Racer 5 India Pale Ale - Bear Republic Brewing Co.

allentownpaguy

Pennsylvania

4.83/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

This beer is a perfect example of an IPA with a real beer taste/ Smooth as an IPA with a very Hoppy taste and great beer finish make this one of my top 5 favorite beers. Not only works as a compliment to food of many varieties, but works well all on its own as well. I am a big fan of local options, but this beer comes all the way from california and it is worth every mile it travels to get to my store in Pennsylvania Love it!

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2013 01:40:39 | More by allentownpaguy

BWED

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle into a tulip.

A- Golden orange with a faintly off white one finger head. Loads of lacing.

S- Floral citrus with a light caramel background.

T- Sweet malt back bone, faint but there, carrying a strong hop flavor of citrus peel and some pine.

M- Medium body, slightly creamy with a bitter finish, however it doesn't linger or isn't drying.

O- VEry solid IPA. Really like the mouthfeel for this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2013 00:34:25 | More by BWED

BenderR

Massachusetts

4.56/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Awesome tasting Beer! Smooth for an IPA. Great hop flavor. One of my top favorites, I'm very glad it's sold in Central Massachusetts. No after-taste, crisp finish, nice color, great with bar fare. Has a nice punch of Alchol %. Highly recommended to my family and friends.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 19:36:44 | More by BenderR

Greywulfken

New York

4.24/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: in a pint, pale amber beer with a finger of off-white head; sparse lace scatterings.

S: hops - floral citric and herbal pine, some sweet pale maltiness

T: grapefruit and resin hops crispness and caramel-edged malt sweetness

M: medium weight, smooth and bitter-crisp

O: drinks like a double - hearty and sharp at the same time - well-balanced flavors, easy drinking...

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 17:16:24 | More by Greywulfken

Cylinsier

Pennsylvania

4.36/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12 oz.

Pours a light, very slightly hazy honey gold, fine sudsy white head retains as a film.

Potent piney and grapefruit hops in the nose, perhaps a hint of honey and citrus as well.

Balanced body between bready caramel malts and fruity hops with a bitter bite in the aftertaste.

Medium to full body with a mild tingle of carbonation on the roof of the mouth.

A smooth, highly drinkable ale, good IPA character but it strikes me as also having the potential to be enjoyable to someone who otherwise doesn't care too much for hoppy beers. It's got a great flavor balance in that regard. A top tier beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 18:57:24 | More by Cylinsier

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

3.79/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75

12oz bottle poured into a shaped pint glass.

Appearance
Hazy gold with 2 fingers of white head. Moderate-heavy carbonation with a lot of yeast sediment floating about.

Nose
Orange citrus, grapefruit, caramel and bread dough. Hints of clove, potpourri and cinnamon.

Taste
Candied orange, grapefruit juice and tangerine. Lighter notes of lemon and bready malts. Grapefruit zest and pine resin hit hard in the back. There does seem to be touches of cinnamon and clove somewhere in there as well.

Mouthfeel
Medium bodied, crisp, silky, bitter and dry.

Overall
For whatever reason the bitterness and spiciness are giving me cinnamon and clove flavors that simply are not there, but overall this remains a very classic tasting American IPA.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 18:56:14 | More by justintcoons

mtboozeaddict41

Montana

4.28/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured on tap at piggyback bbq-whitefish, mt
A: pure golden straw color with a slight cloudiness. Head is huge and white. Already can tell this is heavily carbonated.
S: big floral hops , scents of sweet citrus. Alittle bit of bread too on the nose
T: big hoppiness huge hoppiness. Great fruit-citrus, tart grapefruit. Light malt and a still alittle herbalness. Straightforward huge IPA
M: huge carbobation, really hop bitter and dry
O: great gargantuan IPA, I understand why its won awards. Good stuff

Serving type: on-tap

03-21-2013 02:53:53 | More by mtboozeaddict41

mfnmbvp

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22 oz. bottle (1 pint 6 oz) with no apparent bottled on date present. Have enjoyed the other two beers I have tried from Bear Republic, and I am looking forward to this one as well. Poured into a Firestone Walker pint glass.

A - Semi-aggressive pour yields about a quarter inch of quickly dissolving head on top of a beautiful orange copper colored body with plenty of bubbles flowing to the top and a nice bunch of sediment twirling around. Thin ring of wispy lacing. Second pour yields about two fingers of thin bubbly off-white head, and tons of sediment!

S - Oranges. Grapefruit. Lemongrass. Pine needles. Slight toasty malts. Has a bitter hop presence, but it is definitely not overly dominant. Smells like a well-balanced beer so far.

