Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout - Great Divide Brewing Company

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.18/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A different bigger experience than the regular Yeti. A very drinkable imperial stout, creamy. Black with mocha top. Definite vanilla from the cask. Lace. Medium mouthfeel, smooth, hoppy, very balanced. The oak gives it that 4th dimension. Thanks Viggio.

had a month later and downrated as picked up too much coconut, chamomille, while oak still worked. Wasn't as smooth.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2005 03:35:49 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.8/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Obliterative black. The massive head is dark caramel in color and is one of the darkest that I've ever seen on a stout. It's as thick and as creamy as anyone could possibly wish for and is beginning to lay down a stunning array of thick, buckshot-riddled lace. Hey, I know where I've seen this look before... on non-Oak Aged Yeti. Both are outstanding in the appearance department and have few peers in this, or any other, style.

It may be the power of suggestion, but I swear I can smell vanilla bean in amongst the darkly menacing aromas that are emanating from the glass. The nose is heavy on bittersweet chocolate and light on espresso (if it can be said to be light on anything) with a wonderously citric, evergreen hoppiness keeping pace with all the malt. It's difficult to imagine a more assertive, yet still complex, aroma.

Great googly mooglies! This is fantastic beer and is easily as good as the un-oaked Yeti, maybe even better. It's monolithically malty with all sorts of dark, fudge-like flavors bathing the tongue with each mouthful. Chocolate still reigns with bitter coffee grounds having their say as well. The malt tastes like it was roasted in the fires of Hell itself.

I've had this bomber for at least six months, possibly longer, and it's scary how hoppy this beast still is. When fresh, it may have given Three Floyds Alpha Klaus and Bear Republic Big Bear Black a run for their money as the most hoppy stout/porter that I've ever had. There's so much spruciness that I feel like I need to pick the needles out of my teeth after each sip.

The thing that I love most about the big beer from this brewery is the sheer amount of bud busting flavor that it brings to bear. It sometimes has an 'everything but the kitchen sink' vibe, but in most cases, it works beautifully for those of us who crave dizzying amounts of flavor.

I'd have to drink them side by side (now there would be a night to remember!), but I'm fairly certain that this version is even more complex than the standard Yeti because the oak aging actually mananages to impart noticeable oaky and vanilla notes. Even though a bit of an alcohol sting is noted, this is one of the most perfectly masked 9.5% beers that I've ever had. What good would a toothless Yeti be anyway?

I'm not sure that I can do the body/mouthfeel justice. There's nothing about this beer that should result in a bigger, creamier mouthfeel than in the non-oaked version, but for some reason, I didn't give that beer a perfect score and I'm doing so here. I can't imagine a more heavily creamy, nougat chewy, melted chocolate silky mouthfeel than the one that graces my mouth with each upending of the glass. If that isn't perfection, then I don't know what is.

Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout is unbelievably good. If the Iowa ABV cap is ever popped, this is one of the beers that I'll horde like a greedy chipmunk. If you love larger than life stouts, oak-aged stouts or mouth parties in general, do whatever is necessary to lay your hands on the single best beer produced by one of America's best breweries.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2006 22:14:37 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pour jet black, no light can penetrate this, looked like syrup going. Thick brown head that lingered for a while and thick lacing. This looks like a meal! Smell had a suprising hopped ting to it, but the caramel and chocolate malts definatly prevailed. Again smells very full. Taste was sweet dark chocolate right up front. Almost like a milk shake. Very nice dry hop finish. Roasted malt throughout and very sweet and delicous. Was not nearly as thick feeling going down as I thought. This was a wonderful treat and I will seek out more whenever I can. By far the best stout I have drank uoto this point, would recommend this to everybody. Oh yeah and the alcohol was soo well hidden, could not taste a drop of it!

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2006 15:34:12 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

3.2/5  rDev -25.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Thanks to Alicia for sending this as an extra awhile back.

A: The pour is such a dark brown that we'll call it black. A finger or two worth of tan head sits on top.

