Jeez, can't a guy even get a cup of coffee without being hasseled by the paparazzi?
Normally one would think being brought to your senses by an enormous furry beast like the sasquatch would be a rude awakening indeed, possibly involving a ripped tent and a soiled sleeping bag. But in my case, it was a very pleasant experience. Of course the beast I refer to was from a bottle, it brought its own coffee, and it had spent a little time in mellowing out in oak. But it still made quite an impression.
Great Divide Brewing Co’s Espresso Oak Aged Yeti is an imperial stout brewed with Pablo’s espresso, a boutique roaster out of Denver. The elusive Yeti you see on the label appears on a handful of Great Divide’s beers, and so far each one I’ve had has been a treat.
The Espresso Oak Aged Yeti pours blacker than a bigfoot’s pelt (like the really dark robotic one from the Six Million Dollar Man), and boasts a tall tan head that clings more than that girlfriend I had in college.
Bringing it your nose, the beast surprises with a powerful aroma of hops. I wasn’t anticipating that. There were also notes of the stuff you’d expect from a beer such as this, with roasted coffee, malt and little hint of oak also making an appearance. But the hops were what stood out for me, maybe because I wasn’t expecting them. Sneaky Yeti!
Upon the first sip, you’re greeted with a rich and powerful coffee flavor, which dominates the brew. I don’t always prefer the coffee taste so in-your-face in a stout such as this, but it works here, as Great Divide chose its coffee partner well. There’s some vanilla in there to add a little sweetness, but this is a coffee bomb first and foremost. I also found it interesting that the hops which dominated the nose kind of disappear in the mix here, making only a brief appearance on the back end of the taste, mixing nicely with the coffee to provide a pleasant bitterness that gently fades into oak.
The mouthfeel was light, but not too thin or watery. I usually expect a stout to have more gravity than this, but the feel of this brew fits in with its overall character. It’s really easy drinking beer, and at 9.5% ABV you really have to mind pace.
Great Divide Brewing Co has turned in another solid effort with this member of their Yeti series. In all cases, these beers are well crafted, flavorful, and dangerously easy to drink quickly. In the case of the Espresso Oak Aged Yeti, I’d grab the beast while you can, as it is a February / March seasonal brew that you don’t want to miss. The timing is actually perfect, because with it’s big flavor and light mouthfeel, this beast is the perfect companion to curl up as the cold nights of winter slowly give way to the pleasant eves of spring.
Beer & Whiskey Brothers 
Wasn’t a huge fan of this one. It’s not bad but I’m not normally a coffee stout guy. I think the precise reason is that it almost always comes across as stale.
I’m usually not a fan of this kind of coffee stout, as I tend to like them with more of a chocolate component and with the alcohol a little more in your face (Southern Tier, you’ve ruined me!). This approach tends to eliminate the “stale” taste you’re referring to (it reminds me of Maxwell House filtered through cardboard – yuck).
The intense coffee flavor in this one actually borders on that, but I enjoyed it anyway, probably because there was just enough warmth from the vanilla to bring out some of the richness in the coffee. The hop profile was also pretty clever, and made the whole experience a lot more interesting than a run of the mill coffee stout. All in all, I was surprised how much I enjoyed it.
You would probably like their Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti a lot. Great stuff I had on tap about a month ago. I also really liked Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout. You’d probably like that one if you liked the espresso Yeti.
I have also been ruined by the Southern Tier Choklat!! It’s like they poured a high-quality chocolate ganache right into an already awesome imperial stout. 😀
I’ve only had the one bottle though and haven’t seen it around lately. I tried Ommegang’s Chocolate Indulgence and it wasn’t anywhere near as good (chocolate wise anyway).
Anyway, I also love Coffee in my beer (as long as there is some chocolate too) so I’ll have to try this out. Now if I can just find it….
ST Mokah, too! And don’t forget Oat. Those guys make some great big beers.
The Espresso Yeti just appeared on the shelf at my favorite beer store last week, as it is a seasonal brew. Maybe start by looking wherever you can find Great Divide stuff and you might get lucky. Happy hunting!