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Hibernation Ale - Barrel-Aged
Great Divide Brewing Company
- From:
- Great Divide Brewing Company
- Colorado, United States
- Style:
- Old Ale
Ranked #21 - ABV:
- 12.4%
- Score:
- 91
Ranked #7,530 - Avg:
- 4.07 | pDev: 9.83%
- Reviews:
- 115
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Nov 06, 2023
- Added:
- Nov 17, 2009
- Wants:
- 160
- Gots:
- 117
Over 12 months in whiskey barrels has completely transformed our prized winter seasonal, producing a Hibernation that starts with big whiskey flavors before mellowing out into luscious chocolate, dark fruit and vanilla. If you can only take one beer into your cave this winter, we suggest this one.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by beergoot:
Reviewed by beergoot from Colorado
4.12/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.12/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Revisited December 07, 2020
Original 2014 ratings: 3.5 4.0 4.0 3.75 3.75
Semi-opaque brown body; fine, thick and spongy light tan head; tight rings of foam step down the glass. Grain and, perhaps, some wood char; roasted nuts; a bit of light toffee and caramel on the nose. Caramel flavor with a suggestions of vanilla; moderate whiskey notes; a general spiciness; mild phenols. Heavy body but with an overall spongy softness; bold boozy heat; nice blend of light sweetness and alcohol dryness.
This is the 2016 version, bottled on February 17, 2016. I wonder if some of the malt-side of things has somewhat diluted along with the strength of the smell. Yet this is still a fine looking and great tasting high ABV beer. Regardless, a nice improvement from my 2014 experience.
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Bottle label info: BOTTLE NUMBER 2517
Hazy, cola-colored body with a thin but lasting head. The aroma blends maple, cherries, and licorice with a whiskey edge. The taste mimics the aroma along with additional twinges of caramel sweetness; an interesting sourness and boozy trait builds at the finish. Heavy body; rather thick with little carbonation on the palate.
One can't help but love a big beer with a multitude of aroma, taste, and textural elements. Depth and complexity hit you with every sip. The best point might be how well everything ties together and results in a great tasting, relatively easy drinking beer. Quite the find and worth the price of admission...
Dec 20, 2014Original 2014 ratings: 3.5 4.0 4.0 3.75 3.75
Semi-opaque brown body; fine, thick and spongy light tan head; tight rings of foam step down the glass. Grain and, perhaps, some wood char; roasted nuts; a bit of light toffee and caramel on the nose. Caramel flavor with a suggestions of vanilla; moderate whiskey notes; a general spiciness; mild phenols. Heavy body but with an overall spongy softness; bold boozy heat; nice blend of light sweetness and alcohol dryness.
This is the 2016 version, bottled on February 17, 2016. I wonder if some of the malt-side of things has somewhat diluted along with the strength of the smell. Yet this is still a fine looking and great tasting high ABV beer. Regardless, a nice improvement from my 2014 experience.
-------------
Bottle label info: BOTTLE NUMBER 2517
Hazy, cola-colored body with a thin but lasting head. The aroma blends maple, cherries, and licorice with a whiskey edge. The taste mimics the aroma along with additional twinges of caramel sweetness; an interesting sourness and boozy trait builds at the finish. Heavy body; rather thick with little carbonation on the palate.
One can't help but love a big beer with a multitude of aroma, taste, and textural elements. Depth and complexity hit you with every sip. The best point might be how well everything ties together and results in a great tasting, relatively easy drinking beer. Quite the find and worth the price of admission...
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by 2beerdogs from California
4.11/5 rDev +1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.11/5 rDev +1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Thanks to Efrainpaniagua for this gem.
Pours a deep brown leather hue that is capped by a mocha colored fluff that rises just shy of two fingers, then quickly settles in to a milky ring. A few floaties can be scene. So I guess this is where I say "Bottled On: FEB 16 2016" is stamped on the bottle. So I'm not afraid of some fiber.
