Racer 5 India Pale Ale - Bear Republic Brewing Co.

B33R501

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

interesting on the hand pump but i prefer the regular bootle version. thats ok.

light amber, pale look. aromas of floral hops, taste follows, better than the smell. lots and lots of floral hops, nicely malted for balance.
very refreshing, drinkable.

recommended.

Serving type: cask

05-07-2012 12:43:03 | More by B33R501

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on 2011-03-09 at the Drafting Room in Exton, PA

A - Almost clear straw-amber with a 1.5 finger, pillowy head with good lacing.

S - Light citrus pulp, pine, biscuit and hop floral. Not overly strong.

T - Grapfruit, biscuit, mild caramel, pine, naval orange sweetness, which quickly yields to the grapefruit.

M - Light to medium body and carbonation (more than I expected on-cask). Smooth and a little prickly.

D - Very good but I like it better on-tap, which improves the mouthfeel and aroma.

Serving type: cask

07-11-2011 21:18:01 | More by Tucquan

HoustonTX

Texas

4.43/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

This beer is amazing on Cask, had the rare opportunity to try it at the Texas Beer Festival yesterday.

It's like velvet sweet loving hops coating your entire palate. Very intense complexity, but something just amazing to partake in. Grapefruit and pineapple in the nose. The flavor is just something to behold. It's indeed hop centered lots of orange and grapefruit but there is also this unique malty oak background. The cask makes this stuff dangerously drinkable. It's really a great beer.

This is something to definitely seek out if you get the chance. I'm honored to have tried it.

Serving type: cask

05-09-2011 07:35:07 | More by HoustonTX

TheBrewo

Michigan

4.2/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This was served to us at the Old Toad in Rochester, NY, from a cask. It arrived in a tulip glass, the color or rich, deep gold, with darker hues of amber-red. It had a one finger foamy tan head that retained through to the bottom of the glass. It left little lacing as is slowly dissipated. Low carbonation was noted, and chunky sediment was found to be suspended throughout the syrupy-looking liquid. Most of this debris was found in the top half of the glass. Upon sniffing, the nose was filled with the aromas of sweet, apricot nectars, and sugary florals. Notes of honey were noted, to enhance the sweetness. Pale malts were there for a balance to the floral, piney hops that dominated the rest of the nose. On the very back there was spice, of spicy brown mustard seed, and a bit of grapey booze. As we sipped, the mouth was bombarded with sweetness, of fruit, and a grapey, woodiness, like a Chardonnay. Infused here were also clean hops. Through the middle there was a peak of sour, hoppy citrus. More wood appeared, and more bitter spice, but most notably cinnamon. Hops washed us through to the finish, with bitterness and bite, while that winey astringency comes back to dry the mouth, with a souring touch. The final things to leave the taste buds are clean malts, which washes the mélange of competing flavors away. The aftertaste breaths sour, woody, and with faint hops and booze. The body is medium and the carbonation nears nonexistent. Each sip goes down coolly, and smoothly, with slick hop oils helping things along. The head retention gives a nice and creamy slurpability to it. By the end the mouth is left dry, but not overwhelmingly so. The abv is standard, and the beer drinks easily.

Overall, what we found most enjoyable about this brew was the aroma. It was nectary sweet amongst a bouquet of flowers, with some oddities, like that spicy mustard seed. Unlike many others in the style, here the hops took a delicate back seat, making this more than the typical IPA. One criticism is that it was a bit on the sour end, but this ultimately didn’t take much away, but rather gave it another unique aspect for the style.

Serving type: cask

04-27-2011 22:48:27 | More by TheBrewo

orangesol

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served on cask at Al's of Hampden into a nonic pint. No info was given as to what type of hops were added to the cask. If I had to guess, I would say "TONS!"

A - Pours hazy sunkist orange with a thick pillow of two finger tall white head leaving thick rings of sticky lacing down the glass.

S - I knew I had to get this one when I smelled it from across our table. HUGE pungent hop punch right off the bat with hints of pine resin, grass, and grapefruit. A tiny bit of sweet caramel malt comes thru but this one is really all about the hops.

T - Nice grassy hop bite up front never really leaving the pallet. Light caramel malt and grapefruit acidity offer as much contrast as they can but this one is truly all about the hops. A bit dry in the finish with some lingering hop bitterness. The taste wasn't as good as the nose but I still really enjoyed this one. One of my all time favorites revved up a few extra notches.

M - Medium body and flavor with moderate carbonation. Nice light feel with a bit of dryness toward the end. Plenty of hop bitterness in the finish but it doesn't linger for very long.

D - Very good. I really like racer 5 quite a bit and this version was even better. A touch one dimensional with all those pungent hops but that really isn't a bad thing.

Serving type: cask

03-07-2011 19:54:26 | More by orangesol

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.6/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I had this on cask at Al's of Hampden, served in a Nonic.

