Drift Racer
Bear Republic Brewing Co.

Just slightly hazy in the Tripel Karmeliet tulip with plenty of foam. Sudsy and sweet, a nice mouthful. Deeply aromatic with lime peel, pine, and mango. Hops are listed as Galaxy, Hallertau Blanc, and Huell Melon. Flavors of grilled pineapple, tangerine, and finish of orange marmalade.

Moderately bitter to balance the sweet fruitiness. This is so much better than the Belching Beaver Mosaic DIPA I just tasted. Much more drinkable mix of fruity flavors. I think this is still brewed. Purchased as a six pack of 12 oz bottles at a reliable liquor store in San Diego.

Bottle poured into a Bear Republic Brewing Co pint glass

A: Pours slightly hazy golden amber with a frothy eggshell white head that settles to a light layer and laces nicely.

S: A little spicy, quickly followed with the full fruit stand from grapes to tropical and stone fruit to citrus, slightly grassy, bready malt, and caramel sweetness.

T: All kinds of fruity, white grape, peach, apricot, and melon, hints of passion fruit, pineapple and strawberry, citrus, grapefruit, orange, lemon, and lime, spicy grassy notes, bready malt, and caramel sweetness.

M: On the fuller side of medium body, moderate carbonation,

O: Very interesting hop combo that definitely makes for a unique DIPA. Not my favorite from them, but a fun one to try.

 

On tap at Uncorked SF mid Kauai trip home. Big and break out as expected.
a) Hazed (dirt) as promised, with low head that dissipates but laces well.
s) A fade compared with the bolting flavors: citrus, with dominant peach and apricot.
t) More fresh bread and crackers offered in the base, with dominant peach and apricot in citrus mix. Hop mouthful, I like it and want to taste vs other DIPAs.
f) Mouthfeel is medium-bodied with moderate carbonation. Finishes dry, leaving mouth sharp, and clean
o) Needs like all Bears to be tasted against the best blind.

A 12oz bottle picked up in Las Vegas, Total Wine

Cloudy color, and very tropical and hoppy. Tasty NE style. Well done

 

 

 

 

 

12oz bottle. Poured out a slightly hazy, golden orange color with a small, off-white head of foam. It smelled of grapefruit, pineapple and mango. Sweet tropical fruit flavor with a sweet caramel backbone.

 

Smooth, not particularly juicy or hoppy. A pleasant but uninspired inevitable step in the racer series, not up to par with the standards set by the prior Racers.

12oz bottle poured into a tulip. Pours a hazy golden, but it's not cloudy and doesn't look like your typical "New England IPA"; white head that falls leaving great bubbly retention and nice lacing. The aromas have a nice amount of citrus. Some orange, grapefruit, peach and apricot. Some fresh bread and crackers. Malts are there. The flavors have a nice amount of citrus as well. More orange and grapefruit leading the way. Some apricot in the mix. Solid hop flavors and bitterness. Malts do their thing. It finishes juicy and dry at the same time, but it's probably more on the juicier side. Mouthfeel is very nice. It's medium-bodied with moderate to active carbonation. It's sharp, fluffy, smooth and easy to drink.

This is a solid DIPA. They call it a "Hazy Double IPA", but it's definitely closer to a traditional IPA than a "New England IPA". It's enjoyable and fun to drink.