December 25 - Great Divide Yeti

Whew!  After a day of gift giving and gift getting, and managing two kiddos running on fumes by night's end, it's only appropriate to go out with a bang tonight.  I mean I did have to reassemble a train set before sitting down tonight to enjoy this brew.

Thanks to my in-laws, the hard part was already done.  

Before I get to the last review of 2015, I just want to thank you, the reader, for sticking with me all month.  Even if you were a sporadic reader, or if you're binge-reading all 25 tonight, I appreciate the comments and feedback regarding these beers.  I'm no scholar when it comes to writing, but I do have some talent up my sleeve when I apply myself.  Plus, I get to write about something I enjoy.  So, again, thank you!

Yeah, I know I already used it...but it's just so darn appropriate!

This beer has been sitting in my fridge since the Lancaster trip a few weeks back.  Never having it, and never turning down an Imperial Stout, especially this time of year, I had to grab myself one to see how good it is.  I've seen, via Untappd and other places that discuss beer, there are a ton of versions of this beer like, Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti, Belgian Style Yeti, and a few others.  This looks to be the original 9.5% plain ol' Yeti Imperial Stout.  

The pour was straight midnight black with a creamy tan head with maybe just a hint of red in the right lighting conditions.  The aroma was chocolate, coffee, and roasted malt with a slight booziness.

This beer doesn't pull any punches.  At first, there is a creamy and smooth mouth feel that bites really quickly and lasts throughout the finish and beyond.  This thing is very malty and roasty with light sweetness.  This here is one of the most bitter stouts that I've ever tasted.  

That all being said, with a 4 out of 5 rating on Untappd and even a 98 rating via BeerAdvocate, I can't come close to that rating.  I'm going to go out on a limb and call it a bad bottle, maybe because of my transport, cold to warm back to cold.  Things I'm reading, however, tell me that it shouldn't matter too much on the cold-warm-cold effect, if you will. 

What a way to end things...

I'd try it again, fresh for sure because I just can't believe it's throwing off such a bitterness.  It's definitely supposed to be bitter, but this just seems like too much in that the balance just isn't there.  Therefore, I won't rate it out of fairness.  

Rather anti-climactic if I do say so myself.  Maybe I'll have to post one more beer this month just go out on a higher note.  Stay tuned!