Café Racer 15 - Bear Republic Brewing Co.

yourefragile

District of Columbia

3.53/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

On tap at some German bar in Redwood City.

Clear light copper with a white head. Fades to nothing with no lacing. Strong hoppy aroma and not much else; citra and light pine. Bitter, astringent flavor loading up on peach, mango and juicy random citrus. Medium thick and creamy body with low carbonation. Dry, watery finish. Meh, nothing special.

Serving type: on-tap

12-10-2011 04:36:21 | More by yourefragile

Chico1985

Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Sierra Grille, always happy to try a new Racer 5 variation.

Served in a snifter, orange/amber color with a head that stays at a finger for a while, eventually getting down to a cap, but while leaving great lace.

Smell is very good at first but starts to lose it's strength after a bit. Fresh tropical, fruity, earthy hops and some malt.

As the scent died down the taste was coming alive. Very nice hop profile, lots of fruit (peach, orange, grapefruit) with earthiness as well. Very solid biscuit/caramel malt backbone, just the perfect amount of malt.

Very smooth, well-carbonated mouthfeel. Good balance.

Very nice and fresh, I liked this better than Racer X.

Serving type: on-tap

12-08-2011 20:01:00 | More by Chico1985

jzeilinger

Pennsylvania

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

Had on tap at Stone during SDBW 2011.

A - Pours a golden orange color, little carbonation and a very thin white lacing ring.

S - Pineapple, grapefruit, citrus, mangos, light caramel. This a a very fruity hop forward type of beer, it's the all about the hops.

T - Matches the nose with ton of tropical fruit some peppery spice, and a lingering red juicy grapefruit bitter finish.

M - Medium body.

O - This is a solid D-IPA from Bear Republic and one I've never heard of before and hope that we can get out here on the East Coast at some point.

Serving type: on-tap

11-20-2011 06:32:13 | More by jzeilinger

clzcyclone

District of Columbia

4.7/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I had never heard of this beer until I saw it on tap at Raleigh's in Berkeley with a hand-written label.

Wonderful piny aroma, kicked up a level from Racer 5.

Serious hoppiness, but balanced by a solid caramel malt body. Even my roommate, who usually opposes high-hop IPAs, said he found it balanced, so that's saying something.

Troubling how easy it is to drink considering it is 8.5% ABV and my local pub is selling it for $5/pint! Wouldn't hesitate to drink again.

Serving type: on-tap

11-16-2011 05:17:40 | More by clzcyclone

Nugganooch

California

4.43/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Stone Brew

11-05-11 – Bitter Saturday
*16oz tulip

First sampled and thoroughly enjoyed this at Port’s Real Ale Fest so pretty stoked to get the full experience here.

A: Café Racer 15 pours an orangeish amber color with some light haziness. A one finger eggshell white head formed and left just some light speckles of lace. Decent carb visible.

S: Smell is just real fruity with lots of citrus oil aromas. Gives a sort of tanginess to it. No real malt or alcohol components in the aroma.

T: Nice juicy resinous hop bitterness with a real bright citrus character that is orange and tangerine flesh. Has to be Citra! Perfect sugary balance with this subtle graham cracker malt base. This is so good. Very tasty stuff.

M: Nice creamy texture with light to med. body feel. Slight resinous and sticky coating with a great dry crisp finish.

D: Very drinkable with such great balance. Each sip leaves you wanting more

My new favorite brew from the Republic! Love me some Citra hops. Easily the winner from the day. Highly recommended. Hope to see more of this one.

Serving type: on-tap

11-09-2011 00:08:06 | More by Nugganooch

adamdarcy

Michigan

5/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On tap at the brewpub in Healdsburg.

Appearance
A good couple of fingers head on top, slow to dissipate. Deep amber/orange color, very very inviting...

Smell
Absolutely wonderful. My relatively untrained nose smells something consistent with their other superior brews like the Racer 5, Red Rocket and even the beautiful stout. A citrusy sweetness hit my olfactory bulb first, with pine and overall juicy fruit. Extremely inviting.

Taste
Compared to Bell's Hopslam or some other hoppy beers up here in Michigan, I didn't get slapped in the face with the hops. That's a great thing for me, actually. I'm a hop-head but sometimes it's too much. Perfect balance for me; the hops fade away slowly to transition to citrus, juicyfruit, pine, with a nice, not-to-dry finish.

Mouthfeel
Smooth and creamy, but not too thick. Not overly dry at the finish.

Overall
My new favorite for my favorite style, American Double IPA. Pliny had the previous top spot, but I give extra points to Bear Republic because of the higher consistency of greatness in their offerings.

And let me just say that, as brewpubs go, you will not find a greater group of excellent servers. I say 'servers' because I really felt very well served and catered to the whole time, and it was an absolute blast meeting the other clientele and bartenders. Keep up the great work, guys!!

Serving type: on-tap

10-30-2011 22:18:49 | More by adamdarcy

puertobrewing

Puerto Rico

3.98/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Palmas Station in Cataño, Puerto Rico.

