Racer 5 India Pale Ale
Appearance: Pours a light amber with great clarity. It forms an off-white head that's foamy and rich, and a full finger deep. It fades to a small cap, but laces the glass well. Adding the yeast dregs doesn't really change the look much. Smell: This brew has a great hoppy aroma with lots of pine, citrus, and grapefruit. A touch of sweet caramelly malt is present. Taste: Full flavored with a fair amount of hop bitterness, but lots of hops flavor. Great use of dry-hopping here... Hefty doses of piney resin, grapefruit, and a touch of a floral taste. It induces pine-soaked burps... There's a nice malt backbone, which is slightly sweet with a strong caramel flavor. A bit of a toasted, bready character is in there too. A touch of alcohol on the tail end. Very well balanced, this is a damn good IPA. Mouthfeel: Medium in body with a smooth, crisp mouthfeel. Has the perfect amount of dryness to arouse my hunger. It's just right... Drinkability: This beer is very drinkability for a 7% India Pale Ale. If it wasn't for the higher strength, I could sip this all night. Another fantastic brew from Bear Republic. The more I try these California micros, the more I want to move out there...