Black Bear Ale - Smoky Mountain Brewery & Restaurant

Chaney

District of Columbia

3.4/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I bought a bottle from the brewery (Pigeon Forge location) while I was on vacation with my wife and consumed this in a hotel room in Nashville.

Served in a clear plastic cup.

A: Not as "brown" as I was hoping, and the head was about a 1/4 finger or so. Mild chill haze, mild visible carbonation.... Whatever.

S: Like most Smoky Mountain brews, I got nothing. Apparently dry-hopping isn't in their vocabulary.

T: more "nut brown" than anything, with a pleasant caramel-quality that had a tinge of brown sugar graininess.

M: Not too sweet, but sweet enough. The lacing was substantial and the alcohol non-existent. I just wish it were thicker and creamier.

O: This was one of the better brews I tasted by Smoky Mountain.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 03:30:29 | More by Chaney

AMCPhD

Florida

3.5/5  rDev +16.7%

04-29-2013 21:36:31 | More by AMCPhD

LXIXME

New Mexico

3.5/5  rDev +16.7%

02-14-2013 16:21:52 | More by LXIXME

KFrank729

Ohio

3.25/5  rDev +8.3%

01-02-2013 19:54:09 | More by KFrank729

deadhero

Tennessee

3/5  rDev 0%

06-28-2012 15:43:02 | More by deadhero

GMan

Tennessee

2.5/5  rDev -16.7%

04-16-2012 00:02:19 | More by GMan

khargro2

Georgia

3/5  rDev 0%

01-11-2012 05:19:24 | More by khargro2

shivtim

Georgia

3.03/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A very average brown ale. Mostly clear, copper/red, slight head. Very limited nose... mild hops. Decent taste, it was to style, but still unimpressive eurohops and malts. Just fine. Average mouthfeel and drinkability. Nothing offensive, nothing impressive.

Serving type: on-tap

12-24-2009 01:07:57 | More by shivtim

Beeryce

Virginia

1.85/5  rDev -38.3%
look: 1 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 1 | overall: 2

A rough poor produced only about ¼ inch of head that very quickly dissipates to nothing but a film of tan colored bubbles. The color, copper-amber with a touch of chill haze, is very light and clear compared to my expectations.

Slight touch of esters in the nose, and a touch of sweetness in the mainly roasted character with no real hop aromas.

The initial taste is surprising bold, strong, when compared to the nose, and also very pleasant, however this very quickly disappears into a murky blandness. It tastes like some specialty roasted grains with a lot of adjuncts. There is just no body, nothing rounded or complimented. There are no real strong off flavors, but there is not a lot of strong pleasant flavors either. There is s slight hop bitterness towards the finish, which is bland and the worst aspect of the flavor.

The mouthfeel is way too watery for the style for me. It is so thin and it does not fit with the flavors present. Slightly high carbonation for its style and the taste, as well.

The drinkability would be high as the alcohol is not to strong and it is a mild flavor style, but the beer just does not appeal to me.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2008 23:03:28 | More by Beeryce