Espresso Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout - Great Divide Brewing Company

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.19/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Great Divide Espresso Oak-aged Yeti Russian Imperial Stout, Great Divide Brewing, Denver, Colorado.

Fully black, utterly deep, with dark brown head. Looks fantastic, very promising.

Aroma: Espresso is detected first, with chocolate not far behind, rich, decadent cocoa. Very nice.

Taste: On the tongue, it's thick, rich and hoppy. Not getting the oak just yet, but the flavor is dominated by cocoa and coffee. Great and surprising balance in this big, big beer. The espresso flavor is here, but doesn't dominate like in some coffee stouts. Full-bodied, with a long, sweet and hoppy finish. There's a certain cherry-like sweet character that stands on top and melds well with the bitter notes. Cocoa and coffee lurk in the back of the throat, hang in there, never letting go.

This is not the behemoth I worried it would be, it's a complex, and wonderful ale. Many flavors unfold during it's duration. Massive malt, incredibly full-bodied, flush with flavor.
Knockout stout, this. Maybe my favorite Yeti? No, it has to stand just behind regular oak-aged Yeti, though I haven't had it in a while. Maybe I should…

Serving type: on-tap

05-13-2013 03:36:37 | More by feloniousmonk

dar482

New York

4.35/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

It comes in a deep black color with a wonderful coffee head. It's a beautiful brown head. One of the more beautiful stouts.

The aroma and flavor are just huge. It smells of big espresso beans and bitter chocolate. There's also big oak character.

Such a smooth stout, it has wonderful roasted espresso flavor and sweetness and then woody oak chip flavor. It has a lovely body. It's almost like a rich, dark chocolate coffee milkshake. It hits the flavors with its complex flavors, the creaminess, and mouthfeel spot on.

My issue with this beer however is the aftertaste. It's hard to pin down, but it makes you rub your tongue on the top of your mouth. I prefer this beer colder because as it warms up, the aftertaste gets more prominent. It's almost a chalkiness or Nestle malt that sticks and lingers around. A slight offensive flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

03-03-2013 08:23:45 | More by dar482

kevanb

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

On draft at Local Option in Chicago, served in a Gulden Draak tulip glass. Review from notes.

Pours a nice jet black color, hues of dark brown when struck by some light. A nice big tan colored head rises from the glass, recedes quickly with lots of lacing. The aroma is pleasant, day old steeped coffee, rich chocolate brownie, chewy oak, a bit of grassy hop aromas peek out as well, nice balance of sweet and bitter, but the oak does leave me wishing there was some bourbon presence. The flavors are a bit more interesting, big coffee flavor right away, chewy chocolate cake, sweet and earthy oak, a bit of brown sugar and caramel sweetness comes out before some earthy hop flavors help the coffee to bitter this beer up. The body is nice, fairly more carbonated than expected, lots of liveliness as it goes down.

Verdict: A very nice coffee forward stout from Great Divide. Probably my favorite variant yet, but I still wish these were bourbon treated.

Serving type: on-tap

02-23-2013 19:20:20 | More by kevanb

SkeeterBoganski

Colorado

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

Great head...1/4 inch of brown foam; dark chocolate in color; good cocoa, coffee and even vanilla hints in the nose; very well-balanced; love the espresso overtones; after trying the Belgian Yeti in a bottle the night before, this one kind of blows it away; oak and subtle hop flavors on the back of the tongue.

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2012 01:41:22 | More by SkeeterBoganski

jtd1969

North Carolina

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

A - Dark black like oil, frothy brown head with great lacing

S - some oak, chocolate, sweat malt, but mostly coffee.

T - Lot's espresso bean with roasty malts, smooth chocolate. Well blended

M - Full body, good carbonation, smooth, nice hop finish

O - Wow, what a beer! A must try! Really Really good

Serving type: on-tap

09-16-2012 22:32:34 | More by jtd1969

tdm168

North Carolina

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

On tap at World of Beer Raleigh.

A - pitch black with a big brown head that has great retention

S - huge espressio aroma with some bitter, roasty notes

T - espresso, roasty bitter, creamy, faint chocolate, charcoal, oak, burnt sugar, alcohol, piney, woody, earthy

M - well carbonated, rich, bitter

This is a delicious, earthy, coffee-heavy stout. The flavors are well blended with just enough hop character to leave some balance and drinkability. This is a fantastic stout that is most definitely worth a try.

Serving type: on-tap

09-16-2012 01:12:26 | More by tdm168

brystmar

New York

4.18/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Mugs.

Super foamy pour, tan head erupts from the black body and clings to my glass. Strongly roasted, deep coffee aroma. Toffee and caramel too.

