Great Divide Adds Year-Round Beers, Releases Repeat Seasonals
Hoss Rye Lager and Claymore Scotch Ale go year-round, Espresso Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout and Colette Farmhouse Ale return
Denver, CO – Great Divide Brewing Company is adding Hoss Rye Lager and Claymore Scotch Ale to its year-round line up of beers. The beers were both intended to be seasonal beers when released in 2009.
“These two beers really flew off the shelves last year,” says Great Divide founder Brian Dunn. “So we decided to brew them year-round in 2010 to keep our customers happy.”
Claymore is the brewery’s tribute to the “wee heavy” beers of Scotland. It’s a malty, dark ruby colored Scottish-style ale that features hearty caramel sweetness, a reserved hop profile and a subtle warming character thanks to its 7.7% ABV.
Hoss is based on the Marzen lagers of Germany. It features rich, layered malt notes with hints of cherry and dark fruits, and a subtle earthy/spicy character from the addition of malted rye. It is 6.2% ABV. Hoss won a bronze medal at the 2009 Great American Beer Festival and was named one of the “25 Best New Beers in America” in the February issue of Maxim Magazine.
The beers will be released in mid February to all Great Divide markets. They will be joined by two returning seasonal beers, Espresso Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout and Colette Farmhouse Ale.
Espresso Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout is a unique version of the brewery’s imperial stout that is aged on French and American oak and then blended with espresso from local roaster Pablo’s Coffee. These two unique processes add flavors of dark coffee, oak and vanilla to the intense roasted character of the original beer. The beer is 9.5% ABV and sold in 22-ounce bottles.
Colette Farmhouse Ale is a renamed version of Great Divide’s Saison released last year in 22-ounce bottles. Brewed with barley, wheat and rice and fermented at high temperatures with a special blend of four different yeast strains, Colette is a golden ale that’s fruity and slightly tart with a dry finish. It is 7.3% ABV. The beer is now sold in six-packs of 12 ounce bottles.
“Our various versions of Yeti are always a big hit with fans of bigger beer,” Dunn says. “Our Belgian-style beers have also become a favorite, so Colette will keep that section of our fan base happy, too.”
Great Divide is having a release party for all four beers on February 19 at the brewery from 6-9 PM. Admission is $20 and includes snacks and beers.
Great Divide’s long run of honors and success continues to grow. The brewery’s fermentation capacity grew by 50% in 2009 and its production grew by 34%.
In its 2010 readers poll, BeerAdvocate ranked Great Divide 7th in its list of “All-Time Top Brewers” in the January edition of BeerAdvocate Magazine. Great Divide was also ranked 8th in Ratebeer.com’s 2010 “The Best Brewers in the World” rankings.
Get more details on Great Divide’s award-winning beers and accolades at www.greatdivide.com .
