Hibernation Ale - Great Divide Brewing Company

Fcolle2

Illinois

3.28/5  rDev -19%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

A: nice dark brown color with a 2 finger tan head that has decent retention

S: I'm detecting some faint musky wood that is overlayed with sweet Carmel. Overall pleasant.

T: a little acidic wood flavor upfront Followed by deep warm malt. some acidity stays on your pallet for a decent amount of time.

M: good carbonation slightly thick.

O: this is a decent malty brew. I'm glad I got it in my variety pack but nothing I would seek out

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 02:26:33 | More by Fcolle2

CFHMagnet

Ohio

4.26/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Apparently I poured this one too slow. I only got a slight froth of head that was gone in a second, leaving a thin ring. Body is a muted brown root beer color.

The smell is great on this. Roasted malt, good strong caramel and dark fruits abound. I also pick out a bit of vanilla.

Sweet malt starts off. This is complimented by a bit of light caramel which helps transfer into a woodiness and hop bitterness. Faint vanilla and booze end the journey.

Medium bodied. Drying, doesn't coat the tongue.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 19:24:08 | More by CFHMagnet

matjack85

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

I picked this up as part of a build-your-own six pack for $9.99 at the Binny's store in Bloomingdale, IL. 12oz brown bottle with a bottled on date of 12/10/12 on the back label, so it's not even 3 months old.

The beer poured a nice amber/brown color but I didn't even get a finger's worth of creamy tan head on top. What head there was dissipated quickly and it left lots of spotty lacing.

Good robust smell of roasted malts, bourbon, chocolate and dark fruits

This is a definite sipping beer. Big malty sweet backbone and lots of booze. Underneath those two flavors you'll find chocolate, plums, and a host of earthy and mildly spicy hops. I don't know the IBU rating on this, but it has a nice bitterness to it as well.

This is a smooth and thick full bodied beer with moderate carbonation.

I enjoyed this very much. Lots of flavor to compliment the high 8.7% alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 06:21:08 | More by matjack85

jokelahoma

Missouri

4.25/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a Boulevard Smokestack tulip at Blackthorn Pizza and Pub in Joplin, Missouri.

Beautiful garnet red with little head.

The aroma is a great combination of roasted malt and dark fruit. Almost like burned sugar plums. Very enticing.

To the surprise of no one, the taste mimics the aroma. Sweet malt, with a roasted edge. There are stone fruits here, mostly plums and their dried counterpart, prunes. Yet there is also just a plain malt sweetness which is welcome in its simplicity. This is a great old ale. It isn't "Old Peculier", but then that's not exactly *the* style either.

Mouthfeel is thick and rich. Not oily, but certainly hearty.

This is fantastic. I'm sure it can be bear, but it would take effort. A nice, sweet, rich old ale. Something to look forward to every winter.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 02:45:00 | More by jokelahoma

Arithmeticus

Maryland

4.3/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25

Poured chilled in ribbed ale glass

A: very dark red; two-finger head, very cushiony; active carb
S: musty aroma; oak, bark, wood chip; bit of tin can
T: malty; complex, musty flavor; strong leathery taste; medium bitterness; dark roasted malt; peaty; good specimen of an old ale
M: thick

Very fine, quite nice

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 03:13:31 | More by Arithmeticus

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.74/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Been a while since I've had something from Great Divide. Back in my early beer days, this was a go-to brewery for me and one that helped lay the foundation for my education and appreciation of the good stuff.

Crazy malty all over this thing. On the nose and the profile. Not sure if aging would help tone this down, but it couldn't hurt, I'd imagine. Very smooth feel. Alcohol hidden fairly well. Nice drinker, but I'd tone down the malt sweetness, if it were up to me. It's definitely a winter beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 23:52:51 | More by RblWthACoz

barczar

Kentucky

4.09/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

2010 vintage.

Pours a slightly hazy medium brown with copper highlights and a dense half inch frothy dark cream head that leaves thick sheets of lacing.

Aroma is sweet, fruity, and a touch peppery. Deep caramelization and toasted malt are accompanied by currants and raisins, along with dark berries. Reminiscent ofa mixed beery kool-aid packet.

Flavor reveals a hint of chocolate, which complements the deeply caramelized malt and underlying dark fruit and sherry character well. Citrus flavors of tangerine and orange lighten the rich toasted, bready malt body.

Body is a touch full, with moderate carbonation and substantial alcohol warmth.

Fairly complex brew. Still a bit hot, but rich malt profile and nice dark fruit accents.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 21:47:43 | More by barczar

fitrock2112

Ohio

4.09/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured the Hibernation Ale into a pint glass.

A - The dark amber liquid poured fairly aggressively with minimal head.

