Hibernation Ale - Great Divide Brewing Company

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BA SCORE
91
exceptional
-
1,666 Ratings

THE BROS
90
exceptional
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rAvg: 4.05
pDev: 11.36%
Reviews: 1004
Hads: 662

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Brewed by:
Great Divide Brewing Company

Colorado, United States

Style | ABV
Old Ale | 8.70% ABV

Availability: Winter. bottle (935), on-tap (65), growler (3), can (1).

Notes:
No notes at this time.

View: Beers (51) | Reviews (43) | Events (0)

Reviews

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Reviews by rickyleepotts:

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

More User Reviews:

CHickman

New York

3.75/5 rDev -7.4%

05-25-2013 03:49:07 | More by CHickman

csfcmitchell

Texas

4.25/5 rDev +4.9%

05-23-2013 15:50:56 | More by csfcmitchell

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

3.5/5 rDev -13.6%

05-23-2013 02:00:55 | More by mikeincharleston

Yosefus

North Carolina

5/5 rDev +23.5%

05-23-2013 01:16:45 | More by Yosefus

SmellsofMahagony

Texas

4.25/5 rDev +4.9%

05-22-2013 02:41:58 | More by SmellsofMahagony

InspectorBob

New Jersey

4/5 rDev -1.2%

05-19-2013 15:45:52 | More by InspectorBob

Photekut

Azerbaijan

4/5 rDev -1.2%

05-18-2013 22:19:20 | More by Photekut

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