De Ranke XX Bitter - Brouwerij De Ranke

LaCoursiere

Minnesota

4.38/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

11.2oz bottle poured into a tulip glass. Bottled in 2009, best by 10/2014.

A - Poured a slightly cloudy (I let a bit of sediment get in, otherwise it would have been very clear) golden yellow color with a two finger fluffy off-white head. The etching in the glass kept a nice thin head throughout. Moderate lacing clings to the sides of the glass.

S - Smells very clean and fresh with notes of pale malts and citrusy hops. It smells like a barley field with lemon and pine trees planted nearby (if there could be such a thing).

T - Biscuity malts up front with lemon juice and peppery spice in the middle with a flash of subtle citrus sweetness before fading to a fairly intense grassy/piney hop bitter finish. Excellent, like a hoppy version of Duvel.

M - Medium bodied and very smooth w/ very pleasant medium-light carbonation that compliments the flavor profile very well. A slight alcohol warmth.

O/D - I'm really impressed with this beer. I was already a fan of Belgian golden ales and IPAs, and this is an excellent combination of the two. If you're an IPA fan that is thinking about trying some Belgians, do yourself a favor and pick this one up.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2011 23:12:36 | More by LaCoursiere

DefenCorps

Oregon

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

33cl bottle from State Line. I'm surprised I haven't had this before.

Gushing all over my desk, my carpet and the outline for my dissertation, this beer is almost all white foam with a light yellow body that's moderately hazy. The nose is bright and refreshing. Spicy Hallertau/ Saaz hops are noticeable immediately with an herbal bitterness. Behind it, there's a strong yeast expression with a rustic, saison-like spice with pepper and clove as well as cut grass and hay. The malt base is probably all pilsner malt here, it smells simple and clean, allowing the hops to shine through. Despite its relative youth, there's a mild Brett presence, with clove and some phenols. One of the better Belgian IPAs I've had.

The palate opens beautifully balanced, with a blend of Bretty clove phenols, moderately resiny hop flavors with some mint, herbaceousness and a little pine and a delicate cotton candy malt backbone. The malt is *really* simple here, a light mildly doughy, mildly honey-like sugar. Drying and bitter on the finish with lingering clove and Bretty phenols, this beer is light in body and highly carbonated. Despite this, it feels just right on the palate, a little creamy even. Drying, refreshing and well-crafted - what more could one want?

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2011 02:07:58 | More by DefenCorps

wisrarebeer

Wisconsin

4.63/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22 oz. Bottled 12/2010 best by 12/2015

A: opened with an incredible amount of CO2 release, pours with a very frothy, lacey head, slight chill haze , darkish yellow color
S: classic Belgian golden ale, clean, crisp, with great earthy hops and great Belgina farmhous yeast
T: incredibly well-balanced beer, malt backbone with good bitter, earthy finish, strong yeast in finish also
M: well-balanced, you expect a ton of hop bitterness finish but it is very subdued - lively on tongue
O: great classic beer

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2011 02:12:34 | More by wisrarebeer

KrautAficionado

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours hazy orange gold with a frothy, sizeable head that recedes slowly. Aroma of yeasty funk, floral hops, and sweet malts with citrus accents. Inital taste of grass, pine, and citrus, followed by an overpowering bitterness that lasts through the finish into sometime next Tuesday. Hops taste real fresh. I guess they don’t call it XX bitter for nothing. This is one of the bigger Belgians I’ve had, but isn’t truly balanced. It is what it is, and what it is is BITTER and tasty.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2011 07:45:31 | More by KrautAficionado

Satchboogie

New Hampshire

3.05/5  rDev -25.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

33cl bottle poured into a balloon tulip:

A: Pours hazy light gold, about a finger of white head. Leaves just a little lacing.

S: To be honest, when I first started pouring, I got a little kick of skunk (not extreme, but there). Past that, I got a little musty and funky belgian yeast, sweet pale malts, spicy and floral hops, and a touch of citrus (mainly lemon zest) and alcohol. I'm guessing the hops have faded a bit as it's smelling more like a fresh hoppy saison than an IPA.

T: Lots of funky belgian yeast character with just a touch of skunk, lightly sugared light crisp pale malts, hops are fading but are mostly floral and very spicy. There's a good surge of bitterness (a little touch of pine resin) right up front that mellows to the semi-sweet malts in the middle, but come back strong in the finish. Finish is dry with some funky mist, floral hops, and lots of lingering bitterness.

