Great Divide Hibernation Ale. Photo by Marika Josephson.
Great Divide Hibernation Ale is a seasonal Old Ale in the English style, and a great beer for the holidays either for sipping or for pairing.
The Hibernation Ale didn't pour with a big head, and what little foam there was dissipated quicky. What was left was a dense beer, dark red-amber brown. In some lights it was almost a flourescent red.
The ale had a real woody smell. Roasted, toasted malts come across strongly. Although the beer is nice for the winter weather, it's not because it rings in the holidays with sweet chocolatey notes, but rather because it's warm and nutty; like roasting chestnuts over the fire (by the way, a pair I would suggest).
The sip left a pleasant coat on the tongue, where the toasted flavors developed even further. It was so smoky it was almost charcoal-y. The Hibernation Ale is dry-hopped, but I barely tasted the hops; the flavor is really hijacked by the toasted malt flavor--not that I'm complaining. I'm not sure how much I'd want to taste the hops in this beer.
This is a perfect selection for a cool fall or winter's evening. Could make a great prelude to a Thanksgiving fest with a cheese plate (think nutty cow's milks and creamy bries). For $2.49 a bottle at Kindling, the Hibernation Ale has the complexity of a beer two or three times its price. A steal.
Stay tuned for an interesting pairing in tomorrow's Friday Forks: Steak with mole tacos.
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