Review – Bear Republic Big Bear Black Stout

From Bear Republic: Big Bear, as the name implies, is a hefty, black, Russian Imperial-style stout. This strong stout boasts a rich, caramel sweetness lavished by a robust, deep-roasted heartiness you can sink your teeth into. …Big Bear’s bold flavors are produced using a blend of Belgian and English roasted barley and crystal malts. Some unique flavors come forth in the malt character. …Louisiana sweet molasses and dark brown sugar. This dark brew is well hopped with Chinook and Cascade hops, which are somewhat, masked by the malt. This is a balanced strong brew boasting an A.V.B. of 8.1% that can creep up on you, “so don’t get mauled”. It has a dry roasted quality that masks its’ high alchohol content, so drink responsibly. 2004 California State Fair, Silver Medal Winner; 2002 World Beer Cup, Gold Medal Winner; 2002 Annual Bistro Beer Festival, Hayward, Gold Medal Winner; 2001 North American Brewers’ Award, Honorable Mention – og 1.076, ABV 8.1%, IBU 68.

Bear Republic Brewery – Big Bear Black Stout – 22 oz bottle poured into a pint glass. 8.1% abv.

Appearance: Jet brown with a frothy khaki head. Leaves sudsy, webby lacing.
Aroma: Dark chocolate, light amounts of bourbon or dark rum.

Taste: Unsweetened dark chocolate, french roast coffee, chocolate malts, with some hop spice at the end.

Mouthfeel: Around the viscosity of a full bodied porter, having tons of body without being overly thick.  The flavors linger for quite sometime with that dark roasted profile.

Overall: Pound for pound, one of the best American Stout/ Double Stouts on the market. Complex, tasty, and a great warmer at 8.1% abv.