Review: Bear Republic Fastback Racer Double IPA
Bear Republic’s Fastback Racer (nee Fastback Racer X3) is a monumental beer — the brewery describes it thusly: “Massive hop additions of Citra and Ekuanot are revved to the limit on a chassis of Rye, Munich, and light caramel malts.” Revved to the limit is about right. The beer comes across as almost syrupy in composition, dosed with notes of coffee grounds, dates, figs, and molasses. The bitterness on the back end is just as monstrous, a foil to the sweet-and-savory combo that comes up front. Almost too much to manage, and a beer that pushes back heavily on the very definition of IPA.
10.4% abv.
B / $14 per six pack / bearrepublic.com