Racer X Double IPA - Bear Republic Brewing Co.

BenHesk12

California

4/5  rDev -6.8%
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 -4.4%
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 -20.7%
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 +6.8%
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 -14.2%
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 +2.6%
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

grittybrews

Washington

4.18/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured a thick, hazy orange with a finger of loose white head. Smell seemed oddly more subdued than Racer 5 -- more caramel malt presence with subtler floral and grapefruit notes.

Moderate carbonation and a light, slightly sticky mouthfeel. Caramel up front with grapefruit and floral hops followed by biscuit and a dry pine finish. Just a hint of booze.

This was good but doesn't succeed for me like Racer 5 does.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 17:17:44 | More by grittybrews

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a slightly hazy amber-orange with a finger of frothy white head. The head fades down at a normal pace leaving behind some nice lacing.

S - Aroma is a mix of grapefruit, pine, grassy, and floral hops with some sweet caramel malts, some bready malts, and a hint of booze.

T - Starts off with a mix of grapefruit, orange, and citrus hops with some bitterness and some sweet caramel malts. Through the middle, some pine and grassy hops come through with some more resiny bitterness and some bready malts. The finish is a mix of grapefruit, pine, and floral hops with some bitterness, some sweet bready malts, and a touch of booze.

M - Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a dry and bitter finish.

D - Very drinkable. Nice big hoppy DIPA with a good hop profile and bitterness throughout.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 04:27:33 | More by ngeunit1

crewfan16

Minnesota

3.73/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Cracked this open over a long night at work. Thanks again kojevergas for the trade. bottle doesnt seem to have a date on it, but is labeled 2012 vintage. poured into a SA perfect pint

a- pours a ruby gold orange color with barely off white head that falls pretty quickly leaving some nice lacing at the top of the glass. looks like a dipa should.

s- tropical sweetness and some bready malt. not a huge nose for a dipa

t- sweetness initially fades to juicy tropical fruit, a little lemon peel maybe, some bitter piney hops with some sweet malty goodness. finish comes with more hop bitterness. a very balanced dipa, not too huge in the malt or hop aspects, just sort of middle of the road balance. a very tasty beer

m- nice coating mouthfeel. a little oily texture. nice bitter finish. alcohol isnt really present, although at 8.5% i wouldnt expect it to be really huge.

overall, a very nice example of a dipa. like its little brother, it is very balanced in all aspects. too bad I cant get it around here, otherwise it would be a nice brew to grab any time.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 06:49:55 | More by crewfan16

BlurryVisi0n

New York

4.35/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served in a snifter glass, one day after filled in a growler.

Appearance: A classic amber color, notch of semi cloudiness flowing the the body. Head is thick depending on your pour which for me was about a finger's length at the minimum coming off-white with an orange tint to it.

Smell:Smells good, you feel hops all over your nose but I wish it was just a little more potent.

Taste: This beer has hit my top five Imperial IPA's just on taste alone, the caramel notes with and offset bitterness is a mixture that is well put together.

Mouth: Slightly sticky, but i want more, with a taste like this I was expecting more that just medium carbonation.

Overall: Really good beer, has pretty much everything you could ask for. I have a few other Imperial IPAs that I have in mind that are a few steps ahead but this one will go down as a classic. Salud!

Serving type: growler

11-28-2012 04:37:50 | More by BlurryVisi0n

smakawhat

Maryland

4.05/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured on tap at Churchkey DC, into a pint glass.

A real nice golden amber, slightly hazy and orange, but fairly clear with some small rising tiny carbonation. Head is off white and presented small, but coats with lots of ring like lacing.

Nose is a classic hop front, but it seems thick and juicy. Hints of chewy green leaf and mild apricot fruit. Orange citrus and juicy pulp warm up, with some time. Hop angle coats real nicely, with a bit of sweetness and mild quick zesty bitter. The most impressive is the full rich juicy palate which coats everywhere with a solid malt backbone. Peppery finish of hop lots of tingling feel and taste. It does come off a little hot though, and just a little boozy.

Overall though real fun and still easy to drink but it is noticeably big. I think though i prefer other favorites but this can stand with the best of them.

Serving type: on-tap

11-28-2012 00:33:03 | More by smakawhat

albertjr21

New York

4.38/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Vintage 2012 poured gently into a snifter yields a clear burnt orange amber under a fairly easily roused foam. Aroma of pungent grassy pine hops lightly stings the nose with a deep inhale. Lush hop flavor fully fills the palate and delivers that imperial bitterness you'd expect from Racer 5's bigger brother. Malt very nicely complements the hops and helps deliver a smooth well-balanced mouth feel.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 03:47:17 | More by albertjr21

mactrail

California

3.58/5  rDev -16.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours a reddish amber in the big Duvel tulip. Moderate carbonation with a decent head. Nice aroma of piney hops.

