Racer X Double IPA - Bear Republic Brewing Co.

mikem0487

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle poured into ale glass. No fresh date scen on bottle.

A-Burnt orange body. Half a pinkys fingers width beige/white head. Lacing is minimal and like the head disappears quickly.

S-Has a great inviting aroma. Earthy citrus with a piney twist. Hop resin, grapefruit, pine needles. Caramel/sugar malt is hidden behind the huge hop aroma.

T-Very good and balanced(for a 2x ipa). Up front you get the sweet, biscuit malt back bone and than the hops come in. Like the nose it has a citrus/piney mashup. Tangelo, melon, resin, lemon/orange rind bitterness. Caramel is definitely through the whole palate but becomes more and more hidden as the hop flavor and bitterness come into play.

M-Medium bodied with a puckering bitter finish that leaves a great after taste. Nicely carbonated for the style.

O-Overall a very good beer that does a great job being the imperial version of Racer #5. Only thing this beer was slacking on was the appearance which does not bother me. I drink for the aroma and flavor, not if the beer has a ridiculous foamy head with nice lacing. Buy it and drink it. You will be happy you did.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 22:04:49 | More by mikem0487

BrantleyJ

California

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Found a few 22 oz. bottles at my local 7-11 store, of all places. A well balanced double IPA, slightly more on the malty side for a DIPA. Good hop aroma. The alcohol is not as well hidden as say, a Pliny, but still very drinkable. I recommend trying it if you can find it.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 01:38:26 | More by BrantleyJ

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

3.76/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Appearance. Pours a pretty clear orange with a thin white head.

Smell. Sweet caramel malts, citrus and tropical fruits with a little fresh cedar wood.

Taste. Sweet caramel malts, pine and cedar followed by mixed citrus fruits and bitter rinds as well as some sweet tropical fruit (mostly papaya is what I'm getting).

Mouthfeel. Medium-full body with low+ carbonation.

Overall. A nice big dipa with lots of ballance and some nice fruity hops. Diggin' it.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 02:02:31 | More by Rutager

HopLuva

Massachusetts

4.99/5  rDev +16%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I had this on tap at The PourFarm Tavern in New Bedford Mass. Poured a hazy red orange with a nice creamlike head .Citrus aromas hit you immediately at first smell...Wonderful! Taste is medium full body with a nice hoppy feel and some malt. This is a class A IPA

Serving type: on-tap

01-26-2013 16:24:05 | More by HopLuva

bum732

Maryland

3.61/5  rDev -16%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

S: Bright, citrus, grapefruit peel, orange, touch of mango, touch of pine in the background.

L: Slight hazy, reddish orange, white creamy head that dissipates slightly.

T: Resiny hoppiness with bitter grapefruit rind taste. Medium high, slightly grapefruit bitterness. Some hop flavor, but malt definitely makes an appearance. Finishes semi-dry with some residual hop resin.

M: Medium full body, medium carbonation.

Not bad, just missing that hop complexity to be an excellent DIPA.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 15:59:40 | More by bum732

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

4.6/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a lightly hazy orange-ish color with an off white head. In the aroma, big orange citrus hops and a note of alcohol. In the taste, a small dryness to a big orange citrus rind hop profile, with some notes of alcohol in the end. A hop smoothness, and a medium bodied mouthfeel, with a small dry citrus rind in the aftertaste. Great hops, big flavor, and pretty damn fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 18:21:05 | More by OWSLEY069

woemad

Washington

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

22oz bottle of the 2012 vintage, purchased at Mid Columbia Wine & Spirits in Kennewick, Washington.

Poured a slightly hazy orange color, taking on a slightly lighter hue when held up to light. Featured foam was an inch or so of off-white head that dropped fairly quickly, leaving spotty lace.

Lots of grapefruit and pine notes in the nose. No mistaking this for a pale ale.

Surprisingly large malt flavor, but after a brief showcase moment, it’s then buried under a biblical deluge of citrusy hops. Dry hop zap at the swallow.

Medium bodied, with a mouthfeel that could use a little bit more carbonation. Besides the less than perfect appearance, it’s this beer’s only weak spot.

A DIPA that could only be improved in a meaningful way if it had a little more carbonation, I’m glad to have finally come across this beer. While not my favorite of the style, I’d definitely drink it again.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 00:27:28 | More by woemad

RonfromJersey

New Jersey

4.48/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

$9.00 bomber from Abe's.

Hazy orange body, topped by three level fingers of off-white bubbly foam. Strong carbonation streams. Very good lacing.

