Great Divide Brewing 20th Anniversary 2014
Great Divide Brewing 20th Anniversary 2014 is the Denver brewery's milestone beer gone Belgian — an 8.2% ABV golden strong ale fermented with Viognier grape juice, released as the Q2 2014 seasonal for the brewery's 20th year. Where the 17th and 18th anniversary ales were oak-aged imperial IPAs, the 20th went golden: fruity, floral Viognier aromatics folded into a Belgian strong ale the brewery called "big without being brutish." It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 8.2%
- Size: 22oz
- Style: Belgian golden strong ale
- Signature ingredient: Viognier grape juice — French white-wine variety, fruity/floral aromatics
- Release: Q2 2014 seasonal, early April 2014 — 20th anniversary of the 1994-founded brewery
- Origin: Great Divide Brewing, Denver, Colorado
The One That Went Belgian
Great Divide's anniversary series had run on hops — oak-aged imperial IPAs for the 17th and 18th, an American strong ale with birch syrup for the 19th. For year twenty, the brewery pivoted to Belgium and to wine country: Viognier juice co-fermented into a golden strong ale, giving it banana and bubblegum Belgian esters with a vinous, white-wine twist. BeerAdvocate drinkers average it 3.74/5 across 249 ratings. Compare with more Colorado craft beer or browse the Great Divide Brewing lineup at Del Mesa Liquor.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Banana, bubblegum, white flowers, vinous grape. Palate: Fruity and floral with crisp white-wine character over Belgian esters. Finish: Crisp, warming, dry.
How to Enjoy
Chill well and serve in a tulip with mussels, goat cheese or a fruit-forward dessert — the Viognier half of the beer loves white-wine pairings. A milestone bottle for a milestone year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 20th Anniversary a dark ale? No — every source classifies it as a Belgian golden/pale strong ale; the color runs bright gold.
What makes it special? It was fermented with Viognier grape juice — the only Belgian-style beer in Great Divide's 17th–20th anniversary run.
When was it released? Early April 2014 as the brewery's Q2 seasonal, celebrating twenty years since the 1994 founding.
The Belgian birthday beer — order Great Divide 20th Anniversary 2014 online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.