Seriously hoppy, but not a total hop burnout. Some mellow malt improves the sharp disposition. However, the aftertaste does dial the bitterness all the way up. The saving grace is the pineapple and pear skins fruitiness. Otherwise I have to call it nearly undrinkable, so hop fanatics can take that as a strong recommendation.

For all practical purposes this is an excellent hop concentrate for flavoring less well-endowed brews. From the 22 oz bottle bought at Ibis Market in Mission Hills, SD.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 03:16:40 | More by mactrail

riored4v

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured in to a tulip. Slightly hazy, golden colored body. 1/2 finger head that faded pretty quickly.

Aroma was resiny, citrusy and floral. Good amount of malty sweetness. Slightly caramely. Good balance of hop and sweetness.

Taste was a good amount of resiny hop flavor up front accompanied by floral and citrus hop flavors. Good amount of sweetness cuts down on bitterness. Fairly malty along with some bready and caramel flavors. Finish had a moderate bitterness with grapefruit, floral and resiny, piney bitterness. Good balance.

Mouthfeel was medium body, medium/low carb and a slightly chewy finish that turns dry.

Overall this was a great DIPA. Good balance of hops and malt.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 00:33:50 | More by riored4v

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.23/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a Black Raven pint glass. Pours a medium coppery amber with a one finger off-white head with good retention and lacing. Aroma of grapefruit, citrus and light pine hops and bready malt. Flavor follows with remarkably well integrated malt, citrus and citrus hops. Finishes with citrus rind and herbal hops. While not quite as intense hops as many Western IIPAs, the flavors are so well balanced that this is a pleasure to drink. Medium bodied with a pleasant creaminess. A very enjoyable IPA that I'm really glad to see in bottles.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 04:37:39 | More by LiquidAmber

mpedara429

Massachusetts

4.93/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A: Poured out a slightly hazy amber color with two to three fingers of off white head head. A moderate amount of lacing

S: Big smell with grapefruit, lemon, floral notes, biscuit, and tropical fruit.

T: Very similar to the nose. Mostly grapefruit and pine, but the other flavors in the smell come out as well. It has a nice malt backbone for balance, but hop bitterness is definitely prominent.

M: Medium body with medium to high carbonation. It is oily but does not leave a bad aftertaste.

O: A truly amazing representation of the style. One of the best DIPAs I've had. Great balance. Full of flavor. The complexity of this beer is what makes it so great in my mind. The beer has a lot of flavors but none too overpowering.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 05:38:37 | More by mpedara429

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

4.03/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Consumed 11/22/12

Note: "Vintage 2012" - a slightly more specific bottling date would be helpful

Appearance: Crystal clear copper color - small, white head, somewhat still - fades to a small, wispy cap, and some nice streaks of lacing

Smell: Oily, resiny, damp citrus and a surprising amount of malt - it's almost like they were going for balance (unexpected!) - grapefruit, orange, tangerine - oily, fleshy, floral, with pith and zest - malty, with lots of caramel malts - lightly toasted, lightly cooked biscuits

Taste: A dull but accurate description of this would be "an imperial Racer 5 with more balance and caramel malts" - oily citrus, damp citrus rinds - some sweet flesh, and some bitter pith - some resiny pine, with a touch of mint - hints of sweet tropical flavors - pale and caramel malts, more caramel than anticipated (or desired) - on the sweet side - high level of bitterness, with a sticky bitter aftertaste

Mouthfeel: Solid medium body, adequately carbonated, sticky, with a hint of alcohol

Overall: I'm looking forward to Racer XV

This is a solid DIPA. But I must admit I expected it to be a little more epic, based on my enjoyment of Racer 5. Personally, I'd prefer less sweetness, less caramel. But for what it is, it's balanced and tasty. I might update the score if I learn this is not a particularly fresh bottle, but I might not; my main concern is the malt profile.

Edit (about an hour later): This really grew on me over the course of the bomber. I can't really explain it, but I am bumping the taste score accordingly.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 01:54:51 | More by angrybabboon

ElSid

California

4.23/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The Beers of California

#25

Bottled Date: "Vintage 2012"

A: Golden orange with a good amount of sediment and a scant of off white head which leaves behind little lace on the glass.

