Black Bear XX Stout - Alameda Brewhouse

cdkrenz

Wisconsin

4.22/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks you theskinny.

A - Great pour as black as they come with a deep brown head an inch tall and having some solid stamina.

S - Deep dark chocolate and smooth rich coffee.

T - Long roasted malts with a nice burnt taste. There's no real cocoa presence but there is a bit of coffee. It fits the style very well.

M - Abrasive in the ending and finish. It has a nice creaminess and it goes down easy... probably too easy.

~ This is a very good beer. I recommend anyone with an avenue to the Pacific Northwest find this stout and enjoy it. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2011 02:46:20 | More by cdkrenz

canucklehead

British Columbia (Canada)

4.2/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

A solid very black stout with huge tan head and a nice roasty nose. This is a drinking stout that has all the chocolate and roasted malt flavours but no sharp edges. Not the biggest stout on the block but very well put together and oh so drinkable. Worth buying

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2008 22:49:24 | More by canucklehead

Docer

Washington

4.18/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Just had at their Brewhouse.. following their wonderful IPA.

- Nice and dark... black with only an espresson brown at the edges... flowed nicely from Nitro to a sitting beer with a thick head about 1".. light brown and chocolate..

- Smell was mild.. little bit of coffee.. chocolate.. roasted maly and bitter finish.

- Creamy good flavor, chocolate, roasted malt... light bitter hopping... and just very good.

- Not dry at all... leaves a good stout flavor behind.. bit sour.. makes me want to slam more down...

- Super-good drinkability.. tastes so light and sessionable... but yet hides any strength it may posses. A good regular staple stout for anyone who loves a winner.

Serving type: nitro-tap

04-13-2009 21:14:13 | More by Docer

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Split a bomber with friends. Nothing surprising about the appearance, big and black with a tan head. I really enjoyed this stout because it wasn't the usual thick, chewy stout. Instead it was a touch lighter, like an export stout should be, with two dominant characteristics: dry roasted black malts and sweet cocoa chocolate. Heck of a beer, checkthis out.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2010 19:58:00 | More by tempest

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured cold into a standard pint glass

A - Black w/ a thick tan head

S - Rich, malty, sweet & nutty w/ caramel scents and a very smooth aroma.

M - Full, Rich, deep roasted, dark malt feel with a sweet finish.

T - A really rich stout. Smooth & deep roasted w/ a rich full bodied flavor. Nutty, coffee and cream tastes w/ a honeyish sweet finish. A hint of alcohol w/ sweet strong stout flavors. Bitter hops acccent the full malt profile and make their presence known in the finish.

D - A very big and smooth tasting stout. Ultra tasty and refined, but perhaps a strong one for multiple tastings, a winner and worthy of tasty again.

Serving type: on-tap

07-24-2007 04:54:38 | More by Slatetank

josiahschlender

Oregon

4.13/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This was on tap at the Green Dragon here in Portland.

Our server apologized for the head on the beer when he brought it out, saying it's too foamy being on nitro. It took up nearly 1/2 of the glass, being very creamy and tan colored. It slowly settled into the black body of the drink with time, but it remained one of the most persistent heads on a beer I've ever seen. Ridiculous lacing on the sides of the glass. Not convenient, but kinda cool.

I liked the smell. Very dark roasted malts. Almost charred. I also noticed quite a bit of earthy (almost dirty mushrooms) hops. It made me even wonder if this is dry-hopped for more aroma.

Malts and hops are abundant in flavors, as well. Again, it's very roasted tasting, with lots of earth and bitterness coming from the hops. Kind of unique.

The eternal, insistent head influenced the mouthfeel for a very creamy, full body that complimented the flavors well and finished dry. ABV of 6.8% was surprising to me, they hid it well in this brew.

Well done! This is a unique stout worth a try.

Serving type: nitro-tap

01-16-2008 21:16:11 | More by josiahschlender

MisterClean

California

4.13/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Henry's Tavern, PDX.

A - Pours black wth 1 finger of mocha head. Doesn't dissipate and leaves nice lacing.

S - Chocolate, light roast coffee, light flowers and citrus, and bittering hops.

T - Heavier notes of malt dominate the taste as chocolate and light roast coffee appear wth a moderate amount of bittering hops.

M - Full-bodied, malt dominated, creamy and sweet.

