Great Divide Brewing Company Espresso Oak Aged Yeti Russian Imperial Stout at 9.5% ABV | 75 IBU (US$10.99 at Knightly Spirits Williamsburg, 650 ml, bottle date 10-Feb-2016, acquired 1-May-2016, reviewed 6-Dec-2016)
Appearance: solid unrelieved black with one fat finger of dense creamy dark brown head, excellent retention and lacing. (5/5) Aroma: milk chocolate, coffee, roasty malt, dark fruit, grassy. (8/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, high bitter. (8/10) Palate: full viscid body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter and slightly astringent warming finish. (4/5)
Damn. Big and bombastic, with enough of a battle royale going on between the sweet and bitter (with the added sideshow of the espresso/coffee) that you’re completely distracted from the high ABV. And when I say “milk chocolate”, I ain’t lying – the head smells and tastes (and feels!) pretty much exactly like a chocolate milkshake. This is really good, verging on great, but I can’t help but wish I had tried the non-espresso version first. Not just because I prefer to try the original before trying variants, but also because in this case I think the espresso might be adding some astringency to the finish that otherwise might not have been there. I rather suspect the base beer has enough complexity that the added coffee notes weren’t strictly necessary. Ah, well – maybe on my next trip to the Excited States. (17/20)
8.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