T - Bitter hop profile, but again, not overly dominant, which is pretty amazing considering the four different hops that were put into this thing. Bit of spicy hop bitterness, but also a smooth clean lemon / green apple zest. Might seem a bit tame for those of us who like extreme amounts of hops, but I find this beer to be well balanced. Fruity sweetness, with just a tad of alcohol presence. Lingering sweetness of pear, green apple, mango.

M - Sweet, sugary, and resinous. Smooth and clean.

Overall, remarkably well-balanced and hides it's high 7.00% abv well for an IPA. Might not satisfy those overly intense hopheads, and it might not be breaking any spectacular new ground, but it is a worthy addition to the realm of IPA's.

Bear Republic Racer 5 India Pale Ale ---4/5.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 02:27:00 | More by mfnmbvp

Beerandboards

New Mexico

4.09/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Bomber into a pint glass

A - somewhat foggy translucent light copper color. Thick dense white head, even an aggressive pour produces only an inch or so of head. Nice.

S - light profile of citrus. Lemon and grapefruit. Some light malty notes.

T - grapefruit bomb. Grapefruit peel, orange peel, pithy citrus. Light malty backbone. Smooth finish. Very solid.

M - nice, creamy, super easy drinking.

O - good IPA. The grapefruit profile is not quite my thing, almost too mild of a profile for the overriding bitterness if the grapefruit. I would definitely order this again though.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 02:39:17 | More by Beerandboards

Cobrito

Georgia

2.7/5  rDev -36%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A popular but in my mind mediocre West Coast IPA. In some cases, like with BR's Hop Rod Rye, balanced is good in that the ingredients all contribute to a nice, complex brew. In Racer 5's case, it has been balanced into insipidness. Not nearly enough hop complexity for hop-heads, and there is an odd brackish taste at the front end of the palate as well. Very disappointing.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 02:10:16 | More by Cobrito

GuzzLah

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A - pours a clear, gold with a short white head and leaves a little lace. No bubbles.

S - pine, resinous, citrus hops. Soft pale malt. The yeast is neutral.

T - is like the aroma. Could be a palate wrecker with the hops they used, but they managed to make a potentially rough set of hops behave and play well together. The absence of caramel is appreciated in this brew.

M - low-medium body and carbonation. Medium bitterness for the style with a medium sustain and just enough sweetness to keep the bitterness in check.

O - this is a nice example of a restrained West Coast IPA. I'd be happy to drink it again.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 22:53:56 | More by GuzzLah

LCB_Hostage

Pennsylvania

4.59/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass (many, many times over the years)

A: Deep sunny orange, with a moderate, dense white head. Nice lacing that lasts the life of the beer and beyond.

S: I pop the cap and hold the bottle up to my nose and it makes me smile. A crisp, artful blend of citrus and piney hops predominate with yeasty undertones. This is what beer should smell like.

T: As with the aroma, Bear Republic has found an almost perfect blend of hops for my palate. There's enough malt and alcohol in the mix to make it "beery" but the hops hit your tongue and leave a lasting impression without an overly bitter aftertaste .

M: Crisp and refreshing with enough carbonation to wake up the tongue and disperse the flavors.

O: Needless to say, this is one of my favorite, go-to beers and has been since my first bottle. A solid hop punch, but balanced enough not to kill the palate. I can't say there aren't better IPAs out there, because I haven't had the pleasure of trying them all. But given the relatively modest price and widespread availability, this is a beer that will always be represented in my fridge.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 18:51:50 | More by LCB_Hostage

flydudehsv

California

4.94/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Real nice IPA. Not the hoppiest, but it has some zip. Nice sweet malt in the background but really smooth for the 7% ABV. Initial aroma is pine forest. Orange amber color with a moderate off white head. Flavor starts fruity (apricot, orange) turning light grapefruit bitter and finishing kinda dry and orange rind bitter. Medium body, smooth with moderate carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 06:59:16 | More by flydudehsv

aubuc1

Florida

4.29/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

22 oz bomber with unknown date poured into imperial pint glass.

Pours a clear deep golden with thick whiteish head.

Very nice floral, grapefruity smell.

Taste is initially slightly metallic biscuity then the pleasant, rich bitterness comes in.

Mouthfeel is perhaps slightly thin, but very drinkable. Not a creamy ipa, but one you drink faster and faster searching for satiation.

This really is a very good beer. I was nervous about its freshness, but however old it is, it is good.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 23:04:16 | More by aubuc1

Moose90

Colorado

4.05/5  rDev -4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Bottled – 110512
Tasted – 030313

A – Pours a nice deep orange, with a large fluffy off white head. Lacing is truly great on this one.