Appearance - one an a half fingers of head on top of the golden opaque beer.

Smell - this just kills me. I hope I don't look stupid smelling so many times this beer. Not the best smelling beer but certainly on my top 5. Citrus, floral, guava, grapefruit and passion fruit all in there product of the intense hopping this beer has undergone. This beer will have you smelling it for as long as you have it on your glass.

Taste - well the hops punch you from the tip of the tongue to the back. It's the idea of a Double IPA but I've tasted others which do a better job balancing the bitterness including their own Double Red Rocket. Anyway it's really good tasting with a lot of the flavor coming from the hops, meaning tropical fruits and sour gummies.

Mouthfeel - this one has a huge body. Very thick but well carbonated and extremely enjoyable to drink.

Overall - a very good Imperial/Double IPA but certainly not the best. It would certainly appeal even to the most demanding hopheads but this style of beer can also be appealing to other kinds of beer drinkers as some I-IPAs do.

Serving type: on-tap

10-10-2011 05:41:28 | More by puertobrewing

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tap at Armsby Abbey.

Pours a creamy 1 finger head in a snifter, hazy golden nectar orange color.

Nose citrus hops, tropical fruit, grapefruit, tangerine, a bit of mango and peach, light resin, and light sweet malt.

Taste starts slightly sweet reddish and pale malts, then fresh hops, light citrus and almost orange rind, tropical fruit, grapefruit, light tangerine, citrus fruit really comes through, light musty resin. Finishes dry and fairly bitter, more tropical fruit and resins.

Mouth is med to a bit bigger bodied, decent carb.

Overall nice fruity hops, tropical fruit, grapefruit, light resin and citrus, tasty and drinkable, light malt base to stand on.

Serving type: on-tap

09-28-2011 00:15:24 | More by jlindros

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Armsby Abbey.

A - Poured into a standard snifter a clear orange/copper with a one finger head that leaves very nice side lacing.

S - Nice carbonation on this one. Slightly smooth and creamy. Very drinkable.

O - Overall I enjoyed this double ipa. Nice grapefruit; ABV is hidden nicely. Would enjoy again on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

09-27-2011 22:02:45 | More by rudzud

avaldivia

California

4.22/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On Tap at Taps in Petaluma.

A: Hazy golden Orange Color. Nice thick head. Excellent lacing all the way down.

S: Floral hop aroma. Grapefruit, Pine resin. Fruity.

T: Citrus. Excellent hop flavor. Not overly bitter but present. Nice sweet caramel malt.

M: Medium to thick. Coats entire palate. Nice carbonation.

O: As per usual with Bear Republic; this is a great hoppy beer. Very enjoyable. On draft only so if I am lucky to see it again, I'll definitely order it.

Serving type: on-tap

08-11-2011 15:08:22 | More by avaldivia

perrymarcus

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

on-tap @ american craft, brookline MA, 7/22/11.
(review from notes)

pours a slightly hazy golden/orange tone while yielding a good 1" head, moderate retention and lacing.

nose is good, though not mind-blowing: big hoppy notes (citrus, a bit of pine), with a light malty presence in the background.

taste is also quite nice. the citrus (grapefruit) and pine are there, along with a floral element, though more subtle on that count. packs a sturdy malt backbone. very tasty, though nothing transcendent. medium bodied mouthfeel with average carbonation. well-hidden alcohol presence.

overall this is a damn good beer. lacks a 'wow' factor, but i still really enjoyed it.

Serving type: on-tap

07-31-2011 02:23:38 | More by perrymarcus

cbutova

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Notes from last week at Sunset Grill.

A- Orange red ale into a tulip with a creamy white head. Decent size and it leaves a nice thick coat of lace.

S- Peach, orange, pine, herbal and citrus hop explosion.

T- Hops are pungent again with peach, pine, herbal, lemon, floral and orange. Sweet malt as well.

MF- Moderately thick beer with a nice creamy feel and a big bitter finish. Nice high carbonation.

Good hop bomb with a great citrus feel.

Serving type: on-tap

07-30-2011 17:08:40 | More by cbutova

jdense

Oregon

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

On tap at Saraveza IIPA Festival, multiple samples poured into plastic mug (ugh) 7.16.11.

Off white head one finger quick dissipation with lacing hard to determine because of serving vessel. Copper amber body, unusually dark for IIPA, no visible carbonation. Big hop attack on the nose, more citrus than pine, grapefruit, some tropical aromas, huge caramel malt hit for balance. Taste mirrors nose, hop monster, but the caramel malt really keeps this from going over the top. Mouthfeel is medium, fairly dry astringent finish for style, though a bit sticky at the end. IMO I prefer Racer X outlandish over the top hop profile to this more nuanced version, but certainly glad I was able to try this elusive Bear Republic product. Thanks to Sarah, Jonathan and Tyler for putting together a superlative beer list for this not to be missed event for hopheads!

