Red Rocket Ale - Bear Republic Brewing Co.

Brianjames16

New York

2.73/5  rDev -33.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A - Pours a slightly transparent deep mahogany red with little to no head. This may just be the growler I had it from. I have a feeling this should have a huge head.

S- Very malty presence up front. I get a good amount of piny aromas from the hop character in this one. Nice earthy tones come through.

T - Good amount of malty flavors with a decent bitter hop finish. Mostly malt flavors in this one stick out. I'm also getting a hint of citrus fruits somewhere in there. Not crazy about this growler to be perfectly honest.

M- Easy drinker with a light/medium body. Not overbearing at all but lacking and substance.

O- I have to try this out of a bottle or maybe a different keg because this didn't impress me much.

Serving type: growler

04-04-2011 22:01:03 | More by Brianjames16

jpro

South Carolina

4.03/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up a growler this afternoon en route to a cookout with some friends...

A: Poured into a shaker pint... deep ruby red with some haze; chestnut head is huge and frothy, leaving a few globs of lace here and there.

S: Caramel malts and some light sweetness; piney hops, with some light floral and citrus notes; alcohol peeks through as it warms.

T: Big time caramel malts up front with some touches of brown sugar... maybe some molasses; herby hops that lead to a dry finish.

M: Crisp, medium-bodied and smooth; finishes a touch dry.

D: Another impressive brew from Bear Republic; we finished the growler with ease! Good stuff.

Serving type: growler

08-23-2010 01:51:07 | More by jpro

drugsbunny

California

3.93/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A very dark red ale, borderline brown. Smell had a stronger malt aspect that hid a potent hop flavor that this red ale is full of. A definitive Pacific Northwest taste. A very tasty ale with a citrus hop emphasis but it hits hard with 6.8% ABV. A great beer, even better fresh out of a keg.

Serving type: growler

05-13-2005 17:46:05 | More by drugsbunny

dpodratsky3

Georgia

4.2/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12 oz bottle poured into pint glass

A: Hazy, which makes it seem more brown than it really is, head is very good quality, thick and bubbly, but settles to just a covering quickly

S: The low point of this beer (which isn't very low), a little more mild than I was expecting, resiny hops with a roasted malt and caramel backbone

T: Nice bitter punch in the mouth, definitely IPA strength as I would expect from Bear Republic, west coast style amber, malt presence gives it a deeper, heavier feel, but flavor is still dominated by that resiny hop goodness, alcohol gets a little strong, but you never quite taste it

M: Good mouthfeel, stays on the lighter side, but still has a rich, dense quality to it, carbonation is fairly high, not super dry but enough to leave your mouth a little tacky

O: A very solid beer. Perfect if you want an IPA style beer with a little more depth.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 00:42:59 | More by dpodratsky3

jondeelee

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Red Rocket Ale opens to a sugary, hoppy nose, immediately presenting a nice balance of aromas. The hops predominantly bring pink grapefruit, with lighter notes of grapefruit rind and pine, as well as faint hints of bitter dandelion stem. The sugars add a sweet assortment of Jolly Rancher-potent fruit esters, including lots of berries, as well as cherry, orange, and apricot, as well as brown sugar, candi sugar, and even hints of super sweet confectioner’s sugar. Small touches of biscuit, whole wheat dough, and Grape Nuts cereal help earth the beer, but the emphasis is obviously on sweetness, even the hops geared heavily towards sugary citrus aromas. The overall effect is very nice, the sugars quite potent and aromatic, and present in enough strength that the bottle’s open mouth is sticky. This is made all the more impressive because of the beer’s relatively low 6.8% ABV, which usually results in a dearth of sugary notes. There is, perhaps, a bit too much sugar in the nose, however, and the hops could have used a larger presence. Still, the overall effect, candy-like as it is, is compelling.

On the tongue, the beer is far more hoppy than the nose let on, and the hops are not sweet, but bitter and oily, with grapefruit rind, pine resin, and lemon oil mixing with lighter dandelion stem, mint, and anise notes. The result is strong enough to somewhat overpower the rest of the beer, which does still bring in a good amount of berry, orange, and peach fruit esters, as well as brown sugar, and a grainy wedge of toasted whole wheat bread and cereal grains. But here the emphasis in on hops, which are strong enough that in subsequent sips their lingering bitter presence tends to drown out even more of the sugars and breads. Even some of the more citrusy hop notes are lost over the course of a few sips, the beer ending up with large dandelion stem, anise, pine resin, and mint notes. The aftertaste is a continuation of these bitter hop notes. Mouthfeel is medium-light to medium, and carbonation is medium.