S – Lots of citrus, some unique orange and bitter lime notes. Smells good, but nothing too complex.

T – Starts bitter, and leads to resinous and piney hop notes. Sweet orange shows on the finish.

M – Light-to-medium carbonation. Goes down very smooth and is quite refreshing. Nice.

O – Good beer here. Nice and hoppy with nice orange notes. Not overly sweet and that is appreciated. A nice balance of hops and malt. This is a great day in, day out, IPA.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 02:13:41 | More by Moose90

rickyleepotts

Arizona

4.4/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

I have had this beer before, and I LOVE the flavor profile. When standing at Total Wine & More, I tell customers asking for a "good IPA" that Racer 5 is a "good daily drinking IPA". It is also cheap. It has a big ABV for the price, and is one of the flavors you just can't get enough of. Sheryl doesn't like hoppy beers, but I LOVE them. The tasting notes said, "leaves you burping hops." I hope so! Nothing beats a good, hoppy beer. Funny story, our beer calendar (that features a different beer every day) is showing the Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA. That beer is in the fridge, too. I wasn't prepared to drink two bottles today, but since that is the beer on the calendar, I will consider that a sign! So look for another IPA coming up next. Please note that I have had the Firestone Walker IPA, and while it is a good offering, the Racer 5 is better. But I will let you decide as you read these reviews!

(Also, it bothers me I don't know where the name Racer 5 came from. I am sure with a little Google search, I could figure it out. But I like not knowing. Keeps things mysterious and interesting!)

In the Glass: I could smell this as I was pouring it. Good thing I am in the mood for some hops! In the glass, if you didn't know better, you would think it was a wheat beer. It looks like a Blue Moon sitting there.Very little lace to speak of, but a nice frothy white head. Excited to stick my nose in there.

Nose: Hops. That is all. Hops. Imagine an orange and a hop were hugging… they made babies and that is what this beer smells like. Not sure that makes sense, but the hop aroma is very citrus forward. It has a nice, fruity aroma that begs to be consumed. Fine. I will drink it!

Flavor: Those same hops that you were smelling, well now you are drinking them. It is not as much floral as you might expect from the aroma, but it provides a very nice filling flavor. The entire tongue is covered with flavor and the hops hit the front then rush to the back of the tongue for a nice drying flavor. The swallow is smooth, and the back of the throat is then covered in that same drying sensation that you got on the palate. You would never know this was 7% ABV. If I had a 6 pack, I would sit here and drink them all! This is a great IPA, and a good IPA for someone to try that isn't a fan of big hoppy beers. If someone likes pale ales, but wants to try an IPA, suggest this. It's a good introduction to the style.

Mouthfeel: It's smooth, low carbonation, and a nice drying finish. (The burp is nice, too. It brings those dry notes back to the center of the palate and leave you craving another drink.) I tried to swish this around in my mouth to get some more bubbles going, but it just opened up the flavor of the hops. I might even use the word creamy to explain what this feels like on my tongue.

Aftertaste: You might expect a lot of hops, but there isn't much going on here. What hops are there are weak, and the dryness that was created toward the end of the swallow is sticking around, but is fading fast. It's not a beer that I would drink for the aftertaste, and I bet would pair well with a nice salad or grilled chicken dish. Guess I will have to pair this with dinner now!

I am a big fan of this beer, and every time I drink it becomes more and more enjoyable. Funny, I hadn't checked into this beer on Untappd. Weird. I know I have had this beer since creating an Untappd account. Oh well, it has been tracked now! If you like a nice citrus forward IPA, this beer is for you!

Racer 5 - The bottle says: "Racer 5 is an aggressive styled India Pale Ale. Handmade from a brewery whose motto is "Bigger is Better". This golden, well-hopped ale demands your attention. Try the next generation of I.P.A. Racer 5… Go… Go…"

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 19:28:48 | More by rickyleepotts

rringler

California

4.05/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Dark/golden straw, with some particulates in suspension. About a finger of head that sticks around/laces nicely.

Smell: Starts malty (though not as strong as some IPAs) but then hints floral hops. Malt is not as roasted/buttery/carmely as others.

Taste: A bit more malty than some IPAs. Taste is good, if a bit sweet. Finishes with hops, but this beer does not emphasize hops like some others.

Mouth: Medium/Medium- oily, though with a bit more/better carbonation than some other IPAs. Pretty close to what I think is ideal for an IPA.

