Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout - Great Divide Brewing Company

vfgccp

New York

4.3/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

- Tasted at Split Thy Skull 2011 at Mugs Alehouse -

A - Tar black. Deep chocolate colored head.

S - Molasses. Smooth vanilla. Brown sugar on warm bread.

T - Toast, caramel, and cameo of booze. Oak. Nice barley notes. Some woody bitterness on the backend.

M - Medium body, great smoothness. Nice residual bitterness.

Serving type: cask

03-13-2011 16:56:56 | More by vfgccp

metter98

New York

4.3/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: The beer is jet black in color and has a thin ring of tan bubbles around the edge of the glass and some lacing in the center.
S: There are moderate to strong aromas of roasted malts in the nose.
T: The taste has flavors of roasted malts and licorice with notes of pepper and hints of alcohol. There is a mild amount of bitterness, which particularly stands out in the finish.
M: It feels full-bodied and very smooth on the palate with a light amount of carbonation. There is some warming from the alcohol in the finish.
D: The beer is a slow sipper given its strength but the complexities in the flavors keep your taste buds interested.

Serving type: cask

03-06-2011 14:32:04 | More by metter98

ArrogantB

Colorado

4.15/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

When I saw the email about cask Oaked Yeti I had to hit up the taproom. The appearance of the beer was spot on. It was poured into a Yeti tulip glass. it was solid black with a fluffy cocoa colored head. The smell was muted and the whole tap room smells a little malty anyway. The taste was roasty, a little vanilla, and much more subdued than the bottled version. The mouth-feel was the best part but what do you expect from cask? I still prefer the bottled version.

Serving type: cask

04-30-2007 15:49:43 | More by ArrogantB

rlee1390

Indiana

4.23/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Had side by side with the Oak Aged Chocolate

A-Black in the glass, two finger brown head that tries to leave some lacing behind.

S-Oak, chocolate, lots of roasted malt, some of which was burnt (the good burnt)

T- Very oaky, lots of roasted malt, some burnt (still good), chocolate, vanilla, tad coffee and licorice.

M-Medium bodied, nicely carbonated and a tad creamy.

O-A solid beer. Cheaper than most BA beers, with better availability. Not as great, but still a yummy beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 19:05:51 | More by rlee1390

JamesShoemaker

New York

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

22 oz bottle poured into my snifter. Bottle is eight months old. This is one of those shelf turds I never buy because there's always something seasonal to be had. It's a dry spell in the Southern Tier right now, but I'm happy there's stuff like this lying around!

A - pours tar-oil black with the brown head characteristic of the style on the forced pour. Recedes quickly, no lacing. Standard, but good looking.

S - hmm, a little boozy right at first, but it recedes quickly. Not a lot here, honestly, which is the negative thing I can really say about the "lightness" one discovers in the flavor and MF.

T - enjoyable certainly. Big roasted, toasty malts, almost nutty. OAY is lighter in flavor than most RISs I've had, but it's not necessarily a bad thing. The alcohol content clocks in a bit lower than others too. No indication of the aging.

M - the consistency is close to perfect, very smooth. A great mixture of syrupy goodness and alcohol, not too chewy, not too thin. This is where a lot of RISs fall short, in my opinion, so it's nice to see something complex that doesn't sacrifice too much.

O - OAY is very drinkable and very tasty, if a little pricey per oz (I paid $10.30 with tax for this bottle). I would certainly drink this again if I could find a cheaper bottle.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 01:25:23 | More by JamesShoemaker

Sludgeman

District of Columbia

3.56/5  rDev -16.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Bottled on 9/24/12. Poured from a bomber into a chalice.

A beautiful beer that unfortunately looks better than it tastes. Definitely a complex beer, but the "regular" Yeti is much better. Unfortunately the hops and the vanilla are over shadowed by the booziness of the brew. Difficult to finish an entire bomber, which is typically not an issue for me. Maybe some bottle aging would provide some improvement.

A - Viscous, full bodied, black. Half-finger rocky brown head, which disipates rather quickly. Slight lacing.

S - Boozy, bourbon, chocolate, sweet, roasted malts.

T - Roasted malt, oaky, nice hoppines, some bourbon, lingering alcohol in the finish, subtle vanilla.

MF - Chewy, slick, alcohol hot.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 02:14:41 | More by Sludgeman

BeerDawgs

Georgia

4.29/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Bottled on 5/2010. 3 years old at this point

A - Extreme black, creamy, big tan head, and some lacing. Black as night in the desert!

S - Sweet, roasted coffee beans. Burnt sugar. Very hoppy as well.

T - A hoppy Imperial Stout, slight vanilla notes, sweet, slightly boozy. Coffee beans, toffee.

