OK, I know it’s early in the year (it is New Years Day 2021 as I type and drink this beer). But here’s the thing: Great Divide Barrel Aged Hibernation is already the best beer of the year. It’s a frontrunner that will be hard to top and, honestly, when I reflect upon 2020, would be hard to beat compared to the many fine brews I enjoyed then.

Nota bene: my fifth sized bottle of Great Divide Barrel Aged Hibernation is one I’ve been aging for a while. It is the 2016 maltage, and I found it going through my stash this Christmas season. As I mentioned, I enjoyed it as a celebration on New Year’s Day. I have no idea what I paid for it, but it will run you $9.99 a 12-ounce single these days at Total Wine. It should be noted that this is not just the standard Hibernation Ale with barrel aging. The latter clocks in at 8.7% alcohol by volume, while the barrel aged version (my bottle) is marked as 11.5%. It has a bottled on date of FEB 17 2016.

From the bottle label:

Over 12 months in whiskey barrels has completely transformed our prized winter seasonal, producing a Hibernation that starts with big whiskey flavors before mellowing out into luscious chocolate, dark fruit and vanilla.  If you can only take one beer into your cave this winter, we strongly suggest this one.

Great Divide Barrel Aged Hibernation 2016 pours to a dark mahogany color with a medium head of very creamy tan foam and a nose with hints of chocolate and robust toasted oak. Taking a sip, the beer is medium to full in body, smooth and luscious, with hints of cocoa and coconut, subtle whiskey notes but bigger notes of char and oak, a hint of vanilla, thick brussels lace, a true beergasm. It finishes boozy and woody, kind of like you had sex with an oak tree. As I sipped I just did not want the bottle to end.

Aging beer is always tricky, but this was a success of enormous magnitude. The agig may have allowed the wood to come out a bit more fully. I will have to try it younger and get back to you on that.

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