S: Bright nose with fresh grass, pine, juicy grapefruit along with tropical fruit notes. Background sugary sweetness.

T: Big palate of pine needles, ruby grapefruit, and spicy bitterness interspersed with touches of pineapples and even mango sweetness. Backbone of bready, sugary malt with a faint warming alcohol finish once the hop bitterness fades.

M: Moderate body with ample carbonation and linger.

O: A lot of excitement giving this brew a first time go after picking it up at a local Whole Foods. A great showcase of big hop flavors. I hope to see this brew out in bottle form more often. Bear Republic is one of the stand out NorCal breweries which puts out excellent, worthy ales.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 05:16:10 | More by ElSid

TheBrewo

Michigan

4.15/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer was served from the tap at The Blind Tiger in New York, NY. It arrived in a generic tulip glass, glowing a golden red coloring. It held a one and a half finger head of creamy tan bubbles, leaving sticky lacing as it slowly receded. There was no haze or sediment noted, and carbonation appeared average. The aroma showed caramel malts, passion fruit and strawberry sugars, limey bite, grapefruit and herbal hops, dill, oregano, and light bubbles gum esters. Our first impression was that there was nicely robust strawberry and grapefruit hop sweetness. The flavoring opened with stark warmth of spice and sweetness of melon and passion fruit. The peak came with bitter, herbal hops, bite and bitterness of blackened malts, and bright and sweet citric and nectary hops. The finish gave a renewed bittering metallic bite of pale, toasted grain, big grapefruity hops, and herbal dill qualities. The aftertaste breathed of the entire blend, with more sugars of caramel and pale malt dextrins, raw honey, and the bite of citric hoppy goodness. The body was soft, and the carbonation was active. Each sip gave a nice creamy slurp, soft froth, and hearty cream mustache. The mouth was coated with syrupy slickness, and light sugary stickiness, with little drying to the palate. The abv was appropriate, and the beer drank very easily.

Overall, what we enjoyed most about this brew was the overt sourness of grain, and big bite of hop through the taste. There is also a surprising strength to the fruit qualities in the flavoring, adding a serious depth and complexity. The caramel maltiness also adds to this, making for a nicely well-rounded mouth. This, coupled with the soft and highly creamy and frothy feel, makes for a very tasty offering, and something to be proud of for the “Racer” series.

Serving type: on-tap

11-20-2012 23:22:02 | More by TheBrewo

Gatch

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

2012 "Vintage"

A: Beautiful copper-golden-orange color with the expected soapy, bubbly, frothy, sticky, bright white head leaving behind amazing lace and good, bubbly retention. Gorgeous brew. Disclaimer: will become hazy due to sediment if you choose to pour the entire contents of the bottle. In my opinion, I think it contributes to this beer, but I don't always pour the yeast into the glass.

S: My nose is about six inches away from the pint glass as I write this review and I'm experiencing a sensory overload already. Huge burst of fresh, citrusy (mostly grapefruit), and grassy hops. Sweet, slightly roasted malt and sugary, almost buttery booze complements to truly balance this beer out. BR wasn't kidding when they said this will be balanced. As for the taste...

T: Exactly the same as the nose but a bit boozier and maltier which is perfect for the style. Nothing overpowers. Just a wonderful balance of fresh, juicy, fruity, resiny hops, sweet, sugary malt, and incredibly smooth, delicious booze. Top notch stuff.

M: The essence of smooth, sweet, and balanced. The flavors are incredible, the feel is as smooth as any beer I've had in recent memory, and the finish is exquisite. Resiny, dry, bitter hop oils cling to the palate to remind you this is a big IPA while deliciously sweet, tasty malt and booze slide down your throat.

O: Now this is a Double IPA! Bear Republic absolutely nailed this style on the head. I wish I could drink another bomber, but I'd probably be trashed. Everything I expect from this style. You must drink this!

Note: I know all 5's should be rare, but at the moment (this is my first beer of the day), this is absolutely top class. I do not see anything wrong with it in my expectations for the style. In my opinion, a Double/Imperial IPA should have three things...hops, malt, and booze. This exemplifies all three in the most balanced way possible. I feel comfortable giving this beer straight 5's.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 18:56:46 | More by Gatch

GilGarp

Colorado

4.78/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I've been waiting for this beer to come to Colorado for years so I'm super excited to give it a try.

Seed cold in a goblet, Racer X is a slightly hazy amber color with thick head, good retention and nice lacing as it settles.

