Hibernation Ale | Great Divide Brewing Company
Brewed by:
Great Divide Brewing Company
Colorado, United States
greatdivide.com
Style: Old Ale
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 8.70%
Availability: Winter
Notes / Commercial Description:
No notes at this time.
Added by BeerAdvocate on 11-26-2001
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 2,949 | Reviews: 1,183
3.83/5 rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.09/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
A) Pours a rich brown with a substantial tan head that leaves some light lacing on the glass as it subsides. The body has a beautiful dark ruby hue when held up to the light.
S) A bit of chocolate mixed with a strong scent of dark fruits and some caramel. Malty and sweet.
T) The dark fruit and malt tastes are immediately apparent and strike a nice balance of sweetness and complexity. The initial flavor is followed by hops, light spices, and a bit of alcohol.
M) A little thinner than I had anticipated. Carbonation is pretty light. I would have preferred a bit more body to the beer but it doesn't detract from the experience by any stretch.
O) A tasty beer that does a good job of hiding how strong it is. This review was done on a warm spring day, but I imagine this would be extremely pleasing on a cold winter evening, as the name suggests.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
A) Pours a rich brown with a substantial tan head that leaves some light lacing on the glass as it subsides. The body has a beautiful dark ruby hue when held up to the light.
S) A bit of chocolate mixed with a strong scent of dark fruits and some caramel. Malty and sweet.
T) The dark fruit and malt tastes are immediately apparent and strike a nice balance of sweetness and complexity. The initial flavor is followed by hops, light spices, and a bit of alcohol.
M) A little thinner than I had anticipated. Carbonation is pretty light. I would have preferred a bit more body to the beer but it doesn't detract from the experience by any stretch.
O) A tasty beer that does a good job of hiding how strong it is. This review was done on a warm spring day, but I imagine this would be extremely pleasing on a cold winter evening, as the name suggests.
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4.04/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
4.07/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.72/5 rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
4.06/5 rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Look: poured from draft in pint glass at Indo bar. Brown opaque appearance with a light fluffy head. Looks to be a beer with a lot of substance
Smell: Rich roasted malts with hint of dark chocolate.
Taste: Taste follows the smell appropriately with rich full flavor of sweet malty flavor that gives a nice kick of alcohol and spices towards the end.
Feel: Thick, frothy and full. Full bodied beer with good carbonation.
Overall: I am very pleased overall with my experience drinking this old ale. I dont drink this beer style often but can tell that this beer has great flavor and purpose.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Look: poured from draft in pint glass at Indo bar. Brown opaque appearance with a light fluffy head. Looks to be a beer with a lot of substance
Smell: Rich roasted malts with hint of dark chocolate.
Taste: Taste follows the smell appropriately with rich full flavor of sweet malty flavor that gives a nice kick of alcohol and spices towards the end.
Feel: Thick, frothy and full. Full bodied beer with good carbonation.
Overall: I am very pleased overall with my experience drinking this old ale. I dont drink this beer style often but can tell that this beer has great flavor and purpose.
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3.03/5 rDev -24.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Dark clean amber, one finger of good beige foam.
In the smell amrican hops (citrus and light piney). A bit tii much for an english old ale, maybe.
Still, after that, full malty notes, light caramel.
Again malt and caramel in the taste, a bit too heavy. Again american hops.
The body is a bit thin.
In the end, a bit unbalanced.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Dark clean amber, one finger of good beige foam.
In the smell amrican hops (citrus and light piney). A bit tii much for an english old ale, maybe.
Still, after that, full malty notes, light caramel.
Again malt and caramel in the taste, a bit too heavy. Again american hops.
The body is a bit thin.
In the end, a bit unbalanced.
327 characters
4.12/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
3.6/5 rDev -10.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.84/5 rDev -4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
$ 9.00 (Including tax)/12 oz capped bottle ($ 0.75/oz) from Franklin Beer, Franklin, PA.
Bottled on Apr 27, 2017 (On label), stored at 42 degrees and served at 55 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter.
Appearance – 3.
Body – Dark brown/black, opaque. There is some sediment in the bottle.
Head – Average (Maximum 3.7 cm, aggressive pour), tan, low density, initially fizzy, rapidly diminishing to an irregular five to eight mm thin lacy ring and a thin complete layer.
Lacing – None. As expected in an 11.5% barrel-aged brew.
Pour – Dark brown, hazy.
Aroma – 4 - The bottle emits an aroma of chocolate and fruit, like chocolate-covered raisins. The glass smells like predominantly dark fruits with some hints of whiskey. These fade with time.