The color is golden hued with amber accents and thick collar of light white w/ a light yellow accent. The clarity is lightly hazed and the bead is very fine. I love the array of fruit odors this ipa presents - very citrus and tropical tinged yet is has a moderately high amount of pine from the hops too. I like the grapefruity presence -it is so pungent it is like smashing your face into a pile of grapefruits. The feel is both bitter and yet smooth at the same time, plenty of natural carbonation with a blend of yeast and softness from the oils of the hops giving a slight dry and the malt body adds a gentle sweetness level.

This IPA is delicous, just so tangy and citrus flavored with some herbal elements giving a well round flavor of bitter orange/grapefruit notes that aren't hampered by the malt. The taste of the malt is very dry, only enough sweetness there to compliment the slight pineapple quality. The bitterness level is optimal with a low level of astringency and the hop goodness lasts for a while after the swallow. I could enjoy a quart of this IPA it is so drinkable on cask, I have enjoyed it equally in each delivery method -tap, bottle and now cask, just delicious in every way. I would prefer it on cask as the hops seem so much more vibrant and fresh this way.

Serving type: cask

03-06-2011 16:36:54 | More by Slatetank

tbrown4

Maryland

4/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Had this on cask at Race Street Cafe in Philadelphia before a show at the Electric Factory with some other beer geeks. I've had this in bottle several times before, never before on cask.

A - Clear, gold, fluffy white two finger head.

S - Typcial IPA aroma, fairly floral. A mild sweetness.

T - Very focused and defined hop flavor. Quite enjoyable. Sweetness flavor matches the intensity of the aroma. Just enough to balance out the hop bitterness.

M - Feels about average.

D - I could drink this one all day. It was a nice treat on the hand pump.

Serving type: cask

02-24-2011 21:27:12 | More by tbrown4

Jayna

Pennsylvania

4.58/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Everyone loves the Racer 5. It's no secret.

I was fortunate enough to get this on cask at Local 44 in West Philly and I kind of wanted to either get naked or punch everyone else in the bar, or maybe just sit quietly and enjoy my beer, after I tasted it.

It's got a lot going on; obviously it's going to be hoppy, but the hops' malty buddies are just sitting right along side the hops giving you a big grin and all their thumbs up. Orange & caramel seem to star here, book ended by a drier hoppier taste typical of most IPAs as well as some lighter citrus and if you smell, if you really sniff just hard enough, some floral notes. Seriously, this beer has everything.

All I can tell you to do is get a beautiful cask pour. Just get it! GO. BYE.

Serving type: cask

08-09-2010 02:26:01 | More by Jayna

AlvinStraight

New York

4.63/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Killed the cask at Bierkraft for this one and it was well worth it. This is one of my favorite IPAs and I've never had the chance to find it on cask before. I'm not sure how to define the hoppiness/fruitiness of this one; it's not just big hops, but rather has a unique flavor that I haven't found anywhere else. Simply put it's excellent. The taste is delightful, but the color and smell are particular appealing to me.

If you like IPA's and hoppy beers, this one is worth finding.

Serving type: cask

08-08-2010 00:04:17 | More by AlvinStraight

Soonami

Pennsylvania

4.6/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I decided to review Racer 5 again because it was served in a different format than before, on cask, which contributed to a unique experience of the beer.

Bear Republic makes some great beers and racer 5 is definitely one of them. The IPA was served at cellar temperature from a hand-pumped beer engine. This service resulted in ale with warmer temperature and lower amount of carbonation, which really allowed the taste of the resinous hops and biscuity malt to come through. Moreover, lower carbonation improve the mouthfeel, making it silkier and easier to drink without feeling as full. The warmer temperature did also make the beer seem to taste sweeter, but the lingering bitterness kept it from being cloying.

Racer 5 on cask was delicious with abundant pineapple, peach and mango flavors, with assertive bitterness and a sweet cracker-like malt background.

Serving type: cask

08-07-2010 20:42:12 | More by Soonami

oglmcdgl

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A pint on the hand pump at memphis tap room.

A- a perfect pull this guy know how to pull a pint. A solid finger of dense creamy head on top of golden orange yellow sunshine.

S- sweet malts and big time citrus hops. Grapefruit and orange zest. Caramel. Covered whole grain bread.

T- super well balanced. The hops take the lead but right on its ass the malts jump in. Candied orange suprems and torn open ruby red grapefruit. Cinnamon toast with bruleed brown sugar. Lots of back and forth between the two and its a beautiful dance. I can't get over the balance not to beat a dead horse but damn.

M- well this brew and a hand pump are made for each other. So silky smooth and just the right temp.


5- I love this stuff. I've enjoyed it many times but on cask this shines. All day every day racer 5.

