I drank this beer three or four weeks ago and put off writing my review for far too long. I guess a lot of you will have to wait until next winter to get it now. Sorry! I don’t normally hedge my bet like this, but I’m going to start off by telling you that I loved this beer. I was a little skeptical at first. You know how it is: hibernation this and Winter Warmer that. So many Christmas Ales and winter beers come out with various spices and figgie pudding extracts (just a joke) that I, for one, sometimes roll my eyes about another winter beer coming out. But try this English Style Old Ale by Great Divide from Colorado!
In the glass, this beer is a deep copper and reddish brown like the shining reflection of fire on the wall. The head sits like an off-color creamy nog atop this beer. The body was sturdy and bubbly like a Christmas punch.
Hops, grains, slight metallic touches and hints of wine were immediately evident in Hibernation Ale. A rich caramel aroma flowed upward and hit upon my appreciative nose. Coffee and chocolate aromas were also plentiful. Only hints of alcohol could be caught on the nose, despite this being a stout beer.
The coffee and chocolate along with bruising hops hit immediately when I greedily quaffed this confection. But there is an immediate shift from these qualities to some very nice roasted grains and caramel qualities. The alcohol warmth in the mouth is a reminder that this is a winter beer seeking to destroy harsh winter nights. Like the seasons, this beer goes full circle. What started out at a hoppy and bitter beer ends like a bitter winter night. But its bitterness is of a semi-dry and malty quality. Then something hit that I love to taste. I don’t know how many homebrewers I have in the audience, but I tasted something in this beer that reminded me of boiling wort. The malts felt like making a beer at home.
If you can’t tell from my lofty description, I really enjoyed this Hibernation Ale. While I’ll never enjoy a long cold winter, I’ll look forward to the trimmings, namely, beers like this one.
Mike’s Rating:
Overall Satisfaction: 
Among other Ales: 
Among other Old Ales: 
[...] that seems innocuous, and you end up really liking some of their stuff. I really loved their Hibernation Ale, for instance. They are certainly worth a try. Without further ado, let’s launch into Hades [...]