Bear Republic Five Zero

Brewed by Bear Republic Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Healdsburg, California USA

Serve in Snifter, Tulip

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My Bottom Line:
This friendly Double IPA presents earthy and wooden hop resins to lightly caramelized cereals, creating a well-made example of the style.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-A veil of foam tops the nearly clear deep amber.
-This was very drinkable for its gravity.
-I can’t say this is anything special; it is "just" another very well made Bear Republic IPA.
-This is balanced throughout.

On tap at Rattle ’n’ Hum, NYC.

Tap at Rattle N Hum. Deep amber pour with a thick white head. The nose is kind of indistinct though - muted American hops with a touch of light hoppiness. A kiss of malt sweetness and straight up pale malt. It’s really not all that good.

Draft @ Blind tiger. Amber brown pour with some tan head. Earthy, dry bittering hop aroma, also some malty influence. Flavor follows with equal malt and hop presence.

Draft. Pours an amber body with an off white head. Earth y dry and brush like. Forest floor, leaf like bitterness. Tea really dry tone, like an over soaked bag of tea, very dry and very bitter. A mild malt tone with some light earth.

Draft at RnH in NYC with Andrew. Had this directly after the Apex. Pours a clear body as well. The aroma is delicious grapefruit hop. This was a bit maltier but that delicious, crisp hop taste was still present.

Bear Republic Promo event at Blind Tiger. Pours a good clear woody amber mahogany with a nice lasting thin head. Aroma is herbal tea, mineral earth and light citrus hops with a medium crystal malt backbone, nutty toffee sweetness. Flavor is caramel and toast, crystal malts, some toffee, earthy flowery and tea-like bitterness and astringency from the hops a touch vegetal but finishes pretty clean. Ok.

16 ounce sample on tap from the Davis Graduate. Aroma is metallic, somewhat musty, and rather herbal. Not overly aromatic, but pleasant enough. Amber-golden body with a smallish off-yellow head and fair lacing present. Wow - this is gritty chewy, malty, and chock-full of resins and some tannins. Very earthy, and somewhat metallic hoppy finish that is a bit dry for me. Very chewy.

Location: Tap at RnH, 4/2/10

Aroma: The nose on this one has some citrus, pine, and some earth
Appearance: It pours into the glass a dark caramel color
Flavor: The taste is pretty balanced, medium sweet, medium bitter
Palate: A medium bodied brew with a nice crisp mouthfeel
Overall Impression: A good, though a bit on the odd side, Double IPA. This beer is very nice, but I didn’t feel as though it stacked up to the 11 or anywhere near the Racer X, which was spectacular. Still very good though.

En fût. Verre de 4 oz chez Rattle & Hum (New York, NY). Arôme: Odeur de pamplemousse avec une pointe de caramel. Apparence: La couleur est dorée. Présence d’un mince col mousseux et d’une fine dentelle sur le verre. Saveur: Goût de pamplemousse avec une pointe de pin et de caramel. Durée moyenne de l’arrière goût. Palette: Le corps est moyen avec une texture légèrement minérale. Moyenne effervescence en bouche. Amertume d’houblons en arrière goût. (Rating #2965)

Tap at Rattle n Hum, poured a medium amber. Nose is fruity hops. Flavor follows that nose with some sweetness   Very floral with a mild bitter finish. well balanced with a ton of malts. Nice.

Had this directly after a BR Apex. This was noticablity more malty but still had that delicious, crisp hop taste that Bear Republic shows off so well. Good, but I’ll take an apex.