Nose is lush. Caramel, smoothest whiskey ever, brandy, figs, dates, raisins, and some more subtle fruit notes akin to plum.
Flavor begins less sweet than the nose foreshadowed. Whiskey starts off firm but not overpowering. Then raisin, date, burnt brown sugar, some char, warm stewed apples, a lick of leather, and a light hop bittering on the backside finish the sip. The more I ponder this one, the whiskey attributes are leaning in the direction of a peaty blended Scotch Whiskey. Quite complex. I love when a beer reveals itself slowly.
Mouthfeel is on the hefty side. I like that. The finish has a pleasant warm hug.
Overall, with 5 years on it, I'm impressed. I'd love to do a side by side with a younger bottle.
Dec 20, 2021Pours a deep brown leather hue that is capped by a mocha colored fluff that rises just shy of two fingers, then quickly settles in to a milky ring. A few floaties can be scene. So I guess this is where I say "Bottled On: FEB 16 2016" is stamped on the bottle. So I'm not afraid of some fiber.
Nose is lush. Caramel, smoothest whiskey ever, brandy, figs, dates, raisins, and some more subtle fruit notes akin to plum.
Flavor begins less sweet than the nose foreshadowed. Whiskey starts off firm but not overpowering. Then raisin, date, burnt brown sugar, some char, warm stewed apples, a lick of leather, and a light hop bittering on the backside finish the sip. The more I ponder this one, the whiskey attributes are leaning in the direction of a peaty blended Scotch Whiskey. Quite complex. I love when a beer reveals itself slowly.
Mouthfeel is on the hefty side. I like that. The finish has a pleasant warm hug.
Overall, with 5 years on it, I'm impressed. I'd love to do a side by side with a younger bottle.
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada
3.75/5 rDev -7.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev -7.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Not sure who brought this to the Firestone Walker Festival pre party the night before in June 2017, but was glad to see it again, much less in 12 oz bottles this time around!
Pours a brown auburn like color right in the style guidelines wheelhouse. 1/4" light beige head. Aroma hit the whiskey stride, slight light brown sugar sweetness.
Taste kept pushing the sweet whiskey and brown malty notes. Little bit of vanilla worth mentioning. Does the trick, nice and smooth, not overhopped or too bitter. Sure there's some alcohol heat, but nothing 12.4% ain't supposed to bring. I don't really know how much of the dark fruit character is there (thankfully). Thought it had just as much, if not more, of a light chocolate and watered down cola note to it. Should mention wood.
Definitely found this barrel aged version to be superior to the already decent base beer. I dunno what 12oz bottles go for, but given the ability to age these a long time, I wouldn't mind throwing one in the cellar.
Jul 15, 2020Pours a brown auburn like color right in the style guidelines wheelhouse. 1/4" light beige head. Aroma hit the whiskey stride, slight light brown sugar sweetness.
Taste kept pushing the sweet whiskey and brown malty notes. Little bit of vanilla worth mentioning. Does the trick, nice and smooth, not overhopped or too bitter. Sure there's some alcohol heat, but nothing 12.4% ain't supposed to bring. I don't really know how much of the dark fruit character is there (thankfully). Thought it had just as much, if not more, of a light chocolate and watered down cola note to it. Should mention wood.
Definitely found this barrel aged version to be superior to the already decent base beer. I dunno what 12oz bottles go for, but given the ability to age these a long time, I wouldn't mind throwing one in the cellar.
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho
4.08/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.08/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Bottle from cellar, 2017 vintage. Mahogany colored pour with light fizzy head. Malty aroma, sweet, tobacco, maple. Taste is more dark malts, earthy, leather. Whiskey barrel makes an appearance near the finish, bringing woody and boozy notes. This has aged quite nicely.
Mar 27, 2020
Hibernation Ale - Barrel-Aged from Great Divide Brewing Company
Beer rating:
91 out of
100 with
405 ratings
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