Raging Bitch Belgian-Style IPA - Flying Dog Brewery

dgilks

Australia

3.08/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Subtle yeast character with apricot playing a nice role. Good hop aroma with notes of overripe and tropical fruit.

Good clarity. Gold colour with a moderate, foamy off-white head.

There is a lot going on in the flavour but it doesn't all work for me. I get overripe fruits, sweat, a hefty dose of harsh bitterness, a touch of onion and a tiny bit of malt. On the whole, the Belgian IPA thing isn't pulled off well.

Medium-low body with moderately-high carbonation. Suitable.

A disappointing beer. The yeast and hops are not integrated well and the bitterness is just a bit too high.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2010 12:47:50 | More by dgilks

JRed

New Jersey

3.08/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Light, clear amber topped by foamy white head that leaves thin lacing along the sides of the glass. Sweet aroma of caramelized sugar, apples soaked in liquor, slight raisin bread, prunes. The taste isn't as exciting as the aroma: faint apple fruitiness, booze, burnt bread towards the finish and rides out grassy with patches of mud and some candle-wax. Light-medium in body. The raging bitch must have hit menopause. There's no mojo here, no great flavor, no lasting impression. Flying Dog never ceases to fall short of expectation.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2010 01:02:15 | More by JRed

kneeland

North Carolina

3.1/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2.5

This should be the mold of what Belgian Style IPAs are made from. There's no denying this is a strong pale ale. You can taste everything, the hops, malt, wheat, etc. Flying Dog usually makes things strong, this one is no different. It was almost too much IPA though, but I did have two of them at the bar.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2010 01:15:30 | More by kneeland

rwathree

Iowa

3.1/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz pour.

A: the range of colors - from gold to red to brown - is attractive, but the relative lightness of color makes me think this will be lighter-bodied than I'd expect. Yields a thin, off-white head that disappears quickly; I'd expect more from any Belgian-styled beer.

S: Lot of banana, some clove; not picking up much that suggests the hops here. It smells good, but again this keeps running up against expectations without piquing curiousity.

T: A nice mix of sweetness and spices arrives up front, but a potent but nondescript hop bitterness cancels that out fast. I can't get around the thought that I'm drinking perfume. Each sip repeats the same pro-con arc.

M: This keeps with the prevailing theme for this beer - the carbonation is a little too mild, the body is a little too thin. Hops do have some sticking power, though.

O: Flying Dog makes some good stuff, but this is underwhelming. It's far from undrinkable, but there's no single redeeming positive, either. I'd like this to either assert it's hop/booze-bomb traits, or aim for a more complex blend of Belgian and American flavors. This is caught unfavorably in-between.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2011 04:45:00 | More by rwathree

kegger22

Michigan

3.13/5  rDev -21%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Flying Dog Raging Bitch Belgian Style IPA was a crystal clear amber with a one-inch beige head that faded to a collar.

The aroma was so pine hoppy that it strongly reminded me of turpentine.

Thankfully, the taste did not follow suit with the aroma. Definitely hoppy, but a more normal citrus flavor.

The mouth feel was light to medium bodied with sufficient carbonation.

Drinkability was only average; the aroma was a big turn off for me.

I am not looking forward to the remaining 5 bottles of the sixer I bought.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2010 06:08:03 | More by kegger22

Guden

Maryland

3.13/5  rDev -21%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A- Pretty light copper with small sticking head.

S- Lots going on, belgiany yeast character of peach and pear with notes of citrus from the hops.

T- Upfront: Piney and citrusy hops, followed by a moderate bitterness which finishes with a fruity belgian character. Definitely lots of oranginess to this one from the combination of hops and yeast. Nothing amazing but nice hints all around, wish the harshness of the hops was less overpowering.

M- Nicely thin and moderately carbonated, nothing amazing but seems appropriate.

D- Pretty easy to drink given the strong hoppiness and bitterness, but the complexity of the nose doesn't quite carry through to the flavor to bring me back for many more.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2011 23:51:28 | More by Guden

tylerprince

Colorado

3.13/5  rDev -21%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bought a six pack at the local bottle shop after hearing all the hullaballoo. Ultimately a tad disappointed.

Pours a clear copper with minimal bubbling. One finger off white head with minimal retention. Thin lacing.

Belgian yeast aromas with ample citrus and grass. Alcohol/ketones are prevalent.

Taste is overly bitter. Ultimately this beer comes across not as Belgian but as an extremely aggressive IPA with what tastes like a rye backbone. The ABV is readily apparent, and, when combined with the bitter citrus/aspirin finish this beer packs, is just too much. Belgian complexities are lost in hoppy astringency.