M: Light to medium body, high carbonation with a very fine bubbles that help the hop bitterness to really explode on the palate. Crisp dry finish.

O: This bottle was like a slightly skunked fresh saison. It was enjoyable but the skunk thing was just a little distracting (to be honest, I'm not sure if it's actual skunking or it's supposed to be THIS funky/musty/slightly almost spoiled, but the first rush of aroma was like a skunk walked by my window). It's an interesting beer, if it is indeed skunked and old, I could see how this could be solid when fresh. As is, I would probably be a little upset if this was my home brew.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2011 02:56:39 | More by Satchboogie

DrinkingDrake

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hazy yellow, slightly orange and the pour formed a big bubbly off-white head. Biscuit malt aroma along with a big burst of floral/fruity hops. Tangerine and mango, faint amounts of fresh hay. A strong aroma of champagne yeast blends in as well. Compared to the nose, the flavor is very different. The fruity side of the hops has been masked and it has become a lemon bite with an earthy hay finish. A lot of bread, slightly wheat, malt, which has a subtle sourness, make up the body. The yeast adds a spicy/sour fruit character and gives the creamy body a solid amount of carbonation. Pleasant lingering aftertaste and not a lot of bitter bite.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2011 20:15:21 | More by DrinkingDrake

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

3.98/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Brown 33cl bottle, best before Aug 2014, drank on Fathers Day (19 June) 2011. Poured into a La Chouffe stemmed tulip glass.

Hazy look to the dull golden body, lively and with a good white head on top.

As you'd expect a pronounced hop aroma came from the glass, floral more than spicey. The taste followed the smells, with hints of spices now coming from the hop content. The alcohol is evident, but not overpowering, the hops keeping it in place.

Most likely the hoppiest Belgian beer I've had so far. I'm a malt man normally, but this was fine for me: any more hops however and I'd not be so generous with my review or scores.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2011 16:25:34 | More by BlackHaddock

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance. Pours a clear, golden yellow with a finger of white head that lasts a while and leaves a little lace. A few floaties present, despite the careful pour.

Smell. Belgian yeast and light toasted malt with some floral hops.

Taste. Spicy hops, light grains. Slightly sweet with a nice bitter finish.

Mouthfeel. Medium-light body with medium-strong carbonation.

Overall. Good beer. Not a big Belgian fan, but the heavy-handed hops in this one made me happy.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2011 00:29:46 | More by Rutager

ZorPrime

Quebec (Canada)

4.2/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Hazed. Pale yellow color. White foamy head that sticks to the glass. Aroma is fruity and resinous. Get some bitterness in the nose too. Medium intensity. Very inviting. Taste is bitter... first thing that hits me its the bitterness. It feels good. Very very dry. Makes you want to drink more :)

Overall, this beer is good. Easy drinker. Very refreshing. One of the best belgian IPA I've tasted so far.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2011 14:04:20 | More by ZorPrime

DaftCaskBC

British Columbia (Canada)

3.48/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Cloudy golden copper with a massive 1 1/2" white soapy head that dissipated slowly.

S: Floral and hoppy.

T: Metallic, floral, hoppy, bitter, alcohol.

M: Hops, bitter, metallic somewhat which makes me wonder if this bottle is a little on the old side...

O: I kind of expected more from this beer since it is touted as a world class beer and is offered throughout different beer stores, but I don't think I would buy this one again. Whether that is a matter of freshness or not, I am not sure as this is the first time I have tried this beer. But it said on the side that it should be consumed by March 21, 2015 so I guess this isn't the case...

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2011 00:06:52 | More by DaftCaskBC

bfields4

Colorado

3.68/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Large but tight white head provides a lot of lace. Hazy straw yellow body.

Belgian yeast aroma, green apples, sweet lemony and citrus malt smells. Just a bit of herbalness from the hops not usually found in a Belgian beer.

Herbal hops hit first a little lighter than I would have though. The taste is a much different beast than the aroma. There's a sweet pearish taste that finishes with a bitter twang.

A nice beer easy to drink and light bodied. I was expecting a little bit more from the flavor, but not bad. I'd like to try this one on tap sometime.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2011 03:52:48 | More by bfields4

david131

Michigan

3.6/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.5

A- A slightly hazy orange-yellow liquid with many streams of rising carbonation giving way to a 1 cm thick and creamy white head that has excellent retention.