S - The aroma is of dark fruits, some hops, a little roasted malt.

T - Nice flavor up front, hop bitterness and dark fruits, malty goodness on the backend.

M - Medium mouthfeel on this Old Ale, little carbonation, some syrup qualities, nice and smooth.

O - Pretty nice beer, yeah you can drink a few of these on a winter night. Recommended
Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 01:45:17 | More by fitrock2112

Jacurdy60

Alabama

4.23/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A-beautiful, deep brown with a hint of ruby red. Uniform lacing that dissipates quickly. Half-finger, off white head that also dissipates quickly

S-Oaky with notes of smokiness, it seems.

T-Very malty. Finishes well with a smooth nut taste and a subtle hint of sweet chocolate

MF-chewy, but also smooth with almost no carbonation

O-good beer. One of my favorite old style english brown ales

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 22:19:36 | More by Jacurdy60

Treebs

Illinois

4/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Enjoyed on tap at Wild Monk. Served in a snifter.

A: Pours a dark ruby/light brown combination with an off white head forming on the pour. Great retention has it slowly recedes down the glass. Sticky sheets of lace are left behind.

S: Light, roasty malts with a little dark fruit. Creamy sugar with a touch of chocolate.

T: Dark fruits with an underlying malty sweetness. A little complimenting alcohol. Slightly nutty with some unsweetened chocolate and just a touch some mineral-like yeasty notes.

M: Surprising light in body for an old ale, but it's pretty drinkable for that reason. Mediumish bodied with a medium carbonation level.

O: I'm more of a fan of the leathery, highly malted old ales. This was one was just a tad light more for, me it still had nice flavors and was pretty drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

01-26-2013 13:35:46 | More by Treebs

thegodfather1076

Ohio

3.99/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Presentation: Very cool non glossy label with a nice color scheme and some very cool graphics and font. Front label gives a nice background on the beer, states the GABF accomplishments of the beer, gives suggested food pairings, styes the type of beer, website info, ABV info, and bottled on date(8/31/12). Has a small neck label as well stating the brewery name.

Appearance: I allowed this baby to warm for about 10min before pouring it from its 12oz bottle into a 16oz snifter. Hibernation pours out a deep caramel amber brown with a ½ finger tan foam head of lighter density. Head retention was only 55sec before fading to a very thin foam ring. Good lacing.

Smell/Aroma: Smells very smokey and of roasted malts with hints of chocolate and some sweet dark fruit. Didn’t catch any hops in the nose at all.

Flavor/Taste: Tastes very malty and hop bitter on the front end giving way to a earthy malty midpoint with hints of dark fruit and caramel sweetness. Finish is a slightly woody, roasty, and smokey bitter flavor. Very roasty aftertaste. Oak and vanilla/caramel flavors really shine as this warms. Alcohol is masked well. This is very complex.

MouthFeel/Drinkability: Medium bodied with an almost creamy mouthfeel and average carbonation. Very drinkable.

Overall/Comments: This was my first time having this and it came highly recommended. Very good and complex brew that I could see being perfect for a cold winters night. Classified as an Old Ale at 8.7% ABV. Consumed 1/18/13.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 11:00:47 | More by thegodfather1076

garymuchow

Minnesota

4.29/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Mmmmm, nice toasty, bready malts with hints of fruit and some raisins. A little caramel and very subdued hops-a little grassiness and herbal notes. Nice aroma.
Beautiful dark amber moving toward copper. Tan head that laces nicely.
Full and kinda' rich malt flavors. Hops lay on the tongue at the finish and bitter just enough to remind you that they are still needed and then linger into the semi-dry and semi-bitter finish. They seem to grow in presence through the drink - no needing to be reminded later. Malt flavors a little bolder than in the aroma. Fruit is more in the background. Toast is much closer to roast, but holds back just in time and this is a dominant flavor. Pulled back sweetness.
Moderately big beer with a fine carbonation. Alcohol makes no obvious appearance except a little warming once inside.
Almost too easy to drink, considering the size. Nice complex flavors and pleasing as all get out.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 20:52:59 | More by garymuchow

devlishdamsel

Washington

4.45/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I had this last night at my local watering hole,Pints. What a beer! The local distributor had been sitting on a keg of last years, so this was a 2011 vintage. At first pour the beer was cloudy similar to an unfiltered cider, with shades of hazy brown. slight head with a great amount of lacing. I could smell notes of vanilla. The mouth feel was very smooth and subdued; the perfect amount of carbonation. There was a subtle hop flavor, but none of the bitterness remained. Definite notes of brown sugar hit my palate in a big way with some roasted malt. As the beer warmed the flavor intensified and the haze cleared a bit,revealing a shade similar to clear amber. This is how winter beer should be. I could drink this beer year round but especially in the winter.

