"CULTURE OF SPIRITS" author Chris McCollum and I have recently been visiting a host of fall-themed beer tastings, which include samplings of a variety of popular pumpkin ales and Octoberfest brews. Several times while visiting one of our favorite local brewery supply stores, Hops and Vines in Asheville, North Carolina, Chris and I had begun to notice the variety of craft breweries that feature paranormal themes on their labels.
"Indeed, one of my favorite beers of all time is the seasonal Bigfoot Barleywine brewed by the Sierra Nevada Company in Chico, California (see image at right). However, on closer inspection, a sizable (and surprising) number of other brands carry imagery ranging from UFOs, Ghosts, and cryptozoological mysteries, to famous mystics like Rasputin, Nostradamus, and several other odd themes."
And on the subject of cryptozoology, Micah gives his views on what sounds like a fine beer - Great Divide Oak-Aged Yeti!
In Micah's own words:
"Great Divide Oak-aged Yeti (9.5 %). At one time in the history of paranormalia, before 'Bigfoot' was the common name for large hairy hominids seen around the world, 'abominable snowman' was the widely accepted term (with American varieties famously called "ABSMs" (a loose acronym for Abominable Snowmen of America). The creature behind the name, in native Nepalese, is 'Yeti', the legendary homin-haunt of the Himalayas. Great Divide's Yeti pours a characteristic dark, deep black with a choclate-colored head and a good bit of lacing. However, this brew isn't merely chocolate in color; chocolate, coffee, and hops round out the flavor of this dark oaky anomaly. The Yeti also has a good amount of creaminess, yet lacks a noticeable alcoholic taste at such a high ABV. Some would lead you to believe the oak flavor (for which it gets its name) is simply too much, but hey, if I were a Yeti, I'd probably live in a tree. At least it's authentic."
