Great Divide Barrel Aged Hibernation

Brewed by Great Divide Brewing Company
Style: Old Ale
Denver, Colorado USA

750ml bottle, $25. viscous dark chestnut body, small off-white head. strong oak nose requires slight aeration and oxidation to relieve some of the petroleum and plastic notes, but after a short time these unwelcome notes subside (they never truly vanish but they’re at a low enough level to not obscure the rest of the beer). the at-first brash oak tends to subside as well, and with a rich and chewy body only moderately struck by barrel tannins, the sweetened caramel malt core of hibernation tends to play well with the also-sweetened honey accented stranahans whiskey. dense and chewy up front, oily and resinous in the finish, the core of the beer is somewhat masked, as expected, but again the whiskey and wood seem to accent hibernation more than it did with yeti (which clashed) or ruffian (which, while good, was overpowering). overall it’s an interesting product with a few minor flaws but thankfully no major flaws, however it certainly lacks depth and at this price point, depth is what is needed.

750 ml bottle. Pours a murky brown with almost no head (a vigorous pour produced a little frothiness that quickly went to a thin collar).

The aroma is chocolate and bourbon with dark fruit and molasses. Smells a bit like a decadent rum cake / fruitcake. There is a touch of fusel alcohol. I can smell the original Hibernation but it’s been bourbonized.

The flavor is surprisingly subdued. There’s some chocolatey bourbon and dark fruits leading to a bitter alcohol finish. As it warms, a bit more flavor comes out - but it still tastes like watered down Hibernation with a splash of whiskey. The mouthfeel is full with very little carbonation and is a bit watery.

Overall, this is not overdone with the alcohol like the bourbon yeti was. Both barrel versions I’ve had have been very lightly carbonated. I’m surprised by how subdued the flavors were for me, given how complex original Hibernation is. It’s interesting to try, but regular Hibernation is better, and this is not worth $25 a bottle.

Bottle #376/492 $25. I am a big fan of the regular version so I gave up the $25 for this one which I will say is not as good as the regular version unless you really like whiskey. It might be a shade darker than the standard version or maybe its just hazier. It smells like whiskey, alcohol, really an interesting smell. The flavor is really overwhelmed by the barrel-aging to the point that I can barely tell its Hibernation any more. Whiskey, wood, alcohol, vanilla, intense but just doesn’t do it for me. Serving type: bottle Reviewed on: 11-22-2009 04:40:25

Bottle bought at the brewery. Light to medium body. Would have liked a heavier body to the beer. Toffee and caramel. Bourbon is there, but doesn’t completely change original hibernation. Slight whiskey taste lingers. Good. But probably overpriced.

On draft at the brewery during GABF week 2009. Nose is full of oak, deeply toasty malts, faint toffee, roast and earthy hop, along with lighter notes of caramel and dark bread. Opaque medium amber-brown color with a light dusting of sediment and a nearly subsiding head. Flavor profile is toasty and bittersweet, with more toffee and light roast, cocoa, honey and faint vanilla, finishing semi-dry with a twinge of bitterness and wood. Actively but smoothly carbonated mouthfeel, body is medium-full. Really quite nice.

tap at brewery. deep, thick brown pour with thin head and lacing. caramel, oak, toffee, dark fruit aroma. rich. light oak. awesome malt body. a bit mellow. I prefer the original

on tap at the Great Divide tap room on 9/26/09... pours a deep red / brown... some oak and dark fruit in the aroma... but not as strong as I would like... nice medium body with some more oak... The barrel aging gives the base beer a nice touch, but overall I feel this lacks a bit and is fairly one dimensional...

Sample at the RateBeer Party at GABF! It’s first rating! Nose of oak, vanilla, floral hops, dark fruit, toffee, and a slight hint of bourbon. Hazy brown with a medium beige, glass lacing head. Flavor of oaky vanilla, toffee, toastiness, and a light bitter hint. Very weel done the bourbon is nice and light and doesn’t overpower the ale’s flavors.