Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti 12-25-2010

Ze Beer? Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti
Ze Style? Imperial Stout
Ze Maker? Great Divide Brewing
Ze Content! 9.5%
Serving type: 22oz Bomber

So, I had wanted to do a “Christmas” blog this year, and I wanted to do something wintery, like a winter ale, but when I went through my collection of beers, I noticed I had no “winter” ales to blog about. I originally lined up the new Samuel Adam’s Collaboration the “Infinium” to taste, but after spending some time with my family, and talking to my cousin to doesn’t have much of a taste for stouts, I felt this would be an appropriate beer to blog on tonight. My cousin Jason isn’t much for dark beers, but it seems his experience is narrowed down to Guinness; I assured him that there was a whole world out there of stouts, different styles, flavors and ways to drink them. Though stouts and Imperial stouts may not be for everyone, and my cousin may not even enjoy a “non-Guinness” stout. Any chance I have to help persuade to try a good quality beer the better. I have had this bottle from the summer when I was in Colorado for my brother’s wedding; here’s to you Jason, enjoy!

The Oak Aged Chocolate Yeti pours as a solid black liquid, with a bit of weight and depth as it pours, it almost feels like its pouring out in slight globs, like if it were real thick paint. The head forms slowly, and cascades from within the beer to the top. It’s a nice mocha brown color, thick but not too fluffy, but doesn’t retain too long. From the moment I begin to pour this beer, I can smell the chocolate and the malty grain from this beer. A deep molasses smell resonates from the nose alongside a smoked woody oak dryness, as you can smell a slight hint of ethanol hiding in this beer. Surprisingly very smooth on the taste, a bit of a lingered bitterness from the dark cocoa, not too creamy but a bit of body in this brew. A little bit of spice on the finish if you can get past the chocolate malts throughout this beer. The content is a bit on the higher side, but the alcohol is hidden well. A slight bit of hop up front before a blast of malts parade through to the finish.

Would I PAY for this beer? Yes, this is a wonderful Imperial Stout. Though not as wonderful as the regular Oak Aged Yeti, it is still good and refreshing, the heavy chocolates makes this beer refreshing; but, I feel if you’re going to be an Imperial Stout, be an Imperial Stout, and same goes with a chocolate stout, just be a chocolate stout, I think a bit is lost in the attempt to be both.

Overall Rating: B+/A-

Cheers,
-Ze Beer Guy