I so rarely get my hands on Bear Republic and boy do I love their beer.
I’ve had this one in the fridge a few weeks as I’ve been waiting for the #BackInBlack evening to open it.
And here we are.
Black Racer IPA is superb.
It pours an inky black with a cappuccino head and it smells of all your favourite childhood sweets suspended in redwood resin.
It’s like sniffing a trophy of your sweetshop childhood.
The hefty 8.1% ABV makes for a chest warming drink and taking a mouthful you get burned-to-a-crisp biscuits, fresh espresso, treacle and wood polish.
Swimming around in the background there are plums and a handful of cola bottles, smoky oak and chocolate.
And then the hops hit you with a super sharp, crisp, resinous pine cone and grapefruit skin goodness that builds as you work your way through this bottle of deep, dark goodness.

Source: Cotteridge Wines