Great Divide Hibernation (December 09)

Cherry tinged oak in color. Possesses great clarity. My aggressive pour yields just a 1 finger head, but it looks appealing - crème brulee and foamed milk kind of affair. Certainly a beer that has me ready to dive in. Smells like cider, sweet grass, and raw sugar. Just enough going on to let you know your dealing with a beast. Sip and the beer start deeply sweet as it slips by easily on the lips. It stays sickly sweet, and then opens up big time, arcing towards the back of the tongue. Notes of peat, bourbon, tobacco, cocoa and dryish grains are underlain by a caramel milky backbone. All of this is enveloped by a warm hoppiness. A great touch. The chewy mouthfeel is complimented well by the strong carbonation. Tobacco and peat compete, becoming more prominent as the beer warms - hints of smoke now appear. Alcohol starts to burn... things have fallen apart just a bit, but it’s expected with a burly beer like this. It’s not a subtle affair. Very malten, earthy, smoky. Be careful, relax, and enjoy.