Black Bear Gearhead Ale

Brewed by Bear Brew Pub (Black Bear Brewery)
Style: Amber Ale
Orono, Maine USA

Serve in English pint, Shaker

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on tap-pours a dissipating tan head and red/brown color. Aroma is sweet medium malt-caramel, some earthy hops. Taste is sweet medium malt-caramel/some chocolate, nutty, secondary earthy hops. House yeast? Dryish finish.

On tap at the Thirsty Moose. I had this right after the Switchback Ale and found the balance on this one to be too far on the malt side. Pretty easy to drink but just average.

22oz bottle. Deep red pour with a thin head. Aroma is lightly hopped/spiced. Flavor is malt upfront with a spicy hop finish. A very nice red ale.

A: Had on-tap at the Lompoc Cafe in Bar Harbor. This beer had absolutely no head at all, and was a dark amber color, and very murky. It pretty much looked like mud mixed with water. S: I could barely pick up anything at all, other than very faint malt. T: Very, very malty... a real malt bomb this beer was. Lots of nice roastiness in there, with a slightly bitter finish. Definitely interesting. M: Medium-bodied and quite creamy, and extremely soft carbonation. D: Not bad... I was a little put-off by the look of the beer, and its lack of aroma, but the taste and mouthfeel helped pull it up a notch. Worth trying at least once.

Draft. Poured a deep red body with thin head. Aroma is lightly bitter tones of hops and sweet malt. Flavor is the same as aroma with a light bitter sweet finish.

Bottle. Pours a dark amber with a beigh head. Aroma of light caramel, multiple fruit and some light hops. Flavor is grainy and malty with light caramel and a hint of roast and has a medium body with a bitter finish.

22 oz bottle. Pours a clear ruby body with a quickly fading fizzy off-white head. No lacing left. Moderate visible carbonation. Nose is husky crystal malt, very light hops, and just a touch of toasted malt sweetness. Flavor is very husky and grainy with a very bland finish. A touch of cola and breadiness on the back end. Mouthfeel is thinnish and watery with fizzy prickly carbonation. Overall, this was a pretty weak effort. No character or depth at all.

Dark mahogany-colored body with barely a head at all. It has lots of yeast floaties the the bottom of my glass. Slightly hoppy in the aroma and the flavor, but it is very mild. The flavor is slightly better than the aroma. Pleasant earthiness. Not a bad example of a mild amber ale.

Bomber. Pours amber with a 1 finger head. Sweet nose slightly off putting. Taste is malty but way too bitter. Drain Pour

(22oz bottle) Foamy beige head atop clear copper/cola body. Aroma is moderately sweet, caramel, some berry, light chocolate. Taste is moderately sweet, caramel, roast/coffee, some chocolate, faint earthy. Smooth medium body. Seems more a porter than a red ale.