S: Lots of roast on the nose with a fair amount of chocolate and coffee. The oak is there and provides some subtle vanilla notes to the beer.

T: The roast and oak character are to the point of astringency. While there is some bitter chocolate and vanilla, the astringent and bitter qualities are just too much.

M: The body is medium with a rather lively carbonation, perhaps a bit much.

D: This was definitely a let down. The oak does not seem to have enhanced this beer at all and it made it sort of tough to drink.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2010 18:47:35 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a deep black with a tan head and a decent amount of lacing.

S: Dark roasted malt, chocolate, coffee, and a little touch of hops.

T: Sweet dark malt mixed with some chocolate, coffee, and oak.

M: Fairly full-bodied with a good amount of creaminess and not too much of an alcohol presence.

D: Pretty drinkable, although there might be a tad too much oak.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2009 19:07:47 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.15/5  rDev -3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pitch black body under a small, though dense, persistent, tan-colored head. Creamy, glass-coating lacing throughout.

Smell: Aroma of fully roasted malts and oak wood with appropriately roasty notes of licorice root, instant coffee, and unsweetened chocolate.

Taste: Dark, roasted malts tasting of slightly sweet dark chocolate, smoky creosote, and a half-shot of espresso. A smooth, drying oak character hits the palate midway through and slowly increases towards the finish. Tiny bit of vanilla and licorice. The citrus and pine hoppiness found in the standard Yeti seems to be diminished considerably by the oak, but there's still plenty of balancing bitterness to be found. Smooth finish with a delicate lingering oakiness. Everything from the roasted malts to the oak character to the hops are full in flavor but, thankfully, are never glaring or excessive.

Mouthfeel: Medium-full body. Medium carbonation. Smooth, creamy mouthfeel.

Drinkability: Though certainly not always the case, I do prefer the oaked version over the standard. A full, flavorful beer that makes for pleasant sipping.

Serving type: on-tap

12-08-2008 14:10:48 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a pitch black body with a tan head that quickly dissipates but leaves good lacing

Smell: Piney hop smell with strong bitter roasted notes underneath; coffee, chocolate and a clear hint of alcohol

Taste: Starts out with a strong taste of French Roast coffee with dark fruit and woody tones; the hops kick in mid-palate and continue to build well after the swallow and complements the alcoholic warming; an unusual phenolic plastic taste deters from the finish, however

Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: Except for the phenolic aftertaste, a very nice imperial stout

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2005 22:48:05 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

4.05/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Knownfactor for sending me this one!

Bottled on 10/7/10.

Pours a pitch black color with a 3 inch dark khaki head that fades to a puffy cap. A real nice latticework of lacing forms around the glass on the drink down. Smells of cocoa powder, roasted dark malt, and some vanilla/oak aromas.. Taste is very woody at first. The oak chips that the beer was aged on are the prominent taste followed by cocoa powder and dark malts. There is a very earthy dirt/wood aftertaste on the palate after each sip. Mouthfeel is very thick and creamy. A very rich beer indeed. Overall, this is probably my least favorite of the Yeti beers I have tried so far (I only need the barrel aged one to complete the entire series) but still a very good stout in its own right.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2011 00:54:54 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle courtesy of Daalamar: Poured a pitch-black color stout with a medium foamy head with pretty good retention. Aroma of oak with a nice touch of vanilla is quite exquisite. Taste is very well balance between roasted malt, subtle oak and vanilla. Body is smooth and creamy but could be a bit more full. Alcohol is not discernable and bitterness is well balance. Complex and well balance beer and worthy of its top 50 status in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2006 18:58:07 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.5/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I first tried this beer at the Festival of Barrel Aged Beer (FoBAB), Chicago Illinois in 2004. I remember it knocking my socks off as it was the most flavorful and aggressive beer that I had tasted to that point. Samples of the beer has shown up here and there since, but the beer still packs a punch. Yesterday, I sat down with a 750 of the regular Yeti, so this review is somewhat in comparison.

