Belgian Style Yeti - Great Divide Brewing Company

TheBrewo

Michigan

3.91/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

We pour a beer of the darkest black. It holds a two finger head of medium brown bubbles, showing great retention. These fat, foamy bubbles eventually leave thick sheets and rings of lacing down the glasses. No haze or sediment is noted, and carbonation appears slow. The aroma is warming, with big booze, massively roasted coffee and chocolate malts, metallics, molasses bite, chalked cocoa, and subtle Belgian yeast. Our first impression is that there is a lot going on, but the desired union of styles can certainly be appreciated. As we sip, bright sweetness of creamy chocolate malts, metallic Belgian yeast, liquid caramel sugars, salty molasses, and grassy moss start things off. The flavoring comes to a peak with peppery booze, sweaty saltiness, biting medicinal phenols, and a stark move to more bittered, raw chocolate. The back of the swallow washes with a fruity cherry quality that, when mixing with the phenols and the chalky yeastiness, gives a brief flash of cough syrup. The chocolate flavoring actually turns sweeter here, like burnt milk chocolate, making for an easier, sweeter, and smoother finish. The aftertaste breathes of musk and dusk, chalky malts, raw coffee beans, unsweetened cocoa, vanillas, spicy booze, light banana esters, and echoes of those medicinal phenols. The body is light to medium, and the carbonation is lighter. The mouth is warmed and coated with softness, with eventual crisp astringent dryness all along the hard palate and tongue. There is nice slurp, smack, cream, and pop. The abv is appropriate, and the beer sips easily.

Overall, what we enjoyed most about this beer was the strong appearance on the pour, and the nice spicy Belgian qualities to the flavoring. At first it seems like there is almost too much going on. You feel like there is a different pull with each sip; one way to a spicy Belgian ale, and the other way to a dark mountain stout. These eventually blend rather nicely, adding spice, bite, and grit to that great Yeti base. At the same time, however, the aftertaste gives you everything at once, which may make things seem a bit muddy at times.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 02:04:08 | More by TheBrewo

carlosega

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -8.5%

05-17-2013 19:33:01 | More by carlosega

saeh

France

4.75/5  rDev +15.9%

05-15-2013 22:04:58 | More by saeh

twenty5

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -8.5%

05-12-2013 20:51:56 | More by twenty5

mikeburd1128

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -2.4%

05-12-2013 17:21:16 | More by mikeburd1128

aflies

Arizona

4/5  rDev -2.4%

05-12-2013 02:42:48 | More by aflies

jkermitj

Mississippi

4/5  rDev -2.4%

05-11-2013 23:14:38 | More by jkermitj

ToddHolder

Illinois

4/5  rDev -2.4%

05-11-2013 01:20:39 | More by ToddHolder

sparx1100

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%

05-09-2013 03:06:59 | More by sparx1100

IpaSipa

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%

05-09-2013 02:42:46 | More by IpaSipa

tommyguz

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -26.8%

05-08-2013 02:34:42 | More by tommyguz

VaTechPhilly

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +15.9%

05-06-2013 22:51:50 | More by VaTechPhilly

ChumleyX

California

4/5  rDev -2.4%

05-05-2013 01:12:54 | More by ChumleyX

ajtorres311

Florida

4/5  rDev -2.4%

05-01-2013 15:29:42 | More by ajtorres311

bigbeers84

Minnesota

4.75/5  rDev +15.9%

04-30-2013 10:09:21 | More by bigbeers84

Kreaux

Texas

5/5  rDev +22%

04-27-2013 01:25:20 | More by Kreaux

RichK1

Maryland

5/5  rDev +22%

04-26-2013 17:37:37 | More by RichK1

hardy008

Minnesota

4.03/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Dark black with a 1/2 finger of mocha foam, with good retention and lacing. The aroma has chocolate, dark roasted malt, and some dark fruit.

