Great Divide Yeti

Brewer's Notes
"Yeti Imperial Stout is an onslaught of the senses. It starts with big, roasty malt flavor that gives way to rich caramel and toffee notes. Yeti gets its bold hop character from an enormous quantity of American hops. It weighs in at a hefty 75 IBUs."

Beer Advocate

Tasting Notes

201225 A second can impressed me even more. It is a great example of a American Imperial Stout. It has loads of flavor. It reminds me of Bell's Expedition Stout, but is a tiche thinner and easier on the palette. It is bigger than Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout. I am upgrading the rating for Yeti and thought about downgrading the rating for Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout.

Rating = 6 glasses

20251213: A massive beer. I am leaving the rating along but thought about increasing it.

Jan. 24, 2021
I fear that I am moving away from massive beers. The Yeti that I drank last night was TOO big. I am downgrading the rating.

Rating = 5 glasses.

April 19, 2020
I exclaimed "What a beer" with my first sip. Yeti has been a favorite of mine for a long time. It continues to amaze and impress. It is a MASSIVE beer. Loads of burnt chocolate, a titch of coffee, and some cardboard.  

BeerAdvocate rating = Outstanding, 435th best American Imperial Stout, and 1,367th best overall.

Rating = 6 glasses.

Great Divide Hibernation Ale

Tasting notes

Dec. 13, 2022

I bought a 6-pack to try again after many years had passed since my last taste. Great Divide calls Hibernation Ale an Old Ale. It blurs the line between Old Ale, Strong Ale, and Winter Warmer. I think it is best classified as a Winter Warmer. Burnt caramel dominates the flavor, sort of a  softer version of Arrogant Bastard. It is an interesting sipper.

Rating = 4 glasses.

Brewer: Great Divide Style: Old Ale Tasting notes: (1102) A 3-yr. 3-mn. old bottle. A hoppy brown ale w/ a creme brulee bite. Downgraded from 5 glasses. (1012) A 3-yr 1 mn old bottle. A thin English Barleywine w/ old ale sour flavor. Makes me wonder what more age would do. (1010) A 1-yr 10-mn. old bottle. Cream brulee, heavy on the brulee, w/ a sourish finish. (1001) A two-year old bottle. A toned down Old Ruffian? Old Ale w/ hops? Nice malty start followed by hoppy bite w/ a little sour, chocolate, coffee, and caramel. Seemed a tiche thiner than I remembered, something like Fullers Vintage Ale. May be the age. (6) Sweet caramel malt, an "Old" sourness, and pleasant spicy bite. (5) Burnt caramel. (4) Toffee, coffee, and chocolate. (3) Wonderful. Caramel followed by sour bite. (2) Less impressive. Malt lacking. (1) Wonderful. Caramel malt nicely balanced with a bitter, piney hop finish. Flavorful but not overpowering. An English Barleywine or Old Ale w/ a touch more hops. Good to drink. Fine to sip. I want more. Comments: Great Divide Hibernation Ale is the brewer's seasonal release in Winter. The brewer achieves a wonderful spiciness without adding spices. Spices are frequent trademark of winter beers. It blurs the line between Old Ale, Strong Ale, and Winter Warmer. Previous ratings: 5, 6, 5 glasses Rating: 4 glasses

Great Divide Hercules Double IPA

Brewer's Notes: Hercules Double IPA is not for the faint of heart. It is, however, fit for the gods. Hercules delivers a huge amount of hops from start to finish. Its hefty backbone of nutty, malty sweetness balances its aggressive hop profile.

BeerAdvocate

March 16, 2021
Hercules is a great, old-school, West-Coast double IPA. Wonderfully bitter with enough malt to balance the flavor without being thick or sweet. A great beer for hop-heads. I forgot how good it is and am glad that Great Divide has returned to VA. 

Rating = 6 glasses because it lacks the complexity of Pliny the Elder.

Great Divide Yeti Barrel-Aged Chocolate Stout

Yeti Barrel-Aged Chocolate Stout is smooth and easy drinking imperial stout. Oak and chocolate are subdued and create a more mellow version of Yeti.

I think "Chocolate" is in the name and that the beer was a special release to celebrate an anniversary.

Notes from Great Divide on Yeti Barrel-Aged Stout : This unique version of our monstrous Yeti Imperial Stout is aged for at least 12 months in whiskey barrels. The spirited aging process produces a hugely complex but mellowed Yeti, with its signature roasted flavors, hints of vanilla and oak, and a whiskeyed finish. Who says you can’t tame a beast?

Rating = 6 glasses.

Note: this is a review from 2018.

Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout

Beer: Yeti Imperial Stout

Brewer: Great Divide

Style: Imperial Stout

Tasting notes: (0905) Another fresh bottle. Big and masive with hops lurking in the background. Tasted a little hot and not as chocolately as I remembered. Might be better w/ some age. Previous review.

Comment: The brewer has changed the look of the label.

Top 100: 29 December 2005, 10 March 2007, 25 November 2008, and 12 May 2009.

Rating: 6 glasses, a downgrade from the previous rating of 7.