The pour turns an insanely viscous, malt pitch black with a brown-ish moussy head that tops the beer like whipped cream. Retention, lacing, and legging are all ideal.

Extreme maltiness carries with it eqully intense espresso, bittersweet cocoa, caramel, toasty-roasty notes that never waiver. Surprisingly, more fruity notes are experienced in this version of Yeti than the original; licorice, grapes, dates, plumbs, cherries, and other fruitcake aromas.

Flavors do mostly the same. Very rich flavorings of the cocoa and coffee dominate with the backup of fruity, boozy boldness. The taste is much more round, complex, and full than the hop-laiden original Yeti. The barrel aging doesn't really give much woodiness or zeal, but it does better emphasize the fruity notes of the beer while taking the rougher edges off of the hops and fusal alcohols.

A bit smoother, rounder, and richer than Yeti the beer takes on a marshmallow-like fullness and savory textures. Much easier to drink.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2005 21:43:13 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

4.47/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

I have sampled this monster a few times but never drank a whole bottle so I decided to pick one up this weekend,pours as black as an oil slick no light showing thru when held up to the light with creamy-like rich mocha colored head thad never settles completely leaving thick sheets of lace behind as it gradually comes down.Oh the complexities in the aroma vanilla,obviously the oak with a very noticable herbal hop leaf elemant as well.Outstanding creamy mouthfeel like marshmellow in its creamy but light airy quality,just minajory of flavors dark roast coffee,unsweetened chocolat with hints of vanilla finishing oaky and earthy.A real gem to be had wich most of you already know out there,just beautiful.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2006 22:57:22 | More by oberon

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.63/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The oak-aging of the Yeti softens it quite a bit and adds a very nice touch of vanilla, some more chocolate, and even some cocoanut. The piney hops are also a little bit more reserved; and the heavy roastiness has had a chance to settle a bit as well. In the place of the heavy-handed, almost-burnt coffee are glistening, oily espresso-beans; and the fruitiness is far more rounded and supple. Or maybe it's just that the acidity of the dark malts has softened a bit.

In many beers, oak-aging is just a gimmick, but in this case it's really helped to round out an otherwise good, but still blocky Imperial Stout. Very nice! In fact, very, very nice!!! As long as this is available, I'll never buy the regular Yeti again!

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2005 23:30:54 | More by NeroFiddled

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served in a Dirty John's tulip pint glass.

Thanks to VDubb86 for breaking this bottle out during our brew-day!

I'm one step closer to having tried every version of the Snowman (BA, you're next!). It pours a sleek onyx topped by over a finger of rich, dark tan foam. The nose comprises roasted malts, chocolate syrup, molasses, brown sugar, light pine, and light cedar. The taste holds notes of roasted malts, molasses, oak, greens, and dark chocolate. The body teeters along the border between hefty medium and light heavy, with a light moderate carbonation and a lightly chewy feel. Overall, a very nice stout, one that thankfully doesn't try to overdo it with the oak. Good times.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2011 21:54:19 | More by TMoney2591

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.72/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I like the regular Yeti, a lot...and I love Oak, much more than Poplar or Maple...so, let's have some magic, eh?
off comes the cap and ridiculous, useless, silver foil...
Solid black appearance, utterly opaque, with a fine cap of fluffy brown foam on top...solid!
whiskey hits the nose first, followed by sweet fruit, whiskey meets wine? ...nice hops, forward malt, but, after proper inspection, the hops are bigger than expected, and that I like! Dark malts give proper balance, though, and linger lightly through the winey aspects and the deeper sweet bourbon tones.
Taste: wow! this is genius!..it's a chocolate bar, with a sweet cherry finish...
it's a brew for slowly, intermittently, sipping and savoring with a good book, or a fine film...the best things in life should accompany this beer.
Still a hoppy kick,a thrillingly complex flavor, many different accents and nuances entrancing the senses at irregular intervals...tasty, tasty, tasty...yum...yep, that's really says it...yummy, yum, yummmm...(Homer-esque gargles ensue...)...this is a great brew, not too big, not at all punishing, very well-balanced, for what it is, and really, really nice!
I picked up 2 bottles, and it's apparently not enough...got to visit ye olde bottle shoppe, before supplies run dry.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2005 11:18:54 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