The taste has chocolate, dark roasted malt, dark fruit, and Belgian Yeast, which I did not pick up in the aroma. Sweet, with a little bitterness from the dark roasted malt for balance. The Belgian yeast is different, and there are also some herbs. Interesting, and different.

Medium bodied with low to medium carbonation. The alcohol is well hidden for 9.50 % abv. The aftertaste is both sweet, and bitter from the dark roasted malt. A well made beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 02:59:04 | More by hardy008

jjboesen

Maryland

4.15/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Here we have another great beer from the Great Divide. And who does not love a robust imperial stout? The Yeti has so much to offer; from the beginning, as it pours out into a pitch black body beneath a chunky beige head, the thirsty Beer Advocate has much to anticipate. Once poured, the Yeti emits an initial waft of grape juice that fades into plum and cocoa powder. Once it hits the tongue, this beer lacquers the palate with a wooly coat of roasted malt, punctuated by sharp bits of fruit, clove and cinnamon, all of it empowered by the ubiquitous Belgian yeast that leaves the mouth dusted with subtle chalkiness.

And yeti, despite an intimidating 9.5% abv, in conjunction with the abovementioned details, the Yeti seems to maintain some surprising smoothness that allows this imperial stout rendition to come off as a sessional quaff – perhaps, the famed Yeti is some sort of impish hybrid. And yeti … this is one good beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 01:16:08 | More by jjboesen

browniewithnuts

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -2.4%

04-20-2013 03:10:54 | More by browniewithnuts

twax

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%

04-18-2013 03:32:27 | More by twax

Sludgeman

District of Columbia

4.13/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A bomber, bottled on 6/8/12. Poured into a chalice.

Overall - This beer started off hot (too much alcohol), but mellowed as I drank the bomber over about 2 hours (two pours, kept bottle in fridge inbetween). An enjoyable beer. I like this particular belgian twist on the Russian Imperial style. A really good beer that I would buy again. Proud to have these in my cellar and serve to my friends.

A - Poured black opaque with a one-finger rocky dark tan head (sort of the color of foamy chocolate milk). Average lacing. Lots of heavy sediment in this bottle. I accidently poured the sediment into my second glass. Due to the heavy nature of the sediment it went almost immediately to the bottom of the glass without clouding the beer.

S - Chocolate, coffee, roasted malt, hints of alcohol, faint spicey notes.

T - Roasted malt, sugary (maybe fruity) sweetness, hints of bourbon. Not much, if any, coffee notes in this beer. Nor much bitterness, though a litte in the finish.

MF - Smooth

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 03:51:38 | More by Sludgeman

Atomicskis5

Connecticut

4/5  rDev -2.4%

04-11-2013 02:24:46 | More by Atomicskis5

beagle75

Iowa

3.65/5  rDev -11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bomber into a half-pint chalice.

A: Hazy, dark brown color with less than one finger of diminishing light beige foam head. Light lacing remains on the glass.

S: Earthy roast is stretched by separate and distinct toastiness that rounds out the malt qualities. Faint fennel seed suggests Belgian yeast influence. No alcohol is detected.

T: Begins off-dry, with nutty yeast-affected roast that extends into the middle. Yeast phenolics are subtle, vegetal, against the dominant roast. The finish features an odd combination of meaty as well as minty qualities. No alcohol is detected.

M: Medium viscosity, mostly balanced but slightly syrupy on the palate, with moderate carbonation.

D/O: Surprisingly approachable for a big experimental beer, its mellow Belgian yeast influences find a natural home amidst the heavy roast. This may be one of the friendliest Yetis encountered so far.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 15:57:10 | More by beagle75

rlee1390

Indiana

4/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Black in the glass, brown around the edges and a one finger brown head.

S-Roasted malt, chocolate, darker fruits, tad vanilla and clove.

T-Roasted malt, darker fruits, clove, vanilla and chocolate.

M-Medium bodied, nicely carbonated.

O-It was a good beer but doesn't hold up to the regular Yeti and the Espresso. However they might not be making it this year so it was worth the try.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 20:59:16 | More by rlee1390