Serving type: cask

05-15-2010 04:29:21 | More by oglmcdgl

BeerGodz

New Jersey

4.35/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On Cask @ The Grey Lodge

Look: Amber orange, clear, with thick head and excellent lacing

Smell: Citrus and pine - very floral!

Taste: Up Front: Sweet malt, citrus. particularly orange
Finish: Apricot, tropical fruit, and nice malt backbone

Mouthfeel: Low carbonation with a creamy and smooth body

Drinkability: Malty, fruity, and not too hoppy. Very easy to drink

Overall Impression: This is an excellent IPA from California! This beer should go over well with Newbeez that do not have an aversion to hops.

Serving type: cask

02-25-2010 12:47:46 | More by BeerGodz

capra12

New York

4.25/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Reviewed at the Gotham cask festival from notes taken,
This was the super hopped version.

Appearance: Orange/tan with no head.

Smell: Piney and floral hops

Taste: Opens with piney hops as floral hops come into the flavor profile as a hint of citrus settles in but briefly as the floral and piney hops finish the sip leaving a piney simcoe aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Light bodied withe minimal carbonation and smooth.

Drinkability: Wow I would definitely have this again and recommend this to those hop heads out there who enjoy different hop profiles in their brews.

Serving type: cask

01-08-2010 04:24:51 | More by capra12

rfgetz

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Clear orangy amber, fluffy, creamy hand pumped head.

S: Piney hops, faint hints of citrus and spice. Decent malt presence.

T: Piney hops with spicy flavors. Hints of citrus and decent malt backbone. Bitter and Earthy.

M: Big boddied, slightly oily and coating. Some aftertaste.

D: Good, but not great. Odd combo of strong piney hops and malt backbone. Cask is not my favorite IPA serving device.

Serving type: cask

09-20-2009 17:24:38 | More by rfgetz

CortexBomb

Michigan

4.15/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This was a wonderful find that I made the last time I was in Pittsburgh. Fathead's had this on the hand pull and I had to give it a try. The pour was textbook IPA with big lacing. Nose is strong, floral with hints of grapefruit.

The flavour on this was perfect though, this is the kind of balanced IPA that I love, it has a huge grassy floral flavour from the hops that were used, but is is also balanced back by a strong malt presence. The hops are always there and you know you're drinking an IPA, but it's not completely out of balance like so many brews in this style are. The warmer temperature of the cask likely improved the depth, of course.

Mouth and drinkability both solid, I could have a few of these, decent bitters but not remarkable, it's not a gargantuan beer in your mouth, but it does its job.

Bottom line: I'd never even heard of this brewery, but I try almost anything that is put on a hand pull. Bear Republic delivered with a great IPA though, and one I'll definitely have again if I run into it.

Serving type: cask

06-17-2009 12:48:03 | More by CortexBomb

Kadonny

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from cask into a nonic pint glass at TJs in Paoli.

A: A cloudy golden orange color with a one finger fluffy white head. Nice full glass lacing.

S: Nice citrus hops with some floral and pine notes and a sweet caramel malt smell. Nice and mellow.

T: Hops shine through with hints of citrus, floral, grass and some slight pine. Along side the hops the malt in this really melds in perfectly with caramel sweetness and creamy smoothness. Finish is clean and crisp, but not real bitter.

M: Medium and creamy. No hint of alcohol and of course light carbonation. Not much bitterness either.

D: Unfortunately, very high. These are so creamy smooth and oh so delicious.

This is a great beer from C02, kick that up a notch with the cask conditioning. Simply superb. What a west coast treat that we are lucky to have here in PA. Thanks to Jeff at TJs for bringing in this gem for us to try.

Serving type: cask

04-07-2009 19:35:02 | More by Kadonny

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

4.38/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On cask at The Drafting Room, Exton; served in an imperial pint

Hazy, golden body with an eerie thickness to it. A bone white head sits proudly on top.

Sweet candied grapefruit, orange rind, lightly toasted biscuits and a touch of evergreens.

Citrus rind and pine needles come to forefront, then a sweet rush of candied grapefruit followed by a mild bitterness. Doesn't push the extremes.

Full bodied and chewy. Cask does great things for the mouthfeel of IPA's.

A pretty solid IPA that doesn't push the envelope of sweetness or bitterness. I could drink a few of these on cask.

Serving type: cask

03-11-2009 22:02:04 | More by ColForbinBC

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On cask at Local 44 on 3/7/09 during Philly Beer Week.

A - Slightly hazy golden/orange amber-tinted body with two fingers of rocky, off-white foam that deposited attractive lacing around the glass.

S - Veritable garden of fresh hop aroma featuring citrus, pine, resin and floral notes. Very pungent and fresh. Oh yeah, there's some caramel malt sweetness too.

T - Surge of hop goodness with equal parts pine, citrus and resin with a touch of floral character as well. Hops are supported by a sweet caramel malt base. Lots of piney hop flavor in the finish.

