Bear Republic Cafe Racer 15

Beer Name: Cafe Racer 15
Brewery: Bear Republic Brewing Co. (Cloverdale, CA)
ABV: 9.75%

How sold: 22 oz. bottle (650.6 mL)
Where bought: John's Marketplace (Portland, OR)
Price: $8.99
Where distributed: Should be found in some capacity across the United States. The Cafe Racer 15 is easily the brewery's bestseller.

REVIEW:

Appearance (5%): Hazy golden color at eye level. More of a hazy orange-copper look when staring down at an angle. Not much of a head when pouring into a pint glass. Quite an attractive appearance overall. 4.5/5

Smell (25%): Appealing citrus-grapefruit aroma, pine, sweet, hoppy, and slightly malty. 4.25/5

Taste (40%): Lovely citrus-grapefruit, pine, and hoppy flavors, but well balanced. There's a sweetness in there that keeps the hoppy-citrus in check. The first sips were extremely smooth, with very little trace of alcohol. Subsequent sips brought more of the alcohol into the equation (both the front and back end). The grapefruit flavors linger on the tongue and are very refreshing. The increasing alcohol flavors (as I keep drinking) detract a bit from the score, but still a quality product here. 4.5/5

Mouthfeel (10%): A mostly flat experience, not very carbonated. It has some creamy heaviness to it, which I'd rate at medium body. Very smooth on the first few sips, then more alcoholic-bitter in nature as I finished the pint. 3.75/5

Overall (20%): This is a dangerous beer in a good way. A lightweight like me will start feeling a buzz after one pint, but at the same time not care too much because it's damn good. I'm slowly becoming a fan of the IPA and Double IPA varieties. For 9.75% ABV, this is an awesome beer and a must-buy for IPA lovers. 4.5/5

Final Weighted Rating: 4.36/5