Bear Brew Chocolate Stout

Brewed by Bear Brew Pub (Black Bear Brewery)
Style: Sweet Stout
Orono, Maine USA

Draught sample at the brewpub, mid-May 2007. Hehe. "Stout". Yeah. Translucent, not even close to opaque, brown-black with very little head -- this looks like a brown ale to me....nose is mostly grapy with some hints of unsweetened light chocolate and cold, stale coffee...weak, watery, grapy body offers minimal roastiness, some dry old citric qualities (hops, perhaps? you can’t tell with this stuff nor do you want to try very hard)....not much carbonation, thin dull and unappetizing. Well that’s 0 for 5 for the Bear; doubt I’ll be back.

Draught pint at the brewpub on 12/28/05. Unfiltered baker’s chocolate brown colored body with a small tan head that fairly rapidly recedes to cover/ring but does lace pretty readily. Aroma of light roasted malts, touches of chocolate and vanilla and a fresh, but rather unremarkable yeastiness. Touches of cascade-like hops are faintly perceptible, while there is a touch of creamy coffee in the background. Flavor is very subdued on the chocolate, being dark and only emergent on the end as it warms fully. Through the main part of the body, it is lightly roasted, with hints of mocha and light vanilla. Touches of hop bitterness, very little flavor and then just light pale malt sugars. Lightly watery, moderately carbonated and slippery of texture with no alcohol apparency.

A little thin and fizzy with no head, but regardless the taste of this chocolate stout is fantastic. Just became available summer of ’05 and i’m a much bigger fan of this than their regular stout. Nice malt balance in this with a crisp bite to the aftertaste of bitter chocolate. My new Bear brew favorite.