Deliciously viscous body brings a hearty roast to my tongue. Tons of dark coffee and minimally sweet caramel for a second. Goes right back to being dry as the drink wraps up.

For an easily accessible imperial stout, this is great!

Serving type: on-tap

08-18-2012 02:02:25 | More by brystmar

Hojaminbag

Colorado

4/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Espresso Oak-Aged Yeti has a body that is almost black and a thin, dark brown head. The retention is decent, and a few scraps of lacing remain behind on my glass.

Espresso dominates the aroma, with notes of hops and chocolate as well.

This is one that definitely needs to warm up, because when it's cold basically all you can taste is the hops. As it warms, the coffee really asserts itself and the flavor is quite nice. The hops are there, of course, with a hint of citrus and a lot of pine and resin. The bitterness is noticeable. Notes of chocolate and a hint of roast are present as well, pairing with a nice oak flavor in the background. A little bit of warmth comes through in the finish.

The mouthfeell full-bodied, warm and bitter.

I like all of the Yeti various, this one included. A lot of coffee flavor comes through for such a big beer. Let it warm first!

Serving type: on-tap

02-27-2012 21:01:06 | More by Hojaminbag

ThickNStout

Georgia

4.35/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Taco Mac (Woodstock, GA). Served in 12oz goblet. 

Deep black with a quarter finger mocha head that recedes quickly. Laces beautifully all the way down. 

Smells of bittersweet coffee, chocolate and maybe faint raisins. 

Huge delicious burnt coffee taste hits first. Smokey wood and bitter dark chocolate follows with lighter hints of mild vanilla and cherry. Long bitter expresso finish. The alcohol is consistently there in the background. 

Medium heavy body with very little carbonation. It drinks powerful and heavy. 

My favorite Yeti. Dark, thick and tasty. We all know that the base stout is a classic- the expresso and oak aging really brings out it's best. I'm glad I found it on tap to remind me that I should go pick up a couple more bottles. 

Serving type: on-tap

02-14-2012 13:11:06 | More by ThickNStout

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

4.23/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Lovely ebony pour with a dense, sticky head. Looks viscous and slurpy.

Luscious espresso notes matched with vanilla, oak, dark grains, and cocoa powder. Mocha, blackberry, and mild licorice. Wonderful.

Great espresso character with a deep, dark roast patterned with cocoa, booze, licorice, smoke, and woody oak. Rich at first, bitter and almost piney hop bursting in the finish.

Perfect mouthfeel. Velvety smooth, little bite from the carb. Alcohol presence is appealing. Bitter and sweet. Feels great.

This was my first Yeti variation love. Such a fan of the series. Highly recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

02-13-2012 04:02:02 | More by thecheapies

stckhndlr

Virginia

4.95/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Had on tap at Max's Taphouse in Baltimore MD on 1-28-12.
Review from notes.

A- Black, no light getting through on this one. A good solid tan one finger head. Gorgeous lacing along the glass.

S- Beer sat on the bar for about 10 minutes to allow it a chance to warm up from the tap. Suddenly I start to smell fresh dark roast coffee. It's like someone just ground up the bean under my nose. Upon further examination I found notes of coffee, cream and plenty of chocolate.

T- HUGE espresso up front with roasted malt and a hint of chocolate. Has a touch of bitter and smoke on the finish.

M- Has a numbing tingly feel like you touched ambisol to you lips. Big bold creamy.

O- Waves of emotion came over me with this beer. Absolutely soothing flavors and aromas. Just perfect.

Serving type: on-tap

02-04-2012 14:22:32 | More by stckhndlr

dirtylou

Washington

4.4/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

on-tap, the Publican (Seattle), paired with brisket hash

appearance: served in a 12oz short shaker-esque glass, nearly ebony body, 1/4" creamy mocha cap with some sticky lace

smell: espresso, charred malt, dark chocolate, oak, green leafy

taste: Rich and decadent - dark chocolate, espresso and cream, charred malt, lots of roasted oats, fresh green hops, molasses, rich warming alcohol presence

mouthfeel: rich, velvety, heavy on the roast with a twist of fresh hops

overall: great stuff - not sure why i was never able to find this in the midwest, but glad i finally did

Serving type: on-tap

01-22-2012 01:29:43 | More by dirtylou

musicforairports

New York

4.03/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at the South Philly Tap Room.

Beer is black, big brown head in this 12oz tulip-ish glass. Leaves nice lacing as I drink.

Aromas of smooth, roasted coffee, mostly. Chocolate as well.