Serving type: on-tap

01-20-2013 17:17:34 | More by devlishdamsel

tdm168

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Wine 101 in Wake Forest

A - orangish amber with a soft, brownish head

S - baked apples, dark fruit, caramel

T - caramel, dark fruit, some burnt sugar, a balancingly bitter finish

M - medium to full bodied, some alcohol warmth, well carbonated

This was a really delicious beer. It had a nice maltiness to it with just enough hop character to round it out. The alcohol for the most part was well hidden. This would make for a very nice beer on a cold winter day.

Serving type: on-tap

01-18-2013 22:50:21 | More by tdm168

--Dom--

Missouri

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter. Pours a medium brown with ruby hues, 1 finger cream colored head. Smells of roasted malts, brown sugar.

Starts off sweet medium roasted malts heavy up front, caramel, toffee. This is obviously a malt forward beer but there is definitely a very noticeable hop punctuation in the middle. The roastiness hangs around throughout. Finishes slightly bitter actually, just slightly. Carbonation is spot on. Mouthfeel is heavy, syrupy but feels correctly balanced with the flavorings.

This beer is just full of flavor, and that's what I am all about. I go back to this beer time and time again and I'm always amazed at just how much complexity they get into it. It's got a big taste and a pretty decent gravity to boot. A sure winner in my book. If you haven't tried it yet, go get some. If you're someone who appreciates a big malty ale you're sure to love it.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 05:53:02 | More by --Dom--

Danny1217

Florida

4.05/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Pours a deep red color with a small off-white head. Not much lacing.
Sweet scents of honey, caramel, vanilla, and toffee.
Honey, caramel, and vanilla taste. Like the taste of sweet bread. Very little hop presence, in keeping with the British style. The finish is somewhat bitter with a slight alcohol presence.
Nice full body with a medium amount of carbonation.

Definitely a lot of bang for your buck for this beer. It's a pretty big brew, and only goes for about $11 for a sixer. I might be buying this one again soon and possibly age one or two.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 05:56:45 | More by Danny1217

mevett89

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: pours a dark ruby-brown, with a decent head.

Smell: sweet, with hints of vanilla, chocolate and caramelly malt, no hop presence.

Taste: fairly strong, again with a sweet and thick chocolate and caramelly maltiness, but followed by a nice hop presence.

Mouthfeel: the beer has a medium thick, smooth body, with a decent but lower level of carbonation.

Overall: this is a very good beer. The malt and hop profiles balance each other nicely, and the body is heavy, but without becoming syrupy.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 01:23:49 | More by mevett89

vtisme

Oklahoma

4.48/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

poured from a bottle into a snifter
A - transparent, brown-to-amber with a moderate amount of lacing
S - vanilla, a nut giftbasket in a bottle
T - smooth caramel, vanilla, delicious!
M - smooth, medium bodied
O - one of my favorite winter beers, get your hands on it!

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 00:30:53 | More by vtisme

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.23/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a Sam Adams "Perfect Pint" glass. Bottled on Oct 11 2012.

Appearance: Pours a very deep brownish ruby red with a lot of rising bubbles. Solid three fingers of off white head with good retention. Leaves a fair amount of lacing around the glass.

Smell: A very malty and roasted aroma. Toasted malts and roasted barley with big hints of baked biscuit, caramel, toffee, and yeast. A complex mix of subtle scents including chocolate, nuts, smoke, peat, oak, and oats. Hints of brown sugar sweetness. Also some hints of dark fig, dates, and raisin. Decent hop backing that is pretty earthy and grassy. A pretty nice malt driven smell.

Taste: Like the smell hints, a complex mix of malt flavors. Toasted malts with a taste of Baked biscuit, barley, burnt toast, caramel, toffee, nuts, and yeast. Notes of chocolate and oats along with some subtle notes of oak, smoke, and peat. A fair amount of brown sugar. Light undertones of dark fruits with some fig, raisin, prune, and dates. Decent presence of earthy hops with a fair taste of grass. A very nice malty taste.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Creamy and fairly drying. Alcohol is hidden pretty well.

Overall: A very good malt driven ale. Complex toasty flavors with a nice warming feel.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 08:33:40 | More by MattyG85

thlayli87

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Medium brown with one finger of cream colored head. Good lacing.

S - Caramel and chocolate malt, biscuit, earthy hops.

T - Strong chocolate malt flavor up front then the hops take over. Touch of fruitiness as well. Strong bitter finish.

M - Creamy. Malt and hop flavors both linger on the palate.