D - Good overall. Very enjoyable for the style.

Serving type: on-tap

08-07-2009 17:50:41 | More by MisterClean

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

A pint at Henry's Tavern in downtown Portland.

This beer appears a solid, non-forgiving black void, no highlights, no-how, albeit allowing two fingers of tight foamy milk chocolate head, which renders a vista of three-dimensional mountain profile lace around the glass as it fades away. It smells of lightly roasted malt, sour ash, medium baker's chocolate, and earthy, leafy hops. The taste is chocolate malt, cream, a tiny bit of lactic acid, oatmeal grain, and soft earthy hops. The carbonation is very low (natch), the body silky smooth, and dead creamy. It finishes in kind, the soft, smooth malt persisting.

From beginning to end, this slides down like butter, but tastes waaay better...

Serving type: on-tap

07-08-2011 18:52:25 | More by biboergosum

snaotheus

Washington

4.1/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle poured into a large goblet

Pours dark, basically black, with surprisingly little head. Almost looks flat. Smell is cherries, dates, overripe plums, a little hint of coffee. Maybe some black licorice.

Taste is ripe with coffee, very nice bitterness. The fruitiness from the smell comes out just as a balancing sweetness, much nicer than it smells.

Mouthfeel is chalky and thick, dry. Good beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2010 03:54:17 | More by snaotheus

bradleyp

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had a pint at Alameda Brewery

A: Black with a dark creamy foam head about 1 inch thick. No carbonation.

S: Smells like chocolate and caramel, with a hint of coffee taboot.

T: This stout was very fantastic. Tasted like a chocolate milk shake, with coffee overtones added. Not very hoppy, but at 50 IBU's it did taste a smidge bitter.

M: Very smooth, just like how a Nitro stout should be. Went down very easy.

D: I would prefer drinking the Nitro tap over the non-nitro. I would def. drink this beer again. It went very well with the Nachos I was eating.

Serving type: nitro-tap

01-04-2011 07:01:31 | More by bradleyp

loren01

Oregon

4.1/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a pitch black color, good sized tan head with nice lacing down the glass
S: Roasted malt, earthy scents as well as some lightly smokey scents
T: Very roasty, lots of roasted barley. Slight rye taste. Also coffee, chocolate and slight smokey flavor. Very nice.
M: Medium to full mouthfeel, creamy going down
D: This is a great beer, loved it. I would like to try this one on nitro.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2011 02:40:11 | More by loren01

brentk56

North Carolina

4.05/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: A big, rocky tan head forms atop the black liquid and leaves quite a few strands of lace behind

Smell: Chocolate, licorice, pumpernickel, rye and a fruity aspect

Taste: Surprisingly fruity, up front, with a slightly tart black cherry character that complements the ensuing expected flavors of chocolate, licorice and burnt pumpernickel toast; while the hops add another dimension in the middle, after the swallow, some lactic sweetness slips in to offset the bitterness; the tart fruit flavor, however, lingers in the aftertaste

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body, somewhat creamy, with low to moderate carbonation

Overall: A lot of different flavors are packed into this beer; while the tart fruit elements have turned off some reviewers, I rather enjoyed that aspect of the flavor profile

Thanks, mdaschaf, for the opportunity

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 00:03:21 | More by brentk56

jdhilt

New Hampshire

4.03/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours like motor oil with a four finger tan head that fades slowly to a thin layer leaving a good lace. Totally black color. Light carbonation and very heavy bodied. Chocolate nose. Starts with a bitter chocolate flavor, some middle sweetness, finish has a slight bitterness. A decent stout. $3.25 for a 22oz bottle from John's Grocery Tigard, Or. Label puts the ABV at 7.0%.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2006 22:35:05 | More by jdhilt

drabmuh

Maryland

4.03/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

At the time of this review, this is the #11 Foreign / Export Stout. Beer served from a 22 ounce bottle into a Russian River -tion glass.

Beer is brown to black with a big dark brown head of small bubbles, moderate to low carbonation, some lacing, looks good.

Aroma is sweet and coffee like with roast. Nice.