M - Full bodied, rich. Smooth.

O - Delicious, but is kind of boozy. Only downfall. Definitely a sipper. But delicious if you are in the mood!

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 01:51:46 | More by BeerDawgs

dar482

New York

4.34/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

It comes in a dark black color with a small deep brown head.

It does not have the same barrel aged oakiness as other barrel aged beers like KBS or BCBS. There is big heavy malt, coffee, and bitter chocolate.

There is a good easy finish, with a bit of a cloying taste and bitterness. However, it really is a good Russian Imperial. The alcohol is not there and really drinkable for a beer with 9.5% ABV.

I easily prefer Espresso Aged Yeti more, which is one of my favorite. This is still quite good.

Serving type: on-tap

04-15-2013 02:24:28 | More by dar482

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.55/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

650 mL bottle poured into a Kuhnhenn snifter. Bottled 10/7/2011.

Appearance - Pours with a big mocha head. Settles to just a collar, but a nice one. Just a couple of flecks of lace.

Smell - Oak and lots of black patent malt. Slightly grassy nose to it. Very chocolatey.

Taste - Oak immediately present again, but dies down to a more standard Yeti flavor. Still very green, almost grassy. Chocolatey and bitter. A variety of bitternesses. Oak bitterness, hop bitterness, and malt bitterness.

Mouthfeel - Abrasive bitterness, but nice body. Medium carbonation.

Overall - All these Yeti beers have the same grassy bitterness that I don't welcome in a stout. I get that it's an RIS, but it's over the top. The oakiness doesn't smooth it out at all, just adds to it.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 01:33:32 | More by Alieniloquium

leokbelo

Florida

4.86/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Completely, pure, ultimate blackness poured into a snifter. 2 inch creamy, mocha head lingers...
Rich coffee, bitter chocolate bouquet.
Creamy, ultra smooth mouthfeel, with some vanilla coming from the oak barrels...Rich roasted coffee, sweetness from the malts, hop bitterness too, with everything so well balanced, so well blended, it's an absolute wonder to the senses.
Incredibly complex, amazing beer!
Cannot recommend it enough!

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 20:47:49 | More by leokbelo

ubenumber2

Arkansas

4.79/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a bottle with a bottled on date of Sept 2012 , pours a rich deep chocolate color with a thick brown head that retains its body well and lacing that sticks to the side of the glass , a very nice looking beer in the glass

The aroma is just great , I pick up the malt and the alcohol very well with hints of vanilla and almost a creamy smell to it , kind of sweet but enough bite from the alcohol to not be too much

The body of this beer is almost too week to be such a big beer , I was expecting a hearty thick taste and it was almost a little too weak for this beer , not that it was bad just not what I was thinking

The flavors this beer puts out are very nice malty sweetness , you can taste the bitter overtones of the dark malts used in this brew , the oak flavor comes in and really finishes this beer off nicely

Over all I'm not a huge stout fan , I mean I like them ok , but not a huge fan , I loved this one. I mean I thought I loved FBS until I drank this , now I know I liked FBS and Loved the Oak Aged Yeti

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 17:59:37 | More by ubenumber2

stcules

Italy

4.45/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Dark appearance, one finger of brown head.
In the smell a strong toasted, vanilla, wood and coffe in the foreground. Full and impressive in the smell already.
Confirmed in the taste, with even cocoa, green hop, almost herbal, some root notes. Then a lot of hazelnut, cocoa nibs, and again vanilla in evidence.
Full and round body, smooth.
Pairing with dark chocolate and cocoa nibs, great.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 19:48:58 | More by stcules

chanokokoro

Illinois

4.53/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle with a Sep. 11, 2012 bottling date into a Great Divide Brewing Company "Yeti" branded snifter

Pours pitch black and as viscous as motor oil capped by a thick dark brown head. Great retention, significant splotchy lacing. Robust aroma of bakers chocolate, toasted oak, fusel alcohol, and loads of roasted malt. Huge dark chocolate, dried black cherries, toasty oak, hint of molasses. The finish brings bitter espresso bean accents combined with bold hops and pleasant toasted oak with dark chocolate tones. Big, creamy, smooth full body. Gentle, perfect carbonation. Another exceptional variation of the original Yeti.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 03:53:14 | More by chanokokoro

kangarooAdam59

Connecticut

4.55/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanx Damian74Shensky:

Into a nonic:

A: pitch black body with a two finger tan foamy head that when it dies leaves some nice clingy foamy lacing in rings

S: chocolate and coffee coming through in a woody sort of way, is that light vanilla as it warms up...???