MF is thin and overcarbonated. Alcohol sensation burns the palate like cheap wine. No resins.

Overall, this beer strikes me as an underwhelming attempt at a style becoming increasingly popular. Flying Dog's focus seemed to be not on the beer as a cohesive whole, but rather on making a voluminously hopped IPA with some fancy yeast in it.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2012 00:15:48 | More by tylerprince

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.15/5  rDev -20.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Love many of the Flying Dog beers, and love most Belgian IPAs if done right, but if they're not done right they can be pretty bad. Hopefully this is a good combination of good brewery and good style.

A: Creamy 1 finger head covering a very clear golden orange pink hue color.

N: Nose has a very fresh spicy wet hop bite! I mean like it was freshly hopped yesterday with tons of fresh musty wet hop aromas. Some light Belgian malt aromas. Some pine and citrus as well. I think this might be too hopped for a Belgian IPA.

T: Much better, a strong Belgian malt and some Belgian sugar sweetness hits first this time. Then more bitter hops hit with more fresh musty wet hop flavors as well. It starts to build with more bitter hop flavors and pine and citrus lightly. Some spicy flavors as well. Hints of malty boozy taste, but lightly. The spicy and heavy hops just way overpower any of the actual Belgian aspects after the first .5 seconds of the first sip and no more Belgian.

M: Semi thick with quite a bit of carbonation.

F: Very bitter again, too bitter for a Belgian IPA. Dries off quite a bit as it bitters, way over the top bitter. Spicy flavors and some lingering malt flavors.

This beer would be a great AMERICAN IPA, but not Belgian. For a Belgian IPA it needs to be a lot more subtle on the hop bitterness and much less aggressive. I'm not sure why they even call this a Belgian IPA. This shows how Americans can take styles too far. Flying Dog I love most of your beers, but this is just too far!

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2010 02:58:29 | More by jlindros

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.15/5  rDev -20.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On-tap 1/27/2010 at Track 84 in Warwick, RI, served in a tulip glass.

A: The beer is a dark amber color, with a large off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is full of floral hops, some Belgian yeast and caramelized malts.

T: The taste starts with a harshly strong bite of hops bitterness. Then a caramel and citrus sweetness comes in along with an odd-tasting Belgian yeast breadiness. The malt character is hearty. The hops presence eventually pulls everything together somewhat, but there doesn't seem to be much balance. The after-taste is slightly hoppy and slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and a little smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

D: Not very tasty, goes down ok, not too filling, good kick, not the best representation of style, there are definitely better beers in the style that I would pick before this one.

Serving type: on-tap

01-29-2010 16:53:52 | More by TheManiacalOne

xunorm

Ohio

3.15/5  rDev -20.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

I had high expectations for this beer going into it. It just tasted too creamy for my taste. I got a lot of caramel and not much else. It was nice and smooth, with very little hops; but it just did not wow me like other Flying Dog beers. I think it has potential, might just need to open up a little bit.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2010 17:44:40 | More by xunorm

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

3.15/5  rDev -20.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine Issue #45 (Oct 2010):

Curtain of lace dresses the glass; very clear amber color. Hints of bubble gum, ripe tropical fruit and medicinal herbs from the yeast with clementines coming from the hops. Smooth and creamy with a hefty medium body. Lots of bready malt, a bit toasted. Hops grab a hold of the palate and slap it around some, almost to the point it missed the Belgian aspects that the yeast had tried to lay out. Trace phenols are soon chased away from the fruity warming alcohol. Bitter finish has a faint aspirin flavor. Belgian style? Perhaps just inspired 'cause of the popular- ity of the style? Good but too clean and overly bitter. The raw marketing does not match what is inside.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2011 23:21:44 | More by BeerAdvocate

LittleOtts

Delaware

3.15/5  rDev -20.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A- Bottle to a pt. It pours a caramel amber color. Not a huge head.

S- Citrusy and yeasty, not much in the way of hops.

T- Either complex hops or just a fruity/spicey yeasts. Biscuity malt on the back.

M- Med bodied and good carbonation

D- Med. When looking for IPA this isn't it. But it's interesting and has great flavor inspired by a belgian style.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2011 20:12:09 | More by LittleOtts

nUgZ

North Carolina

3.15/5  rDev -20.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

12 ounce bottle poured into a wine glass.

A: Pours a hazy amber color with a half finger head and light lacing.

S: Fruity and floral hops along with a slight funk.

T: Malty, but with a hop presence. Somewhat sour and funky.

M: Medium bodied with good carbonation.

O: I thought this beer had promise, but I just can't get over the funk...