Beer is medium in body but thinner on the finish and in the middle, sweet up front, heavy coffee and some bitter on the backend. Overall a decent beer, pretty enjoyable, I'd have it again.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2011 04:32:01 | More by drabmuh

Reidrover

Oregon

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bomber bought from Capital Market, Salem . Gorgeous looking beer. black with dark,dark brown hints around the edges, good lookingbrown head. slightly roasty aromas, not too strong, some dark chocolate, slight fruit. Quite semi-sweet bitter, burnt toast towards the end, bitter black coffee finish mixed with treacle. Slight alcohol hint in the belly.Good stuff. Nicel on the palte, not as heavy as expected and thats a good thing as it adds a point or two for drinkability. Over all nice beer

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2008 20:54:42 | More by Reidrover

joe1510

Illinois

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz Bomber

I got this bottle as an extra from msbulldog25, thanks for knocking one off my "wants" Brian! Black Bear XX turns my pint glass the blackest of blacks, completely opaque without letting a hint of light glint through the body. A standard pour brought the khaki head up surprisingly quickly to three fingers. The head slowly fell to a thick craggy finger and left behind chunky spider webbed lacing. The creamy head shows good staying power and lasts throughout. This is a damn fine looking stout.

Dark, modestly, roasted malts hit the nose right from the start and are the biggest factor throughout the aroma. Mild coffee grounds and a hefty whiff of creamy dark chocolate quickly join that dark roastiness and although they try to take over the roastiness manages to hold them off. There's mildly sweet nougat popping up here and there that adds some complexity to the overall smell of this beer. Last out of the gate are clean alcohol and a decent hop presence.

The flavor goes hand in hand with the aroma. Dark roasted maltiness lays it down strong with a little acidic bite. The coffee grounds are more pronounced in the flavor then in the nose and the dark chocolate falls back mid palate. The nougat comes across as nuttiness occasionally and seems to change it up with each drink. The swallow brings out clean, mild warming alcohol and a combination of roasty and hop bitterness on the lips. This is a good foreign style stout, and unique to boot.

I wasn't sure what to think about the mouthfeel of this beer at first. It seemed lighter then it should be but as this beer gets warmer and warmer (nearing probably 55) the body fills out and has a medium fullness to it. The carbonation is higher then expected and keeps this beer moving fairly quickly.

This is a stout with good flavor and good drinkability. The bomber ended up disappearing pretty quickly and the carbonation is part of the reason. I want another drink after the last and find it tough to slow down.

Alameda makes a good foreign-style stout that I wouldn't hesitate to drink again. Black Bear XX is a robust stout with moderate enough alcohol to drink a few at a time. It's too bad this isn't available in my area. Thanks for the great extra Brian!

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2008 01:59:11 | More by joe1510

Wasatch

Utah

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks goes out to msubulldog25 for this brew.

Poured into a chalice a dark brown/black color, nice carbonation, nice little fizzy tan head, with some sticky lacing left behind. The nose is malty, with some nice chocolate/toffee notes. The taste is slightly sweet, malty, with lots of dark stuff. Medium body. Drinkable, this is a very tasty brew, my first from this brewery, thanks Brian.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2009 23:31:47 | More by Wasatch

jdense

Oregon

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle poured into Barley Brown pint glasses at Summer 2010 Grillin' and Chillin' festivities, The Big, OR, 8.22.2010.

Two fingers light brown head, slow dissipation with significant lacing. Dark as night might as well be black body, absolutely opaque, no visible carbonation. Coffee and chocolate dominate the nose in that order, a bit of floral and grassy hops for balance. Coffeeish taste, a bit on the sweet side, almost winey, not a lot of chocolate, very little bitterness on back end, more floral. Full mouthfeel, sweet but not sticky, good effervescence. A bit heavy to be sessionable, but I can certainly see what the fuss is all about with this multiple GABF Golf Medal Winner, though I would have liked a bit more chocolate to balance out the sweetish coffee profile. Edit-the label shows ABV as 7% not, 6.8.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2010 18:19:01 | More by jdense

boralyl

Oregon

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

A - Pours a creamy light tan head that's has good retention and leaves lacing along with a thick creamy ring. The beer itself is a very dark brown, almost black.

S - Light toasty notes as well as an underlying sweetness. Appealing, but nothing spectacular.

M - The best part about this beer is the mouth feel. It's medium in body with a smooth velvety feeling. It's also got some creaminess.

