Everyone is afraid of the big bad bear. Everyone that is except me. I’m not talking about the four legged bristly and bushy creatures of the wild forests, but of the even more wild variety known as Bear Republic, a craft brewery who has brought me face-to-face today with the Big Bear Black Stout. A gift from my family, I am a sucker for stouts so I look forward to with great relish this imperial stout from a California brewery I had no idea existed until now. Available in large bottles, I bring out the big glass to enjoy this bear of a stout. <br /> My Big Bear Black Stout poured as black as its name implies, thick, oily and as ebony as the midnight sky. Almost immediately a dark tan head tops off the abyss below, fading ever so slowly into a blanket while lace dot the sides of my glass. I swoon ever so slightly as I take in her gorgeous body and divine looks. Lifting her body to mine, I revel in the sweetly burnt malts, explosion of dark and bitter chocolate, espresso and freshly roasted coffee beans. Unable to resist her charms any longer, I raise my glass for our very first kiss which is quickly followed by a second and a third. A very dry palate leaves my mouth and throat thirsting for more. Bitter and dark chocolates mingle with rich espresso grinds and coffee aromas; I close my eyes and savor the flavor. Faint notes of sweet caramel lace the burnt malts and dry bitterness. For a thick and heavy imperial stout my Big Bear has a surprisingly gentle mouthfeel which lingers just enough without being cloying. Faint notes of crisp lemon bursts nip at the back of my tastebuds and throat. As she warms and I near the end of my glass, her palate comes together in near perfect harmony, a bittersweet parting gift as I gaze into my empty glass, decked out in a seductive dress of tan lace. <br /> Bear Republic Brewing may have been unknown to me before but she has certainly firmly grasped my attention now. Now I just have to track down who and where and what I can find of their brews. Big Bear Black Stout certainly impressed me on the imperial stout front and as always my beer curiosity has me wondering what else she has to offer me. While my search may be long and drawn out, should you happen to stumble across any of her brews, hesitate not in bringing a Bear or two home with you.

Nitro… Pitch black ale with a small, ultra creamy, khaki head. Terrific retention. Restrained chocolate nose with whispers of butterscotch and vanilla. The flavor offers plenty of typical, nitro-induced, dry stout characteristics. Chocolaty with hints of darkly roasted coffee and muted charcoal or ash. Light to medium-bodied with a velvety mouthfeel with low carbonation. Lengthy, acrid, bone-dry finish.

Bottle. Black color with a beige head. The taste is a sweet body with roasted and light coffee notes. Slight dry on the palate. Rather good really.

<i>Draught at the brewpub.</i> Near black. Very roasty with lots of coffee and dark chocolate. Dry with medium body. The finish has lingering licorice and bitterness. A lovely, dry stout.