M - Medium bodied with a slightly syrupy texture and smooth cask mouthfeel. Touch of alcohol heat. Fairly aggressive bitter finish.

D - One of my favorite IPAs out there. And how do you make an incredible beer even better? Cask condition, of course! Simply an excellent West Coast IPA.

Serving type: cask

03-10-2009 00:33:16 | More by ffejherb

JoeBloe

New York

3.88/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

i had this from the cask at the blind tiger, and i had just recently gone thru of a sixpack of bottles - i gotta say i like the bottled racer 5 better - my bottle review would be similar to other posts here - i enjoy this beer - the cask version was extremely mellow -
lighter carbonation and not so much of a hop bite - drank it like water against blind tiger's 7 pepper chili -

Serving type: cask

02-08-2009 15:20:20 | More by JoeBloe

Amalak

New York

4.05/5  rDev -4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this off cask at Barcade in Brooklyn. It had a dark rust-red color to it. No bubbles (cask) and a nice foamy head. It also had a thick lace that covered the glass all the way around, all the way down.

It's a very bitter IPA. Has a lot of bite to it and is very thick on the palate. Excellent beer and well worth off the cask.

**Of note, I had out of a bottle a year later, and it was not quite as good as before...but still very nice. So I will keep the grade.

Serving type: cask

01-31-2009 17:52:56 | More by Amalak

mrandolph

Illinois

4.93/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This was a cask version, and a case where the brewers made a great effort to match the beer with the medium. The beer presents as a very clear golden color capped with a dense, creamy white head, almost like cool whip, in a good way, which hangs out for a long time.

The aroma is citrus followed by malt. The flavor starts bitter, reminiscent of lemon zest. The middle is sweet malt and it finishes bitter but not dry with sweet flavors as an aftertaste. The mouth feel is dense with good head and a medium body, denser than the color suggests. My overall impression is that this beer is well crafted to excel in the cask beyond what it does in the bottle, and I feel privileged to have gotten a taste from cask.

Serving type: cask

01-03-2009 03:20:43 | More by mrandolph

socon67

New York

4.13/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A - Orange pour with a tan foam head that retained. Some csrbonation is visibile. Sticky lacing runs down the glass.

S - Scents of tangerine and mango plus a floral blend of hops. There is a slight smell of pine cones.

T - A rather complex IPA with a clean taste. Done very traditional in the "west coast" style with strong notes of citrus fruits and a sharp bitterness that finishes much smoother than you'd think. Mellow hop resin and gentle grain notes.

M - Balance is noce on this. Easy finish and very drinkable. Tartness and bitter notes to do overwhelm the palate and transition nicely.

O - Really classic take on the style and hard ot go wrong with one. I paired this with a peppery griled steak and it enhanced the experience.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 17:04:17 | More by socon67

snaotheus

Washington

4.06/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle poured into a large mug. One of those beers that I've had many times, but never reviewed. The fact that I've had it many times says more about it than my review will.

Pours golden with an orange tinge, respectable pale head, clear, fair amount of carbonation. Smell is powerful, sweet and floral, smellable from arm's reach. Honey and citrus.

Taste is refreshing, not overpowering in any given direction. Some pine bitterness. More of the honeysuckle.

Mouthfeel is slightly dry, smooth. Overall, this is a quite good beer, which should only be turned down if there's an excellent option.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 03:38:56 | More by snaotheus

earthling

California

4.71/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Racer 5 must be consumed as fresh as possible. It's a classic dry-hopped California IPA with loads of citrus hop aroma. It has a strong bitterness, though it's well balanced with a pretty heavy malt. It's at hoppier end of IPAs, though it isn't going to blow your head off. A great regular drinker.

Serving type: on-tap

05-16-2013 18:36:21 | More by earthling

Benish

Wisconsin

4.11/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into snifter glass. It presented a light amber color with a quarter inch thick white head. Did not dissipate quickly. Moderate lacings around the glass.

Aroma: It smelled primarily pine and mango immediately after pouring. I covered the glass and just swirled lightly. The smell of pine greatly amplified! Also some notes of pineapple.

Taste: Tangy at first, I tasted pine, citrus, orange rind, and some subtle spiciness. It started out sweet and finished with some bitterness. This beer was not overpowering and is very easy drinking. While the beer start to reach room temperature (I can't drink a bomber that fast) it became a bit more mellow and maybe tad bit lighter on the flavor. Best to drink chilled.

Overall a great beer. I think I had my expectations a little too high considering the ratings it received on BA. However I'm glad to try this. Each IPA is often different in its own way, just like this one is different. This is worth trying BUT if it's not distributed to your state, there are plenty of other IPA's just as good if not better. If you do have one, pop open the bottle, relax, and enjoy!

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 02:53:50 | More by Benish