Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout - Barrel Aged

Barrel Aged Yeti Imperial Stout has been aged for 20 months in used barrels from Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey, Colorado’s only whiskey maker. The rich and robustly roasted beer of 12.2% ABV and 75 International Bittering Units (IBUs) picks up flavors of oak, vanilla and whiskey through the extended aging process. These flavors add greater complexity to the already rich beer, while tempering its assertive nature.

“Our intent,” says Great Divide founder Brian Dunn, “was to age each beer in the barrels for 9 months. But we got busy with other projects, primarily the addition of a new bottling line, and the beers ended up aging for more than a year and half.” While the labels on the bottles state that the beers were aged 9 months in barrels, both beers were in fact aged 20 months in barrels.

Release limited to 470 bottles.

420 reviews

Denver, United States

Community reviews

3.9 Flaska Systembolaget. Svart vätska. Murrig doft av choklad, whiskyfat, vanilj och kaka. Krämig och fyllig smak. Kakao, rostad malt, trä, whisky och toffee. Diskret sötma med bra tryck i smak och munkänsla. Lätt torr anslutning

3.7 From a bottle, no doubt picked up in Colorado on the 17 trip. Listed at 12.5 abv on the bottle. Virtually black with a foamy, light brown head that fades to a whispy, creamy layering that’s more lacing than crown. Aroma is full of barrel but heavy with chocolate and vanilla too, which is a good thing since I like the barreled beers balanced. The taste, however, is barrel-driven, full of raw whisky, oak and alcohol burn. Would like to see a little more of the underlying brew with its inviting toffee and molasses sweetness. Heavy body, soft carbonation. Works as a digestif.

4.1 Pours a two-finger brown head that fades very slowly, leaving a good lace. Black color, no highlights. Light-medium carbonation and heavy bodied. Nose is oak and vanilla, flavor is whiskey, vanilla, oak, burnt oak finish. Higher ABV (12.5%) is hidden. Pricey - $8.96 for a 12 oz bottle from Colonial Spirits Acton, Ma.

4.1 This beer was released at Systembolaget, Sweden February 1 - 2019 in a 12 oz (355 ml) bottle. Dark brown to black beer with a huge, three finger high, dark brown head tha leaves a lot of lacing on the glass. Nose: Barrel notes, oak, Bourbon, raisin, vanilla, cocoa beans, dark chocolat, brown sugar, roasted malt, caramel, molasses and coffee. Taste: Oak and wood again, dry bitter chocolate, vanilla, molasses, coffee, whiskey, tannin, darkk bread and leather. Cardboard? (I do not want that!) Mouth: Full body. Smooth carbonation. A very bitter and dry, damp ending. A great beer but I did not like the sense of cardboard at the end...

4.1 (355ml 2018 bottle from Systembolaget) Aroma of creamy cocoa, vanilla, dark malt with a hint of molasses, ample wood, bitter coffee, nuts, some spicebox, whiskey, smoky burnt grain and maybe some charred oak, some piney classic Yeti hop aroma in there too. Flavour is pretty big semi-sweet creamy cocoa with vanilla up front and a smooth core of dark malt with praline and molasses, but the ample toasty spicy oak and whiskey hits pretty quick and takes over through the sip, peppery and leathery and blending with resinous hops and heavily burnt grain. A little smoky. Finish is dry, above moderately bitter with lots of oak and bitter roasted grain along with that fairly hefty resinous hop hit. Whiskey also prominent along with some drying spriit heat. Medium body for style with fairly soft carb. This is a Yeti variant that doesn't hide the big bitter underlying Yeti, but that's not a bad thing.

4.9 Massa kaffe, choklad, karamell, kola bränt trä och fina grejer... lite för bränt och kunde varit lite mer sötma men svingod komplex och fyllig.

4.1 Flaska från SB. Svart med ett ljusbrunt skum. Dofter av choklad, trä, vanilj och rostad malt. Smakinslag av mörk choklad, rostad malt, torkad frukt, vanilj, trä och söt lakrits. Fyllig kropp. Oljig munkänsla.

4.2 Flaska från SB. Kolsvart med tjusigt krämig mörkbrun skumpuck. I doften riktigt kärva old school impy-toner av askfat, tjärpastill, kaffesump, läder och chark. Något längre bak även toffee, choklad, ek, whiskey och avkok från enbärsris. Något större kropp med en riktigt len munkänsla. Inte alls så tydlig alkoholhetta och whiskey-karaktär som väntat, om än tydlig fatkaraktär överlag. I smaken samma kärva toner i förgrunden som i doften. Whiskeyn något mer framträdande, men inte supermarkant. Ganska tydliga toner av ekfatet och viss typisk kokos/vanilj-ton. Stor beska och hårt rostade/kärva toner. Ändå inte så kaxig som väntat. Det här är mycket gott, men hade kanske hoppats på lite mer ändå. Tror fortfarande att vanliga Yetin är favoriten i min bok.

