Upon first taste, 1980s Michelob; middle-taste is a little bit sweeter; finishing taste has more citrus and a fizzy, spicy lingering hybrid of aroma and flavor. This beer goes down easy because nothing in its taste profile conflicts with the rest of its flavor edifice.

IPAs get a ration of flak because the hipsters like them, which means that lots of what industry cranks out is pretty bad. This beer aims for drinkability, which means a gentle underlying flavor and a sparkle of top note that will keep you on your feet but not whack you with its quirks (like a fucking hipster).

Unlike many beers, this one gets to the bottom of the pint glass without dominance by the fermented squash-and-cabbage flavor of too much yeast or the vinegar bitterness of excessive hops, and remains very consistent, sort of like a 1980s Michelob that has not heard the Cold War is over.

Tags: beer, imperial IPA, IPA, new belgium brewery, voodoo ranger