Bear Republic Racer 5 India Pale Ale

Beer sellers: City Beer Store, San Francisco

ABV: 7%
Origin: Healdsburg, California, USA
Website: http://www.bearrepublic.com/

Bear Republic Racer 5 India Pale Ale

The fame of Northern California’s Sonoma County is now second only to neighbouring Napa among wine lovers, but the area round Healdsburg was once hop growing country, a fact which father and son Richard R & Richard G Norgrove decided to celebrate when they opened a brewpub in the town in 1996. Since then their fine beers have been justly celebrated, with numerous Great American Beer Festival and other awards including Small Brewing Company of the Year in 2006. The origin of the brewery name is obvious to anyone familiar with the Californian state flag, and the beer name reflects the head brewer’s interest in motor racing.

One thing that particularly impressed me about the brewery’s flagship Racer 5 when I first tried it is the aromatic complexity and delicate balance of its hop bite. Sure, it’s hoppy, but its 75+ IBUs are acheived with a combination of Chinook, Cascade, Columbus and Centennial chosen with a subtlety that sets it apart from some of its fellow West Coast hops monsters.

It’s a deep golden-amber with a touch of crystal malt in the all-American grist, with a fine lacy white head. A rooty, fruity aroma has hints of strawberry, orange peel and violets, heralding a slickly hoppy and meaty palate with more orange alongside blue cheeese and piney notes. The tangy, resinous finish continues the bitter orange theme but with silky malt still in evidence. The hop attack is indeed assertive but the complexity holds it back from being too aggressive. One of the best of its style.

Read more about this beer at ratebeer.com: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/bear-republic-racer-5/1608/