4.4 Pitch black color, minimal dark brown head. Lovely and complex aromas of raisins, bourbon, vanilla, chocolate and roasted hints. Taste of roasted malt, bourbon, raisins, soy, alcohol, oak and vanilla. Simply great!

4.2 I have been aging this beer in my basement for a couple of years. Pretty excited to try it. Pours a dark black color like motor oil. Smells of chocolate, vanilla and whiskey. So delightful. Taste is very smooth. Silky chocolate with some boozy whiskey in the finish. Mmmmmmmm

4.3 Vanilla ice cream, chocolate, Coffee, alcohol, heavy wood, Soy sauce, alcohol. Black colour, medium Brown head, lacing. Whiskey (bourbon), licorice, Coffee, chocolate, alcohol, vanilla ice cream. Heavy sweet, medium bite, salty. Fullbodied, creamy feel, average carbonation, warming aged finish. A treat.

3.9 Gold-foiled 2018 355ml bottle 12.5% from Bottle Craft in San Diego at home in HK. Rich pitch black pour with minimal butterscotch head. Aroma is deep and dark - big woody, boozy, roasty, with some piney-earthy hops., leather, smoke? Something a tiny bit savory.. Needs to warm up a lot. Taste is huge toasted oak, dark dark chocolate bitterness, sharp, warm alcohol, some pine, leather, little bit of vanilla bourbon. Palate isn’t too slick, but heavy and a tiny bit chalky at the end, not bad though. Overall a little flat - sharpness of taste sort of overwhelms, and limited amount of bourbon mellow. Still very good.

3.9 Drank after Kam Shan Country Park w Tom and Kowloon City food tour w Matt. Pours a pitch black opaque with a thin oat-y beige head. Smells of inky dark malts, chocolate, toasted almonds, whiskey, lots of wood and spice, a little sharp and herbal. Tastes of sharp spiced dark malt, burnt sugar, whiskey. Body is a bit on the watery side, spicy and sharp, chalky powdery finish. Aroma is complex and rich; taste is a bit sharp and palate a bit thin. Still a rich great boozy beer.

3.7 Oaky chocolatey aroma, more malty and less boozy than expected. Beautiful black color with a dark brown head. Roasted taste, oaky with some milk chocolate. Thinner palate than expected.

4.4 Draught @ Great Divide Taproom, Denver, CO. Super smooth, roasty and hoppy with loads of bourbon, wood, oak, vanilla, coffee and chocolate. Really well balanced and tasty, hits all my sweet spots. Great one.

4.2 Sampled on draft at Tapped this beer poured a black color with a medium sized foamy very dark brown head that left good lacing. The aroma was whiskey, cookie dough and cocoa. The flavor was whiskey, coconut, cocoa, roasty malts, cookie dough and sharp floral hops. Very long finish with lingering cookie dough. Moderately full bodied. Excellent.

3.8 Draft. Aroma of raisins and cocoa. Flavors of roasty cocoa and wood. The whiskey is hard to isolate, which is fine. Some cake batter. Finishes with some ash.

5.0 boozy smell and taste, chocolate

3.9 Cheers to KBL for sharing this bottle. Black and almost flat. Nose is vanilla, oak, coconut, chocolate. Whiskey is pretty strong, roastiness light, lots of vanilla and coconut. Silky smooth and soft. Nice.

4.0 Great divide BA Yeti 12.5% 12 oz bottle through a trade and shared with a friend. Served in a snifter. Deep inky black with a beige head and a tannic oaky whiskey aroma. Medium bodied and smooth with boozy sweet whiskey ba and sweet molasses thick classic yeti notes. Really good but for me the whiskey barrel was a bit too prominent, I prefer a sweeter rounder beer I guess but like the whole yeti series, this beer will not disappoint.

3.9 Draught Brouwers Cafe. Black color, brown head. Bitter taste with roasted malts, chocolate, licorice, hops, oak, a bit of bourbon, coffee and nuts. Bitter finish with roasted malts, hops, coffee, oak, a bit of bourbon, chocolate and nuts. Excellent imperial stout.

4.3 Bottle, 2017 vintage. Rich roasted malt aroma with notes of molasses, licorice, chocolate, caramel, whiskey, vanilla and oak. Pours inky black with a thin mocha brown head that has good retention and some lacing. Starts with rich roasted malt, molasses, licorice and chocolate malt as well as a rich, full body and silky smooth mouthfeel. Finishes smooth with caramel, whiskey, vanilla and oak flavors. Wonderful brew!

