I’m having a hard time believing that Christmas 2013 is just about over. Days of shopping, hours of wrapping, and POOF!, it’s all over in a span of minutes (I’m referring to the opening presents part. The eating and drinking is a two day affair). Thankfully, the Christmas festivities went really well, i.e. everyone behaved (the kids AND the adults), everyone got what they wanted, and we all had a really nice time together. And Papa G-LO scored a new pint glass and a bottle of Glenmorangie Nectar D’Or. Life is good!

Did I mention that I’m writing this at 10PM on Christmas night? By the time we got home from my in laws, the boys were exhausted, so they were in bed and asleep by 9PM. Since there was nothing interesting to watch on TV, I decided to play with my new toy (the GorillaTorch that’s wrapped around the neck of the beer bottle in the above picture), do a bit of Beertography, and write up a Craft Beer review. As you can see, I chose Great Divide’s Yeti for tonight’s review. This is one of those beers that I have heard so much about, but for whatever reason, have not yet tried. Until now!

Before we get to my review, here are a few words about this beer from the good people at Great Divide Brewing Company:

Yeti Imperial Stout is an onslaught of the senses! It starts with big, roasty malt flavor that gives way to rich caramel and toffee notes. YETI gets its bold hop character from an enormous quantity of American hops. It weighs in at a hefty 75 IBUs.

And now for my impressions of this beer…

Appearance: Deep dark mahogany color with a thin tan head that dissipates rapidly.

Deep dark mahogany color with a thin tan head that dissipates rapidly. Aroma: Very rich smelling with espresso, the deepest, darkest chocolate, and a healthy dose of earthy hops.

Very rich smelling with espresso, the deepest, darkest chocolate, and a healthy dose of earthy hops. Taste: Lightly carbonated with a somewhat thick and creamy mouthfeel. Lots of dark roast coffee up front, with a bitter dark chocolate backbone. The hops come on strong in the middle and it all comes together as you approach the finish. Kinda feels like I’m washing down a piece of dark chocolate covered candied orange peel with a double espresso. Dry and astringent finish that lingers for a really long time.

Lightly carbonated with a somewhat thick and creamy mouthfeel. Lots of dark roast coffee up front, with a bitter dark chocolate backbone. The hops come on strong in the middle and it all comes together as you approach the finish. Kinda feels like I’m washing down a piece of dark chocolate covered candied orange peel with a double espresso. Dry and astringent finish that lingers for a really long time. ABV: 9.5%

As I’ve already mentioned, this is my first Yeti experience and it is definitely a good one. I am loving the rich roasted flavors and the solid hop bitterness that keeps everything in balance. After two days of running around to see family and friends, it’s a beautiful thing to kick back with a big beer that lends itself to sipping and savoring. And as an added bonus, this beer gets even better as it warms up. Bravo Great Divide! Yeti was definitely worth the wait.