T: bittersweet through previously mentioned flavors

M: medium to heavy, not that sessionable, carbonation is barely there leads to a nice smooth feel all around

O: so though I got this in a trade, I feel like I had the cart before the horse since I didn't have the original Yeti, no worries, I`d still have this again and this is very good for its style as well and also am hoping I`d be able to find original Yeti someday

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 11:12:45 | More by kangarooAdam59

CurtFromHershey

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Beautiful stout. Pours a rich chocolatey black with bright head which quickly fades into a thin layer. Very sticky lacing for this ABV.

Smell is nearly unpleasant. Slightly sour. Bitter, alcohol, oak which shines through in a disappointing way.

Wow, taste is much improved over the nose. Rich, French vanilla, Michael, well-infused oak unlike the smell. Very hot on the finish, but otherwise a wonderful flavor.

Mouthfeel is thick, creamy, and enticing. Alcohol warmth throughout.

Over really a great brew. To me, it smells underwhelming. Otherwise fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 21:45:07 | More by CurtFromHershey

TheCondor

Missouri

4.64/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Well better keep the train going on the Imperial Stouts. First it was Founders, now Great Divide in getting into the action tonight. That being said, this brew was side poured with standard vigor from a bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance - Just like a good RIS should be, it pours as black as the swamps at night, no light penetration whatsoever. A small half finger tan head dissipates quickly, leaving little lacing but plenty of anticipation for the joy to come.

Smell - This beer has Founders beat in this department. The smell is explosively that of roasted malts, chocolate, sweetness, wood, dark fruits, and a hint of vanilla. Very complex and satisfying, I could smell it as I poured it.

Taste - Much like the nose, so incredible. So many tastes wash over the palate in successive waves, it is difficult to keep track of. A wonderful smoky sweetness comes first, followed by a little chocolate and then coffee bitterness. Dark fruits and maltiness underpin the taste. So complex and well-balanced.

Mouthfeel - Much like Founders RIS, very smooth, creamy, and viscuous. One of thebest parts of any well-crafted RIS. Like tasty motor oil in your mouth, just the thickness of the brew.

Overall - As with Founders, there is a reason this beer is on the Beers of Fame list. It is incredible, in my opinion better than Founders. So complex. Highly recommended and approved. And you gotta love a beer with Yeti in the title. The only thing better would be if they called in Chewbaca.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 03:50:29 | More by TheCondor

M_C_Hampton

Georgia

4.41/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: poured from a 22 oz bottle (bottled on 9/11/12) into a pint glass, pours as close to black as you can get with a huge dark tan head that lingers leaving great lacing, clear

S: coffee, roasted malt, molasses, vanilla, dark chocolate

T: bitterness from oak, espresso, vanilla, bitter chocolate, a big malt profile, piney bitter hops

M: viscous and oily with higher than expected carbonation, alcohol presence noted

O: bitter and complex, some sweetness would help to balance the taste, great look upon pour, oak aging quite noticeable

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 00:12:10 | More by M_C_Hampton

kevanb

Illinois

4.26/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

22oz bottle poured into a Great Divide Yeti Snifter. Bottled on 11/11/2011.

Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti

It pours a nice thick, oily texture, jet black in color, very opaque with a nice thick mocha colored head, just over a finger high that has very nice retention and leaves behind a large network of soapy lacing. The aroma is nice, lots of chewy oak, smooth bitter chocolate covered coffee, licorice and dark stone fruit with a moderately harsh alcohol presence that lingers behind. The oak is right out front on the tongue, lightly sweet, moderately chewy that balances nicely with the bitter roasted coffee and soft chocolate brownie flavors. Raisin and a bit of cherry come out with some licorice flavors, very nicely layered and developed. Alcohol definitely lingers in the finish, but isn't hot or detracting from the beer and leaves a nice warming sensation behind as it goes down. The body is very nice and rich, thick, viscous, coats the mouth well and goes down with a nice smooth silky finish.

Verdict: An impressive Russian Imperial Stout from Great Divide. It has all the hallmarks of a great stout and has developed very nicely and the oak adds a nice layer of complexity and age has integrated it well. Definitely a worthy beer for any stout lover and one that has improved with a bit of time in the cellar.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 04:06:06 | More by kevanb

dspolanco

Pennsylvania

4.74/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Appearance-Motor Oil Jet Black, cream mocha head. Beautiful

Smell-This brew smells delicious, big coffee notes, oak, smokiness, and a malty sweetness!

Taste- I have found the Yeti and its everything I imagined. Up front you get the coffee bitterness, than immediately the malt back bone takes over and blends it together. Some notes of vanilla, and smokiness from being oak aged. At 9.5 ABV you don't taste this at all. Delicious!!!!