4.63/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

The beer pours a beautiful deep, dark black color with a thick frothy brown head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is awesome. It has a rich black and chocolate malt scent with a vanilla oak barrel aroma; very nice. The taste is great. It has an intense, malty flavor that boasts of black, chocolate, and roasted malts along with loads of hops in the finish. The oak aging adds a mellow vanilla quality. It goes down easy and finishes dry and earthy. The mouthfeel is good. It is a full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is one of the best imperial stouts I've tried. It is so flavorful; a pleasure to drink.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2005 01:34:21 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

4.13/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into tulip glass. Beer is thick and dark black. Head is dark brown and made up of small to medium bubbles. It forms thick at first but falls away leaving a lot of lacing on the glass. The remaining head is thin but completely covers the top fo the beer.

The aroma is a mixture of strong roast and alcohol. Smells fine.

Flavor is a little hard for me to describe. There is a bitterness at the back and it wrestles with an ash like roast flavor that dominates. There is a slight sweetness to the whole thing as well. Its a good beer though, not my favorite RIS, but a great example. I need the regular Yeti to compare. Drinkability is high. Mouthfeel of the beer is medium bodied and well balanced. The carbonation provides nice connectivity. There is a slight aftertaste but its of the roast and not distracting.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2010 03:28:36 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4.3/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottled 1/6/10.

The beer pours a dark black color with a medium brown colored head. The aroma is very nice with chocolate, oak, vanilla and hops. The flavor is heavy on the chocolate and the oak with some piney hops mixed nicely into the background. Thick, creamy mouthfeel and low-medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2010 22:25:48 | More by Mora2000

metter98

New York

4.3/5  rDev +0.5%
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

zeff80

Missouri

4.65/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Reviewed from notes on 11/30

A - Poured out an opaque, dark brown (almost black) color with a bubbly, light brown, one-finger head that left bing rings of lace.

S - Smelled of chocolate, caramel and subtle hints of vanilla.

T - It tasted of roasted malts. It was bittersweet and somewhat hoppy. It also had some spiciness and subtle vanilla-like flavors.

M -It was smooth, soft and creamy. A medium to heavy-bodied beer. It had a warm alcohol presence, too.

D - This is a great beer. Worthy of its Top 100 ranking.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2008 05:38:19 | More by zeff80

MasterSki

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Vintage bottle - it's got the old blue & white cartoon label. Guessing 2008, but who knows? Served in a tulip.

A - A finger-plus of dark mocha foam settles to a thick collar and partial cap, leaving behind minimal lace. Black body, with a hint of cherry-red transparency at the edges.

S - Vanilla, oak, Nestle chocolate syrup, some caramel, touch of anise, and not much in the way of oxidation - this has aged surprisingly well.

T - Taste is fairly similar, with a nice mix of vanilla, chocolate, and roasted malts. Not overly oaky - this flavor seems to have mellowed out over the last few years. There's a faint touch of oxidation creeping in, but it's complementary. No obvious alcohol present.

M - Chewy full body, lower carbonation, smooth texture, and a touch of warming on the back of the throat. Drinks like a more substantial beer, even though there isn't any overt alcohol.

