Great Divide Hibernation Ale |
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Great Divide Hibernation Ale |
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The expectations had been
set. At some point, I know I’ve tasted Great Divide’s
Hibernation Ale before, probably at a beer tasting somewhere. My
database of beers tasted tells me as much. But tonight, I picked up a
six-pack thinking I had never tried it before. No matter. I love winter
seasonal beers, and this one seemed to be a good enough one. I certainly
have enjoyed most of the other beers in the Great Divide line, after all.
But as I said, the expectations had been set. The brewery says the following about Hibernation: Great Divide’s award-winning Hibernation Ale is Colorado’s original strong ale – it has been our winter seasonal each year since 1995. Since that time, Hibernation has become the most sought-after winter beer in Colorado. There are, of course, a lot of great beers in Colorado. People there know their beer, and they make a lot of really good ones. So these words are pretty serious for a beer enthusiast. That being the vase, I had, as I explained above, expected a lot from this beer. But then I saw all of the awards: • Gold Medal, Great American Beer Festival, 1997 – Strong Ale/English-Style Old Ale • Silver Medal, Great American Beer Festival, 2003 – Old Ale • Silver Medal, World Beer Cup, 1998 – Strong Ale/English-Style Old Ale • Regional Champion, United States Beer Tasting Championship, Winter 2005 – Old/Strong Ale • Regional Champion, United States Beer Tasting Championship, Winter 2003 – Strong/Old Ale • Regional Champion, United States Beer Tasting Championship, Winter 2000 –Strong/Old Ale Great Divide says that they brew Hibernation in July, and age it until the end of October. Can beer hibernate? This one would seem to, for about three months. And they say it improves with the aging (I agree with them on this one). You can take the hibernation process a little longer, if you like. I think this one will age out nicely in your beer cellar or fridge, too. Old ales are an English style of strong ale (Hibernation has an alcohol content of 8.5% by volume). They’re sometimes brewed up in the colder weather and called a winter warmer, which is why some (but not many) American brewers have taken to brewing them up for the holidays. My favorite domestic example of this style is Geary’s Hampshire Ale. Beer Hunter Michael Jackson (no glove on this one) has highly praised that beer both in public and in private when I’ve talked to him. So how does Hibernation stack up? I poured my bottle of Great Divide Hibernation gently into a pint glass. It was a little cooler than room temperature, since I had just bought it warm and chilled it gently in my dedicated beer refrigerator. Serving ales such as this warm allows their full complexity to emerge. The beer is a light mahogany in color with a light creamy tan head and a heady, rich chocolate nose. A thick layer of Brussels lace follows the beer down the glass. A quick sip reveals a rich roastiness and a delightful bittersweet dark chocolate flavor. I’m getting some rich fruity yeastiness, candied fruit, and more chocolate in the rich roasty finish. There are some grassy English hops there too, along with a good amount of warming alcohol. They all combine to make this a very complex beer, and a very delicious one. So OK, Great Divide is right. This one is well worth seeking out. But hurry up. It’s only available for a very limited time. So hurry up and get some. Because after all, if you snooze you lose. .
Update 12/25/2016: It's been a few years since I've taken the time to remark upon Great Divide Hibernation Ale. I'm not sure why that is. It's slightly stronger than it used to be (now 8.7% by volume) and just slightly above average in price at $10.99 a six-pack. It's also now available in cans, mine being canned on September 7th of 2016. The beer itself is still wonderfully flinty and malty in the nose, with deep seated notes of chocolate, toasted nuts, fruity yeasty, more flintiness in the palate. A grassy hop finish rounds the beer out nicely. There's a little warming alcohol in the finish too but the beer really does not seem as strong as it is. In some ways, this wonderful beer reminds me of Geary's Hampshire Ale, high compliment indeed. I'm adding a half star to a full 5 for this an amazing brew.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box. *Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer. (B)=Bottled (D)=Draft |
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