18th Anniversary Wood Aged Double IPA - Great Divide Brewing Company

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a creamy 1/2 finger head that fades semi quickly with just a bit of lacing, over semi clear coppery reddish colored beer.

Nose brings lots of malts, coppery reddish malts, caramel galore, toffee, candy and candi sugar even, with some booze even in the nose. There are some hops but not a lot, mostly candied orange zest, fruity marmalade like, and a bit of earthy hop aroma.

Taste starts pretty sweet, with lots of syrupy additions, caramel galore again, toffee, reddish candy, etc. Malts bring reddish toasty malts, coppery malt flavors, etc, with a decent booze warmth and tingle even. There are some light toasty oak chip flavors, hint of vanilla with that but not much. Hops are more background, with light earthy flavors, lots candied orange marmalade, light fruity flavored hops, etc. The bitterness is fairly strong, but not a ton of overall hop flavor. Finish is quite bitter, earthy gritty hops, abrasive feeling, still quite sweet too and a bit sticky, lingering caramel and syrupy flavors.

Mouth is fuller bodied, decent carb, bit syrupy, some warming slight tingly booze.

Overall not bad. I remember the first time I had this I loved it, but I've grown a lot since then. Hops are fairly one dimensional and not what I would typically enjoy, earthy and candied flavors. Malts and syrupy flavors are more of an imperial red ale than DIPA, and the oak is very light overall. But still a decent beer with OK flavors, maybe not summer though.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2012 22:40:49 | More by jlindros

ediaz

Florida

4/5  rDev +3.1%

05-24-2013 17:08:48 | More by ediaz

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -9.8%

05-23-2013 02:00:35 | More by mikeincharleston

MinorThreat

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

05-16-2013 02:24:05 | More by MinorThreat

ChumleyX

California

4/5  rDev +3.1%

05-12-2013 23:01:58 | More by ChumleyX

mychalg9

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +9.5%

05-04-2013 02:49:59 | More by mychalg9

NWer

Washington

3.5/5  rDev -9.8%

05-03-2013 02:06:00 | More by NWer

spycow

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -9.8%

04-26-2013 23:40:50 | More by spycow

Beergelden

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

04-22-2013 11:17:36 | More by Beergelden

ALLISON01

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -22.7%

04-21-2013 19:26:43 | More by ALLISON01

Kelp

New Hampshire

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

04-15-2013 06:13:10 | More by Kelp

Woodysbeard

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +3.1%

04-05-2013 17:14:51 | More by Woodysbeard

bulldogg915

Wyoming

4.75/5  rDev +22.4%

04-02-2013 21:36:36 | More by bulldogg915

RochefortChris

South Carolina

4.75/5  rDev +22.4%

03-31-2013 02:36:22 | More by RochefortChris

Omnium

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Bomber > Pint Glass
NOTICE: This bottle is nearly a year old, keep that in mind while reading this review
A - Pours a hazy brown orange rustic color, 1 finger head nice and foamy, lighter on the lacing
S - Oak, Vanilla, sweet malt, piney resinous hops, some citrus, minor alcohol scent.
T - Caramel and toffee malts with hints of vanilla that have that great oak tone to it, there's still a decent hop profile left in this bottle despite its age, earthy and woody traits from the hops.
M - The malts hang on for a good while, and you get a rather nice aftertaste from it, but no hops, and a little burn from the alcohol.
O - Got this for $5 on the discount shelf at House of 1000 Beers, so I expected it to be old, but I cant see this beer being drastically different fresh. Its got some good flavors and characteristics that remind me of a double rumble. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 02:41:09 | More by Omnium

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up a bottle for 5 bucks at the House of 1,000 beers. Marked March 20th 2012 so its almost a year old. Hopefully it's not musky and tastes of old wood.

A - Well damn for a year old I was welcome with a 1/4 inch of sticky white head so thankfully not flat. Beer is a very hazy amber brown with no sediment.
S - Very mild if any citrus or pine malts. On the same level not too much wood which is nice since I am still scared from a "Oak aged yeti" I had.
T - Well it's not bad at this stage of being a year old all the bittering hops or strong/musky oak flavors have mended together, yet it's far from faint. I also get a strong caramel/toffee flavor and some wood in the finish.
M - ABV is completely aged out. Drinks like an 7 or 8% ABV but clocks in 10% so insanely drinkable.
Overall again worth the price of admission yet I find it not as good as the 17th anniversary ale in terms of balanced oak meeting citrus hops. This could have been because I had it on tap but it's just as drinkable. A great aged DIPA.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 00:34:07 | More by DrDemento456

510a

Washington

4/5  rDev +3.1%

03-17-2013 22:41:02 | More by 510a

flexabull

California

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

03-01-2013 16:35:43 | More by flexabull

SmellsofMahagony

Texas

4/5  rDev +3.1%

02-26-2013 03:55:27 | More by SmellsofMahagony

Theseanlewis

4.19/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4.25

! year old, Tasted Feb 6 2013.

A- Poured in a snifter. Head leaves a nice white lacing on glass, amber to ruby red in color.

S-pine, Pineapple, Oak, citrus

T-Medium citrus bitterness, followed by aged oak woodiness, aftertaste is dominated by cotton candy and bubblegum sweetness. Bitters out harsh for being a year old.

M-Medium to medium heavy mouth feel, thick syrupy front with a smooth bitter back.

O-After a year this beer has held its hop characteristics well. Sweet and malty but a huge citrus sweet hop finish. The only criticism is the oak chip age shows, just as in the 18 year, the wood characteristics age poorly, adding a stale taste. That said i would love to taste this beer a year later, the sweet hop notes may stand out even more.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 02:56:40 | More by Theseanlewis

heysuz

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +9.5%

02-03-2013 20:12:17 | More by heysuz

Mattias

Sweden

4/5  rDev +3.1%

01-27-2013 21:06:32 | More by Mattias

Tumble

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +9.5%

01-20-2013 20:22:17 | More by Tumble

mfield14

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -9.8%

01-18-2013 04:27:02 | More by mfield14

donjcarlsson

Sweden

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

01-12-2013 21:09:19 | More by donjcarlsson