Strong assertive citrus aroma, heavy with grapefruit and orange.

Taste begins with a wall of thick semi-sweet caramely malt foundation. On top of the caramel arrives a truck load of juicy citrus fruIt. Big bitterness builds and bites. Fruit lives on in the afterglow.

Medium plus mouthfeel offers proper support throughout.

A superior DIPA I look forward to revisiting.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 05:27:55 | More by RonfromJersey

Dave1999

Virginia

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

Pours a dark amber with a little white head.

The smell is heavy on the sweet malts with some piney hops and grass. Very nice.

The taste is very malty up front the hops coming in at the end. The abv is hidden very well.

The mouthfeel is is quite thick with low to medium carbonation.

Overall I have yet to be disappointed by a bear republic beer and this one is pretty good. It's an interesting take on the dipa mixing the English style ipa with a Californian style dipa.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 22:51:27 | More by Dave1999

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2012 vintage. poured into Flying Dog tulip.

A: pretty clear amber/dark gold, some sediment. head is white. good retention and even better lacing.

S: very piney. pine needles. resinous. dank nugs.

T: bitter and very malty. pine flavors go along with the pine in the nose. a little bit of alcohol towards the finish. a cheerio-like grain flavor lasts. along with lingering hop bitterness.

M: moderate amount of carbonation. full bodied brew.

D: pretty tasty DIPA. not the best i have had, but certainly worth picking up if given the chance. on par with many other west coast DIPA's that are considered the head of their class.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 02:07:55 | More by Jimmys

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A-nice amber color with a decent off-white head and some lacing

S-malt, caramel, faint citrus and pine, slight earthy

T-a dominant malt and caramel presence but not overly sweet, hop presence is very mild except for a decent bitter finish

F-medium body with moderate carbonation, smooth mouthfeel and decent bite

O-a decent but not great DIPA. Malt dominates too much for me and hops are muted. While this was a 2012 release, it seemed old with faded hops. Not sure if that is the case, but slight disappointment for me

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 19:19:23 | More by MDDMD

phishsihq

Colorado

4.65/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This Bear Republic brew pours a brilliant, clear copper, and it is capped by a fluffy, off-white head that provides plenty of lacing. Tropical and citrus fruit aromas burst from the glass, and hints of pine resin and caramel malt poke through as well. This beer starts out with sweet caramel and bready flavors before turning into a tropical explosion of fruit. Pineapple, mango, grapefruit, and tangerine flavors hold on the pallet, as the lingering sweetness melds into piney flavors for the finish. Moderately carbonated, Racer X has a creamy feel in the medium body. A world-class IIPA from California, who would have thought it?

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 02:27:38 | More by phishsihq

nUgZ

North Carolina

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

22 ounce bomber poured into a snifter. Thanks to SanFranJake for this opportunity!

A: Pours a hazy dark orange color with a one finger head and nice lacing.

S: Citrus and floral hop aromas along with sweet malts, grass, and a touch of alcohol.

T: The taste follows the nose. Citrus and floral hops up front with a nice balance of bready malts. Nice bitterness. The alcohol is barely noticable.

M: Medium to heavy bodied with good carbonation. Easy to drink.

O: I really like this DIPA. It's very tasty, easy to drink, and packs a pretty good punch. I definitely look forward to having this again!

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 21:29:23 | More by nUgZ

OBeerMeGreatOne

California

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

Pours out a nice golden hue with decent carbonation, inch of head and a nice spattering of lasting lace.

Grapefruit and grass are nicely complimented by caramel and pale malts at the start of the smell. It also has a nice floral background, very inviting.

Pine, citrus and floral hops start the taste with a bang. Caramel and grainy, bready malts balance it pretty well. Nice, slightly bitter, citric aftertaste. Simple and tasty. Easy sipping medium body.

Like it, almost love it. Easy introduction dipa. I can get better for less, but would never turn one down and may seek it out from time to time.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 02:42:57 | More by OBeerMeGreatOne

katan

Colorado

4.23/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22oz into a pint

A - Pours a deep orange color - very clear however, only a few bubbles here and there. Head formation is off white, frothy but reduces quickly.

S - Citrus and fruity nose, owning to its hefty hop profile. IPA all the way.

T - Malty at first, but then is taken over by the strong american hops. Citrus, little amounts of pine and resin. Gets a little more balanced in the mid-stream as as bittering takes over. Finishes smooth and clean.

M - Moderate to strong body, lighter carbonation feel. Beer is sticky, thick. Little bit of retained sweetness and some oily texture.

