Bear Republic Black Mamba

Brewed by Bear Republic Brewing Company
Style: Belgian Ale
Healdsburg, California USA

In short: A very refreshing toasted session dark beer. Underrated.
How: Tap at Bar Great Harry, Brooklyn NY
The look: Clear mahogany body topped by a very small white head
In long: Nose is a little toasted with some kind of rye bread notes. Taste is blend of many little things. Citrusy notes, nutty notes, toasted bread, wheat, rye bread, some earthy notes, soft caramel, more... Overall quite crisp. The beer is not very tasty but is very refreshing, I would have never guessed the color of the beer in a blind tasting. I’m not sure it this is truly a Belgian ale but it sure didn’t feel Belgian to me. Nothing great here but I had that crisp refreshing sensation while drinking it that I cannot put into words. I’m not sure why they named it after one of the most dangerous snake on the planet but it is probably better selling than Bear Republic Larva.

Samped on draft at Beer Run in Charlottesville, VA. Pours a clear brown color with a medium tan head. Good head retention and lacing. Aroma of bread, chocolate, nuts and leafy hops. Taste is bitter hops, nuts, chocolate and a bit of breadiness. Medium bodied.

Tap at Pacific Standard: Deep brown with a ruby hue and a light tan ring of head. Nutty dark crystal malt aroma- a touch of light chocolate wafer and plasticy phenols. Light body with crisp carbonation. Some very soft nutty roast blends with a very subtle bubblegum phenolic presence and some medium toasted crystal malt flavors. Rounded, but simple and one dimensional. Doesn’t really seem Belgian either- just seems like a phenolic/dirty Porter.

On tap at Barley Brewhaus in Shawnee, KS. Pours a deep mahogany with a thin, creamy, off-white head. The nose is of roasty, fairly ashy dark malt and a touch of dark chocolate and dark fruits. Medium-bodied, soft and slick with a mildly ashy finish. The flavor more or less follows the nose and leaves me wishing for more. This is a decent beer, but it’s not really worth seeking out.

(draft) Cola brown-black body with small beige head. Aroma is moderately sweet, chocolate, wheat, some roast, light raisin. Taste is medium sweet, chocolate, roast, some nut, wheat, light raisin. Light-medium body, light creaminess, acidity.

sample: RNH: I wanted to have sex with the name of this beer lol... although after tasting I realized it would probably be boring missionary sex! Medium to high carbonation... very thick and foamy head... lots of coffee, ample hops... very decent brew.

Draft. This one really had me dumbfounded. Now that I see it’s a ’black wit’ it makes more sense. Pours amber brown with a beige head. Fruity sweet aroma with a good amount of spice and a lightly smoky malt presence. The flavor has fruity sweetness, wit-spice, and roasted malts. The combination is odd but it kind of works.

sampled during bear republic week at RnH. spicy wheat and malt aroma. Taste is malt and slight yeast.  Some milky cocoa notes.   Dissapointing