Serving type: on-tap

07-20-2011 13:52:46 | More by jdense

Sideswipe

California

3.95/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Growler picked up at the brewpub today.

A- Hazy dark golden to orange color. Three finger white head recedes leaving nice lacing.

S- Big floral, citrus and pine notes. Orange blossom dominates, with pineapple and mango playing second fiddle. Smells downright juicy!

T- Initial piney bitterness is followed up by orange zest and a pleasant sugar cookie malt presence. Huge juicy citrus charactertisics dominate mid palate. Finish is medium dry with a nice lingering bitter aftertaste.

M- Feel is medium bodied, leaning toward thicker, with a pine resiny viscosity that works in the beer's favor. Carbonation is medium to low, imparting a creamy quality.

O- This is a very nice offering from Bear Republic. ABV is very well masked by the citrusy, piney flavors which make Cafe Racer 15 a joy to imbibe. Really enjoying this one. Recommended.

Serving type: growler

07-18-2011 02:41:57 | More by Sideswipe

litheum94

California

4.22/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Growler, gifted to me by my cousin.

Pour: Golden amber body, with a pretty decent, bone white head. It settles down slowly, and leaves some nice lacing.

Aromas: Pungeant hop aromas, grapefruit, pine resin and flowers, mostly jasmine. Brown sugar and caramel. Some honey sweetness. Reminds me of a bright summer field.

Mouth: Very floral at first, like a garden in bloom. Cracker malts and a touch of sweetness mid-palate. Grapefruit and pineapple flavors lead to a strong pine hop finish. Bitterness is assertive, but not overly so.

This beer has some great bitterness, bug is balanced nicely. A stand up DIPA.

Serving type: growler

07-14-2011 05:13:49 | More by litheum94

callmescraps

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Never seen this one before. I like, but don't love Bear Republic hoppy beers, but I am confident this will be well done.

App- Light amber, almost hold. Half inch of white creamy head. Nice looking beer.

Smell- Nice tropical fruits. Definitely some citrus and grapefruit, orange rind, tangerine. A little candied hop, almost sweet. Indicates strong malt backbone.

Taste- Sigh. Some candied hops, for sure, but the malt is more than a backbone. Its a touch sweet. The citrus from the nose does not come through. The Larry before this was much, much better. It's not bad just not as good as it should be.

Mouthfeel- A little thick, almost flat. Eh.

Overall- Disappointing. Too sweet, sorry. Just not for me. Sigh, oh well.

Serving type: on-tap

07-13-2011 23:30:23 | More by callmescraps

HopHead84

California

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

4/15/2011

On cask at Pizza Port Real Ale 2011.

A: Transparent orange in the imperial pint glass with a not insubstantial frothy white head. Retention is excellent, the head lasting for 5 minutes and never really receding.

S: Aroma is of tangerine and orange, with subtle caramel notes. The citrus is bright and vibrant. No evident booze.

T: Light caramel melds with tangerine, peach, and orange. Grapefruit is subtle. Citrus is fleshy with no harsher rind notes. Alcohol is well hidden. Bitterness is at a lower moderate level but hop flavor is excellent.

M: Lower medium in body with lower moderate cask carbonation. Mouthfeel is smooth, dry, and sticky.

Overall: Good stuff.

Serving type: cask

05-05-2011 05:30:26 | More by HopHead84

RBassSFHOPit2ME

California

4.13/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Very solid DIPA fro Bear Republic. For the record before I get started...for ME, better than Racer X and Racer 5. Served at Fat Angel, San Francisco.

A - Impressive. Active in the glass, bright golden orange...almost glows and a nice solid head retention and Lacing throughout.

S - Oranges, Bubble Gum and Peaches...a bit of grass. Hops at the forefront.

T - Tons of Bubble Gum!! Oranges - check. Peaches- check. Solid citrus fruit but surprisingly the malt backs this up to perfection. Solid balance of a West Coast Hop forward beer with plenty of malt in the picture..balance is awesome between the two keeping this hop forward. Did I say there was a bubble gum character here. Delicious.

M - As it warmed it became creamy..hard to find in a well brewed DIPA. Solid 5 without question and as close to perfect in this department as it comes.

O - I'd like to give this a 4.5 but there are a few others I'd give a 5 to that this doesn't quite do the same for me on.

FINAL THOUGHTS - Best hoppy offering I've had to date from Bear Republic. Nice new offering to the already outstanding lineup.

Serving type: on-tap

03-23-2011 06:00:10 | More by RBassSFHOPit2ME

NorCalYeti

California

4.35/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

taste- citrus hops with an equally balanced malt component, citrusy, bitter hop effervescent quality

color- straw/gold

clarity- clear

smell- citrus aromas

body- medium body with a medium length hoppy finish

appearance- flat with little to no carbonation

overall impression- really good, true to the style

notes and comments- good drinker with a strong hop kick to the finish

beer spy- double ipa festival, bistro, hayward ca, 2/12/11, 6 oz. glass

Serving type: on-tap

02-15-2011 03:56:19 | More by NorCalYeti