Jenny and I swung by Full Throttle Bottles the other day on the way back from Ikea.  With all the Christmas beers out right now, it’s easier than usual to find a nice rich ale at the local markets, but there are still some things that don’t get stocked outside a specialty store.  Great Divide’s Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout is one of them.

When I first tasted the Yeti on tap at Brouwer’s, it immediately vaulted into a cozy spot near the top of my all-time favorite beer list.  It was still remarkable even when compared to all the competition at the Seattle Beer Festival this past summer.  At $10 for a 22-oz bottle, it’s a bit expensive, but worth the occasional indulgence.The most memorable thing about this beer for me is the mouth feel… it’s very smooth and creamy, heavy and thick — almost (but not quite!) syrupy.  Very pleasant.

The taste is strong, a mix of dark chocolate and whiskey notes from a very noticeabley roasted set of malts. It’s a pretty complex flavor, and almost overpowering in its sheer presence.  This beer pretty much screams “craft brew,” as the flavor profile is not even close to anything else you’ve tasted in the last week, but it doesn’t feel like a novelty act at all.

The intensity of the roasted, smokey flavor together with the warm whiskey notes makes this a beer to nurse slowly.  If you’ve got some lightly salted (not roasted!) nuts nearby, they’ll help cut the flavor between sips and keep it from drowning you.  Jenny and I didn’t have any nuts, so we made do with a bag of popcorn.  No complaints!