Aroma is super fresh and hoppy with great big loads of citrus, especially grapefruit.

Flavor is just as amazing as I was hoping it would be. Much like little brother Racer 5, and as it claims on the bottle, it's wonderfully hoppy while still managing to find balance with sweetness from the malts. The other similarity that I see is that the malts and hops seem to compliment eachother perfectly. The hops flavor is near the very top of the scale but the balance is still kept in check.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and nicely carbonated with balanced bitterness.

Overall one of the best double IPAs I've had the pleasure of enjoying. A wonderful beer well worth the wait.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 03:43:59 | More by GilGarp

gtermi

Texas

4.35/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: Pours a dark golden body with a thin white head that quickly fades away and leaves a tiny bit of lacing on the glass.

S: Strong spicy and citrus hop with a nice amount of sweet grain. The two smells really mix well together.

T: Like the smell, the hops are spicy and citrusy. It has a nice bitterness from the hops, but the sweet grain settles that down. As the beer lingers, the sweet grain really starts to shine.

M: There is a bit of crispness on the tip of the tongue and the back of the throat. The beer is pretty thin in body and easy to drink.

O: This is a pretty damn good beer by Bear Republic, but whatelse should I have expected from them??

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 04:36:50 | More by gtermi

ryan1788a5

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle poured into a New Belgium globe.

A: Pours a red-orange color with a mild haze. Bubbly white head reaches a height of about two inches before it eventually settles into a thin crown. Lacing is wispy and patchy.

S: Orange pith, grapefruit rind, hints of pine. Mango and passion fruit. Slightly plant-like and oily. Subtle tropical esters. Malt scents are bready, slightly crusty, and a touch sweet.

T: Pithy orange, citrus rind bitterness, honeydew melon, oily and green. Bitterness is formidable, and builds slightly. Herbal, planty kick as the hop tastes shift. Fleeting tropical esters. Malt tastes are bready and crusty. Slight toasted grain. Touch of sweetness. Spike of alcohol toward the back end. Finishes with a lingering oily, green hop taste.

M: On the heftier side of medium bodied. Firm, full, and round in the mouth. Modest carbonation. Warming on the swallow. Mild enamel stripping sensation. Great mouthfeel.

O: Great mouthfeel to this one. It has that strong malt texture that I enjoy so much in Racer 5. There is good balance to it for the style, but it almost feels a little overblown and a hair too harsh. It's just one of those beers that doesn't quite come together, and doesn't quite meet expectations. But it doesn't fall very short of those expectations either. Definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 05:16:36 | More by ryan1788a5

LubricatedWisdom76

4.35/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Excited to try this newer release from one of the best hop forward beer breweries around. A fantastic beer!

A: Poured deep orange/amber with a great billowy head

S: Smells earthy and piney with a hint of caramel malts and sweetness. Like rolling around in a forest. With bread dough.

T: Lots of balance as it warms up. Hop profile on the front end is more earth, pine, and dankness than citrus. Great malt balance with sweet caramel to balance out the floral bitterness. Aftertaste finishes with some lingering grapefruit.

M: Drinkable with food or without, with a smooth character that doesn't show the 8+ % ABV

O: A great balanced DIPA, other reviewers have said they can taste the "English-ness" of it but I think it's simply more balanced if anything and doesn't punch you in the face with puckering salted lemon flavors like some one dimensional DIPA's out there. This is more well-rounded with plenty of dank American hops.

Serving type: on-tap

11-12-2012 16:27:33 | More by LubricatedWisdom76

BarrytheBear

Wisconsin

4.05/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle labeled 2012 Vintage...courtesy of Kurtis. Thank you so much for hitting this want!

Nice hazed medium orange pour with a healthy half inch puff that dips to a steady ring. Lacing is spotty but abundant.

Tangerine, orange, grapefruit, bready malts and some vaporous alcohol notes.

Citrus in the form of rindy orange peel and light grapefruit and a moderate bitterness atop a firm, though not overbearing, doughy maltiness. Sugary sweetness is kept in check and not over the top like some DIPA's. Alcohol bite on the finish is a bit sharp for the abv, but not a deal breaker. Leaves a biting fade.

Mouthfeel is on the lighter end with a soft carbonation.

I like this. Seems a bit of an English/American hybrid, but one that works well. I ended up drinking this throughout the afternoon NFL NFC East crapathon. I wish it hid the sharp finish better, but the flavors and mouthfeel work well.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 00:09:19 | More by BarrytheBear