Bear Republic Big Bear Black Stout

Brewed by Bear Republic Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Healdsburg, California USA

Serve in Snifter

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22 oz bottle into a tulip. From notes. A: Pours a dark ruby color that actually reveals some suspended sediment when held up to the light. Otherwise, it’s nicely opaque. The head is a two finger khaki shade. It fades slowly but surely, however it leaves little lacing on the glass. S: I note some licorice, dark fruits, touches of both smoke and citrusy hops, along with a hint of roast. A rather nondescript aroma for an imperial stout; it’s more befitting of a good single stout. T: This one seems to be dark fruit and licorice forward. I notice some caramel in the midtaste, and pleasantly balanced citrusy hops on the back end. The hops also provide some herbal and peach qualities. It seems to be mellow and balanced to a fault - however, this would make a great everyday stout due to its easygoing nature. M: It’s light, clean, and dry. If the bottle didn’t say 8.1%, I’d wonder if it was really 5% or so; the alcohol is concealed superbly given its lightness. It doesn’t offer much in the way of richness, however. O: I was unsure how to grade this one. As an imperial stout, it’s rather meh - but as a regular stout, it’s damn good. For better or for worse, this drinks like a 5% single stout...except that it’s really 8.1%. Since Bear Republic doesn’t call it an imperial stout, I’m grading it as a single. Ergo, I’m willing to overlook some of its flaws and appreciate it as a decently priced (for a bomber) everyday drinker.

A - Pitch black with 2 fingers of foamy tan head. No lacing. S - Rich chocolate with roasted coffee, roasted malts, sorghum molasses, prunes. Wow, caramel and dark bread really comes out as it warms. T - Dark roasted and sweet malts, rich chocolate, sorghum molasses, prunes, and unknown dark fruits. Sweet caramel is layered underneath the chocolate while pine hops come out on the finish. Coffee and cocoa on the aftertaste. M - Medium to full velvety body, not chewy but free flowing. This stout hits all the marks of a great stout. Truly one of the better American Stouts out there. Very drinkable and the alcohol never showed up anywhere. Serving type: bottle 11-26-2011

Poured from 22 oz. bottle. Opaque, black-brown with a large tan head and very good lacing. Aroma of dark roasted malt, vanilla, dark fruit, roasted coffee, chocolate and licorice. Taste of roasted malt, molasses, vanilla, roasted coffee, dark fruit and chocolate. Full body and medium/low carbonization. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Bomber pours an opaque dark brown with decent tan head and good lacing. Aroma is quite hoppy, but also full of roasted and caramel malts, and chocolate. Taste is sweet with a bitter finish. Body is full to medium with low carbonation and a silky smooth, slightly oily mouhtfeel. Alcohol is very well hidden, so this is deceptively very easy to drink. This is one of the hoppiest and least boozy imperial stouts I’ve tried, and a very good one at that.

This is a fantastic stout. Pours very dark, nice head with tan, fine bubbles. The flavor is fantastic, nice and thick, very complex. Good hop bite but not overly hopped. Great stout.

A nice black, if a little bitter for a stout. Pours a nice brown with a tan head. Smells of hops. Taste starts creamy, with a hint of vanilla. But ends pretty bitter. Had at tap at the Bay Area Craft Beer Festival ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

0.65l bottle shared with The Tasting Crew. This is a near black one, or let’s call it deep dark ruby brown and it has a small quite bubbly light brown head. The nose has chocolate, the sweet and vanilla ish kind. Malts, the lower part of the Ballerina biscuits, wet rocks, some salty licorice and traces of couch. It’s quite present this aroma, and I like what’s flowing through my nose. It’s about soft to average on the carbonation level and the mouthfeel is really silky. More vanilla in the taste, the licorice is much more present in the taste. More chocolate biscuits, it’s a bit mouthdrying in a way and I get traces of hay. A really almost scary light drinkable one. 04.03.2013

Bottle shared with Tony, Cheers mate - Dark brown roasted malt, toffee, caramel and chocolate here - Big bear in name and certainly this gives you a bear hug you wont forget! Really liked this.

Bottle from Utobeer, Borough Market. Dark brown pour with a beige head. Toffee, licorice and butterscotch in the aroma. Raisin and chocolate flavour. Sharp sweet roast flavour. Long malt finish. Lovely stuff.

Pours dark reddish brown, almost opaque. Thin tan head that dissipates quickly. Aroma is bright and malty with hints of chocolate. Reminds me of a Brown Ale. Flavor and body a bit thin for what I expect from a stout, but it has nicely balanced sweetness and hoppy bitterness. Nice brew and a good deal for the price.