Black Bear Ale
Smoky Mountain Brewery & Restaurant

 

Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a bronze color with no head whatsoever. Smell is of malts, toffee, nuts. Taste is bready malts, light nuts and sweetness. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a decent beer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not a bad Brown Ale. Pours a light brown/amber color with a small beige head that fades quickly. Nice aroma: sweet malt, toffee, and a bit nutty. Taste is fairly subdued. Sweet and malty, but not a strong flavor. Mouthfeel is a bit light but nice and smooth. Not a beer I would seek out, but not bad either.

 

 

My parents brought a mixed 6pck home from their trip down south. The beer poured a clear rich amber. The scent was nondescript. The taste was sweeter and not overly easy to drink. The mouthfeel was lighter in body with poor carbonation. Overall it's not a good brown...sorry.

I'm not a huge fan of browns in general, but this one was a little better than what I anticipated. It has some stronger chocolaty notes, which gives it a more definite flavor than the generic browns that you usually find. I'd try other beers from this brewery too if I'm ever back in the area.

 

 

 

 

 

Smoky Mountain Brewery - Black Bear Ale. 5.4% ABV. 12oz bottle poured into a stout glass.

Look: Settles a deep ruby color, with lots of carbonation bubbling. Retains a thin white head surprisingly long, due to the carbonation.

Smell: Mostly tart fruit, almost like raspberry, along with some malts and biscuit hints.

Feel: As expected, lots of lively carbonation, but relatively smooth and refreshing.

Taste: Tart fruit is the first thing noted, but along with caramel, malt, and toasted biscuit. Finishes bready, with slight lingering tart.

Overall: This is a strange Brown Ale, just like this brewery's Pale Ale. Tart fruit is very profound, but seems to add some unique flavors to this, while also retaining some traditional aspects of Brown Ales.