Overall, this is good beer, and hopheads can find pleasure in the nice selection of bitter, oily, resinous notes in here. But the beer does ultimately suffer because of the low ABV and the lack of sugars, with the hops simply overpowering everything else, making the beer seem imbalanced and in need of a lot more fruity, sugary notes.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2013 15:54:26 | More by jondeelee

bambam2517

Arizona

4.24/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

22 oz. bomber poured into a pint glass and paired with BBQ. Served at 50F.

A - Deep mahogany body, very still and a lazy layer of foam forms at the top. Wet legs, doesnt stick so lacing is not the best, not a real concern for me though...

S - Sweet barleycakes, fresh cut wood. Hint of citrus zing, rich roasted grains smell.

T - Very peaty and oaky, reminiscent of Scotch. Mildly smoky. Sweet malt invades as well, alot going on. Complex, but wildly so.

M - Feels wet and oily on the palate, lingers in the back of the throat with that peaty taste, slight warming sensation as well. Pretty good.

O - As a Scottish ale I say well done, prefer it over Kiltlifter and Old Chub hands down. As an amber/red I say no, theres way to much going on here to be one of them.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2013 06:29:30 | More by bambam2517

ToriBug13

California

3.58/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Bear Republic Ricardo's Red Rocket Ale: Healdsburg, CA

ABV 6.8%, poured into a Sam Adams glass

-Appearance: Dark amber/brown, thick head, excellent head retention.

-Aroma: Sweet malt, faint piney hops.

-Taste and Mouthfeel: Coffee, _hint_ of caramel. Medium bodied, good carbonation. Definitely tasted the piney hops, but they didn't overwhelm the malt. Definitely a malt- forward beer. Though I'm not a major fan of coffee, it was a manageable and balanced coffee flavor. Got a little sweeter as it warmed, which cut the coffee well. I might have scored this a little lower because of that coffee, but I'd also like to think I was more unbiased than that.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 23:13:06 | More by ToriBug13

bobhits

Kentucky

2.94/5  rDev -27.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

Red rocket falls into that poor mix of sweet and hoppy where the mix is too caramel and bread without a distinct a well made hop character to mix. The end result is too common, over done, and not exciting to start with.

This is a good looking beer, well carbonated, good lacing, nice body. It smells like a red/scotch ale without too much hop character but without the overly sweet notes either.

Scotch ale malt, crackers, bread, floral hops, and caramel, maybe even a hint of toffee.

I wouldn't call this easy to drink nor hard to. It's nice enough I guess.

In the end this is ok to good beer. I think it has some strong points but I just don't get the high ratings. It isn't a perfect example of a style (an awful reason to score a beer highly imo but I get it) or unique and special, or you know....just an amazing beer (a good reason to score highly).

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 21:57:13 | More by bobhits

jaycle

North Carolina

3.79/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A: Deep red, almost brown. Mine poured a surprisingly weak head of half a finger which quickly reduced to a thin film leaving hardly any lacing. No freshness date, so perhaps that's why.

S: Caramel and sweet bread. This smells like its going to be too sweet almost.

T: The caramel shows up in the taste, but is balanced with some piney hops. Has a slight toasted grain aftertaste. The aforementioned sweetness is calmed nicely by the carbonation and these bitter piney hops.

M: Good carbonation. Low alcohol feel, and medium bodied

O: This beer improved over time. I thought it a little too bitter for the style, but it seemed to sweeten up as it finished. Wish I had another.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 00:03:18 | More by jaycle

sweemzander

Illinois

4.01/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz. bottle poured into a nonic.

(A)- Pours a nice dark crimson red color. Produced a nice cap of tan froth that stuck around awhile before dissipating. Some lacing left behind.

(S)- A nice lightly spicy profile with bits of subtle toasted malt and some slight fruitiness in a yeast sense.

(T)- Similar to the smell, only more bright piney hop citrus shows up amidst the lightly spicy toasted aspect from the aroma.

(M)- A good carbonation level and balance. The hop level is high, but supplemented well with the toasty amber malts and subtle fruitiness from the background. Bitter, but restrained.

(O)- This really is a quality red ale. Lightly spiced and with a good hop profile. Have had this numerous times throughout the years, but never sat down and reviewed this til now. Definitely a classic for this style and an easy drinker at that.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 18:42:45 | More by sweemzander

AmitC

Indiana

4.28/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 22 oz bomber into a large snifter glass.

