Barrel Aged Blackberry Grizz
Bear Republic Brewing Co.

Beer Geek Stats
From:
Bear Republic Brewing Co.
 
California, United States
Style:
Wild Ale
ABV:
11%
Score:
Needs more ratings
Avg:
4.22 | pDev: 5.21%
Reviews:
2
Ratings:
4
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Aug 21, 2012
Added:
Nov 15, 2009
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  0
1lb per gallon of free range, sustainable organic Sonoma County blackberries. Neutral Barrel: 9 months +2 months
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Recent ratings and reviews.
 
Rated: 4 by t0rin0 from California

Aug 21, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by westcoastbeerlvr from California

Nov 15, 2011
Photo of nickd717
Reviewed by nickd717 from California

4.4/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
On tap at the Bistro Barrel Aged Fest in Hayward.

Great appearance - dark brown in color with a huge creamy tan head and good lacing.

Aroma is bretty and mildly tart with lots of blackberries and some oak. This was apparently aged in a "neutral barrel" (Swiss maybe) so no liquor notes in there.

Flavor is lots of blackberries, great bretty tartness, and some yeast. Oak barrel notes also in there, and as barrels will do when used correctly, they round out and smooth the flavors. Some nice chocolatey malt is present too. Very well-balanced beer overall.

Smooth on the palate with medium-full body and well-hidden ABV, with not much acidity despite the tartness.

Drinkability is very high, especially considering this is an 11-percenter. Wow. Overall a really awesome beer.
Nov 19, 2009
Photo of JoeySchlitz
Reviewed by JoeySchlitz from Colorado

4.49/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
After a few samples of this at the Bistro Barrel Aged Beer Festival, I almost gave this the nod for the best of show.

Assuming that this is the elder, more wiser brother of the Grizz with blackberries added and aged in barrels for some time, so also assuming that the base beer is a brown ale.

The only information that is given on the write up is that 1 pound per gallon of free range, sustainable organic Sonoma County blackberries. Additional information says that it was aged in neutral barrels for 9 months + 2 months (?). Not sure if that means 11 months or something else?

As mentioned earlier, looks similar to an imperial stout with a bit of a red hue along the edges. A bit of wispy lacing rings the top of the glass.

The smell is pretty incredible. Like poking your nose in a barrel of freshly squeezed blackberries, mixed with a bit of port and sherry and a little bit of bourbon chocolate cake. It reminds me a lot of Cascade Blackberry Ale, but a bit sweeter.

Taste is along the lines of a decadent chocolate cake with cherries on the top. A really good mix of sweet and sour. The stout is more apparent in the flavor and the blackberries fall to the back. It has a great mouthfeel - medium viscosity with some chewiness to it.

Overall a really great beer. Not sure that I'll see it again but hope that it does make it's way around the Bay Area in the future.
Nov 15, 2009
Barrel Aged Blackberry Grizz from Bear Republic Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 4.22 out of 5 with 4 ratings