Great Divide Oak Aged Hibernation Ale

Formerly brewed at Great Divide Brewing Company
Style: American Strong Ale
Denver, Colorado USA

Draft... Mid-GABF ’06, Great Divide Open House, Denver... Dark, ruby ale with a tight, tan head. Excellent retention. The aroma is a medley of caramel, chocolate, black cherries and woodsy vanilla. Cocoa, vanilla, oak and caramel flavor with mild bitterness. Full-bodied and creamy with tender carbonation. Sweet, chocolatey, earthy finish.

Tap at Great Divide. The beer pours to a nice ruby colored body with a slick tan head. The aroma seems to be lots of roasted barley, nuts, chocolate, light woody component. The flavor has a deep chocolate with dark fruits, hazelnuts, walnuts, tangy barrel aging. Pretty complex. The palate is tangy, medium bodied, and powdery.

sampled at the brewery. deep amber with a medium off white head. The oak comes out big time in this beer. Aroma is oak and woody, lots of sweet caramel malt. Taste is oak and wood, lots of sweet malts. I liked this.

On tap at the brewery. I absolutely loved this beer! I found the oak in this to be quite strong (which I like). A dark red-brown with small tan head. The oak starts to come through in the aroma. Flavor - roasty, nutty, vanilla, caramel and did I mention oak? I could drink this beer all night long sitting by a roaring fire after an afternoon of hitting the slopes...

had this with the brewmaster at the brewery. we started here, which was probably a mistake but you cant make many mistakes with these great beers. poured dark ruby brown with a tan bubbly head that snapped away. nose of tanins and liquorice. bitterness on the palate with lots of bulky malt sweetness on the back end. slight alchohol sting and a feel good vanilla buzz. a bit big and bold at the time. would be nice after a bit of cellaring.

At the brewery: I have on my notes that the brewer said this was more of an old ale, but whatever. Pours a dark brown with a nice head- some lace. Aroma is lightly roasty with some chocolate and nutty hints. Low on the hops all the way through. Lots of oak and wood with some vanilla, but almost ocmes out a bit dry and harsh. Still pretty nice though.

Chocolate aroma with a thick, rich, malty sweetness, some light vanilla and oak notes that are nicely present without overwhelming. Dark ruby brown body is topped by a dense, fine bubbled, tan head that lasts well and laces. Thick, rich, chocolate flavour with vailla and roasty overtones that spar in the aftertaste. Medium full body with moderate, soft bubbled carbonation. Enjoyed on tap at the brewery during the GABF Ratebeer session.

On tap at brewery. Nice dark cocoa-brown color with a small tan head. Nose is very roasty with the oak peaking through with a touch of hops. Full mouthfeel and some nice caramelish maltiness.....definitely some oakiness to this flavor...very tasty. Nice bitter choco-malt finish. Very nice.