Café Racer 15 - Bear Republic Brewing Co.

TheBrewo

Michigan

4/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This brew was poured from the tap at Rattle N’ Hum in New York, NY. It arrived in a high stemmed pilsner glass glowing a golden, pale brown coloring. It held a two finger head of creamy white bubbles, showing great retention. This left thick sheets of lacing down the sides of the glass, making everything look very frothy. There was a chill haze, no sediment, and light carbonation. The aroma was of light grain of pale malt, with a toast, and some yeasty metallics. Warmed fruity hops, with pear pineapple, and mango came next, with hearty no-nonsense grapefruit hops, and grassy funk with warmth. Our first impression was that it tasted like a heavy IPA, lacking the overdone roast and caramel to the malts that has become some common for DIPAs. The flavoring opened with hops like crazy. They were sticky sweet, like a nectary citric syrup with pine cones floating in it. A light grumble of gritty, dirty pale malts came to backup for the balance and pull us to the peak. Here there was more toast of grain, huge bitterness of citric hop and rind, with an added sweetness of raw honey, and syrupy fig pulp. The finish was bitter of pine and citric rind, metallics to pucker, and a final wash of malts, with grain bite and sweetness to ease any residual bitterness. The aftertaste breathed of clean, bittering hops of soap and pine, big booze, and that same fruity, syrupy sweetness from the center. The body was medium, and the carbonation was medium. There was a thick, sticky coating at first, but bitterness pulled a final pucker. There was good slurp, smack, cream, and glug, with ultimate dryness. The abv was appropriate, and the beer drank easily, being slowed only by the bitterness.

Overall, what we enjoyed most about this brew was the robust but easy flavoring, and the soft drinkability. The bitterness through the mouth may be off-putting for some, but the sweetness and grain to blend nicely towards the end, making for a tasty, easy-drinking offering.

Serving type: on-tap

11-17-2012 15:39:36 | More by TheBrewo

Orange

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

06-16-2013 07:19:52 | More by Orange

huysmans

New Jersey

3.25/5  rDev -24.8%

06-14-2013 00:08:49 | More by huysmans

JMUbrewz

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

06-12-2013 19:22:24 | More by JMUbrewz

mxchap

California

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

06-04-2013 22:07:45 | More by mxchap

KevT

California

4.75/5  rDev +10%

06-02-2013 03:52:19 | More by KevT

Zbeetleman

California

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

05-15-2013 06:13:12 | More by Zbeetleman

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.54/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Lord Hobo in Cambridge.

Golden-yellow and super hazy. Big fluffy white head that leaves behind tons of lacing and good retention. Big bright citrusy nose complemented by piney hop aromas. Super sticky and resiny with plenty of dry citrus such as grapefruit and some mango. Some booze in there as well. The finish is all hops. Dry, pungent, bitter, delicious hops. With each sip, I'm reminded of biting from a fresh grapefruit. It's that dry and bitter. A hint of malt tries to sneak its way through the hop deluge but this is an onslaught. Everything a hop bomb should be. This is a West Coast DIPA that I remember from my Arizona days. Great stuff. But be warned..if you're not a hop head, this might not be for you.

Serving type: on-tap

05-11-2013 01:07:13 | More by Gatch

ncstateplaya

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%

05-08-2013 13:39:37 | More by ncstateplaya

Laklimell

Washington

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%

05-03-2013 19:03:03 | More by Laklimell

inlimbo77

Delaware

3.89/5  rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

64oz growler
Filled, 4/25/13. Drank, 5/2/13

A: Pours our clear bright orange color. Layer of bright white. Fades to nothing pretty quickly. Doesn't leave a ton of lacing. Still good carbonation though, tiny bubbles coming up from the bottom.

S: Nice nose here. Some tropical fruits: Mango, Papaya and Apricot. There is some sweet slightly bready malt behind it too. Sort of smells like Russian River IPAs, but not quite as good.

T: Creamy hop bitterness on tip of tongue. Fruitiness. Lots of mango and papaya. There are some malts that shine through in the mid palate. The flavor on this is good, but the nose is better. A mild let down. Dry finish with lingering bitterness.

M: Medium bodied.

Serving type: growler

05-03-2013 14:52:05 | More by inlimbo77

Kelp

New Hampshire

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%

04-27-2013 20:01:45 | More by Kelp

inspektor

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

04-26-2013 18:34:14 | More by inspektor

LSx

California

4.75/5  rDev +10%

04-25-2013 04:52:41 | More by LSx

WeisGuy

New York

4/5  rDev -7.4%

04-13-2013 22:29:59 | More by WeisGuy

hopkrid

Florida

4.75/5  rDev +10%

04-08-2013 02:00:35 | More by hopkrid

Seakyden

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%

04-03-2013 01:30:51 | More by Seakyden

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Any time I see a Bear Republic beer that is new, I am ready and willing to try it.

The sweet tone on this is odd to me. Seems way overstated with the hop character adding an uneventful spiced tone. It's...not what I would expect from Bear Republic. Or, hope to get from them. Oh well. On to the next I suppose.

Serving type: on-tap

03-25-2013 09:48:39 | More by RblWthACoz

csmartin6

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

03-24-2013 18:51:54 | More by csmartin6

CTJman

Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

03-24-2013 14:39:49 | More by CTJman

MitchD14

Oregon

4.75/5  rDev +10%

03-17-2013 00:32:02 | More by MitchD14

metalgdog

New York

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%

03-16-2013 21:14:52 | More by metalgdog

CaptDavyJones

New York

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

03-15-2013 00:09:03 | More by CaptDavyJones

NinetyNineBottles

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

03-09-2013 01:36:43 | More by NinetyNineBottles

jvillefan

California

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%

03-04-2013 22:48:16 | More by jvillefan