Is this wheel bearing kaput?

[springswood]

Coming back from walking the dog I noticed a sudden drag as if a brake was binding. I made the few hundred yards home. Sure enough the rear passenger side wheel was a bit warm. Both rear calipers were replaced last October so I hope it isn't the brakes again. I looked and there is also an oily ring around the centre badge, see picture. None of the other wheels have that.
The car's done 130k miles.
I've booked it in to my favourite independent to get fixed tomorrow.
I just wondered if I'm right to suspect the bearing. I'm not sure if it would go suddenly like that.

[Jocko]

Normally they get noisy and don't heat up like that. Perhaps the bearing has collapsed completely, but you would hear that. You were not running with the handbrake partly on, were you?

[sparky Paul]

A seizing brake can heat the hub up enough to melt the grease out of the bearing.

[springswood]

Thanks. The garage suspect the caliper. They have experience of cheap parts. Fortunately it's within its guarantee. Heat melting the grease makes sense.

I promise I wasn't having a senior moment with the hand brake Jocko (though 60 is looming near). I had a caliper sticking last October and know the drill.

[Jocko]

My late uncle drove from Edinburgh to Wales, non-stop, with the handbrake on! It couldn't have been much of a handbrake, or at least it wasn't once he got to his destination.

[springswood]

On the plus side even the one wheel binding gave a lot of stopping power. I could hardly get up the hill on my road in first, usually OK in second. Thankfully it freed itself overnight but I didn't risk using it on the way to the garage. I figured most people don't seem to use the handbrake, it's got to be possible 

[springswood]

The garage couldn't find anything wrong, so no charge.

I wonder if I should be doing something about the bearing grease.

[Jocko]

No, just make sure to let the handbrake off next time. 

[sparky Paul]

I wonder if I should be doing something about the bearing grease.

As Jocko says, leave it alone - the bearings are pre-greased and not meant to be opened up. Whatever happened, you probably only lost a small amount of grease - it's amazing how far a little bit of oil or grease can track.