Flavor – 4 – Begins with dark fruit with some chocolate and caramel appearing mid-palate. Ends with chocolate and whiskey. Only minimal warming occurs, surprising for a 11.5% ABV drink. There is a fleeting taste of barrel vanillin but no other inklings of barrel appear. No obvious hops or malt, no diacetyl.
Palate – 3 – Medium to full, syrupy, soft carbonation.
Impression and summation – 4 - The palate and appearance are typical for the style – nothing to see here – move along. The aroma is certainly pleasing. I was surprised by the greater chocolate notes from the bottle than from the glass (More theoretical plates in the bottle, perhaps?). The flavors are pleasing although the whiskey is a mite rough. Perhaps, if the sediment in the bottle is yeast, further aging might smooth this out. Overall, a decent representative of a young Old Ale at a decent price point.
1,676 characters
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
$ 9.00 (Including tax)/12 oz capped bottle ($ 0.75/oz) from Franklin Beer, Franklin, PA.
Bottled on Apr 27, 2017 (On label), stored at 42 degrees and served at 55 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter.
Appearance – 3.
Body – Dark brown/black, opaque. There is some sediment in the bottle.
Head – Average (Maximum 3.7 cm, aggressive pour), tan, low density, initially fizzy, rapidly diminishing to an irregular five to eight mm thin lacy ring and a thin complete layer.
Lacing – None. As expected in an 11.5% barrel-aged brew.
Pour – Dark brown, hazy.
Aroma – 4 - The bottle emits an aroma of chocolate and fruit, like chocolate-covered raisins. The glass smells like predominantly dark fruits with some hints of whiskey. These fade with time.
Flavor – 4 – Begins with dark fruit with some chocolate and caramel appearing mid-palate. Ends with chocolate and whiskey. Only minimal warming occurs, surprising for a 11.5% ABV drink. There is a fleeting taste of barrel vanillin but no other inklings of barrel appear. No obvious hops or malt, no diacetyl.
Palate – 3 – Medium to full, syrupy, soft carbonation.
Impression and summation – 4 - The palate and appearance are typical for the style – nothing to see here – move along. The aroma is certainly pleasing. I was surprised by the greater chocolate notes from the bottle than from the glass (More theoretical plates in the bottle, perhaps?). The flavors are pleasing although the whiskey is a mite rough. Perhaps, if the sediment in the bottle is yeast, further aging might smooth this out. Overall, a decent representative of a young Old Ale at a decent price point.
1,676 characters
4.17/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
3.81/5 rDev -5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Pours a dark brown with a thick off white head that lingers. Heavy feel with a chocolate hint. Nice winter beer for staying in
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look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Pours a dark brown with a thick off white head that lingers. Heavy feel with a chocolate hint. Nice winter beer for staying in
126 characters
4.49/5 rDev +11.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.13/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
It's a darker beer which is nice in winter. It has an aftertaste of warmth, with a stronger coffee afternote. There are subtle hints of toffee and caramel, and some chocolate. Its head is sexy af foamy and large, almost overflowing if not watched. Very good beer for its price, and perfect for this cold weather.
312 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
It's a darker beer which is nice in winter. It has an aftertaste of warmth, with a stronger coffee afternote. There are subtle hints of toffee and caramel, and some chocolate. Its head is sexy af foamy and large, almost overflowing if not watched. Very good beer for its price, and perfect for this cold weather.
312 characters
4.13/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
L: Poured from a 12oz can, dark caramel color, frothy tan head that leaves filmy, bubbly mess on the side of the glass. Beautiful.
S: Caramel and toffee.
T: Toffee, caramel and coffee.
F: Great body and carbonation.
O: Need to grab a few cans to see how it ages. I got a Great Divide Brewers Collection for Xmas and it had a BA version of this. Anxious to try it!
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
L: Poured from a 12oz can, dark caramel color, frothy tan head that leaves filmy, bubbly mess on the side of the glass. Beautiful.
S: Caramel and toffee.
T: Toffee, caramel and coffee.
F: Great body and carbonation.
O: Need to grab a few cans to see how it ages. I got a Great Divide Brewers Collection for Xmas and it had a BA version of this. Anxious to try it!
363 characters
4.02/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a dark red with some haze and an off white head. Smells of caramel, coffee, toffee, and malt. Tastes of rich chocolate, coffee, caramel, toffee, and sweet malt. Medium-heavy body with medium-light carbonation. Overall a very tasty old ale.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a dark red with some haze and an off white head. Smells of caramel, coffee, toffee, and malt. Tastes of rich chocolate, coffee, caramel, toffee, and sweet malt. Medium-heavy body with medium-light carbonation. Overall a very tasty old ale.
245 characters
Hibernation Ale from Great Divide Brewing Company
Beer rating:
4.02 out of
5 with
2,949 ratings
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