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Bear Republic Big Bear Black Stout

Bear Republic Big Bear Black Stout

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 Percentile 
98
overall
An Imperial Stout brewed by
Bear Republic Brewing Company

Healdsburg, California USA

bottled
common

on tap
common

Broad Distribution
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 Ratings  Average  Score  Seasonal  ABV  Style Pctl  Serve in  Advanced 
7633.92/5.03.92/5.0Winter8.1%73.4 Snifter P  Stats

Commercial Description:
Big Bear, as the name implies, is a hefty, black, Russian Imperial-style stout. This strong stout boasts a rich, caramel sweetness lavished by a robust, deep-roasted heartiness you can sink your teeth into... Big Bear's bold flavors are produced using a blend of Belgian and English roasted barley and crystal malts. Some unique flavors come forth in the malt character...Louisiana sweet molasses and dark brown sugar. This dark brew is well hopped with Chinook and Cascade hops, which are somewhat, masked by the malt. This is a balanced strong brew boasting an ABV of 8.1% that can creep up on you, "so don't get mauled". It has a dry roasted quality that masks its high alchohol content, so drink responsibly.

Most RecentTop RatersHighest Ratings Who's Rated This?
 k4df4l (141), DTown, Pennsylvania, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/57/104/517/20

Jan 5, 2008    Updated: Jun 21, 2008
Bottle - Pours pitch black with little to no foam. Aroma of sweet malts, dark cherry, bittersweet chocolate and molasses. Flavor is initially sweet and malty with a sharp hop presence that gives way into roast malt/coffee note. Finishes chalky dry leaving a slightly astringent flavor behind. Palate thin for an imperial stout. Re-rated after additional samples from other batches. Flavors have been much better balanced and complex with no hint of the previous chalky finish.

 tennisjoel (731), Shakopee, Minnesota, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/104/516/20
Sep 6, 2008  
Dark black pour. Dark roast coffee, chocolate aroma. Creamy mouthfeel, which is satisfactory. A well made impy stout, but it doesn’t stand out within the style. The flavors don’t come out and hit you like a brick. So it just doesn’t grab my attention. Rather boring, to be honest.


 jujubeast6000 (485), Houston, Texas, USA
3.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/104/57/103/511/20
Sep 6, 2008  
(bottle): Pours a very black body, brownish on the edges. Tan head, big bubbles, lastingish. Hoppy alcoholy aroma, little dark malts like coffee. Alcohol off the first sip, watery. Nutiness & some coffee. Sweet, almost like a sweet stout.


 joekinty (208), rockledge, Florida, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/516/20
Sep 5, 2008  
from new york on a friday night that was black without light i drank it and thought it was out of sight dark fruitness dominates like liberace and quirky like tiny tim oh boy where did you go mrs vicky roasty nutiness


 Sledge Jr (2716), Omaha, Nebraska, USA
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/518/20
Aug 30, 2008  
In the bomber bottle from HyVee CB. This is an outstanding stout! Pours black as coal with a very dense thick creamy light brown head. Incredible chocolate aroma that really registers with the olfactory lobes. Some roasted coffee in the scent as well. The flavor is very big. This is a coffee and chocolate bomb. Smooth, but over the top richness. High alcohol, but you would never guess that it was an imperial due to the smoothness. The thickness, however, fits the style perfectly. Loved it, but did not know that it was supposed to be an impy.


 jlf278 (229), Hoboken, New Jersey, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/105/58/105/516/20
Aug 26, 2008  
On tap at bear republic brewpub. Mmmm, chocolatey and malty. I love me some big bear black stout. Looks great and really satisfied my senses. Maybe a touch too alcy, but the taster went down just right.




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