S- Some citrus and a touch of peaches and white bread. Not that unique or impressive.

T- Exactly the same as the aroma. Not particularly bitter, but it is tasty.

M- Exceedingly creamy. Very smooth with just a slight coating to the mouth on the finish.

O- Overall, it is well executed but overall not that memorable. Drinks well for the ABV. The mouthfeel is what makes it for me.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2011 03:28:49 | More by david131

eric5bellies

Australia

4/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a hazy straw colour witha white foamy head that retains and laces.

S - Yeast and sweet malts.

T - Nice biscuit up front witha little pepper and sweetnes following. The hops are there in the background, and sweet on the finish.

M - Medium body and low to medium carbonation

O - A very solid BIPA

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2011 14:48:03 | More by eric5bellies

tkarsies

Ohio

4.4/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Best before Jan 2015. Served cool in my Westy chalice. My first experience with a Belgian IPA.

Nice hazy golden color with white lacing. Not much head although it was colder than it maybe should have been.

Sweet, Belgian yeasty smell. Not hoppy to the nose.
Taste is something I would imagine if a tripel mated with a English IPA. Typical Belgian yeast with candi sugar sweetness. Hint of the malt although yeast dominates. Hoppy bitterness with bitterness of nobel hops. Not the in-your-face hoppiness of an american IPA but bitter none the less.
Mouthfeel is a bit sticky, not as carbonated as I was expecting but good. Overall this is a nice beer. I am glad I tried this. A bit pricey for a daily drinker but worth coming back to again.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2011 00:59:57 | More by tkarsies

warnerry

Michigan

3.98/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

best by April 2014, so bottled April 2009

Pours a hazy straw color with one finger of off-white head. Head has good retention but doesn't leave much lacing behind.

Smells slightly funky to begin with, followed by a lot of florals and a subtle citrus. Also a bit of spiciness, earthy and bready aromas.

Taste is a nice combination of earthy hops, actually quite bitter upfront, followed by nice backbone of biscuit malts, belgian yeast. Also a bit of pepper and other spices, with a very dry finish.

Light, crisp mouthfeel with a sharp drying feeling on the finish.

One of the better Belgian IPAs I've had.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2011 00:03:08 | More by warnerry

GONZALOYANNA

Spain

4.05/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pale straw gold pours into my snifter glass. Cloudy apperance. Headed with 2 cm dense foam. Good retention & carbonation. Fruity & hoppy aroma, floral hints felt too, opens the door to a subtle & kind bitterness in your mouth. Well balanced flavors & dry bitterness will remain in your palate. Medium body. Excelent drinkability & refreshing sensation. May I have one more please?

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2011 15:31:04 | More by GONZALOYANNA

GRG1313

California

3.23/5  rDev -21.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

"The Hoppiest Beer of Belgium" boasts the label.

Dark gold with a gorgeous pure white thick egg white peaked type of head.

Nose was all Belgian sugar, sweet banana and cooked peaches. No typical hop tones in the nose.

Mouthfeel is thin and without character.

Flavors are bitter pine hop with lemon/pine tones. There is a lemon citrus character to the front and mid palate.

Finish is "heavy" pine bitter character.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2011 06:59:49 | More by GRG1313

foogerd

New York

3.68/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A- Cloudy yellow body with a billowing white foamy head.

S- Light yeasty fruits, some phenols some sweet malts.

T- Sweet biscuity malts and spicy peppery yeast, lots of bitter phenols, still manages to be drinkable and tasty but I cant totally shake out the bitterness. The hops also play a role in the bitterness so that tones it down somewhat. Sweet honey biscuits at the finish.

M- Thick and nice feel on the palette.

D- Abv becomes apparent from the bitterness of the phenols although inherently i think it wouldnt have been felt. Some sips were very tasty others just bothered me from the phenols.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2011 03:11:07 | More by foogerd

plfahey

Minnesota

3.8/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

11.2 oz. bottle poured into a tulip glass.

Appearance-Medium straw yellow, with a slight haze. Thick, pillowy white head with good retention and awesome lacing.

Aroma-Woodsy, earthy, herbal hops. Light fruit esters (pear, orange, slight cherry). Grainy malt, hint of rose-like/peppery alcohol. Some spicy, clove-like phenolics. Strange, burnt graham cracker/toasty malt aroma as well.