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 01:36:54 | More by nUgZ

KeefD

Minnesota

3.18/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours a clear amber orange color with a large white head that fell slowly leaving some good rings of lacing and had a lasting cap. Aroma is peppery, piny, and full of Belgian yeast. Alcohol is noticeable in the aroma as well as a touch of anise, presumably from the yeast. Taste follows the nose pretty evenly. First thing that hits are the spicy, peppery hops that give off just just a hint of pine and herbaceous qualities, followed by a good dose of caramel malts which are bready, and overall pretty balanced. I gotta say I'm not a fan of the spicy hops nor am I huge fan of Belgian yeast being used in IPAs. Maybe this just isn't my style, but it's hard for me to really get into this beer. It has some nice qualities, but could use a little more citrus/tropical hop flavors to balance the spiciness. Body is well rounded and nearly full for the style. Alcohol isn't as present in the taste as it is in the nose. Not a bad beer, but not my favorite either. Still searching for the Belgian IPA that blows me away!

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2010 17:14:29 | More by KeefD

vtfan77

Virginia

3.18/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A- Sunset orange with a decent head that dissipates into a thick ring of lace. Small amounts of lacing are left on the sides of the glass.

S- Caramel malts, pine needles, and fruity esters combine to produce an odd aroma that, to me, smells kind of like rubber, like a new tire. That being said, it's still pretty good, just a little odd.

T- A touch of sweet malt segues into a piney, earthy bitterness. Notes of banana and bubblegum come through a little, but it's mostly sweet, bready malt and pine needle bitterness. Finishes slightly sweet with a good dose of bitterness.

M- Decent, medium body. Carbonation is surprisingly low, but still ok.

D- It's a bit high in alcohol and the flavors kind of wore on me after a while. Don't think I'd have another.

This is just an ok Belgian IPA for me. It was decent enough, but nothing really stood out. The flavors didn't pop, and the Belgian yeast didn't add enough character to make it interesting. Perhaps it was past its prime; had I been able to decipher the date code on the bottle (or what I believe to be the code) I may have known that. Not bad, but I probably won't be revisiting it.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2010 05:42:00 | More by vtfan77

betsona

Indiana

3.18/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Thanks to larryi86 for this 12oz bottle. Best before date of 213A11 or good till the 213th day of 2011. Poured into a tulip.

A- Clear amber with lots of carbonation bubbles. Moderate pour produced a finger and half off white head. Stays throughout drinking. Lacing all over the glass.

S- Medicinal hops that are not bitter at all. Yeasty. Belgian malt profile. Not a strong smell profile.

T- Pretty pale without much hops. Has a slight bitterness at the start but not much after the initial taste. Slightly sugary citrus taste at the end.

M- Medium creamy body. Right amount of carbonation for the style. Little lingering on the palate.

D- I want to try it on-tap, but I doubt I would have another one after that. The style has so many great representatives that I would have a hard time reaching for one that didn't blow me away.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2011 22:29:37 | More by betsona

mtbdonn

United Kingdom (England)

3.18/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Purchased from Beers of Europe in Kingslynn, England. Poured into my new Nogne beer goblet, also from B of E.
A-Poured very nice amber, burnt orange, with nice white, one finger head. Light carbonation with minimal lacing.
S-Big Belgian aromas, light citrus, but short on hops.
T-Again, big Belgian flavor but very little hops, light citrus and a little bitterness on the backside.
M-A little oily, thin, carbonation is decent.
O-A bit disappointing! Less of an IPA and more like a Belgian Ale IMO, and not a very good one.
*I have to add, I wonder afterwards if this beer is bad? I just opened a Smuttynose IPA, which I've had before, purchased at the same time/place-today, and it is obviously bad, not the great IPA I remember, at all!

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 19:40:06 | More by mtbdonn

Lunch

Maryland

3.2/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served on-tap at Victoria Gastro Pub in Columbia, MD into a 12oz.fluted pint glass at the appropriate temperature (03/05/10)

A: Pours a nice golden straw color along with a off-white head rising about one finger. Leaves some decent lacing on the inside of the glass.

S: Some Belgian yeast combined with some piny and citrus hops. Much more mild than I was expecting.

T: Not real sure about the praise of this one because I'm not getting much from the flavor. Certainly not bad beer, but quite average. Again, Belgian yeast combined with some citrus hops and a bit of pine, but extremely mild and somewhat tasteless.

M: Light to medium-bodied with active carbonation and just the slightest hint of bitterness.

D: Easy enough to drink, but rather bland.

Overall this was not what I was expecting at all from the stellar reviews. Quite bland and disappointing.

