Yeti

Beer Name: Yeti Imperial Stout
Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Company
ABV: 9.5%
Serving method: 22-oz bottle in a pint glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Bottled 3/18/11

Yup, it's another stout. I have been drinking a lot of these this year, and there's a very good reason for that. Stouts just happen to be my current favorite beer style. After a day of doing all sorts of non-productive things, a good stout is a great way to kick back and relax.

The Yeti Imperial Stout is supposedly "untamed" and "imposing," or so the label would have me believe. This is another extremely dark beer. It's so dark, in fact, that there aren't even visible highlights at the edges of the glass when it's held up to a light. That is dark. It poured with a quickly fading head that still left a heavy lacing behind. There is a normal stout aroma (roasted malts and chocolate), but there's also a little bit of fruitiness in there.

This seems like a pretty complex beer. There's a sweetness at the beginning of each sip, mostly chocolatey, but then there's some bitterness and a strong roasted finish. Despite the high ABV, the alcohol does not have a strong presence, which is just the way I like it. At first, the beer seemed a bit strong for my liking, but with each sip, I like it a little more. I guess it was imposing after all. It's got a bit of carbonation, but not too much for the style. Aftertaste is a little bitter.

Final thought - This is a nice stout, but it has to be a sipper. It's a little deceptive, because the first sip is a somewhat intimidating, even though the beer is very enjoyable. Don't be frightened off; it's a good stout for a cool night.

-Jon

Titan IPA

Beer Name: Titan IPA
Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Company
ABV: 7.1%
Serving method: 12-oz bottle in a pint glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Bottled 2/15/11

Finally, a company that puts the date right on the bottle's label so I don't have to go on a scavenger hunt to find it.

Titan IPA is another strong ABV beer from Great Divide. This one is a pretty clear copper color that pours with only a very thin head that is gone almost instantly. There is obviously a strong hop aroma (it is an IPA after all), but there's also a sweet maltiness in there as well. The beer leaves a very light lacing on the glass.

This beer is a little too hoppy fresh out of the fridge, but after a couple minutes it mellows out into a delightful brew. It starts off with a little bit of sweetness, and then you get the citrusy hops. There is a light carbonation and a nicely bitter IPA finish. The beer has a bit of a lingering aftertaste, but nothing too strong.

Final thought - This is a much more balanced IPA than the last one I had. While it packs a nice hop punch, there is some other stuff going on that evens things out. The strong ABV is completely hidden behind all the flavors, so be careful with this one. It'll sneak up on you.

-Jon

Denver Pale Ale

Beer Name: Denver Pale Ale
Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Company
ABV: 5.4%
Serving method: 12-oz bottle in an unknown glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown

The Publick House in Brookline has a pretty ridiculous number of beer choices. And that's fantastic! The only problem is that it's a little overwhelming when you pick up the 4 page beer menu. Picking just one beer from this extensive list is a daunting task! I'm glad I had checked it out beforehand so that I could narrow my list to 4 or 5 possibilities.

The first beer I had was the Denver Pale Ale from Great Divide. It was served in a glass that was also roughly 12-oz, but I'm not sure what kind of glass it was. It was short and stocky, with 8 defined sides. If you ever see one and find out the name, I'd appreciate it if you let me know. The beer is a golden color with a light head that quickly fades away. The aroma is mostly citrus hops with a faint hint of malt in the background. At the end, there was a light lacing on my glass.

The taste of this beer is a little surprising. I went in thinking that this was going to be another hop festival, but it's not. It's actually a little bit sweet upfront, with both maltiness and hoppiness in each sip. The beer finishes with a little bit of hoppy bitterness and a medium aftertaste. It keeps a good flavor as it warms up, making it a nice sipping beer.

Final thought - This beer has a much more mellow hop intensity than most pale ales. I wonder if that is because it's technically an "English" pale ale instead of an "American" pale ale. I have so much to learn about beer. At any rate, I enjoyed this beer much as I enjoyed the last Great Divide beer I had. I think these are sold at Ryan & Casey, which means I'll have to pick some up.

-Jon

Hibernation Ale

Beer Name: Hibernation Ale
Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Company
ABV: 8.7%
Serving method: 12-oz draft in a pentagonal glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Unknown

This beer is classified as an "old ale," and usually that would mean that you would learn something new about beer. But not today, because I'm feeling lazy. Let's leave it at old ales are generally pretty malty and probably not that old.

Hibernation Ale is a clear ruby-amber colored beer with a slow fading half inch head. It's a pretty thick head that leaves a moderately heavy lacing on the glass. The aroma is a combination of sweet malt and some hops. If the beer is half as good as it smells, it's going to be great.

And it is! This beer is delicious! The flavor starts off with a sweetness and coffee, and then moves into the hops that are expected from the aroma. It's a very tasty mix. The beer has a medium carbonation, and it finishes clean without an aftertaste or the dryness that is usually associated with hoppy brews.

Final thought - Add Great Divide to the list of places that I'll be trying more beers from. This one was great. It's too bad that I am only finding out about it now, because I have to assume the winter beers are on their way out and the spring ones are coming in. How sad.

-Jon