O/D - An excellent DIPA, especially for the citrus american styles. A little bit filling, but you wouldn't want to be slamming these anyway. ABV is pretty potent, but these days it isn't way out of line.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 01:42:04 | More by katan

dasenebler

Maine

3/5  rDev -30.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 2.5

Bear Republic Racer X
12/14/12
22oz, bottled in 2012

Pours a rosy, dark amber. Chill hazed, but decent clarity for a DIPA. Good head and great lacing. (4)

Aroma is oxidized, but there's some citrus and hoppy goodness coming through. Candy-like. (2.5)

Really minty and earthy. Big caramel malt presence, though not overly sweet. Finishes piney and bitter. Hop flavor is so-so. Some orange and grapefruit. Alas, this beer is pretty papery and clearly oxidized, despite the positives. Mouthfeel is huge and resiny, with lovely natural carbonation. (3, 4.5)

Reminds me of a hoppier Bigfoot, with a slightly less powerful malt presence. Shows signs of being a good beer, but it's definitely oxidized. I've had much better luck with the freshness of Bear Republic brews in the past. Drinkable, I guess. (2.5)

EDIT: Found the bottling date, I think it's 9/27/12. Three-month old DIPA and it's pretty darn oxidized. Meh. I feel like Racer X should be in much better shape than this for $10/bomber.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 02:08:39 | More by dasenebler

maximum12

Minnesota

3.9/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I took this beer off my wants list years ago thinking I'd never try it & only just discovered it'd been bottled & wham! BFG75 drops one into a box as an extra, & here it is in my glass. 22 oz. bottle split with my wife.

Pour is a boiler room copper. Nose isn't much to write about. In fact, there's a bit of pine & sweetness, but a paucity of either.

Racer X is a beer that has "slug me" written all over it. Big hop bitterness that's missing in lesser IPAs slaps the palate around; sharp pine needles & grapefruit round out the hoppiness. Light caramel comes out of the woodwork, covered in gentle sweetness. The balance is such that I'm taking about two ounces per drink...not going to last long.

This is a very good IIPA that gets it right: hops rising, malts in the background. Too many brewers can't seem to get this formula right.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 03:48:11 | More by maximum12

4000qtrap

Missouri

4.05/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Source/Serving: 22oz bottle

S: Juicy gauva, mango, and blood orange. Hints of lemon verbena, toast, and peppery booze.

T: Up front, solid maltiness is immediately overtaken by intense guava, mango and orange hoppiness. Bitterness kicks in soon, which is firm but not overwhelming and has a orange peel pithiness to it. Above average body without too much oiliness gives this a firm, smooth character. Lots of brown sugar malt and caramel malt, some spicy mango hop, not unlike a thai curry really. Finish is pithy, grassy, piney and spicy hoppiness, lingering smooth bitterness, and caramel.

Notes: A nice balanced DIPA with an abundance of new hop varietals.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 02:43:44 | More by 4000qtrap

WillCarrera

Illinois

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

22 oz bomber, 2012 vintage, no specific bottled-on date, poured into a tulip glass.

A- Pours a clear orange/amber color, topped with a thin finger of off-white head, leaves some nice lacing.

S- Big aroma of fruity, tropical hops, some pine, also a pretty assertive caramel malt aroma.

T- Fruity tropical hops are still there but are mildly subdued, lending a bit of grapefruit, mango and orange, also a decent amount of earthy hop character, but the caramel malt is a lot more noticeable here than in the flavor, with a big, rich sweetness. Some light alcohol is detectable.

M- Full-bodied, has a slightly thick, chewy feel with a slightly dry finish with a bit of warming alcohol.

O- A very nice DIPA, it's a bit sweeter than I expected and not your typical Cali hop bomb, but it's nicely balanced with well-hidden booze and is quite drinkable, definitely worth picking up.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 07:14:38 | More by WillCarrera

BenHesk12

California

4/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Racer X is a big step up from Northern California's favorite pop IPA, Racer 5. Appreciably bitter and noticeably more alcohol than it's younger brother, but still that same lovable character. Very well balanced and still comes across as relatively mild overall for a DIPA, yet brings to the table a subtle sophistication that you expect from Bear Republic. Overall a very good DIPA yet perhaps not worth the hefty price

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 04:19:56 | More by BenHesk12

Nugganooch

California

4.1/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz to standard pint
*notes taken on 11/30/12

BD of 09/27/12

A: Thick froth of khaki cream with ample stay sits over a hazy golden amber colored brew. Each sip brings some light etched lattice upon the glass.

