Racer 5

Beer Name: Racer 5 IPA
Brewery: Bear Republic Brewing Company
ABV: 7%
Serving method: 22-oz bottle in a pint glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown

People have been recommending this beer to me for a long time, and, as usual, that has caused me to avoid it. Don't tell me what to do!!

Racer 5 is a golden colored beer, slightly darker than what is generally characterized as dark. It poured with a big fat head, nice and thick, and it faded slowly, leaving a very heavy lacing pattern behind. There's a nice hop aroma here, mixed with some sweetness. It smells mostly piney, and there's some maltiness in there as well.

The taste is as advertised by the aroma. It's nice and hoppy, with some sweetness to keep things balanced. Piney flavors are upfront, with the sweetness following. Each sip ends with a little bit of bitterness in the form of citrusy hop flavors, and it finishes slightly dry. The finish is mostly clean, with a little bit of a bitter flavor that hangs on briefly. The bottle suggested a serving temperature of 45º - 50º, so I let it warm up for a few minutes before I drank it. That seemed to let the malts come through a bit more, so keep that it mind if you're interested in a more malty experience.

Final thought - Despite the major build-up, which usually results in my being disappointed with the beers, this one lives up to its reputation. Anyone that's a fan of IPAs needs to add this one to their "To Drink" list if they haven't had it already. I can't be the only one that walks around with a list of beers to try on my phone, right?

-Jon