Overall: A nice IPA, skewed by living on the west coast. This is a nice, more balance IPA that probably appeals to a larger audience (though I admit the hops in any IPA are going to turn some people off.) That said, those of us on the west coast like to turn the hops up to 11, and in that regard this beer may seem as lacking. I'm sure it's a matter of preference, but I think I may have developed a Pavlovian response to my hops.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 05:16:56 | More by rringler

deebo

Minnesota

2.91/5  rDev -31%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

A-clear and golden with an oily surface
S-hops. Citrus and pine
T-very hop forward. Pine and grass this bitch is bitter
M-nice body fairly smooth given the in your face hop character
O-a in your face beer that loosens up after a few drinks but still is resiny and bitter in the finish that limits its drinkability

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2013 05:00:28 | More by deebo

NSK79

Illinois

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

Poured from a bottle possibly dated 12/27/12 if I'm reading the code right, to a tulip.

A - Pours a clear golden color, big fluffy white head that receded slowly to a thin layer, sporadic lacing.

S - Big citrus and pine aromas, also a hint of booze. Notes of orange sweetness also present. Mostly a bouquet of hops, but not much malt presence.

T - Lots of bitter, piney, and citrusy hops, the bitterness definitely comes through in the finish.

M - light carbonation, full bodied, and quite resinous and sticky especially as it warms.

O - I like this beer, it is a very hop forward example of an IPA with no set backs in my opinion. I personally would enjoy it more if it had a little more malt sweetness and complexity somewhere in the taste to balance out the hop bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 00:22:02 | More by NSK79

JohnFatAss

New Jersey

4.45/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

I think I found my new favorite IPA.

Racer 5 is a golden orange color.
Has a nice white head that left some delicate lacing on my glass.

It has a very pleasant citrus aroma.

Hops upfront, but they are not too harsh.
This beer is extremely drinkable. You can just slug this down even though it is full bodied and full of flavor.

The mouthfeel is just crazy good. It has the soft mouthfeel of an ale, the hop bitterness is there, but not over done. There is some sweetness and malts in the background but it is the hops take center stage.

A most excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 04:15:31 | More by JohnFatAss

Mongrel

District of Columbia

4.03/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

A classic, obviously, but I'm new to BA and felt I needed to review Racer 5 as it was formative in my early appreciation of IPAs and craft brews in general.

Pretty, pale gold appearance. A finger of soft head and lasting lace.

Immediate whiff of citrus (orange and lemon), which carries through on the taste. Everything you would expect from a west coast IPA, but what I think separates this one is the light and refreshing body and soft mouthfeel.

Smooth hop profile – bitter and clearly abundant in hops, but restrained. A bit of booze comes through and I've heard it goes well with good vodka, which makes sense. Always want to go back for more.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 02:55:19 | More by Mongrel

denver10

Colorado

3.74/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pours a firey orange golden with prickly white head and some lacing. Aroma is solid and enjoyable but not great and can get lost in the forest of great aromatic IPA aromas; juicy orange, its rind, doughy bread, and some grass. Flavor offers some nice sweet and juicy orange and its rind, some doughy bread, and a touch of some florals....so similar to aroma but a bit more filled out. A medium bodied, somewhat creamy, active mouthfeel. Overall, a very nice IPA. I dig it.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2013 00:57:49 | More by denver10

arfenhouse

California

4.18/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Hazy copper with decently large off-white head. Retention is good with some lacing.Some bubbling going on.

S:Piney, grapefruit, pineapple, and resin hops. Caramel malt.

T: Touch of caramel sweetness. Tangerines with a grapefruit and peach aftertaste. Graininess towards the end. Decent bitter hop bite. Touch of alcohol in the middle.

M: Medium body with medium carbonation. Prickly and slightly dry.

O: Tasty, fresh, and cheap IPA. No dates on bottle, could've easily been old.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 08:06:08 | More by arfenhouse

Brian14608

Florida

4.56/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I guess I love the west coast IPA's where there is a blast of citrus and piney tones. The big bubble head was one to two finger depending on the pour. The lacing was like a steam of clinger-ons without rings. But whoa, the fragrance is my kind of IPA whereas the blast is complex and delightful grapefruit and piney resins. The taste is equally good. I love this beer. The price is right and the lack of alcohol presence is just mt style. Try this one soon.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 00:01:40 | More by Brian14608

Fusion7777

Virginia

4.34/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

This was one of my first favorite IPAs and a major gateway beer as I started diving into the craft scene. I could literally smell the hops radiating out of the bottle before I even popped the cap. Poured a nice goldenrod, somewhat cloudy, with a very small white head. Citrus, floral, and piney aromas really come through the nose, and are reflected in the taste, along with some subtle lemon and passionfruit. A nice west-coast style IPA that delivers complex bitterness, but is also nicely balanced by a nutty malt character that lends a fairly sweet caramel finish.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 05:51:39 | More by Fusion7777