Red Racer IPA (India Pale Ale) - Central City Brewing

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.7/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Lost this review in one of the crashes, but found again thanks to Google cache.

Another great looking beer from a can. Can't wait to give this a try and see how it is. It just showed up for the first time at my store, so it should be pretty fresh. Poured into my oversized DFH snifter.

A: A large 2 finger thick but large bubble head slowly dissolves, very slowly, leaving a nice lacing. It's very clear toasted auburn brown and orange color that's still pretty light in color. The head really does show no signs of disappearing.

N: Wow, a big hop aroma hits you with this, as I hoped. Lots of heavy pine and citrus on this baby. I get a really fresh hop oil aroma that really makes me feel like I'm crushing fresh hops in my hands. Nice citrus, lots of grapefruit and tropical fruit aromas. I don't get much else on the aroma except lots of fresh earthy juicy hops and, well, nothing else.

T: I'm getting excited in anticipation for the first sip that we may have another really awesome IPA at my finger tips. And the sip is really interesting, but definitely delivers. It's not as traditional hop taste with ridiculous bitterness, it actually starts with, well, fresh hop taste. I really get the taste like I'm chewing on a fresh hop, not even pellets. I get a very piney hop oil and some citrus, as well as grapefruit and tropical fruit overall. No malt character at all and not much for bitterness up front. A nice juicy hop character starts to emerge after a few sips with a slight grapefruit and tropical fruit taste. A touch of sweetness up front also helps.

M: Sticky and oily like the hop oils. Pretty good carbonation to go with it.

F: Here is the bitterness. It's not overbearing with the bitterness, but just right I think. It finishes pretty dry but doesn't rip the water right from the cells in your mouth as some do. I still have a fresh hop taste in my mouth like I just finished chewing on a hop flower right off the vine. I feel like I should be out on the harvest while drinking this delicious concoction. Then, surprisingly, the bitterness and hop flavors just disappear. My mouth is ready and awaiting for the next taste or endeavor. That is, until I swallow again and the salivary glands seem to excrete more hops, I think this has just absorbed into my blood and my body is sweating it out.

Final thoughts: A great fresh hop taste IPA. I really can only describe it as biting on a fresh hop flower. It's gone some piney and slight citrus/tropical hop juice and lots of hop oil. No malt character. I can only describe the beer as a transport method for getting the fresh hop flowers from the vine to my taste buds and into my blood stream. I might have enjoyed a slight malt character with it, but this is a west coast style. I also love that it comes in a can. Tasty crack cans! Can't wait to try their other beers in their lineup.

Serving type: can

10-26-2009 16:35:45 | More by jlindros

Alextricity

Michigan

4.33/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Being told this was "City Red IPA" at Green Dot Stables in Detroit, Michigan, I got it on-tap. Seeing as how this is all that comes up when I type that in, I have to assume this is the beer. And considering its high ratings... I think it's a safe assumption.

Appearance: A deep red color with no head ... no lacing to speak of either. Rather "blah" and unexciting.

Smell: Hops, but there's more to it than that... you can definitely tell it's a red, because there's plenty of malt notes in there. A lot of piney aromas dominate. My friends weren't too happy when I talked ... they thought it smelled awful. It probably did on my breath. :(

Taste/feel: Outstanding, to say the least... it truly is. There's a pretty massive bitterness, but the mouthfeel is smooth and the finish is pretty sweet. If you want some hops, this'll do it for you. A lot of the grassy and piney notes without much citrus, so go with this if you want a beer along those lines. Incredibly balanced, insanely drinkable, fantastic tasting. I absolutely love the red characteristics with the hops in this one ... a lot of times it's out of whack, but this is very nicely done.

Serving type: on-tap

05-26-2013 04:28:35 | More by Alextricity

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.19/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

This poured out as a nice amber color with a soapy white head on top. It was a bit darker in color than I expected it to be. The head settles and leaves a pretty good layered lacing on the glass. The smell of the beer is hoppy with a toasted malt aroma in there. The taste of the beer is more malty when it's cold, as the beer warms up the fruity citrus hops start to come alive. The mouthfeel was medium bodied, good carbonation and very drinkable. Overall this really seemed a lot like a Nugget Nectar to me... I'd have to do a side by side to really pick out the differences but I really think they were similar despite the difference of style. This beer was really good even though it wasn't the freshest of cans... regardless I would drink this again and recommend it to others as well.

