Bear Republic Brewing Company was a west coast staple in the early days of craft beer. Prior to the current excesses of beer choices, if you wanted an IPA at your local spot you were pretty much limited to Stone, Lagunitas and Bear Republic.

Fast forward and all three of these industry stalwarts have been through ownership changes. Most recently, Drakes Brewing Company and Bear Republic have joined forces.

Through the continued growth of craft beer, Bear Republic and their “Racer” series of IPAs have been some of the most innovative beers on the market. Whether you are drinking a Racer 5 or one of these; Racer X, Cafe Racer 15, Black Racer, Pace Car Racer, Drift Racer and FastBack Racer IPA. I probably missed a few, but it’s safe to say they know how to brew IPAs.

Maybe this beer emerged after the ownership changes, or maybe this had been in the works, but either way Racer 7 is a fantastic addition to the Racer series. The beer pours out more on the cloudy side of the hazy spectrum, and it definitely drinks cleaner and more crisp than some of the thick, belly-filling hazy beers on the market.

This beer comes in at 7% ABV. The hop profile is full of tropical fruits, citrus and ripe melon. Citra, Hallertau Blanc and Galaxy hops prove to be a perfect blend. You can taste the hops and what they bring to the beer, without being a “hop stew” that is common with so many hazy beers.

This beer is a perfect addition to the summer mix of IPAs in the fridge. Looking forward to seeing what other new beers Bear Republic brings next.

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