Barrel-Aged Wet-Hopped Racer 5 IPA
Bear Republic Brewing Co.
- From:
- Bear Republic Brewing Co.
- California, United States
- Style:
- American IPA
- ABV:
- 9.2%
- Score:
- 90
- Avg:
- 4.12 | pDev: 8.01%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 3
- Status:
- Inactive
- Rated:
- Sep 22, 2019
- Added:
- Sep 08, 2015
- Wants:
- 2
- Gots:
- 10
SCORE
90
Outstanding
90
Outstanding
Our flagship Racer 5 IPA was laid down in barrels for two years along with the freshest hops from Yakima, Washington including Mosaic, Citra, Cascade, Centennial, Simcoe and Chinook. Additional fermentation with wild yeast and bacteria in the barrels give this ale a slight funk and acidity in addition to its epic hop aroma.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by NeilSilber1 from California
4.47/5 rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.47/5 rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Pours golden yellow with white fluffy foam cap and notes of piney hops. Nice classic iPA with floral and slight citrus like notes. Nicely served ice ice cold in frozen glass on draft. Good IPA classic!
Sep 22, 2019
Reviewed by GStone899 from Minnesota
4/5 rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a golden opaque IPA with lots of sticky lacing. Smooth mouth feel. Really tasty beer. Had on tap at bubba gump in San Francisco fisherman's wharf.
Jan 25, 2019
Rated by flgimp from Pennsylvania
4.06/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.06/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Not much head, but great taste. Not overly hopped, nice balance notes of citrus, orange peal comes thru and then malt. A solid IPA.
Jul 22, 2018
Reviewed by Jugs_McGhee from Texas
3.54/5 rDev -14.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.54/5 rDev -14.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
8oz draught pour for $11 @ One Mile House in Manhattan. 9.20% ABV. Served in stemware.
HEAD: None when served - just a surface floater that lingers maybe 3 minutes.
BODY: Vibrant peach-gold (if that makes any fucking sense). Not clear; slightly hazy I guess. Translucent.
Looks like an IPA. Head could be better (I.e. existent).
AROMA: Hops? Sure - floral and vaguely fruity - but they take a backseat to the pungent oak, obvious brettanomyces funkiness, intricate microflora, and mixed bacterial flavours (which promise acidity but only a moderate sourness - think 4-5/10). The oak is the star of the show; God, I wish more oak aged beers captured oak this well.
Aromatic intensity is average.
I'm conflicted; the funkier woodier more sour notes are enticing, but the wet hops seem to have faded so much and their selection sounded so terrific (Mosaic, Citra, Cascade, Centennial, Simcoe and Chinook? That's how it's done!). I'm excited to try this, but one has to wonder - wouldn't a non barrel aged non-bacteria-innoculated wet hop racer 5 be better...and aren't wet hops wasted on a barrel aged beer?
TASTE & TEXTURE: Decadent rich white oak underscores this beautiful brew. Pleasant acidity is seamlessly integrated. Hop flavours are in there, but they're not as pungent as you'd expect in a beer with "wet hop" in the name.
Fruity, nodding towards grape, white plum, and vague unidentifiable fruits.
Sourness is mild - ~3/10 in terms of intensity. Average duration, depth, and intensity of flavour.
Nice complexity, even though the funkiness promised by the aroma is reticent.
Smooth, wet, slightly smacky, well-carbonated, medium-bodied, and of above average acidity. A biteen tannic.
Overall, it's very drinkable and I regard it as a very competently executed sour ale, but it's a bit of a waste of wet hops; as good as this is I imagine I'd prefer a fresh racer 5 hopped with the same wet hops. In any case, I nitpick only because Bear Republic is so consistently fantastic. Well worth trying, and worth its high price (if only once).
Low B / GOOD
Jan 02, 2017HEAD: None when served - just a surface floater that lingers maybe 3 minutes.
BODY: Vibrant peach-gold (if that makes any fucking sense). Not clear; slightly hazy I guess. Translucent.
Looks like an IPA. Head could be better (I.e. existent).
AROMA: Hops? Sure - floral and vaguely fruity - but they take a backseat to the pungent oak, obvious brettanomyces funkiness, intricate microflora, and mixed bacterial flavours (which promise acidity but only a moderate sourness - think 4-5/10). The oak is the star of the show; God, I wish more oak aged beers captured oak this well.
Aromatic intensity is average.
I'm conflicted; the funkier woodier more sour notes are enticing, but the wet hops seem to have faded so much and their selection sounded so terrific (Mosaic, Citra, Cascade, Centennial, Simcoe and Chinook? That's how it's done!). I'm excited to try this, but one has to wonder - wouldn't a non barrel aged non-bacteria-innoculated wet hop racer 5 be better...and aren't wet hops wasted on a barrel aged beer?
TASTE & TEXTURE: Decadent rich white oak underscores this beautiful brew. Pleasant acidity is seamlessly integrated. Hop flavours are in there, but they're not as pungent as you'd expect in a beer with "wet hop" in the name.
Fruity, nodding towards grape, white plum, and vague unidentifiable fruits.
Sourness is mild - ~3/10 in terms of intensity. Average duration, depth, and intensity of flavour.
Nice complexity, even though the funkiness promised by the aroma is reticent.
Smooth, wet, slightly smacky, well-carbonated, medium-bodied, and of above average acidity. A biteen tannic.
Overall, it's very drinkable and I regard it as a very competently executed sour ale, but it's a bit of a waste of wet hops; as good as this is I imagine I'd prefer a fresh racer 5 hopped with the same wet hops. In any case, I nitpick only because Bear Republic is so consistently fantastic. Well worth trying, and worth its high price (if only once).
Low B / GOOD
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!