Tuesday Brews Day: Bear Republic, Red Rocket Ale

There aren’t many top notch breweries in Southern Cali. Most the breweries or restaurant/breweries you visit are more bright lights and show than anything. Hey, we’re near Hollywood, go figure. There are, however, a few diamonds in the rough and Bear Republic Brewing is one of them.

Don’t judge a building by it’s paint!

Like my favorite brewery, Stone, they are rapidly growing, and rightfully so. Above is their brand spankin’ new brewery that’s still in the works. I’ve found that the less known, but higher quality, brewers seem to have almost no decorations or signs outside their establishments. Hmmm…maybe they actually care more about the beer than their building? Quite the concept, I know.

One of their best, in my opinion, is their Red Rocket Ale. It’s billed as a Scottish red ale but doesn’t stay true to it’s colors. This is more an ale for you hop heads out there. The drink is silky like a Scottish but brings some strong, delicious hop flavor. You’ll notice some sweet and malty tasting flavors towards the end too. All in all this seems more like a mix between a slightly sweet Scottish ale and an IPA. The picture shows the drink darker than it actually is. It’s more of a deep brown with a subtle red tint. Interestingly Bear Republic even says the Red Rocket Ale is the brew of choice for mountain bikers! If you like strong, tasty brews then I think you’ll agree.

Odd name for a great brew