Serving type: can

05-25-2013 18:27:36 | More by Knapp85

Holland

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -29.6%

05-23-2013 23:17:28 | More by Holland

valianes

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev -6.1%

05-23-2013 03:47:18 | More by valianes

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +5.6%

05-23-2013 01:33:41 | More by mikeincharleston

beerhunter13

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -17.8%

05-19-2013 20:24:09 | More by beerhunter13

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%

05-18-2013 13:02:18 | More by Slatetank

Newenglandcraftbrew

Maine

3/5  rDev -29.6%

05-17-2013 21:17:55 | More by Newenglandcraftbrew

RicePatchAbbot

Texas

4.01/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A: A clear dark copper bronze colour, very little head is present, on top of that lacing is very thick.
S: The aroma of this beer, gives off a very citrusy orange scent, a very sweet scent I must say.
T: A very sensational hop piney taste with every sip. Carbonation is perfect for this beer, as it enhances the citrusy after taste.
M: As mentioned before the carbonation, which is mild, does add a sweet citrusy mouthful experience. Medium to heavy body, not as smooth as I would have liked.

Overall: I have drank many quality IPAs, surprisingly this IPA is quite decent, and I would recommend this to many IPA drinkers.

Shout out to fellow advocate, abbbp!

Serving type: on-tap

05-17-2013 21:12:34 | More by RicePatchAbbot

Cramshawbar

Ontario (Canada)

3/5  rDev -29.6%

05-15-2013 23:59:50 | More by Cramshawbar

cram

New York

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%

05-15-2013 21:10:42 | More by cram

mattst

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +5.6%

05-15-2013 02:30:50 | More by mattst

patre_tim

China

4.69/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

A: Copper Brown, slight orange colour. Little apparent carbonation, thin white head becomes a film. Chunky lacing.

S: Fruity citra tropical hops scream from the can as you open it. So fruity. Tropical pineapple and papaya and mangos. Spice and pine on the end. I think of yellow jello in smell. Floral. Wow. My first this strong.

T: Again wow. Its not as strong as I was expecting from the smell, but the flavours all come through with a nice sweetness that is not overwealming but rather subdued. There’s not the overburn of say the Flying Monkey’s Atomic one, making it more drinkable and palatable and delicious. I am getting fruitloops in the mouth as an aftertaste. Bitterness is of course there in the mouth afterward, but the sweetness and balance made me not even realize this at first until I payed attention.

M: Low carbonation, medium to heavy body that is moderately syrupy.

O: Awesome. Liking it. Its up there for me.

Serving type: can

05-14-2013 12:41:50 | More by patre_tim

jrempel

Quebec (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +5.6%

05-10-2013 18:36:34 | More by jrempel

Caudalie

Quebec (Canada)

4/5  rDev -6.1%

05-10-2013 16:55:42 | More by Caudalie

HinghamRick

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +5.6%

05-08-2013 17:55:55 | More by HinghamRick

cadaugherty

Illinois

4/5  rDev -6.1%

05-08-2013 00:06:00 | More by cadaugherty

nullbort

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -12%

05-06-2013 22:22:51 | More by nullbort

IdeaSpeeder

Ontario (Canada)

4.3/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 4.5

Serving Type - 355ml can, poured into a glass

Appearance - Not much of a head. What is there disappears pretty quickly. No matter, the beer is a gorgeous light copper colour. Minimal lacing on the sides.

Smell - Overwhelming citrus and pine sent. if there is anything else there, and there very well may be, this overpowers it.

Taste - Citrus and pine again. Citrus and pine. You can really taste those centennial hops.

Mouthfeel - Medium to light body with pretty low carbonation. An unsatisfactory finish to an otherwise fantastic brew.

Overall - 4.5

Serving type: can

05-03-2013 04:00:24 | More by IdeaSpeeder

bdoggboston

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%

05-01-2013 02:25:00 | More by bdoggboston

BigGruntyThirst

Ontario (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +5.6%

04-30-2013 02:11:10 | More by BigGruntyThirst

Mack

Quebec (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +5.6%

04-28-2013 11:49:23 | More by Mack

SPRichard

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -6.1%

04-26-2013 20:34:31 | More by SPRichard

NWer

Washington

4.5/5  rDev +5.6%

04-26-2013 02:13:57 | More by NWer