S: Aromas comprise of dank pines and candied citrus peels. I get wafts of grapefruit and tangerine zest with just a bit of pineapple flesh. I know this brew to have a fair amount of malt character however hops just dominate the nose. Really nice.

T: Tastes of juicy orange sherbet. Loads of tangerine meets sappy pines with some soft floral accents. An underlying caramel malt sweetness rounds out the brew nicely. There is a leafy herbal bitterness to the beer that is just resinous. A bit of toffee with some hidden biscuit. More dried herbs in the finish. Faint alcohol character introduces a soft warming to the palate. Super hoppy and deliciously balanced. Not too sweet for my tastes at all.

M: Medium body with a nice smooth creamy feel. Has an overall wetness to it with a light drying towards the end. High bitterness constricts the palate as it gathers up at the top and the lingering hops wax long after the finish.

D: Overall this is a really nice DIPA with some big juicy hops and a complementary malt backing. Great citrus and piney flavors.
Definitely worth picking up again.

Speed: "I thought we made a good team today. It felt like we've been doing it for a long time."
Racer X: "If you say so."

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2012 20:41:10 | More by Nugganooch

nrs207

Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev -20.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Great appearance with an off-white 1 finger head. Golden orange and clear.

S - Heavy malt presence. Smells pretty sweet, but there's some citrus and piney hops in there too. Smells more balanced than it is.

T - Cloyingly sweet and boozy. It's got a nice hop flavor and malt flavor, but it's dominated by sweetness and some booze unfortunately. I at least think it's alcohol, but it could be an off-putting malt presence mixed with a light amount of booze making it seem worse. It's not bad, but it's hard to drink this quickly or a whole bomber of it.

M - Drinkability is low. It's cloyingly sweet, and even though it's 100+ IBUs according to their website, it just doesn't have enough hops to balance it out. Too strong on the alcohol as well.

O - I think this had some promise. When I read the description I was hoping for a better 90 Minute. A more hoppy 90 minute. Instead the hop flavor is pretty similar with less hidden booze and even more cloying sweetness. It's not bad, but at $9 a bomber, I won't be buying this again.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 03:41:00 | More by nrs207

IronLover

Pennsylvania

4.58/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bright copper orange in color with a slight haze. Poured with a short with foam that quickly reduced to a soapy cap. Pungent, fresh hop aromas, citrus grapefruit and pine, with toasted caramel malt beneath. It's almost like I'm burying my nose in a handful of hop pellets. Amazingly fresh. Medium bodied with tangy carbonation and an oily feel. Fresh, pungent citus and pine hops ride a wave of toasty malt flavor from start to finish. There's a tangy hop bite near the end as this finishes with a biscuity and lingering hop bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 01:36:59 | More by IronLover

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Clear. Deep copper/amber. Head is creamy, tight, and white. Drops to a tiny cap and collar. Some nice spots of lacing. Minor carbonation pulls throughout.

Smell: Chewy biscuits. Caramel malt sweetness with a solid backing of alcohol. Herbal hop note comes with with a solid spiciness. Grapefruit rind And some oily pine. Incredibly balanced. Big and sweet. Earthy spice. Some pith and straight bitterness.

Taste: Alcohol bite. Slick, oily pine resin. Grapefruit flesh and orange rind. Leafy spiciness. Some nice herbal components. Caramelized, slightly overcooked malts. Chewy caramel malt sweetness. Bread dough. Warm. Balanced in a big way.

Mouthfeel: Slick, smooth and pushing full. Carbonation is mild. Creamy. Backing dryness from the alcohol.

Overall: Haha Speed Racer, haha.

Manages to be big and balanced. Loaded up and drinkable for what it is. Lacks a little of the charm found in Racer 5, but a nice blend of American hopping with English basics.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 19:20:02 | More by Goblinmunkey7

Viciousknishs

Virginia

4.4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A- pours a coppery amber with a solid two fingers of off white head. Good head retention with a fair amount of lacing.

S- resinous pine hop aromas with citrus yellow grapefruit and bitter orange peel. Nice undertone of toasty caramel malt. Floral hops on the finish.

T- super balanced DIPA while remaining very hop forward. Resinous pine sap and tangy citrus hop flavor rests on a bed of toasty malt with a touch of caramel. Floral hop flavor with a lingering hop oil and orange marmelade lingers on the palate in the semi-dry finish.

MF- oily resinous mouthfeel with a medium body. Average carbonation.

D-balanced super drinkable DIPA.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 01:59:16 | More by Viciousknishs