T - Light roasted malts with chocolate overtones and a light sweet malt presence. A very light hops bitterness complements it well in the finish. It's got a nice balance between the malts and hops.

Overall this is a very good beer. It's got the perfect mouth feel with a nice look and delicious taste to back it up. I expected a little more from the nose, but other than that, this one is pretty solid.

Serving type: nitro-tap

09-21-2010 01:38:00 | More by boralyl

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine Issue #46 (Nov 2010):

Slow-moving brown bubbles form a tight, well-retaining head. Stout black; nope, no light coming through here. Big chocolate nose with a spiciness layered within. Silky, creamy, smooth full-bodied brew. Cocoa powder, hint of charcoal, spicy rye and some coffee make their mark on the taste buds. Hops provide a great backup for balancing out the malt sweetness. Vague dark berries and a nutty yeast in the semisweet finish. Roasty bliss. Hefty, non- hyped Stouts are hard to come by these days, and this is one to seek out.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2011 02:09:14 | More by BeerAdvocate

MadeInOregon

California

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had the Black Bear XX Stout on tap several years ago and wanted to try it again so I picked up a 22 oz'er, let it sit for a couple months, and here we go...

THE BODY is black as night with no light penetration whatsoever. I held my glass up to an extremely bright UV-light and the only thing that came through was a little dark violet. This is one dense stout. The head is a dark mocha color and is very airy, like sea foam. There is good malty lacing. Overall, this beer has an appropriate appearance for a stout. It is nothing extraordinary but it is inviting.

THE SMELL is roasted malt, chocolate, hint of espresso, hint of creamy mocha, sweet, and rather dry. No hops.

THE FEEL is on the thin side--makes me think of a Guiness Draught. It is smooth but with considerable dryness as well.

THE TASTE is dark chocolate (maybe like 60% cacao), slightly dry, and hoppy. It finishes dry and sweet.

This is a smooth, well-balanced, drinkable stout. Tastes very similar to Terminator Stout, brewed in the same city, though much stronger (mine says 7.0%, not 6.8%)

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2011 07:26:47 | More by MadeInOregon

grub

Ontario (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

got this one from tayner as a thank-you for running the secret bunny '08 website. thanks dana!

22oz bottle. sampled may 15/09.

pours dark brown, nearly black, with a big dense brown head. the head drops slowly and leaves tons of lace behind.

aroma is good. coffee. dark and milk chocolate. caramel. lightly toasted bread and biscuit. cracker. bit of roast. touch of lactic sourness. nutty. some dark fruit too.

taste is good. coffee. dark and milk chocolate, but lighter than in the aroma. light caramel and toffee. toasted wheat bread and biscuit. bit of cracker and grain. light lactic sourness. almond. bit of dark fruit.

mouthfeel is nice. medium-large body. just over medium carbonation.

drinkability is good. well balanced. in some ways it seems more like a baltic porter than a stout, but a bit of sourness isn't uncommon in a FES, and the body is a bit big for a BP.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2009 03:02:48 | More by grub

Redrover

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This was one of the rotating taps at Post Street Ale House in Spokane.

It was on Nitro and was served after a loooong pause in pour. The beer comes in an imperial pint and is jet black with a Massive dark tan head.

Aroma of roasted malts and a bit of coffee. Could be turned up a notch.

The taste is of darkly roasted malts, a bit of coffee and some raisins.

The mouth is soft (thanks nitro) but thins in the end.

This could be a good session beer but for the 6.8%....

Serving type: nitro-tap

07-29-2012 21:37:41 | More by Redrover

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Had this at the brew pub in Portland, OR on 2010-01-18

A - Dark brown with a 1-finger tan head

S - Bread and chocolate

T - Delicious. Chocolate, coffee, bread, sweet, mild hops.

M - Thick as a milkshake with low carbonation

D - A nice treat. Could have this one for dessert.

Serving type: nitro-tap

04-26-2010 17:11:10 | More by Tucquan

Bookseeb

Washington

3.95/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance is a very dark almost black with very little head and lace. Aroma of sweet dark light roasted malts, bitter chocolate and coffee having a dark fruit note. Taste of the previous aroma with a light bite from the hops leaving a light bitter roast in the aftertaste. Mouthfeel is medium to full with a light carbonation. A nice enjoyable stout.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 03:36:29 | More by Bookseeb