Robust stout flavor, heavy on the espresso. Notes of bittersweet chocolate. Lightly sweet. The oak flavors are light, but detectable and a nice addition.

Medium-heavy mouthfeel, which is right for this kind of beer.

I liked this one quite a bit. I've definitely like stouts with coffee in them. The oak is nice in this one, too.

Serving type: on-tap

01-21-2012 04:57:16 | More by musicforairports

HopNelius

New York

4.72/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance- Served on draft at Blue Monk in small snifter glass. Dark Black with a small creme head, frothy like expresso.

Smell-Notes of burnt expresso and dark chocolate coming through.

Taste-surprisingly not boozy at all for 9.5ABV. The Expresso taste is there but not overwhelming, also the Oak taste is well balanced with the expresso coming through and they compliment each other perfectly. This was my first beer of the night and three days later I am still thinking about it.

Mouthfeel-nice finish, not overpowering and each time I felt a little more coming through.

Fantastic Beer for those that love Oak aged and or Expresso/Coffee beers. I found it to have an amazing drinkability for such a unique beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-30-2011 15:51:54 | More by HopNelius

notchucknorris

California

4.08/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Pizza Port Carlsbad

A: Black with a 1/2 finger dark brown head. Gorgeous.

S: Lots of roasted malt and dark roasted coffee.

T: Heavy on the dark roasted coffee upfront. Then some powdery dark chocolate, espresso and some charred oak and hops on the finish. Pretty nice.

Serving type: on-tap

09-01-2011 02:58:44 | More by notchucknorris

jamescain

Texas

4.28/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass at 24 Diner in Austin, TX. So thanks to Texas beer laws I had to finish this beer by 12:15AM or i guess they take it from me.

Appearance: Thick looking pour from the tap, black with a thin brown head that faded into a ring around the side of the glass. As I drank it and swirled it you could see it clinging to the sides.

Aroma: Malty, chocolaty, a little hint of spice, coffee (espresso), roasted grain, vanilla, all of which very appealing.

Taste: Roasty, chocolate, coffee, a hint of spice and a spicy-sweet finish.

Mouthfeel: Thick and chewy with low carbonation and a sweet finish.

Overall: I'm glad I tried this one, I never considered buying a bottle due to it always being there and me wanting to try something else, but I'm glad I finally tried it.

Serving type: on-tap

06-15-2011 20:43:25 | More by jamescain

videofrog

Texas

4.6/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served on tap into a snifter at the Ginger Man in Fort Worth, TX. Thanks go out to the bartender for serving this perfectly and giving me the 12oz when barrel-aged brews were supposed to only be 1/2 pint.

A: Dark black with a creamy brown head that sits atop the brew nicely the entire time. Slight spiderweb lacing.

S: Here's where they hit a home run. Coffee & chocolate up front, oak & slight alcohol in the background. Some dark fruity notes come into play after it warms a little.

T: Much like the smell, but was able to detect the oak and vanilla a little more here. Slight hop bitterness in the aftertaste.

M: Thick bodied, light carbonation, something to chew on.

O: Have been a fan of imperial stouts for a while now, but this was my first barrel-aged. REALLY enjoyed it. I took my time with it and savored every sip. Would highly recommend.

Serving type: on-tap

05-14-2011 14:46:31 | More by videofrog

david18

New York

4.33/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had a twelve ounce draft of this at the Amsterdam Ale House on Manhattan's Upper West side. Overall it was an excellent beer and I was glad to see that Great Divide is experimenting with it's stouts and aged stouts.

Color was a deep brown, almost black, with a very active and thick head.

Aroma was a combination of chocolate and espresso with some hints of dark fruit and alcohol.

The flavor combined all the characteristics listed above except the alcohol was a little more present.

Overall, I enjoyed this beer a lot and found myself wishing it had been around more during the cold winter months.

Serving type: on-tap

05-03-2011 19:57:40 | More by david18

Preismj

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

a: Fluffy and pitch black. This is a beautiful looking brew with a half in head that is sinfully dark brown. Sticky sticky foam.

s: Strong espresso scent and a potency of alcohol steps through.

t: overpowering coffee flavor. I get a lot of bit here from the abv, and surprisingly so. With how potent the espresso is I didn't expect this much heat.

m: almost chewy...very heavy beer and lots of carbonation makes it feel like i'm chewing on coffee grinds as it combines with the taste. coats the palette very well though.

o: A pleasure to try, but that is all I'll ever need. It has a wonderful coffee taste and an incredible look and nose, though I don't think this is anything I'll be looking for in the future.

Serving type: on-tap

04-14-2011 20:20:20 | More by Preismj

shangwang

Pennsylvania

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

on draft at Ron's Original.

