Racer 5 India Pale Ale - Bear Republic Brewing Co.

aracauna

Georgia

3.95/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Nice shiny copper body with a good head. The aroma is sweet and citricly hoppy. The flavor is nicely malty with a lightly sweet breadiness that makes me want more of this. The problem comes in the hops that, while nicely bitter, lack a certain zing and has a slightly medicinal quality. Man, I hope I can manage to figure out this malt profile and the one in Anchor Liberty for my own homebrew when I start next week.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2003 23:40:54 | More by aracauna

OldFrothingSlosh

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Arrived in a 10 oz. glass with just a miniscule layer of creamy white head that just barely sticks to the glass. Color instantly reminded me of apple juice.

Smell: Very citrus-like...grapefruits.

Taste: A well-balanced pale ale. I could really taste the grapefruit bitterness. Finished with a touch of sweetness before the hops add some bite.

Mouthfeel: Less crisp than I expected. It was a fuller, smoother, and creamier than I expected.

Drinkability: A well-balanced pale ale. Not as assertively-hopped as some of my favorite IPA's, but not bad. Personally, I just like my IPA's a little hoppier.

Serving type: on-tap

01-28-2003 10:48:42 | More by OldFrothingSlosh

mzwolinski

California

3.43/5  rDev -18.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Clear orangeish/gold in color, with a thin but persistant head. Big, tart citric hop aroma -- very crisp and lemony, with an underlying caramel sweetness. Flavor too is big on hops, citric in flavor with a very bitter finish and an aftertaste combining biscuity malt and fruity hop flavors. A bit of a solvent-like flavor mid-palate, which is a bit distracting, and unexpected for a beer whose alcohol level is quite moderate. Crisp and drinkable, but not one of my favorite IPAs.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2003 15:41:06 | More by mzwolinski

TheLongBeachBum

California

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

I thoroughly enjoyed my first 3 Bear Republic beers, so when I spied the Racer 5 IPA hiding behind a Stone IPA (of all the beers!?), I snapped up a couple of Bottles.
A 1 Pint 6 fl.oz Bottle, with a ¾ wrap around paper label that has the BR Bear and a big Red 5 pinched off the front of someones racing car no doubt.
Head is massive, beautiful just-off-white color, it later settled down to a more manageable 1” deep honeycomb. The lace left on the glass walls was fabulous and so reminded of that I saw left on the slate walls of Yorkshire Square Fermenters towards the end of the fermentation cycle. Large bubble laced, crispy, rocky spatterings, that when dried - need chiselling off.
Nose is – Wow, yes definitely HOPS. Freshly harvested hops, mixed with a smell of freshly mown lawns. I am sure there will be grassy hop stains on the inside of my nostrils. A deep cloudy* peach/orangey amber hue showed off some very fine particles of yeast, and no doubt some hops fragments, when illuminated by incandescent light. The head has now settled to a workable ½” rock-pool encrusted collar.
* The haze is most probably 100% attributable to my childish impatience - I couldn't wait to let it settle when I got back from the Beer Store - I just cracked it open as soon as I got home.
Immediate mouthfeel is medium. As a Hophead, I found the taste is anticipated by a highly excited tongue, long before the beer even enters the oral cavity. Superb. Highly hopped but not excessively, as I find some beers are. There is no “shock hop” here, just an aggressive IPA that will suit the more discerning hop-head palate, rather than the beginner. Finish is dry, with soft spices lingering in the end. Carbonation was quite low, very akin to many English Real Ales so I did not find this to be a problem at all. Drinkability is high, very high - I love this beer, refreshing and very morish.

California has some incredible Breweries that produce stunning high quality craft beers, and Bear Republic is most definitely one of them.
Highly Recommended. Another Great CA-IPA (Yet Again!!!!).

P.S. S**t, I've just realized this beer is 7% - Take Care!

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2002 20:07:42 | More by TheLongBeachBum

Mark

California

4.75/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Amber gold in color with a chunky pure white head that left exceptional lace patterns. Fresh hop scent, taste was very nice, not overpowering like some domestic IPA's. I thought just right. Carbonation was on the low side, much like English ale. A great IPA, easily the best domestic one I have had. While I will buy it again and enjoyed it totally, drinkability rating was lowered due it's fairly high alcohol content and it only coming in those damm 22oz bomber bottles. Enjoyed it with a deli sandwich. This beer gets better and better, I have just upped it's rating due to realizing how great this beer is. Tremendous appearance, aroma, and taste. yes it's my favorite IPA, and my favorite domestic brew! A total winner.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2002 20:31:46 | More by Mark

sinistersteve

Oregon

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

Wow, is there anything this beer cannot go with. This clean looking amber beer seems to accent nicely with whatever you're eating. Full hop flavored, yet not too over powerful with hops. Nice citusy aroma that tickles the nose. Thin head and not much lace in the glass. Another great product from Bear Republic. This is one beer that you cannot go wrong with if you love IPA's.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2002 20:26:54 | More by sinistersteve

gwfrankpsu

California

4.72/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is a wonderful beer. Sitting in Healdsburg, pondering the bicycles and pondering this beer. So rich, great balance of malt and hops, but the finish - bordering on one of the best IPA's. One of life's pleasures.

Serving type: on-tap

07-28-2002 15:44:48 | More by gwfrankpsu

BeerManDan

California

4.72/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Wow,I really love this beer. The balance if just great. There is a little bitterness in the finish, with a hint of lemon. I would put this beer as one of my favorites. One sip and I couldn't imagine anyone not loving the taste and balance hops and yeast of this beer!

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2002 15:00:37 | More by BeerManDan

Jordan

California

4.65/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Incredibly fresh sample, tap-like presentation, fluffy white head that endures, frisky carbonation. An aggresive hop profile, many complex herbal notes, subdued honey sweetness.

Heavy, filling, robust.

A superb example of living beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2002 23:56:03 | More by Jordan

mickeymac

California

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

Another damn fine west coast IPA. A nice gold/orange color with that familiar Cascade smell and piney undertones. Head retention is good, but it leaves minimal lace on the glass. I'd enjoy it more with a bit more malty sweetness, but I'm not complaining.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2002 17:25:02 | More by mickeymac

Bighuge

Minnesota

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

Update on June 30, 2004:

This is a lot better IPA than I rated previously. I bumped straight 4's to straight 4.5s. I've had this a couple times over the past few months and it has impressed every time. Great aroma. Juicy hop taste. Just a very high quality IPA.


Hazy golden with fine particles of matter in suspension. Nice bubbly and rocky white head. Piney/citrus aroma. I can taste a little sting of alcohol in this one. But it also has a really good bitterness. Nice malt backbone and good hop tones. Slight pine and citrus on the palate. Easy drinking brew. Good IPA.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2002 18:00:59 | More by Bighuge