Bear Republic Black Racer IPA

From Bear Republic – Black Racer™ is an aggressively hopped ale brewed to a style pioneered in the Pacific Northwest known as Cascadian IPA or Black IPA. Hoppy and dark, with low roastiness.

Bear Republic Brewing – Bear Republic Black Racer IPA – 22 oz. bottle poured into an Imperial Pint glass. 8.1% abv.

Appearance:  Pours near black with a beige frothy cap of head.

Aroma:  Light roasted dark malt and a  bit of citrusy dry hops.

Taste:  Candied orange followed by piny hop bitterness. A little bit of roast on the back end. Finishes with medium duration.

Mouthfeel:  Unusalky silky. Black patent malt or oats maybe? Active, almost creamy carbonation.

Overall:  Typically, my benchmark for Black IPAs is Stone SSR or Deschutes Hop in The Dark.  This beer is nothing like either, but more importantly it’s better than the other 97% of the Black IPAs on the market.  Great flavor profile with minimal roast, and a remarkable mouthfeel.  Could be more dank in the nose, but still a great balanced hoppy black ale.