Bear Republic Big Bear Black Stout

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

Very good Imperial Stout by Bear Republic. Huge head, jet black. Aroma of rich burnt chocolate malt, carmel, raisin, coffee, and alcohol. Flavor is pretty much the same with a little sweet vanilla alcohol and some hops in the finish. Nice beer indeed.

Not bad but I had about 3-4 other beers that night that were better. It did not compare with some of the German and English stouts.

Pours a thick dark brown and is nearly black in the glass. The head is big, frothy, tan, and leaves wide ribbons of lace. Aroma of dry chocolate, roasted barley, molasses, and less coffee than expected. The flavor is similar, sweet upfront with a dry, coffee/hop bitterness that lingers a bit. This has a thinner than average mouth feel for an imperial stout, but there is some density there. Stealthy alcohol makes for a very drinkable brew. Would recommend to someone who hasn’t tried a lot of stouts.

Creamy aroma with milk chocolate and sweet caramely notes. Dark brownish with a brown head. Flavor is rich bitter chocolate, brown sugar, lightly burnt malt, with a light hoppiness in the background. Palate is realtively light for an imperial stout with a sweet initial duration switching to a more bitter finish halfway. Good overall.

Bottle: Brought from San Diego to El Salvador, not a huge stout fan but this is clearly a great brew. Full flavored and well balanced.

A Mes rate: bottle Toms that Sim picked up at Specs.
Yeasty and milky and lots of burnt malt in the aroma. Lots of cheap nasty U.S. chocolate too. Not a great smell. Black brown with a thin beige head. Flavour is pretty much the same as the aroma. Chalky chocolate finish. Pretty awful to be honest.

Bomber from South Bay Drugs ($4.99). Pours an almost opaque black (though I do catch a glimpse of light through the glass). The tan head is big and frothy but quickly dissipates. Aroma mainly of roasted malts, but also some licorice and mellow hops (hay). Initially on the sweet side with flavor chiefly of roasted malts but also buttery caramel and dark fruit. A big espresso flavor comes in near the finish and lingers somewhat. No real detection of alcohol, but then this is somewhat "lighter" (both in terms of alcohol content and flavor) than many other imperial stouts.

Original review date 2/13/2008... Nice pour into mug from 22. Dark chocolate/double espresso body with tight, latte-colored head - a little lacing; head mellows earlier than expected. Minimal carbonation. Dark roast, deep malt of chocolate, coffee grounds and a little yeast; tight and well-made. Rounded, subtle grassy hops in distant background. At first sip, the alcohol stands out and apart from the dry coffee and mild hop tones typical of the style. Needs a little time to round out - better balance comes forth shortly with a little sweetness emerging from the back of the palate. With time this coats well and is rather soothing - still a little bit heavy on the alchohol burn in relation to everything else. All told, decent, well-made stuff that’s definitely drinkable if not a little unbalanced.