Flavor-Light, grainy malt flavors, with low herbal hop flavors. Esters are low to none. Relatively high presence of phenols-peppery, spicy, a little bit clovey, and a hint of plastic. Lots of yeast flavor. Hop bitterness is medium.

Mouthfeel-Medium light, with medium low carbonation. Relatively smooth.

Good, though the hops are overwhelmed by yeast-derived phenols in the flavor, which is not necessarily a bad thing, although the slight plastic-y phenols detract from the overall enjoyment of the beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2011 03:41:48 | More by plfahey

atis

Finland

4.35/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

330 ml bottle

Pours hazy yellow with dense white head with excellent retention, leaving beautiful, thick and dense lacing. Aroma is citrus and floral hops with lively spicy yeast, some sweetness.

Taste is herbal hops with considerable bitterness, hints of grapefruit and dry finish. In the middle of glass funky flavours can be felt and fruity esters (citrus) become more pronounced. Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy, I would have liked slightly more carbonation.

The best Belgian IPA I have had so far, certainly will buy and enjoy it again.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2011 18:47:30 | More by atis

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A-pours a slightly hazed piss colored yellow with a faint thin white head.

S-the nose is quite pleasant with just a hint of the belgian yeast up front as the hop showcase shines through with citrusy and floral hops behind the lightly spiced yeast.

T-the flavors are subtle and quite enjoyable. a nice yeasty presence with a fair bit of white peppery spice, the hops transition smooth and easily, rather floral hop presence with some nice citrus undertones.

M-it has a medium to light body with a certain smoothness to it yet lively on the the back of the throat from a lively carbonation with a semi dry finish.

D-nicely balnaced and very easy and tasty to drink. mild yet pleasant flavors, nice belgian yeast presence and a well integrated hop profile.

Serving type: on-tap

02-15-2011 15:35:08 | More by cpetrone84

Kendo

New York

3.9/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle split 2 ways. Thanks to MRMOJORISIN for sharing.

A: Poured - relatively gently - into a Piraat tulip-type glass. Body is a slightly hazy light-golden in color with a 1/2-finger whitish head. Leaves behind good lacing.

S: First impression: slightly skunky. Florally, earthy hops over light-struck hops.

T: This one lives up to its name - it is definitely bitter - in the American way, not in the way that an English ESB is "bitter." Light biscuity malt up front but it's overwhelmed by bitterness from grassy, florally hops. Finishes with lingering dry, lemony, mouth-puckering bitterness.

M: Medium in heft; slightly gritty feel which, along with that lingering hop bitterness, makes me think of resiny, fresh hops.

D: Good, if you like a bitter beer. Otherwise, that bitterness will slow you down.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2011 20:23:46 | More by Kendo

WhyBeNormal

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Surprisingly aggressive & pungent hoppiness on par with a well-hopped American IPA. Hoppiest non-US brew I've ever had & the focus on European hops is a really nice change of pace. The earthy, herbaceous hops are held up by sweet malts with lots of light fruit esters. It's sort of a cross between an amped-up English IPA and a Belgian Strong Pale Ale. Reminds me of Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel, except this one is a hell of a lot better. Very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2011 15:15:05 | More by WhyBeNormal

atigerlife

Hawaii

4.35/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours golden, clear, with small carbonatin rising. 2-finger fluffy white head. Very nice to look at. Bottom is opaque with yeast.

Aroma is sweet, spicy and citrus.

Taste has light hops, spices, citrus, light malts. Very nuanced.

Mouthfeel is quite light and cleansing.

Overall, a very nice, very drinkable beer. Will definitely try this one again.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2011 19:48:48 | More by atigerlife

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

11.2 oz slender euro bottle. January 2015 best by date.

Appearance: Hazed straw in appearance. Tightly beaded head forms and retention is good. A proper pour into a tulip snifter forms excellent froth. Minimal lacing.

Smell: Belgian ale yeast, earthy hops also very present. Perfume like and noble in nature. Consistant with other examples of this style.

Taste: True to its name, Deranke XX bitter dials in some earthy hop flavor and bitterness. Spicy hop sizzles on the palate, mild herbal tea flavor on the back end. Biscuity malt, Belgian yeast, euro hops. Plain and simple.

Mouthfeel: Highly carbonated, semi drying, chalky yeast lingers after the mild hop tea flavors.

Drinkability: Rates fairly high. Spot on for style, easy to drink. Just wish it was more readily available and the price was cheaper.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2011 08:05:21 | More by Stinkypuss