28:11 | More by firecrack0r

InspectorBob

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +1%

05-21-2013 19:28:17 | More by InspectorBob

johntfox

Florida

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%

05-21-2013 00:44:50 | More by johntfox

BeerForMuscle

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%

05-20-2013 20:46:11 | More by BeerForMuscle

HerdNo1

West Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Appearance: Poured from a bottle into a tulip. The beer pours a not completely clear deep gold/light amber color. White head tat forms well and lingers throughout but doesn't leave much lacing.

Aroma: Belgian yeast dominates the aroma. This smells like a Belgian beer with fruitiness and a bit of funk. Despite it being an IPA, the hops are somewhat subdued. A bit of breadiness is there but it's not prominent.

Taste: The wonderful thing about Belgian beers is that they are subtle. Every sip yields something new and none of it is obvious. That's sort of what I'm expecting from the aroma but the hops overwhelm in the taste. The subtleness disappears under a wash of bitterness. Unlike the subdued hops in the aroma, it's the malt that's subdued in the taste.

Mouthfeel: Medium mouthfeel with a bit of oiliness. Not overly carbonated. The finish is strongly bitter and maybe that's the real problem.

Overall: Some crossover styles are terrific. Some are simply awful. This is sort of a blend of two good beers but the result is just OK. The aroma is terrific but the hops just overpower any Belgian character. I shouldn't be surprised at that but the aroma is such a tease in that regard. I don't think I'd rate it as low as The Bros or as high as the readership.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 02:43:32 | More by HerdNo1

craftbrew502

Kentucky

4.5/5  rDev +13.6%

05-20-2013 00:53:21 | More by craftbrew502

pin

Australia

3.5/5  rDev -11.6%

05-19-2013 20:50:35 | More by pin

mattsucks

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

05-18-2013 14:21:22 | More by mattsucks

mkirkland80

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%

05-18-2013 02:27:38 | More by mkirkland80

timoteo833

New York

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

05-18-2013 01:59:24 | More by timoteo833

jburd19

Ohio

4/5  rDev +1%

05-17-2013 16:23:24 | More by jburd19

eliz108

Wisconsin

4.75/5  rDev +19.9%

05-17-2013 15:51:14 | More by eliz108

dan027

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -24.2%

05-17-2013 02:41:57 | More by dan027

CanisMajor

Indiana

4/5  rDev +1%

05-16-2013 21:25:32 | More by CanisMajor