I’m an American, sure, but I’m not beating any ethnocentric drums when I tell you that the domestic brewing scene here is one of the most robust in the world. America is a country of immigrants, after all, and we’ve become a great melting pot. Not many of us can claim to any single ethnic background; generally our ancestors were kicked out of the best countries in Europe (or more aptly these days, the world) as Bill Murray once said.

Our beer reflects that. In addition to stealing people from across the globe, we’ve stolen their beer styles, too. German pilsner? We make those. Irish stout? Got that covered. Belgian Tripel? It’s made in USA, too. But what's really become interesting is the way that American craft brewers have tinkered with and, in some cases, fused those styles to create something completely new.

Case in point: Flying Dog Raging Bitch Belgian-Style IPA from Colorado's Flying Dog Brewery. This beer, brewed to celebrate Flying Dog's 20th anniversary of operation, is a hoppy American IPA fermented with a distinctive Belgian yeast strain. The result is a beer that manages to exceed the sum of it's part. To be sure, Flying Dog isn't the first to brew up such a concoction. But they certainly have managed with Raging Bitch to create one of the better examples of the idea.

Raging Bitch is brewed with Columbus, Warrior, and Amarillo hops; it's dry-hopped with the latter as well. The result is 60 IBUs in a beer of about 1.072 original gravity, not bad at all. Flying Dog calls the Belgian yeast they use "El Diablo", although one suspects that's just a name they've given to a traditional Belgian strain. Raging Bitch is formidable in strength at 8.3% alcohol by volume, making this one a sipping beer to be sure.

Flying Dog Raging Bitch Belgian-Style IPA pours to a cloudy golden orange color with a thick, rocky head formation and a very fruity, citric hoppy nose. A thick layer of Brussels Lace clings to the sides of my glass as the liquid descends. Taking a sip, the malt hits first, chewy and thick with caramel. It’s quickly overshadowed, though, by the hops, and they’re the real prima donna here. Quite citrusy, they add bright juicy orange at first, then bitter grapefruit towards the end. They also impart a delightfully bitter punch that becomes quite intense in the finish, especially if you allow the beer to warm a  little. Which you really should.

But then, you ask, this is a Belgian IPA? What’s so Belgian about it? Inquiring minds want to know. The yeast strain is the Belgian contribution here, and it throws off some fruity notes of pineapple and typical Belgian yeasty funk. The latter is hard to describe if you’ve never tasted it, but I assure you, it’s quite distinct. There’s also some alcohol warmth here, too, and luscious candied fruit.

Fusion beers like this can be hard to pull off, but in this case I think Flying Dog does a very good job. The beer manages to retain elements of a Belgian golden ale and an IPA. Neither style overwhelms the other, rather the two elements complement each other very nicely.

Reasonably priced at $7.99 a six, too, this may well be one of the best beer buys on the market right now.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft

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