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Red Racer Imperial IPA
Central City Brewers + Distillers
- From:
- Central City Brewers + Distillers
- British Columbia, Canada
- Style:
- Imperial IPA
- ABV:
- 9%
- Score:
- 92
- Avg:
- 4.15 | pDev: 8.92%
- Reviews:
- 66
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Apr 12, 2020
- Added:
- Sep 27, 2009
- Wants:
- 39
- Gots:
- 36
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Rated by Mysticmage from Canada (ON)
4/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Nice all rounder
Apr 12, 2020Reviewed by JonCorbett from Canada (BC)
4.23/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.23/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Appearance: Clear medium copper, decent carbonation springing up from the bottom of the glass, though the head took a bit of encouragement to form. A half finger of foam for me, which receded rather quickly but kept a decent ring and some surface fuzz for most of it.
Aromas: Fruity apple and pomaceous. Even some tropical notes of pineapple and papaya. Maybe a hint of cider (i.e. not quite a vinegar scent, and not really alcohol either.) Smells almost like a fresh orchard in bloom mixed with day old mashed apples.
Taste: Pretty big flavour, still retains some that fruitiness but amongst the bitter of orange peel and some gently steeped pine needles. Slightly yeasty with warmed honey. Good stuff!
Mouthfeel: Slick and somewhat warming, almost sticky which gives it a little extra weight, putting it at the mid to upper end of medium. The finish is dry, and there is a slight bitter linger at the back of the tongue.
Overall: A really tasty 9% and 90IBU and doesn't come across as either of those. The sweetness is really nice and really does a great job of hoisting in the bitter, maybe even leaning it to a sweeter balance. Really great drinking beer.
Pairing: With its lusciousness I want to hit it with a bit of spice - nothing outrageous, but a lightly curried India inspired sauce with chicken and some really fragrant jasmine rice. I think both of those will compliment and really pull out that extra bit of flavour.
Oct 28, 2016Aromas: Fruity apple and pomaceous. Even some tropical notes of pineapple and papaya. Maybe a hint of cider (i.e. not quite a vinegar scent, and not really alcohol either.) Smells almost like a fresh orchard in bloom mixed with day old mashed apples.
Taste: Pretty big flavour, still retains some that fruitiness but amongst the bitter of orange peel and some gently steeped pine needles. Slightly yeasty with warmed honey. Good stuff!
Mouthfeel: Slick and somewhat warming, almost sticky which gives it a little extra weight, putting it at the mid to upper end of medium. The finish is dry, and there is a slight bitter linger at the back of the tongue.
Overall: A really tasty 9% and 90IBU and doesn't come across as either of those. The sweetness is really nice and really does a great job of hoisting in the bitter, maybe even leaning it to a sweeter balance. Really great drinking beer.
Pairing: With its lusciousness I want to hit it with a bit of spice - nothing outrageous, but a lightly curried India inspired sauce with chicken and some really fragrant jasmine rice. I think both of those will compliment and really pull out that extra bit of flavour.
Reviewed by flyerzrule from California
3.26/5 rDev -21.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.26/5 rDev -21.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Pours a hazy amber with a think slightly off white head. Great retention and lacing. Aroma is lead by onion with some light pine and a touch of malt sweetness in the background. Taste is hoppy up front with hints of onion, lemon, and pine followed with some biscuit and cracker flavors from the malt. Finished with some more piney earthy bitterness. There is a solid malt backbone and this is a hoppy but balanced 2xIPA. Moderate carbonation and mouthfeel fits the style. Overall, this isn't a hop bomb, like some 2xIPA, which is a good thing.
May 10, 2016Reviewed by MikeRotten from Canada (ON)
3.08/5 rDev -25.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.08/5 rDev -25.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
It poured an Amber colour with little head that dissipated quickly. The sweet maltiness taste overpowered the hops and with a higher ibu I didn't see that coming.
It was a good beer but it got old quick.
May 02, 2016It was a good beer but it got old quick.
Reviewed by thehyperduck from Canada (ON)
4.15/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
4.15/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
650 mL bottle from the LCBO; dated Dec 8 2015 and served slightly chilled.
Pours a clear, vibrant amber-orange colour, generating one finger's worth of frothy, off white-coloured head. It lasts for a little over two minutes; a modest, foamy collar remains, along with some patchy lacing. Caramel, honey, bready malts and raisin butter tart on the nose, along with notes of grapefruit, pineapple juice, orange, dank pine resin and floral hops. Noticeably boozy, too; not a bad aroma, but nothing really stands out to me.
Sweet, fruit-forward flavour profile that seems more well-balanced than this style is apt to be. Caramel and bready malts provide the backdrop, with fruity flavours of apricot, lychee, mango and pineapple following closely in tow. Big notes of pine resin, grapefruit and tangerine toward the back end, culminating in a surprisingly understated bittersweet, fruity aftertaste. Surprisingly restrained astringency for the stated 90 IBUs. Nearing full-bodied, with a creamy, smooth, generously-weighted mouthfeel augmented by light carbonation that gently agitates the palate.
Final Grade: 4.15, an A-. Red Racer Imperial IPA is considered one of the best DIPAs in Canada, and for good reason - it's really delicious, while also being unexpectedly well-balanced and quaffable. While this isn't the freshest bottle in the world (thanks, LCBO), it's still drinking nicely, and has convinced me to pick up another (hopefully younger) bottle in the future, if given the opportunity. Oddly enough I think I prefer the regular Red Racer IPA, but this is still a truly solid Imperial version that all hopheads should seek out and try ASAP.
Apr 22, 2016Pours a clear, vibrant amber-orange colour, generating one finger's worth of frothy, off white-coloured head. It lasts for a little over two minutes; a modest, foamy collar remains, along with some patchy lacing. Caramel, honey, bready malts and raisin butter tart on the nose, along with notes of grapefruit, pineapple juice, orange, dank pine resin and floral hops. Noticeably boozy, too; not a bad aroma, but nothing really stands out to me.
Sweet, fruit-forward flavour profile that seems more well-balanced than this style is apt to be. Caramel and bready malts provide the backdrop, with fruity flavours of apricot, lychee, mango and pineapple following closely in tow. Big notes of pine resin, grapefruit and tangerine toward the back end, culminating in a surprisingly understated bittersweet, fruity aftertaste. Surprisingly restrained astringency for the stated 90 IBUs. Nearing full-bodied, with a creamy, smooth, generously-weighted mouthfeel augmented by light carbonation that gently agitates the palate.
Final Grade: 4.15, an A-. Red Racer Imperial IPA is considered one of the best DIPAs in Canada, and for good reason - it's really delicious, while also being unexpectedly well-balanced and quaffable. While this isn't the freshest bottle in the world (thanks, LCBO), it's still drinking nicely, and has convinced me to pick up another (hopefully younger) bottle in the future, if given the opportunity. Oddly enough I think I prefer the regular Red Racer IPA, but this is still a truly solid Imperial version that all hopheads should seek out and try ASAP.
Red Racer Imperial IPA from Central City Brewers + Distillers
Beer rating:
92 out of
100 with
190 ratings
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