Big Yeti
Great Divide Brewing Co.

Revisited November 15th, 2023

Smoother, more balanced taste.

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Original ratings and scores:

4.0 4.5 4.0 3.75 4.0; BA overall score: 4.1; rDev: -4.2%

Inky darkness for the main body, topped with a thick and billowy tan head. Incredible rush of dark roasted grain scent; chocolate and coffee; deeply hidden vanilla. The taste combines rich milk chocolate with a heavy alcohol taste (almost bourbon-like); huge malt sweetness; bitterness comes through from the hops and grain husks. Heavy body; thick and oily with a sludgy smoothness; very prominent alcohol heat.

This is a nicely done anniversary imperial stout, perhaps a bit too rough with the alcohol presence, but otherwise a stupendous beer...

(consolidated reviews from 2017-2022, according to Yeti) Excellently well balanced & roasty imperial stout with chocolate & coffee tones & a smooth, creamy finish. Great heft on the palate. Big Yeti exceptionally well balanced for a 13.5%er.

Nearly opaque and nearly black with very dark brown foam in the glass. Pleasant big aroma of roasted grain. Sudsy and mouthfilling and you could call it unctuous as it melts in your mouth. Flavors of caramel and some dark chocolate. Just mildly bitter and not scorched tasting. This is quite a decent Imperial Stout for being neither too sweet or too bitter. You might say it's too alcoholic, but what the hell. From the 12 oz can purchased in San Diego. Dated 08/26/24 so it's almost a year old, but mellowed if anything.

 

Really solid, roasted coffee overtones, complex and not at all boozy for a 13.5%. Another winner from Great Divide

Bought at Bottlecraft in North Park San Diego. $2.99 for 12 oz can. Canned 8/26/24, consumed 11/21/24.

A&S: Pours a half finger of reddish brown fizzy head. The head dies to a ring but it regenerates with each sip and leaves some lacing. The aroma contains dark coffee and roasted dark espresso. Hints of vanilla, smoke, and brown sugar.

T&M: The early and midtaste contains dark coffee. Hints of dark fruits and wood in the midtaste. Just enough black strap molasses sweetness to cut through the bitter and smokey finish. ABV is present, but well hidden for 13.5, very drinkable for that ABV. Very smooth. Thick mouthfeel, but also medium/low carbonation.

Overall: I usually try not to look at the rating beforehand. This time I saw, and I expect this beer to be a little overrated, however, I think the rating is just about right. Very solid beer. Looks like this beer was on sale, but if you can get it for this price I think it is a slam dunk kind of deal.

 

L: Pours dark chocolate brown, forming a thin peanut head that is quick to fade, revealing a cloudy effervescent layer of retention and a robust espresso lacing around the edge of the snifter. Held to the light, this beer has a very dark brunette, near-black hue.

S: Heavy notes of roasted malt, caramel, toffee, and dark chocolate. Hints of alcohol.

T: Boozy, with a heavy smattering of roasted malt and hops. Dark chocolate, toffee, and some light caramel. Char in the back-end. Some dark fruit towards the finish. It is a very bold, strong brew.

F: Full-bodied. Thick, velvety mouthfeel, with a strong boozy finish. Light carbonation.

O: This is an improvement over the original yeti. It has a robust and bold profile but it is well-balanced beer. Definitely worth your time.

Final brew from the Yeti Variety pack. Purchased at North Penn Beverage, Souderton, PA

Pours jet black with zero light showing through. A fast fading beige head on the initial pour.

Aromas of deep roasted malts and a bit of booze.

This truly is an aggressive, heavy duty stout. Flavors of chocolate, coffee, caramel and deep roasted malts with a distinct alcohol taste. The ABV is noticeable at 13.5% but it isn’t off putting. You do realize that you are drinking a high octane brew from the very first sip.

Creamy and smooth mouthfeel. Mild carbonation.

Whoa…this brew kicks hard but in a good way. One of the highest ABV stouts I’ve had in a while but the flavor is still delicious. Great brew Great Divide..cheers!

Pretty serious beer man. Works for me in a big way so I say grab it if you see it
L: drinking from the can. The Can is a bit understated for this beer, but I’m OK with it.
S: malty chocolatey hint of hops. Very nice.
T: delivers on the nose. Rich chadi sweetness but happy bitterness. Toffee. Lots of complexity. Alcohol well hidden. Awesome stuff.
F: very smooth and rich
Oh: total winner. If you see it, I envy you. We don’t get it in Philadelphia very often.

Really lovely and well rounded. Tastes like brownie batter, though not sticky and surprisingly refined and even less boozy than standard Yeti. Pleasant coco notes an great mouthfeel. Wish it was more available.

Look: It pours black with a brown head. Head retention is very good.

Smell: A nice big chocolate aroma up front with some roast and noticeable alcohol. Dark fruits are light in the background.

Taste: Nice big chocolate flavors with some roast. Ther are some vanilla elements. There are some dark fruit elements with nocticeable alcohol.

Feel: It has a full body with strong alcohol warming.

Overall, for a strong beer, it is quite drinkable.

12 oz can from a mixed Yeti 12 pack.

Appearance. Near black body with a very good, dark tan head.

Aroma. Boozy with a load of dark roasted grains and surprisingly spicy hops.

Flavor. Largely follows the aroma but with some smoke added, and the high ABV is better hidden.

 

Superb big ABV brew...

What I found so special about this beer was how much the alcohol was hidden from your overall experience. I did not note it in my nose and though it wasn't overly tasted on my tongue, I sure did feel it later. No matter, it was a superior beer all around. I'll be aging the other two cans I have over the next two years for comparison.

Poured into a snifter - extremely dark brown/ black pour with two and a half fingers of dark brown foam risen to the surface.
Smell is aromas of dark fruit, coffee, chocolate, molasses, malts, toffee and caramel. Smells like a good mix!
Taste is sweet dark fruits, apricots, toffee, caramel, roasty coffee, chocolate. Can sense the barrel aged in the back.
Feel: Thin for a 13.5%, can definitely get that ABV in the back. Sipper but easy to drink due to the sweetness of the beer. Medium carbonation in this.
Overall I think this was well made. The ABV for me stands out quite a bit in the back but I love the complexity of this beer and the sweetness adds some brownie points on this. Would recommend to other imperial/ barrel aged stout lovers.

12oz can with no date, opened 3-11-23.
Dark tan head with a frothy top, excellent retention on top of a black stout body. Rich aroma of malt, cocoa, light spice, Fully laced. Intense roasty malts, char, what seems like light a light smoke flavor and a late boozy alcohol note - amazing bold flavor and it's nothing but the malt, no adjuncts. Full body, low carbonation with a velvety mouthfeel and some heat. Long, roasty, bitter and semi-sweet finish. Outstanding.

 

 

Pours black with a dark tan one finger head. Aroma is roasted malt, burnt caramel and marshmallows left in the campfire too long. It's a unique aroma. Taste is buttery, sweet, with profiles of caramel and some vanilla. Do I detect coffee? After a number of times tasking, yes, I guess a hint. This is one imperial stout that is hard to put down. The ABV takes down your name and officially tells you, it will see you again. I would drink this again.