Mouthfeel-Perfect

Overall-This brew is simply fantastic! I encourage my fellow BA's to track and find this Yeti as it will not disappoint! Great Divide you have done it again. Nearly Flawless.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 15:56:51 | More by dspolanco

trxxpaxxs

New York

4.34/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to sliverx for sharing this one... 2008 vintage...

A: Pours pitch black with about a half finger of mocha colored head. The foam takes a bit to settle, and there is great lacing left on the glass as it drinks.

S: The nose is huge wood, some stone fruits, raisins, and malt.

T: It starts off with a blast of sweetness and maltiness, and then it gets really woody. Like licking a block of oak. It's a mix of sweet and bitter in the middle, and finishes more on the bitter side. It almost has as charcoal finish.

M: Full bodied beer. Sweet, sticky, coating, a bit syrup, but smooth.

O: Very good beer. It's held up well since 2008. It might be a bit past it's prime, but not by much.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 15:38:06 | More by trxxpaxxs

smcnulty1981

Rhode Island

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

A: pours a dark black color with a hint of dark brown has a 1/2 finger of chocolate brown head that dedicates fairly quick good ammount of lacing on the glass

S: coffee chocolate oak bit of maple syrup and smoke on the nose

T: dark chocolate and coffee Tate but there is a hint of alchol on the taste

M: very full mouth feel coats the mouth with a viscous syrup quality

O: gret tasting imperial stout and the oak aging adds another level not very profound oak qualities but just the right ammount to know that it's there

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 03:09:07 | More by smcnulty1981

Jonada

New Jersey

3.99/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

650ml bomber. Bottled on 9/11/2012. Served in a snifter

Appearance: Midnight black with 1 finger of a dark tan head. Completely opaque.

Smell: Coffee, dark chocolate, alcohol, very slight hints of vanilla.

Taste: Roasted malt, dark chocolate with hints of dark fruit and wood. Alcohol is hidden reasonably well but still noticeable.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied, slick oily mouthfeel. Medium carbonation

Overall: Not really much of an improvement over the regular Yeti, but still a really good imperial stout. Worth a try, but nothing mind blowing.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 05:16:19 | More by Jonada

ilikebeer03

Texas

4.73/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a 22 oz bomber into a snifter. Bottled dated 07/2011

A: Pours a thick, oily, pitch black, just like Yeti. Beautiful, thick, creamy, tan head. About a finger and half worth. Settles nicely. Leaves a nice ring.

S: Lots of chocolate. Roasted malt coffee and caramel as well.

T: Delicious. Very heavy on chocolate. More so than Yeti, in my opinion. Like the nose, lots of roasted malts and coffee. Vanilla comes through here from the oak, which is a real treat. Finishes a bit dry from the oak, I assume. Alcohol peaks through, just a pinch.

M: Solid mouth feel. Light/medium carbonation. Good after taste. Dry finish.

Overall: A delicious beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 23:12:01 | More by ilikebeer03

screamking

Ohio

4.13/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle poured into snifter.

Appearance-black with nice light brown head. 4.25

Aroma-roasted coffee, some oak but not as much as expected, smokey, rasians. 4

Taste-oak finally shows up, coffee, vanilla, roasted malts, chocolate in late. 4.25

Feel-thick and dry, alcohol comes in stronger than 9.5 abv should. 4

Overall-tastes a standard RIS, I really don't taste the "oak aged" in this. Although I haven't had the standard Yeti. It says year round but this is the first time I am seeing it in my store, I don't think I would get this one again but I do want to try the espresso aged version. At this price point for a RIS there is much much better. 4

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 22:38:17 | More by screamking

emyers

Illinois

4.45/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22 oz. bottle poured into a Founders snifter. Bottled on date 11/5/10.

Appearance: Black with a half-inch dark brown head. Head dissipates after about a minute into a dark brown lacing.

Smell: Rich cocoa hits first, followed up by a strong, sweet toffee smell. Hints of dark fruit and coffee. Very strong, excellent aroma.

Taste: A bit of a change of direction from the smell. Very strong roasted barley character up front, with the cocoa coming on strong again. The oak is present but fairly subtle, providing a nice balance and added complexity. The strong caramel sweetness from the aroma is essentially absent here. Finish is fairly bitter, aided by a nice dose of bittering hops.

Mouthfeel: Medium mouthfeel, medium carbonation for the style. This is probably the weakest aspect of the beer - I'd like a little bit of a fuller body. The oak is a bit drying going down, which is aided by the bittering hops.

Overall: Excellent imperial stout. Captures the strongly roasty, bittersweet flavor profile that I prefer in my stouts. I love the oak - really adds an extra layer of complexity without stealing the show from the roast

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 02:14:03 | More by emyers