Bear Republic APEX

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

On tap as part of sampler tray at the brewery. Light toasted malt smell with some nice grapefruit as well. Very sweet flavor with both grapefruit and floral hop flavors. Finishes dry. Not bad, but I’d rather drink Racer 5 any day of the week.

On tap at The Publick House in Brookline, body is a dark amber with a thin tight pure white head. The dominate aroma is wet grass with notes of citrus, pine sap and sweet tea. The body was well carbonated, possibly a bit too much as the body felt tough on my tongue and the flavors took a while to register. Notes of pine needles, citrus zest and corriander fill the senses with a strong sweet profile of dry soupy malts shoring up the bitterness. I could have been fooled if you told me this was a really hoppy barleywine. Very unique DIPA to break up the hop overloads, but strays a bit from the traditional style.

Golden color with a citrusy-sweet aroma of sugar and medium hops. Flavor is sweet and full of floral and citrus hops, but seems messy to me. Nowhere near their other hoppy efforts - this one was not even easy to finish.

Draught at Capone’s: Aroma of hops, citrus, grapefruit, light toasted malts, pine, and apricot. Poured amber orange in color with a tiny white head. Lightly hazy. Slightly sparkling. Good lacing. Flavor is light to medium bitter. Tastes of hops, apricot, grapefruit, pine and a bit of orange. Medium body. Dry texture. Average carbonation. Hoppy, piney, bitter finish.

Fresh on tap at the Hopyard, San Ramon. Pretty damn good IIPA from the folks at BR who haven’t made a bad IPA yet. Pours a copper brown with minimal head. The aroma is slightly yeasty, and very floral. This one has a nice bitter back bite, but the nose is all florals. A very balanced IPA, as the malts play a big role in this one - they add a fruity character that is uncommon for a West Coast IPA. Lots of resinous pine notes in this one.

Poured a lightly hazy amber color with a small, off white head that left nice lacing on the glass. Aroma of citrus fruit, caramel malt, floral hops, pine, and toasted notes. Taste of citrus, pine, resin, light tobacco, orange peel, toffee, and a bitter grapefruit finish with some alcohol as well.

Tap at Capones. Pours a lightly hazy orange amber with a small off white head that left spotty lacing. Aroma was floral, mixed citrus, caramel, toasted malt and light pine. Flavor of pine, grapefruit, other citrus, toasted malt, grassy hop notes and caramel.

On tap at Bistro DIPA Fest poured a clear amber with a small lingering amber head. Aromas of biscuit, apricot, orange, light pine and light grapefruit. Palate was light bodie and smooth with a dry finish. Flavors of carmel, earthiness and light orange with a smooth lingering bitter finish.