“Bear is Tree House brewer Brendan’s recipe and his first scaled commercial beer. It has all the characteristics of a classic English Brown Ale with a distinct American twist. Bear is one of the best food beers we have ever had – it pairs brilliantly with nearly everything… including nothing! A lovely and unique example of a brown ale. Brewed in honor of those who leave a lasting and influential impression on our lives.”
Glassware: English pint.
Appearance: Deep cola pour with a thumb of tan foam resting atop. It holds its shape and leaves a healthy lace in its wake.
Aroma: Picking up the traditional nutty and toasty malts which one would expect from a brown ale. Undertones of wholemeal bread crust, coffee, caramel, sweet milk chocolate and subtle cocoa are infused with mild dark fruits and earthy spice. It all really gels together beautifully.
Flavour: There’s a nice fluidity to it – opening with mild roast, nutty chocolate, coffee and semi sweet dark fruits. It becomes somewhat earthy and crusty mid way as it touches on a bit of grainy malt, toast and subtle hop bitterness in the finish.
Mouthfeel: Rather light on, the lifted co2 assumes a bit of extra weight when it really isn’t there. Very smooth overall texture which is impressive considering the 6.4% AbV.
Overall: Look it isn’t going to garner the same hype as say the Very Green or Haze but it is a fine representation of the style. It’s kept quite conventional with minimal American influence (by that we mean massive hop additions). Respectable.