A
One finger thick head with decent retention. Just decent lacing on the sides. Color: Deep amber with a lot of ruby hues. Clear with slight haze. Translucent.

S
Some earthy hops mixed with a little of piney character. A decent amount of caramel malt. Strength is moderate.

T
Hits really nice. Good hop profile of earthy and grounded hops with slight piney touch. A good amount of caramel. Malt hop combination is really good and delicious. Finish is slightly bitter. This is more of a hoppy amber ale.

M
Medium-light bodied. Oily feel. No astringency. Drinks really smooth. No alcohol warmth.

A good regular drinking beer. Reminds me of Dale's Pale Ale. Very similar and smooth.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 04:03:22 | More by AmitC

GuzzLah

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

A - pours a clear, deep amber with a short tan head and no lacing. A few bubbles.

S - pine, grapefruit, English yeast, caramel malt, mild roast and faint diesel.

T - is like the aroma. Nicely balanced C hops flavor and maybe some Amarillo, a bit bready, moderate bitterness, mild sweetness and a touch of roast.

M - medium body and low-medium carbonation. The bitterness and roasty character lingers in the finish in a pleasant way.

O - this is a really nice, moderately hoppy Red with a smooth 6.8% abv. Would drink again.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 21:57:45 | More by GuzzLah

wedge

North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Dark mahogany sprinkled with bits of sediment and topped by a fat, luscious looking head. Rich caramel and bread smell accompanied by dark fruit, pine sap, and orange. The flavor opens with some toasted caramel malt which is quickly covered by a blanket of pine needles and grapefruit zest. Some nutty and tea-like flavors commingle with the hops. Medium bodied and surprisingly crisp with a solid bitterness. I thought this was a little too sweet the other night, but now it seems just right.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 00:34:32 | More by wedge

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

3.91/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A dark amber brew maybe ruby amber with a small dense head on top.
Aroma has some hoppiness to it as well as a big malty bill.
Taste is not as hoppy as I was expecting. This beer could be stale. I seen no bottling date so age could be in question.
It is quiet malty.
Drinks smooth and is easy drinking and would probably be alot better fresh.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 12:22:23 | More by micromaniac129

Docrock

Illinois

3.96/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass

A - solid brown with just a hint of red in color. the head is off white to cream, it quickly faded to a thin film at the top of the glass. thin lacing with nice legs.

S - a bit of caramel and some bready tones.

T - some brown sugar, caramel and a nice breadiness. just a slight hoppiness on the finish. just a slight bitter aftertaste.

M - medium carbonation with a slightly lighter body than i expected but it was pretty well balanced.

O - i enjoyed the beer, not really knowing what to expect. i would definitely drink this if given the chance again. won't go seeking it but it is worth trying just for the unusual balance between styles.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 03:37:05 | More by Docrock

JohnFatAss

New Jersey

3.84/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Red Rocket Ake looks like a brown ale. It is a hazy brown color. Lotst of bubbles.
Sweet malty smell with a hop presence.

The taste is of sweet carmel malts. The beer is thick, tasty and full of flavor. The hop profile is strong. There is enough malt sweetness to keep the hop bitterness in check.
There is no ignoring the hops in this beer,


Overall, I was disapointed in this beer. My expectations may be too because I think the Racer 5 IPA is outstanding.

Anyway, This is an excellent beer worth checking out.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 04:18:27 | More by JohnFatAss

HuskyinPDX

Washington

4.14/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Bottle opened on 1.27.13

A - Pours a dark amber-light brown with a one inch tan-yellow head with decent retention.

S - Strong hoppy grass and sweet carmel malts.

T - Grassy with a carmel finish, then more grass in the after taste.

D - Good carbonation and a medium body.

O - Red and hoppy. Nice carmel balance.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 06:14:29 | More by HuskyinPDX

mtbdonn

United Kingdom (England)

4.13/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

12 oz. bottle from Beer of Europe, England.
A-Pours a murky brown with a foamy off-white head.
S-Aroma of bold pine and grapefruit hops with an assertive malt backbone.
T-Really nice bitter hop profile of grapefruit, tangerine, and pine needles and is cut by a nicely balanced caramel malt. Medium to full bodied. The alcohol is more present than in most beers at 6.8% ABV.
M-The mouthfeel is thick, creamy, syrupy
O-Though ABV a little high, a nice sessionable, uncomplicated, straightforward red ale.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 20:25:17 | More by mtbdonn