From the beginning this beer delighted my senses, and at no point did it let me down.

It poured pitch black with a beautiful mocha brown finger and a half head. Smells of roasted coffee, dark chocolate, and fresh cream had my mouth watering. The tastes were right in line with the appearance and smell - iced coffee, espresso, vanilla, and the bitterness of roasted malt were all present but very well balanced. I was surprised how this beer was able to taste so sweet and bitter at the same time. The mouthfeel was medium-heavy, with a full body and a creamy quality without being too viscous. Finished very smoothly with a little lingering bitterness similar to baker's chocolate. Surprisingly easy to drink given its high ABV and heavy qualities.

I very much enjoyed this beer...will definitely order again!

Serving type: on-tap

04-09-2011 12:34:52 | More by shangwang

SkunkWorks

New York

4.43/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at Strong Place in Brooklyn, New York before heading over to Beer For Beasts. I was leaning towards a lighter beer but finally saw the elusive Yeti on tap and decided it was time to give Great Divide its fair shake. It was served in a small, tapered pilsner glass.

Look: black body with no highlights even when held to the light. The good thing about day drinking is you can actually appreciate the appearance of your beer! The head is a reddish, mocha color and is less than one finger thick but retains extraordinarily well and leaves behind sheets of lace.

Smell: big espresso bean aroma, bits of chocolate and vanilla but I can't really get any hint of the oak. Fairly simple but still quite strong and enjoyable.

Taste: this is one of the better tasting coffee added stouts that I've had. Dark roasted malt, great espresso taste, some chocolate notes, vanilla beans, and a bit of oak in the finish. I can't detect any hop character to it. My mouth is left tasting like I was eating chocolate covered coffee beans.

Feel: medium to full body that could probably use a little more fullness but its good in terms of mouthfeel for a 9.5% alcohol stout. Its very drinkable for a stout of its size as well. The alcohol is quite hidden and the feel is very smooth.

Overall: very impressed by this beer. Its one of the better stouts with coffee beans added that I have had. All too often, coffee stouts just taste like coffee beans and have absolutely nothing else going on. Well, this one doesn't fall into that one dimensional trap as so many other things are going on in the taste. Loved it and recommend it wholeheartedly. Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

03-27-2011 13:43:26 | More by SkunkWorks

dizknee24

New Jersey

4.85/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Been a good while trying to get this one. It looks dark brown almost perfectly black. A good two finger dark brown head. Smell of chocolate and espresso! Tastes amazing with a really strong espresso taste. the chocolate after taste makes me want some coffee with my chocolate. Nice and thick just the way i like it. this is a great beer. if you see it you should buy it.

Serving type: on-tap

03-21-2011 00:07:06 | More by dizknee24

depechemode1983

Texas

4/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours black with a thick fluffy brown head with some good lacing going on. Smell is mostly of obust roasted coffee other roasted malts with only hints of dark bitter chocolate. The oak character comes in more through the taste coupled with the dark roasted coffee and a slight taste of alcohol. Mouthfeel is thick and smooth with medium carbonation. Very good. Overall this is a great Coffee RIS.

Serving type: on-tap

03-20-2011 20:57:56 | More by depechemode1983

OakedCanuck

Washington

4.18/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Petrol Station, freshly tapped. In pint glass

A - Pours a light capturing black. Dirty mocha 2 finger head with great retention and brown cobweb lacing

S - Coffee (or espresso I guess!). Pretty much just coffee. There is faint whispers of chocolate, smoke, and roasted grains

T - Again, coffee. I am a coffee lover so this was right up my alley. However, near the end it was getting a bit much. I think probably because this was so fresh. I could pick up the chocolate (bittersweet), vanilla, and a pinch of caramel

M - Smooth and creamy as a milkshake, oh ya, and heavy!

D - A true sipper, delicious and evolving as it warms. I think a little bit of age on a fresh batch would bring out some of the nuanced flavours that are masked by the strong coffee. Still amazing though

Serving type: on-tap

03-08-2011 21:44:01 | More by OakedCanuck

Brewbro000

Oregon

4.22/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured on tap at Apex in Portland - 10oz

A: pitch black with nearly no head but massive lacing of dark tan foam
S: dark roasted malt, sweet caramel, chocolate and very coffee forward
T: Sweet with an initial coffee presence, carbonation is mild but good and the alcohol only shows through slightly.
M/D: velvet with minimal carb bite. Easily alcoholic, I couldn't drink much more than this 10oz glass. Awesome beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-04-2011 01:08:51 | More by Brewbro000