Ice Bear
Third Space Brewing

12oz can. A basement floor pull that was canned on 12-15-2021. WOW how time flys by. 9.5%. Drank 1/17/2026

Look is impressive. Nice tall head that leaves some nice lacing.
Smells good, chocolate roast, sweet malt
Taste is chocolate, roast, caramel and maybe hints of dark fruit and brown sugar. It's not as sweet as it smells and has a dry bitter finish.
Feel is smooth, ABV is well hidden, not thin medium thickness.

I'm impressed by how this beer has held up. Thought it might be a drank pour. 4.21/5
I thought it was 3 years old till I read the canning date on the bottom of the can.

Third Space Brewing – Ice Bear
Style: Baltic Porter / Strong Porter
ABV: 9.5%
IBU: ~35
Overall Score: 4.25

Poured a little too hard, and the head jumped up — thick, creamy, alive — so I let it fade. The beer underneath is almost black, with just tiny ruby glimmers at the edges. It fills the glass, heavy, serious, like a bear showing up in the room.

The first sniff hits chocolate and roasted malt, then a quick flash of grape sweetness. Hops float quietly in the background, and the alcohol warmth is there but friendly, like it wants to sit with you rather than punch you.

First sip wakes the palate. Chocolate, roasted malt, and that subtle grape hit. Slight grit, like bakers chocolate that melts slowly. Soft bitterness keeps it from being cloying. This is boots on, flannel untucked, finally sitting down, sighing, letting the world slide away.

By the second sip, you’re settling in. Warmth spreads. Flavors linger, folding into each other — chocolate, malt, grape, a whisper of hops. It’s rich, full, comforting. Not sweet, not harsh — just enough to let you lean back, and disappear into the evening.

Ice Bear is a nightcap in a glass: dark, warming, easy to drink, and just enough presence to make the moment feel complete.

Excellent silky texture, creamy and smooth like a bitter dark chocolate milkshake. Three fingers of mocha foam, plenty of lace. Rich dark chocolate, mild coffee, dark dried fruit, raisin and fig. Pleasant dry bitterness in the finish. Really nice, and an underrated style.

 

I tried a 16oz'er this beer off the tapper at The Eau Claire Ale House just outside the downtown of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It poured a nearly opaque dark with thin ecru ring head that did not leave any lace. The scent had dark chocolate and grain notes. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with dark chocolate, subtle roast, and grain presence. The mouthfeel was lighter in body with good carbonation. Overall it is a solid beer.

Appearance: Pours a nearly completely dark, black color with a massive, dark tan head. SRM of 23. (4.00)

Aroma: Strong aromas of bittersweet chocolate, cocoa, some earthy and leathery aromas. Lightly smokey. (4.00)

Flavor: Strong and rich flavors of bittersweet cocoa and chocolate, light coffee roast and smoke. Roasty and lightly bitter off the end. (4.00)

Feel :Medium-bodied, decent carbonation. Alcohol shows slightly. Relatively dry and lightly bitter and smokey finish. (4.00)

Overall: An enjoyable and rich imperial Baltic Porter. Drinks very nicely. Nails the roasty, bittersweet, and lightly smokey flavors while still drinking dry and clean. One I'd come back to. (Rating: 4.05)

 

 

 

12 oz can poured into a tulip pint glass. Pours pitch black with a tan head that fades to a ring of bubbles. Aroma and flavor feature dark roasted malts, dark chocolate, marshmallow, and an odd hint of dried sour cherries. The 9.5% abv comes through about as expected. Overall it's a decent Baltic Porter but not tasty enough to justify ingesting all that alcohol (and I did in fact pour the last couple of ounces down the drain).

 

 

16oz, canned on 01-25-2019. A foamy brown head caps a dark brown, cola-like colored body. Earthy aroma with dark fruit and spice. Bold flavors meld well on the palate with notes of earthy and spicy hops, mild chocolate, raisin, prune, musty grape, and leather. Full body, lower carbonation, alcohol is well concealed, earthy hops linger on the semi-dry finish. Great example of a beer style that is not attempted by many.

Poured 16oz can into pint glass. It is coal black with a nice 2 finger light brown head that leaves webbed lacing on my glass. A deep backed chocolate with slow roasted malts and hints of dark fruit. Flavor is silky smooth dark chocolate, brown sugar and molasses that compliment the big roasted malts. The sweetness is balanced by roasted malt and hop bitterness. A big mouthfeel that is rich and smooth with ample carbonation. A style that is rarely brewed but can match up well with any imperial stout; this was excellent.

Bought a 4 pack of 16 oz cans at Woodman’s in Madison. Poured into a tulip glass, very dark color with a tan head. Smell is heavy chocolate and .dark roast coffee. Moderately warm, a little deceptive for the 9.5% abv. Very easy drinking. A great winter warmer beer.