Serving type: on-tap

03-22-2010 17:03:08 | More by Lunch

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.2/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Moderate head that is slow to die; leaves a cratered surface as it recedes. Good lace. Clear, golden-amber color

Earthy, moldy, and very bitter are the first words that come to mind when I smell this beer. It's not particularly attractive and it's hard to describe. On the surface, it smells like a particularly strong yeast with a hot spiced hop. It's like nothing I've brought to my nose before.

Very harsh taste that cannot be complete attributed to the ample hop. It's almost as if there were some sort of hot sauce (tabasco-like) added to the beer, even though there is no "heat" per se on the tongue. Very astringent. Short aftertaste. I cannot detect the alcohol nor can I sense the yeast flavor. Moderate body and slightly spritzy carbonation.

This is completely unusual to me, but not necessary in a good way. Worth seeking out if only to try something new.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2010 20:49:10 | More by smcolw

BeerSingh

India

3.2/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I had been eagerly waiting for this one since last year when it was first released. All the reviews had made me really wanting this badly. Finally had my brother in law get one in his suitcase from NJ. Poured it aggressivley into my Stella glass - poured a deep amber with an ivory head which collapsed from a healthy 2 inches to a collar within no time. Sheets of lacing as I swirled the beer. Smell was very citrus with bread & cookies to feature the maltiness. Hops dominated however.
From hereon is the biggest disappointment of the year. I couldn't believe the first sip - I asked myself a simple question - where is the Belgium in this Belgian Style IPA ?? This simply tasted like an IPA and that's it. Overly hopped for the style, faint maltiness that gets lost without a hint of the famed Belgian yeast aroma or flavour. Indeed disappointing. I didn't really care from here on. I am really upset with Flying Dog as I can't figure out really why is there so much variation in the outcome of their products.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2011 11:14:36 | More by BeerSingh

danmcg62

Massachusetts

3.2/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

A-Pours a nice golden amber color with a solid finger width head.

S-Very mild hop aroma. Very mild citrus, almost soapy smell. Not much else.

T-The taste is very subdued. Extremely mild hop character, mild citrus taste (lemon and grapefruit come to mind).

M-Creamy and smooth. Extremely drinkable. Can't tell it is 8%+ ABV.

O-Overall this beer is just OK. Wasn't too blown away by it. The drinkability saves this one for me.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2011 02:12:42 | More by danmcg62

BasementBrewerSF

California

3.2/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a nice golden color with nice head from a 12oz bottle.

Very nice nose. Almost exactly what I would expect from a blegian IPA. You have the hop forwardness of an IPA but the esters and phenols of a blegian ale.

The taste is that of pouring an IPA and a blegian ale together. I am not sure I like the outcome. It is interesting but the hops do not complement the yeast character. They are almost opposing. At 8.4% abv it is a little hot for a traditional IPA and more in line with a Belgian Double or Tripple.

I really like the idea of mashing these styles together but I am still warry of it working well.

Not sure if I would buy this again for myself. Maybe for an IPA party. It is pretty interesting all in all.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2011 01:30:04 | More by BasementBrewerSF

clint1019

Michigan

3.2/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A - Was a light amber color with a fluffy cream colored head.

S - A good combination of belgiun and IPA. Has a malty/floral aroma combined with a caramelized sugar/spicy aroma.

T - Has a rich malty taste accompanied by a fruity and spicy aftertaste.

M - medium bodied. Would of liked to have more carbonation. It feels a bit heavy on the palate for an IPA.

O - Different. Not sure if it's a good different. I just don't think that the belguin flavors and the IPA flavors go together that well.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2011 21:08:06 | More by clint1019

mactrail

California

3.2/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Sharp and startling bitter ale. The color is a classic amber color in the chalice. Nice foam and richly carbonated on the tongue. Quite bitter and hopped up. Hot with alcohol. A thin, almost harsh mouthfeel. So woody and astringent. Nose of honey, for some reason. Clear, clean, and like a bullet. Really sharp, it's beyond tangy. 60 IBU on a light body.

I'd call it an IPA with some Belgian flavors. But it's a wilder IPA than a lot of the pack. Apparently they jiggled a bottle enough for Ralph Steadman to notice and pontificate about it. 12 oz bottle from Best Damn beer store in San Diego.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 07:14:57 | More by mactrail

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Looks good. The nose is typical Belgian in character. The flavor is a bit too tangy, for the style. Certainly, there are some spicy hop tones on there, but there is a soapy sweet tone that is a bit too much. This is decent, but it's not quite there really. Especially with so many others of this style available. Nice beer, but not quite the Belgian IPA I'd hope for.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 21:13:34 | More by RblWthACoz