Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout

Brewed by Great Divide Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Denver, Colorado USA

Bottle. Solid black color with a dark brown head. A complex aroma with chocolate and toffee that is soon overtaken by dark fruits as the beer warms. A deep rich flavor with a full body that bathes the palate and leaves a lingering licorice and fruity finish. Quite a treat. Thanks to hopsrus for the trade.

Bottled. Black color with small tan head. Sweet and roasted aroma with notes of coffee. Thick and sweet palate with vinous and deep roasted character. In the finish the sweetness changes gradually to strong coffee-charcoal roast. Very good and long finish.

Appearance: solid black color, dark as the Devil’s skidmark’s, with a lush, bubbly roasted, dark tan head...beautiful, can’t wait to lift it to my lips, ah, but first, to smell... Aroma: bittersweet espresso, rich cocoa, creamy, delicious, toasty, tasty, with further sensations of anise, molasses, dark rum, just lingering in association. Taste: Ah! That’s what I like! Full-on flavor, thick mouthfeel, rich, tasty, coating the entire palate with this dark delight, a chocolatey paradise in the mouth. Not too heavy, either, not too overwhelming, not too dominated by alcohol, though it does slowly make it’s presence felt, this is an exceptionally drinkable IS, almost surprisingly so. Even at 9.9%, it’s not knocking me over the head with booze, not even halfway into this bomber, the integration is so perfect, it seems. Flavor never ends, and stews on the palate for nearly an eternity, for as long as it takes to enjoy this beer, which might be forever. Were I a Coloradan, I’d stock up severely on this brew, and as I’m not, I can only lay back and enjoy it just this once! Like a blissfully bewitching Butterfingers in the mouth, this one, and not about to overtake any in my Pantheon of Imperial Stouts, it admirably takes up the rear!

Body colour is black and the head pours a nice brown which lasts the distance. Hops are dominant on the nose with some underlying chocolate and in the taste, after the hops, a load of liquorice, burnt caramel and then some pine notes. Some people will really like this and some will believe it is just ok.

Along the lines of Stone Impy, which is never a bad thing. Black, nice, long lasting dark tan head, amazing lacing. Aroma is of pine with slight chocolate notes, very nice and up front. Full onslaught in the mouth, roasty, notes of chocolate, with a piney hop finish. That pepsin flavor that I love. This is my kind of Imperial Stout! Great balance between malt and hop. I quiver at the thought of an oak aged version. Perhaps not quite as complex as others, but still a mighty fine brew.

Rating #951 side by side with Oak-Aged Yeti. More of a roasted aroma with more smokiness than the oaked. I detect stale ash trays. There is still cocoa notes in there as well. The aroma is certainly not as intriguing as the Oaked version. The ash tray smell is really getting to me. Some booze is detected in the nose as well. Like the oaked, this is a dark dark opaque brown color with a larger, stiffer brown head than the Oaked. Sweet, sugary chocolate cake to start--turns mildly roasty and bitter. Some coffee notes present. Very smooth and I think this s tastier and more drinkable than the Oaked version of this. Unfortunately, the aroma really takes away from this beer. Both beers are solid and I cannot figure out which one I prefer. Purchased at Town and Country in W. Springfield, MA.

07.23.04 Bottle courtesy of Eyedrinkale. Black and oily-thick. Beautiful, brown, ample head. Hoppy-roasty aroma that shows off a powerful alcohol presence. Hints of pineapple? Smokey and malty up front, big, ripe dark fruits dipped in a resin fondue. Tobacco notes before and after a big hoppy finish. Lovely beer that I need more of. Thanks again, Mike!

Fully opaque black body and ruddy-brown head with fair lacing. Milk chocolate nose. Coffee and chocolate flavor. Nice bitter coffee finish. Body feels a bit light for an imperial stout. Still damn good though.