88
Score
Charbay R5 Hop Flavored (Lot No. 5), 49.5%
Price: $60 ● Issue: Fall 2021 ● Reviewer: David Fleming
Distilled from Racer 5 IPA. Quite citrusy at first—candied orange slices, orange tart, fresh lemon, lemon soda, sugary oak, honeyed breakfast cereal, vanilla, and lilac. Ashy, charred oak on a very complex palate, with a silky, syrupy texture that offers black cherry and maple syrup, honey on toast, burnt brown sugar, roasted grains and malt. Chocolate and more roasted malt on a creamy spiced finish, while water adds orange peel. Unusual, but certainly creative.