O - Pretty good winter brew. A little bit bitter for my tastes but good craftsmanship overall.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 21:23:56 | More by thlayli87

rickyleepotts

Arizona

4.63/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I have had this beer before. I had this last year, and don't remember it being this good. But this year, it is incredible. The beer is 10%, but you would never know it. There is a ton of sweetness… barleywine like sweetness. But that's OK. I like sweet beers. This beer, with such a high ABV, could sit for 1-3 years. We drank 5… but left one for the blog. Maybe I will grab another bottle before spring. I would love to try this in 2 or 3 years to see how it changes. Anyway, Sheryl really likes this beer. I dig it too. Let's start drinking the Great Divide Hibernation Ale. Bottoms up, people!

In the Glass: I could smell this before I even started pouring. But I will get to the aroma in a second. In the glass, it has a dark amber color with a really nice thin white head. The lace is weak, and I am sure the longer this sits (in the bottle), the more it will settle. When I cellar a bottle of beer, I almost want to see how flat we can get it! The beer is very inviting and has a nice appearance.

Nose: Like I said, I could smell this one before I even poured it. This beer has a VERY sweet aroma. I am not familiar with a lot of Old Ales, but this one came highly recommended. This is also the Great Divide seasonal release, so I had to try it. I am trying them all this year. From the Celebration Ale to the Winterbraun, I am trying all of the winter beers. Tis the season!

Flavor: Drinking this cold, it has an INCREDIBLE flavor. I am talking thick, sweet, and all kinds of delicious. We are drinking this right from the fridge, and it still packs a punch. Coming in at 10%, you would never know it. There is a very subtle heat toward the finish, but you might not realize that is from the booze. Very polished for a 10% beer. The hop profile is weak, and while you still get some tasty hops toward the finish, they stay hidden by the overwhelming malty goodness this beer produces.

Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel is nice. It is thick, hearty, and leaves a thin layer of flavor on your tongue for later enjoyment. It is almost like they put forces on the mouthfeel more than the aftertaste. I wonder, when brewing at this capacity, where the mouthfeel comes into play. Regardless of what they are doing over at Great Divide, they can keep it up. This beer is delicious on every level.

Aftertaste: Sweet. That's about it. It has a very sweet finish. It reminds me of a barleywine. Old ales tend to have similar characteristics, and should usually be served slightly colder than a barleywine. But man, this aftertaste is one for the books.

I am a HUGE fan of this winter offering from Great Divide. They make a lot of great beers, and this (for their 12 ounce seasonal offering) is one of the best. The label has also changed over the years. I remember when the label used to be red. Now the label is blue. Who cares what color the label is… I am focused on the flavor of the beer! Bottoms up, people.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 06:28:06 | More by rickyleepotts

brureview

Massachusetts

4.15/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served at 54F. Poured a dark honey color in a snifter with less than a 1/2 finger head.
Wonderful color.

The aroma was outstanding. Plum-honey- toffee. Similar to the aroma in scotch ales.

The mouth feel is highly carbonated to suit the style.

I expected the aroma to translate into the taste. There was an off-bitterness that dominated the taste. Some alcohol in the finish, maltiness, and fruit.

This is a classic beer style- there is an old character to the style- different than modern American beers: a deep complexity strengthened by bitterness. A difference in depth not tasted in newer Imperial stouts and Scotch ales. Not my favorite style but well worth drinking at least a few times.
A solid winter ale.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 02:37:06 | More by brureview

rlee1390

Indiana

3.98/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Clear ruby brown, some carbonation, one finger head

S-Strong malt, smoky, burnt notes, caramel, nuts and other spices.

T-Balance of malt and spices, some burnt notes, caramel round out.

M-Medium bodied, not much carbonation, smooth.

O-A decent winter ale, not spice heavy but the malt character was good and balanced.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 19:21:39 | More by rlee1390

intensify

Colorado

3.98/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Fast Review**

Dark tones of caramel, roasted malts, coffee and a hint of toffee as well. Nose is pretty on-que with the taste. Medium mouthfeel with an oily finish. A pretty good and suprisingly big on the roasted malts.

A nice seasonal beer for a cold Colorado night.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 06:06:57 | More by intensify

mooseo

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle into snifter.

A - Dark amber-brown with a bubbly off-white head.

S - Roasted grain, graham cracker, caramel, light chocolate, earthy hops. Sweet and inviting.

T - Complex malt blend of caramel, chocolate, bread, and roast. Piney hops creep in to lend a little bitterness. Nutty and earthy. Very flavorful.

M - Smooth, creamy, and thick. Medium carbonation with a slightly dry finish.

O - I enjoyed this one a lot - a definite sipping beer. I loved the complexity and balance in this beer, and the alcohol is not very noticeable.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 01:36:58 | More by mooseo