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Sunday, January 30, 2011

Flying Dog - Raging Bitch Belgian Style India Pale Ale

Dead Soldier
Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Raging Bitch Belgian Style India Pale Ale
Flying Dog Brewery
Frederick, MD USA
Est. 1983
www.flyingdogales.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 8.3 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Golden amber color.
Minimal thin head that disappears quickly.
Slight malt smell, but more hops in the nose.
Belgian yeast detected, citrus peel taste, slight pepper/coriander.
Great draped lacing on the glass.
Nicely carbonated.
Medium body. Aggressively hopped without being bitter.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Sometimes our beer experience has to suffer the slings and arrows of those that don't necessarily enjoy well crafted beers. I'm referring to those types that just want to "make the scene" and hang with their "homeys". They try hard to pretend to like beer so they can be with the cool kids.

Ever there was such a time this past week. A louder-than-loud woman was sitting in the outdoors section, literally within ear-shot of me. Yammering on and on, enjoying a yellow fizzy export from Central America. On and on...droning away about this and that. Cleaning out everyone's eardrums, as each obnoxious cackle of laughter amped up, and up.

As I attempt to shut out the din while typing my tasting notes, a friendly and soothing voice of one of the servers asks, "...and what would you like next?"  Thankful for the respite from the annoyance, I slide my sunglasses down.  Noticing my empty glass beyond my computer screen, I say, "Hmm. Let's see what luck picks for me." I open the beer menu, flip to a random page and stab at it with my bony index finger.  Just like playing a game of pin the tail on the donkey, I land on...wouldn't you know it?  Raging Bitch.

Peering over the top of my sunglasses, I cast the server a toothy grin.  "I'll have this one, please...",  I say to her while rolling my eyes in the direction of the background drone. My beer-tendress looks at the page to see the selection I've landed upon. She giggles for a moment, then remarks, "That's an excellent choice!"  Before I could poke my sunglasses back in place, she returns in a flash with the bottle. To my surprise, the shrew across the way had taken her foghorn voice and disappeared into the day, along with her entourage.

By the way. In case you think I forgot about the beer...it was EXCELLENT. Serendipity, baby!

6 comments:

  1. This has been one of my favorite beers for the past year or so (however long it has been out).

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  2. I also enjoyed the uniqueness of a Belgium India Pale Ale. You don't see too many in that style category. Flying Dog has a winner in this brew. Thanks for posting, Jay.

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  3. Also, check out Stone's Cali-Belgique, which is good (IMO not as good as Raging Bitch) but good

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  4. Agree. I have had the fortune to try Cali on draught, during a Stone tap night at a local craft beer bar. It was also very tasty.

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  5. Great story, too. Made me LOL, fer real.

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  6. Ahh, the joys of writing...inspiration is always around the next corner. This story is so true, I couldn't make it up!

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