Hibernator
Long Trail Brewing Co.

HibernatorHibernator
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From:
Long Trail Brewing Co.
 
Vermont, United States
Style:
Scottish Ale
Ranked #52
ABV:
6%
Score:
83
Ranked #23,951
Avg:
3.67 | pDev: 12.53%
Reviews:
291
Ratings:
798
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 25, 2023
Added:
Feb 06, 2001
Wants:
  29
Gots:
  93
A Vermont classic returns in 2017!

Built to take the bite from a cold winter night, Hibernator features a rich malt base highlighted by warming notes of caramel and toffee. Don't sleep on this rich, robust winter brew.

Last year we awoke the bears with a limited run of cans offered at our brewery in Bridgewater Corners. In 2017, we're culminating a year of throwing it back to our roots, by sending Hibernator out for a full run of distribution in 6pks and 12pks of 12 ounce bottles and on draught.

Keep your eyes out for it as the weather cools down!

32 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by deadliest:
Photo of deadliest
Rated by deadliest from Texas

2.75/5  rDev -25.1%

Oct 19, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of crazyspicychef
Reviewed by crazyspicychef from Pennsylvania

4.6/5  rDev +25.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Very nice brew.
I thought it would be a Dopplebock hence the name, but was surprised to find out it was a Scottish.
Either way, a great holiday seasonal that I would definitely grab again.
At 6%, it drinks easily without being filling, but has a great malt backbone that doesn't leave it boring.
Balanced with precision it's not too sweet or too bitter.
A heavily crushable Scottish.
Dec 25, 2023
 
Rated: 3.64 by drews240 from Rhode Island

Dec 12, 2023
Photo of Amendm
Reviewed by Amendm from Rhode Island

3.67/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
A strong pour was needed to reach a finger of creamy beige foam with short retention and spots of lacing. Almost clear copper-amber body.

Caramel malt greets the nose in the form of subdued candy sweetness with bread dough and faint floral hops.

Semi-sweet with medium-low bitterness, boozy (not in a bad way) Scotch malty taste with a slight alcohol astringency. A transient taste of Earl Grey Tea appears. Baked stone fruits provided the sweetness, not so much caramel in the taste. Bitterness builds to average with a late spicy kick as it becomes semi-dry at the long, pleasant aftertaste.

Medium-light bodied with below average carbonation; big flavors are well balanced. Alcohol is expectedly out in front per style. Good value considering the quality and the price point.
Dec 10, 2023
 
Rated: 3.53 by TheIPAHunter from California

Oct 13, 2023
Photo of MrBadKarma
Reviewed by MrBadKarma from Connecticut

4.15/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Don't sleep on this scotch ale! (Sorry, I couldn't help myself). Pours a slightly cloudy dark amber with little head. Good malty body with notes of toffee and caramel apple. Meant to be a winter warmer but screams fall too me. Goes down easy with a pleasant malt-ball aftertaste.
Apr 01, 2023
 
Rated: 4.02 by Tcsox from Massachusetts

Feb 19, 2023
Photo of Rug
Reviewed by Rug from Massachusetts

3.69/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Bottled 11/23/22

I gotta be honest, when I saw this on the shelf and saw “Hibernator”, I assumed it was a Doppelbock because of the “-ator” suffix. Getting into it, Imm surprised to see it’s a Scottish Ale, a style I haven’t had in a very long time. Let’s see what this unexpected twist if a beer is all about

Pours a cloudy dark amber with 2 fingers of light tan head that fades to a thin cap and leaves minimal lacing

The nose here shows a balance all around. I’m picking up on aromas of toffee, dark bread, floral hops, red apple, honey, light black pepper, and raisin

In taste it loses that snap, trending on the sweeter side but still not bad. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting biscuity malt, toffee, wildflower honey, red apple, orange zest, and light black tea. The swallow brings notes of red apple, caramel, brown sugar, biscuity malt, toffee, dark bread, black pepper, and light molasses

A medium body pairs with moderate carbonation, resulting in a slick beer. Finishes sweet and sticky with hardly any bitterness to balance it out

