Great Divide Brewing Company Releases Two New Seasonal Beers
Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti, Double Wit Keep New Seasonal Series Rolling
Denver, CO – If you haven’t gotten to try Saison or Dunkel Weiss yet, better luck next year – Great Divide Brewing Company’s ambitious new seasonal release schedule keeps rolling, and the brewery has two new beers to whet the appetite of the summer craft beer drinker.
Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti is the newest incarnation of Great Divide’s revered imperial stout. The brewers toned down the hops a bit to allow cocoa nibs to contribute some pleasing bitterness, while vanilla notes from the oak combine with the cocoa to create an aroma and flavor akin to a gourmet chocolate bar. A dash of cayenne keeps things lively, adding just a bit of heat to the finish.
“It may seem a bit counter intuitive to release an imperial stout as a summer seasonal,” says Great Divide founder and president Brian Dunn, “but we think this beer will work well any time of the year. The cayenne really makes Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti unique; like in a good molé sauce, the heat won’t be overpowering, but it’ll balance the sweetness of the beer a bit. We don’t know anyone who’s made a beer like this before.”
Double Wit is Great Divide’s more muscular take on the beloved white ales of Belgium. Unmalted wheat and Belgian malted barley give the beer a light body and straw hue, while coriander and curaçao provide the traditional notes of spice and light acidity. The brewers emphasize that this cloudy, deceptively drinkable creation should be enjoyed without the addition of fruit.
“There are a lot of witbiers out there, which makes sense, because it’s an easily enjoyable style,” says Dunn. “We wanted to do something a bit different with ours. Upping the malt bill, and with it the alcohol content, makes Double Wit a richer experience than a typical Belgian white.”
Great Divide will release Double Wit and Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti at a release party at the brewery on May 29. Both beers will be available in 22-ounce bottles and on draft through August 1, at which point the seasonal rotation will move on.
“These new seasonals have been selling out fast,” says Dunn, “so get ’em before they’re gone!”
