Who doesn't love a redhead?
Ever since I first saw a summer sampler of Red Racer beer, with that illustration of a tantalizing redhead on a bicycle, I've been impressed. And it has nothing to do with Central City's symbolic lady.
Almost every one of the many beers I've tried, I liked. A lot. Earlier, this summer, their ISA blew me away and was one of my summer picks.
Now, for December, the girl is back: and I'm in love.
Red Racer Gingerhead Gingerbread Stout (6% ABV)
Central City Brewers
Surrey, BC
Appearance: motor-oil black with walnut highlights, and a creamy, taupe head that settles to a thin cap.
Nose: rich chocolate, coffee, burnt caramel, and spice.
Palate: the gingerbread comes out at the gate, with full force. There's a slight sweetness that, when swirled in the mouth, releases tones of vanilla and a hint of root beer. Chocolate brings up the rear in what is a rich, decadent finish, without any "strong-beer" taste.
Overall impression: I love a good, full-bodied stout, and this one delivers. The added flavours of gingerbread and sweetness of chocolate make this not only a great stout, but a decadent holiday dessert. I am thoroughly impressed with this latest Red Racer offering, and this is perhaps one of the best stouts that I have had in a very long time.
That red head has got my motor racing.
Grab some while you can.
Beer O'Clock rating: 5
Cheers!
I'm seeing a pattern. I might be wrong, but I'm calling it as I see it.
A couple of years ago, as the craft-beer market exploded on the Canadian map, these budding breweries tended to focus on hops, producing some of the bitterest brews I had ever tasted. Two years ago, it seemed that everyone was putting out a massive IPA: tons of hops, a higher alcohol level, and big-bodied.
I loved it. I'm a big IPA fan, and these breweries delivered in spades. But the thing with an IPA is that if you want to drink other styles of beer at the same time, you had to drink an IPA last because you would blow out your taste buds and wouldn't taste anything else afterward.
But even when drinking IPAs together, you had to be careful. One time, I enjoyed a Class V IPA, by Whitewater Brewing, and then followed up with a Nickel Brook Naughty Neighbour. After one sip, I had to send the Nickel Brook back: not because there was anything wrong with the Naughty Neighbour, but because the hops of the Class V overpowered the flavours of the less-bitter follow-up pint.
Thankfully, the pub replaced the Naughty Neighbour with another Class V, at no cost. That's the mark of a good pub.
Last year, the IPAs seemed to be overshadowed by light-bodied session ales: Muskoka's Detour and Rhyme and Reason, by Collective Arts, come to mind. They were great summer ales: light in alcohol, full on flavour, but milder hops than the big IPAs of the previous year. It was like the breweries went in the opposite direction, and it was a good direction.
This year, the pattern has gone back towards IPAs but brought the session ale style with them. This year, they're calling them session IPAs or India Session Ales.
Whatever they're calling them, they are the best of both worlds.
Earlier this week, I reviewed a session IPA from Collective Arts. Today, I'm looking to the west coast of Canada and examine an ISA.
Red Racer India Session Ale (4% ABV)
Central City Brewers
Surrey, BC
Appearance: a crystal-clear amber with an ample, foamy head that stays thick.
Nose: floral hops and light citrus.
Palate: orange citrus with a definite presence of hops, but not bitter. Almost like an unsweetened iced tea, with a mild finish.
Overall impression: if you want to try an IPA but are not keen on bitter hops, this ISA is your answer.
I really like this summer addition to the Red Racer line. And I find I like session IPAs. They have a low alcohol level but good hops: not as light as a session ale, and not as boldly bitter as some IPAs. This is the kind of beer that you want to enjoy on a warm summer evening, on a pub patio or on your front porch.
Beer O'Clock rating: 3.5
We'll see what trend comes next. Because no matter what direction the craft brewers are going in, I'm enjoying the journey.
Cheers!
As the summer comes to a close, I reflect on the beer I enjoyed this season and will miss with a strong fondness.
As much as I love stouts and IPAs, sometimes I find them a little much on a really hot day. And while I tend to shy away from lighter-bodied beer, I couldn't help but be drawn to a few.
Surprisingly, my favourite beer of this summer was a Belgian-style witbier from a British Columbia brewery.
Central City Brewing Company, from Surrey, launched a summer six-pack sampler of three of the beers from its Red Racer series. Packaged in cans that feature a sultry, long-legged redhead who is riding a bicycle, it was hard not to be drawn to the beer.
Who doesn't like a redhead on a bicycle? But it's always what's inside that counts, and I was determined to discover the liquid in the can.
Red Racer White Ale (5% ABV)
Central City Brewing Co.
Surrey, BC
Beer O'Clock rating: 5
Appearance: a murky, lemon-yellow with a frothy-white head that settles down to a foamy cap.
Nose: candied citrus—lemon and blood orange.
Palate: fresh lemon and caramel with a creamy finish.
Overall opinion: this is the very definition of a summer beer. I drank many cans of this witbier over the summer, especially outdoors (on my front steps, at cottages). When I considered packing beer for my canoe vacation, this was the ale that I wanted to take.
It's a great cottage-party ale that will be missed when the summer is gone.
The Red Racer White Ale is not the only offering in Central City's summer pack. The other two samples are also worth examining.
Red Racer Pilsner (5% ABV)
Beer O'Clock rating: 3
Appearance: deep gold and crystal-clear, with a white foam head that settles to a thin cap.
Nose: malt and honey.
Palate: grassy hops that come to a light, clean finish.
Overall impression: somewhere along the road, I lost my taste for pilsners, but I found Red Racer's offering to be easy-drinking and well-balanced. Although it was always the last can that I pulled from the six-pack, I never pulled the can out with reluctance and I would easily drink it again. If you're a pilsner lover, you will love this beer.
Red Racer Pale Ale (5% ABV)
Beer O'Clock rating: 3.5
Appearance: deep apricot with a thick, creamy, off-white head.
Nose: honey dew and oranges.
Palate: orange and grapefruit; assertive, but not overbearing hops, and a nice malt finish.
Overall impression: this is a very pleasant pale ale that has a classic taste; that is, it's not crazy-bitter.
For someone who may want to ease into bold, bitter IPAs or APAs, without being scared off, this is the one pale ale that I would recommend for dipping your tongue into.
It's been a couple of weeks since I picked up a Red Racer Summer Sampler, and I'm hoping that the LCBO still has some. If it does, I recommend that you stock up: summer's almost over and it may be a while until we see that red-headed biker again.
Cheers!