BurgeoningBrewhead

Pennsylvania

4.41/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed from bottle; if I try it again with proper glassware I'll edit this review.
Smell is at first like an IPA, hoppy and flowery, but with an undertone of malt. Tastes like a really good IPA smells; hoppy but with a sweet finish. Mouthfeel matches well; not sure what style this beer really is, but whatever it is, I'd definitely drink it again.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 05:38:24 | More by BurgeoningBrewhead

Foam

Pennsylvania

3.33/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

I grabbed couple bottles of this stuff at my local bottle shop at the suggestion of the young guy working there .
Little does he know I am definetly NOT a bitter hops guy. When I saw "aggressively hopped" I kind of rolled my eyes and cringed but bought it anyway.
It says it's a Scottish ale on the label but in reality it's more of a red I.P.A. of sorts. I noticed one of the Alstrom Bros. called it a hybrid-style and yes, I agree.
I'd rather they left it a proper malty-sweet Scotch ale, proper . I don't think Scots ale brewers have any interest in their style being this bitter and hopped .
It's the west coast big-hop flavor aesthetic, I realize but, not my thing. Life is too short to have to grimace and wince as you're sipping some "aggressively hopped" beers ...

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 15:46:38 | More by Foam

DaveAnderson

Minnesota

4.41/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I'm not usually much of a malt guy. Give me a buffet of IPAs, and I'll converge on the citrusy hop bombs. This beer awakens something else in me. It's not Bear Republic's highest-rated beer, but it's the one I leap at the chance to drink again. We don't get it in MN, but I was in WI recently, and snagged some. I am so happy I did.

The beer is pretty to behold. It has a pipestone color with a dense, thick, tan head. But the smell is what intoxicates me. Caramel, toffee, brown sugar, toasted marshmallow, vanilla, butter, pastry, yeast -- and all with pine and tropical fruit in the background. But mostly it's the maltiness that gets me...

And the best part of all? Despite the smell, it's not really sweet. Hops are ample, and the bitterness lingers for quite a long time. The anticipation and the finish stand out in this beer. With each taste, I bury my nose in the glass and inhale for a bit before drinking, then sit and wait for the finish to...finish. It goes for a long time. I don't often take this long to drink a beer I don't find challenging.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 07:06:45 | More by DaveAnderson

TheRealBigC

Nevada

3.95/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Red Rocket is a robust red ale. It is very hoppy, with the malt playing a minor role in comparison. Still goes down smooth. Fans of red ales will thoroughly enjoy this one, with its deep red body and sheets of lace. Nothing too fancy about it, just a really solid brew.

Serving type: on-tap

01-22-2013 15:09:02 | More by TheRealBigC

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

3.99/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap

This beer is a clear deep dark orange color with little head. The nose is subtle but matches the taste. This is more IPA then red ale. It is very hoppy and very west coast. The hops are sharp and quite piney. There is a bit of citrus in there as well but its very piney and has a nice dry finish. There is little malt flavor that sneaks past the hops but a subtle toffee and caramel flavor if you look for it. This beer has a pretty light feel and is easy drinking. A solid hopped up red.

Serving type: on-tap

01-22-2013 00:06:32 | More by TwelveOunces

Kevin73

Washington

3.75/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pours a crystalline tree resin red with a sturdy off-white head that disappears slowly with lots of lacing. A lot of reds in my experience are hazy, this one is not. I don't consider that a plus or a minus; just something to note. The beer looks gorgeous, so whatever. Strong fruitiness on the nose. Smells of burnt cherry, marmalade, and graham cracker. The latter being the toasted malts, I suppose? On the first sip I got sour cherry, cappuccino (which was weird) and lots of hops. Unfortunately I also got some shallow, yet apparent, metallic notes, which were definitely not desirable. On subsequent sips the weird coffee notes disappeared and more of the caramelly malts showed through. The tinny metallic taste persisted but was more of an annoyance and not overpowering. Still there was the strong hops bitterness intruding on the finish; over done a bit I think. Overall the beer is very well crafted, but could be more well balanced with either less hops or more malts. Otherwise what are we brewing here? A Red or an IPA? I can't tell. Anyway I still recommend trying this beer, and will try it again myself. Paired with a sweet food like BBQ sauce (chicken/pork) this beer is probably fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 00:37:29 | More by Kevin73

daskchb

California

3.9/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a pretty tasty beer, although you're expecting it to be a red and it tastes more like an IPA. Poured it in a glass and got a nice head. Good mouth feel, not too heavy. Beer has a nice look to it, dark red. Smells hoppy to me. Overall, I like this beer, just expected a red and got a red IPA.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 06:40:00 | More by daskchb