4.3 12 ounce bottle into signature tulip glass, bottled on 3/22/2017. Pours dense pitch black color with a 2 finger dense and rocky brown head with awesome retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Nice dense soapy lacing clings around the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, whiskey, coconut, toasted oak, and dark bread; with lighter notes of smoke, charcoal, leather, tobacco, molasses, licorice, raisin, prune, cherry, pepper, pine, and roast/toast/oaky earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/roast/bready malts, whiskey barrels, and light-moderate earthy hop notes; with great strength. Taste of huge dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, whiskey, coconut, toasted oak, and dark bread; with lighter notes of smoke, charcoal, leather, tobacco, molasses, licorice, raisin, prune, cherry, pepper, pine, and roast/toast/oaky earthiness. Light-moderate roast/char and peppery/piney hop bitterness on the finish. Some bourbon/oak tannin spiciness. Lingering notes of dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, whiskey, coconut, toasted oak, dark bread, smoke, charcoal, leather, tobacco, molasses, dark fruit, pepper, pine, and roast/toast/oaky earthiness on the finish for a while. Incredible complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malts, whiskey barrels, and light-moderate earthy hop flavors; with an awesome roast/char/hop bitter/sweet balance; with zero acrid/astringent flavors after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from hop/char bitterness and whiskey/oak spiciness. Medium carbonation and full body; with a very smooth, creamy/silky/velvety, and fairly sticky/chalky/tannic balanced mouthfeel that is fantastic. Alcohol is extremely well hidden; a mildly increasing warmth of 12.5%, with zero barrel booziness lingering after the finish. Overall this is an amazing barrel aged Russian imperial stout! All around incredible complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malts, whiskey barrels, and light-moderate earthy hop flavors; very smooth and dangerously easy to sip on for the huge ABV; with the modestly hop/char bitter/drying finish. Perfect barrel integration, rich roasty/charred malts, and nice earthy hop presence even after the barrel aging. A highly enjoyable offering, and pristine style example.

4.0 Aromat bourbona, słodów palonych, czekolady, kawy, ciemnych suszonych owoców. Na języku dość fajne body, sporo kawy, gorzkiej czekolady, wanilia, likierowate, po czasie wychodzi dość sporo drewna na języku, alkohol pięknie schowany. Bardzo dobre piwerko.

4.1 On tap at the imperial stout event at Republic. Small snifter glass. Black obviously. Assertive tan head. Nose has plenty of roasty chocolate notes. A hint of whiskey peat. Taste is more aggressively sweet chocolate than anticipated. A slight medicinal quality. Alcohol presence felt but doesn't overwhelm. Vanilla. Very smooth and chocolatey. Feels like dessert. Not sure its barrel aged characteristics come through enough.

3.4 Refrigerated 75 cl brown bottle poured into a cup. Black with small- Aron is dry chocolate, medium body, medium carbonation, and good small-bubble lacing. Taste is dark chocolate and oak.

3.7 Black with a deep amber khaki head. Chocolate, vanilla, cream and whiskey aroma. Taste is like a combo of a chocolate and vanilla malt with big oak and whiskey flavors. Kinda like drinking burning fire wood, not smokey, just charred wood. Velvety mouthfeel and very dry.

4.0 Black pour, fine dark tan head. Lots of wood and bourbon on the nose. More wood on the tongue, char, maple, caramel, vanilla. Very good.

4.0 Serving: from bottle at Seattle International Beerfest. Aroma: chocolate, bourbon and coffee. Appearance: small, light-brown initial head. Taste: lightly sweet, ripe fruit initial flavor and lightly sweet, bourbon finish with average duration. Palate: full body with syrupy texture and soft carbonation. Overall: excellent.

4.0 Aromas of dark chocolate, toffee, aged dark malts, wort syrup, coffee rinds, whiskey, rye whiskey, oak, barrel wood, nougat, leather and faint cigar smoke. Pours dark black with aggressive brown foam and lacing. Taste brings the classic Yeti stout flavors with dark chocolate, roasted black malts, syrupy chocolate, raisins, roasted barley, slight figs, chalky cocoa, plums and molasses upfront. Mid palate offers heavily aged dark malts, rye whiskey, whiskey spices, barrel wood, caramel, dark cacao, oak, black licorice and cigar smoke. Finishes smooth and dark with residual chocolate syrup, aged dark malts, whiskey barrel, oak and subtle vanilla. Overall, this is a fantastic blend of whiskey barrel and stout. The Yeti's original flavors are there alongside pleasantly aged malts and whiskey notes. Extremely decadent.