I don’t love this, but I wouldn’t say I hate it either. Definitely sweeter than I would’ve preferred
Feb 15, 2023
Photo of JohnniEMc
Reviewed by JohnniEMc from Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Emptying two brown twelve ounce bottles into a clear glass liter mug inspired these observations. Its color is bright caramel-amber and despite its darkness, ii's slightly translucent. The head began modestly and receded rather quickly. It was a very light biege color. Sweet malt dominates the aroma, maybe toffee would make a good comparison. Save for the finish, it drinks sweetly, too, but not overly so. Then earthy hops become biting during the finish and the taste transition is a good one. The two flavors are bold enough, yet the malt isn't too sweet and the hops aren't too bitter. Together, they provide some welcomed complexity. After the pleasant color, there's not much to look at, as the head disappears quickly and the lacing never shows. That may indicate the thinness of its body, which doesn't quite hold up to the taste. Still, it's a decent tasting ale.
Dec 25, 2022
Photo of tekstr1der
Reviewed by tekstr1der from New Hampshire

4.09/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Long Trail has a few brews I really enjoy, and this is near the top of that list. Absolutely love that they still produce this and their Alts. Nice to take a break from the slew of IPAs. Looking forward to getting more of this, hopefully sans variety pack.
Aug 10, 2022
 
Rated: 3.35 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Feb 17, 2022
Photo of ANIMOUL
Reviewed by ANIMOUL from Vermont

3.86/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Poured from a 12 oz bottle purchased from a variety pack. Pours dark brown with little head or lacing. Sweet malty taste up front that fades rapidly. Notes of subtle chocolate and coffee but very subtle. Not bad as its meant to warm on a winter's night.
Feb 06, 2022
 
Rated: 4.07 by lakewy17 from New Hampshire

Jan 07, 2022
Photo of KP7
Reviewed by KP7 from Massachusetts

4.04/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Updated with a review in Feb 2023.

Format and age: 12oz bottle purchased from a convenience store in VT in Dec 2022, bottled Nov 28, 2022.

Cold chain: very good. Stored cold at the store, transported cold, kept in fridge at home.

Impressions: pours deep amber with a short-lived off-white head. Aromas of toffee apple, honey, and a floral hoppiness (smells like a meadow idyll). The taste follows this sweetness, but also brings some molasses-like bitterness on the finish. The aftertaste can become almost medicinal. Medium bodied.

Overall: a good Scottish Ale for an American brewer, but it can become both overly medicinal and somewhat cloying by the end. Still worthwhile seeking out fresh, as there are few fresh options in the style these days.
Dec 24, 2021
Photo of mikeinportc
Reviewed by mikeinportc from New York

3.74/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Clear, deep orange-amber, with slight, quickly-dissipating tan head, that leaves a thin ring and a few tiny spots of lacing.

Smells of toffee, caramel, a slight brown bready note, and a bit of tang , as in rye bread, that fades with the head.

Taste is initially about the same as aroma, but less sweet. There is a toasted brown sugar flavor that comes in on the latter half, but dry and slightly bitter.

Feel is light-medium , bouncing between "watery" and lightly slick. Leaves the tongue feeling lightly coated. Light, very fine carbonation bite.

Overall, it's OK . If it's going to be seasonal, Oktoberfest seems a better season. ;) Comes across as a marzen mixed with a festbier (wiesnbier).
Dec 22, 2021
Photo of MikeWard
Reviewed by MikeWard from Pennsylvania

3.72/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
12oz bottle into a pint glass. Bottled 11/3/21, so 6 weeks old.

Looks nice enough in the glass. Clear reddish amber body. Small off white head shrinks to a ring and covering, but still leaves decent lacing.

Strong caramel malty aroma.

Taste pretty much follows the nose, only slightly sweet.

Mouth medium, but the finish is a bit off, a little sour.

Overall, finish spoiled the drink for me. All other aspects were quite good.
Dec 16, 2021
 
Rated: 5 by Dalkri from Massachusetts

Dec 16, 2021
Photo of BFCarr
Reviewed by BFCarr from New Jersey

3.79/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Pours dark amber with a thick white head. Aroma is a bit malty but more hoppy and less earthy than expected for a scotch ale. Taste follows with malts and more hop flavor than expected. Feel is good, nice and coating. Overall it's good, but perhaps not on style.
Dec 04, 2021
 
Rated: 3.9 by NastyNorseman from New York

Nov 29, 2021
Photo of jadpsu
Reviewed by jadpsu from Georgia

4.14/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
From a Long Trail variety 12 pack

LOOK: Great looking, inviting beer. A red ale look, amber color, clear with a tan head that has superior retention and sticky side glass lace.
AROMA: Sweet, with sweet toasted malts some caramel and dark fruit.
TASTE: Sweet malts lead syrupy but the bread toasted malts are also evident.
Perhaps a bit more sweet than I would want but this brew has all the characteristics of a solid malt led brew.
Nov 25, 2021
Hibernator from Long Trail Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 83 out of 100 with 798 ratings