D - The richness of flavor and thick texture make this more of a sipper, but it's quite enjoyable and definitely still drinking pretty well. I'd certainly have this again if offered, and I'll have to open a new bottle to refresh my memory about how this tastes fresh. In any case, if you see the old label on the shelves it's a pretty good gamble.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2011 16:20:31 | More by MasterSki

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.33/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours with a frothy, quite large, creamy dark brown head, that jumps out of my glass after forming a 4 inch thick head. The beer is a pitch black color that allows no light to come through. The aroma is interesting, there is a note that is a interesting mix of wood and roasted malts. I get notes of rich espresso, chocolate, vanilla, and an actual woody note. The taste is sweet up front with a subtle yet rich vanilla note that moves to a soft creamy note of rich chocolate. This beer is so creamy and smooth in the mouth, it is very reminiscent of a chocolate shake. Wow I am quite impressed here, this beer is quite a bit more interesting and flavorful than the regular version, which was perhaps a tad too bit simplistic. The oak adds a whole other dimension here that really brings this beer to a new level. As the beer warms up the oak starts to kick in a bit more, the finish becomes a bit more astringent with a solid tannic note. I am definitely enjoying this beer, especially since I was not expecting much from another oak aged brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2005 03:46:20 | More by Gueuzedude

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.13/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22oz bottle into an imperial pint glass.

A: The beer is a very deep black color and could be the darkest beer I've ever seen, with a thin light brown head that fades quickly and leaves a thin but dense lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains mostly dark chocolate and dark malts as you'd expect.

T: The taste is full of the intense bitter-sweetness of dark chocolate and a complimentary smokiness. There are some background flavors of dark fruit and a very mild hops presence. The malt character is exactly as thick as you would want from a big stout. The after-taste retains bitter-sweet aspect of the dark chocolate.

M: Crisp and very smooth, medium-to-heavy body, light-to-medium carbonation, finish is sticky.

D: Tasty, goes down very easily, not too filling, strong kick, very good representation of style. It's funny how you can sometimes get thrown for a loop when things aren't quite what you're expecting. I usually think the term "oak aged" is over-used and over-rated for the most part and I had also derived from hearsay and readings that not only was this beer not a good one to age, but that it was also not as good as the regular non-oak-aged Yeti. Well, contrary to what I was expecting to find, I liked this beer better than regular Yeti, nor do I find that the effects of almost a year of aging detract from this beer at all. I'm not so sure I would want to age it long-term, because it doesn't seem like it would gain too much, but it certainly hasn't lost anything. Overall, it's a pretty good beer among your more common big stouts.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2008 04:56:13 | More by TheManiacalOne

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer poured out as a wonderful looking black color with a very good brown head. The head laces the glass really well here. The smell of roasted chocolate malts and some fresh wood. The taste of the beer is chocolatey and toasted with a nice overtone of the oak. The aftertaste has a sweet bitterness to it. The mouthfeel is slick and very smooth. Overall this beer rocks. No doubt that this is worth the good reviews on here. Very enjoyable stout!

Serving type: on-tap

06-28-2011 22:09:46 | More by Knapp85

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.88/5  rDev +14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours like transmission fluid, but too black for that; huge coffee flavored head. Good lacing & head retention

Smell: Malty toastiness, some alcohol & fruitiness

Taste: Vanilla strained through wood, malt, fruit, vodka &hops. Dry vanilla finish

MF: Silky, rich & yum

Drinkabilty: Super despite the abv. So different than yeti, wow, both great takes on this style

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2006 05:49:54 | More by russpowell

emerge077

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap and served in a goblet, review from written notes.

Appears inky black with a slim layer of tobacco stained mocha foam. After a few minutes the creamy foam parts and reveals a glassy obsidian surface. A delicate band of lace rings the inside of the glass, about a quarter inch in width.

Dark unsweetened bakers chocolate and lightwoody oak, very chocolatey aroma with a touch of ashy char.

Intensely bitter, herbal hops parallel a deep roasty char that becomes ashy in the dry aftertaste. Lingering traces of dark chocolate and herbal bitterness. Medium bodied, and slowly sippable. The oak doesn't dominate, if anything the hops and roast combine forces to pull a hefty 1-2 punch of bitterness that sticks with you long into the aftertaste. Overall this is a big, rich stout with an intense level of bitterness, almost as if this was an RIS/Black IPA hybrid.

Serving type: on-tap

01-05-2012 02:47:15 | More by emerge077