Great Divide Barrel Aged Old Ruffian

Brewed by Great Divide Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Denver, Colorado USA

Serve in Snifter

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Big thanks to Lunch for pulling out this bottle at a recent tasting. Longtime want for me. Served in a snifter. Pours a nice ruby-garnet color with a thin off-white head and a light color made up of fairly-large bubbles. The nose brings a mild barrel character as well as some dark fruits and a bit of caramel. Hops are certainly noticeable. Bit of booze. Taste is really quite nice with the booze mingling with the dark fruits and sweetness in a really fantastic way. Good barrel character with some nice toffee and caramel. A bit hoppy as well. Mouthfeel melds the barrel character, some sweetness, booze, and a bit of bitterness quite well. Definitely a well made brew. Not quite as good as the BA Yeti, but quite good and I’m really glad I got to try this. Thanks again, Paul. Serving type: bottle Reviewed on: 12-19-2010

Bottle shared during AZRBWG. Pours murky mahogany with a tan head. Aroma shows notes of caramel, oak, bourbon, vanilla, and fig. Flavor shows the same with additional notes of light roast as well as some overripe fruits. Overall body is moderate to full and finishes with some warming alcohol.

This beer is a muddy brown color that is not entirely appealing. The head is a very light tan with little retention or lacing. The aroma has a little malts on the front with a very "off" hopish flavor. Its hops but one that is very unique almost tarry. The taste is also tarry, piney with a lots of hops. The feel is heavy but drinkability is done. Overall this is ok, but nothing super special

750 ml bottle bought in an action from a Swedish importer. Marked 11.9% ABV. Sampled on February 26, 2011
Hazy copper color, small off-white head. Sweet, vanilla, oak, chocolate, alcohol, raissin scent. Alcohol, raissin, smooth, lovely taste! Raissin aftertaste. Smooth mouthfeel, medium high bitterness.

Courtesy of gnoff. Pours hazy mahogany with a small tanned bubbly head, very thick consistency. Fulllbodied roma of madeira, raisins, dark fruits and hops. Velvety fulllbodied mouthfeel. Flavor is lean, alcohol, dark fruits, Madeira and a bit hoppy; excellent. Fullbodied palate. Finishes with a great fruity and tart hoppy aftertaste.

Bottle (75 cl), thanks gnoff. Hazy mahogny, no head. Strong vanilla and coconut aroma; some Old Ruffian nutty and caramelly notes with piney and citric hops in the background. Medium bodied and a quite flat. Dry, medium bitterness. As usual I prefer the ordinary version before the barrel/oak aged version.

Shared bomber thx gnoff, cons 2011-02-26 Göteborg 2009 edition bottle 424 of 1188 AR: alcoholic, plums, grapes AP: oily dark earl grey lipton tea, no head F: wee alcoholic, maderia, plums, vanilla, a bit tart, grape fruit and a bit citrus fruits

UPDATED: JUN 5, 2011 (Bottle, thanks gnoff) Pours hazy dark orange brown with no head. The aroma holds buttery oak, whiskey and caramel up front. Undertones of vanilla, resinous hops and dried fruits. Maybe some chocolate and liquorice. The flavour is mediumto heavily sweet, medium to heavily bitter and tiny acidic. Lot of warming alcohol, caramel, resinous hops, some citrus and some dried fruits. The mouthfeel is smooth and silky yet firey. Almost no carbonation. Bitter and numbing finish. Near full bodied.Second try: (Bottle) Pours beautiful dark reddish brown with almost no head. The aroma holds dill-driven oak, citrus/resinous hops, fat caramel and dried fruits/figs up front. Butter, chocolate, cranberries, alcohol/whiskey, punch, wet tobacco and liquorice root in the background. The flavor is medium to heavily sweet, medium to heavily bitter and light acidic. Carmel, burned toffee, resinous/citric hops, dill and vanilla-ish oak and dried fruits. The mouthfeel is round and light numbing with a light carbonation. Hops and caramel lingers in the finish. Medium to full bodied.

2009 batch, bottle #449 of 1188. Pours hazy chestnut brown, with a thin tan head, very fine clinging lacing. Aroma of molasses, vanilla, toast, nuts, and hay. Full rich body, a hint of crispness, lightly dry, low carbonation not unusual for the style. Medium strong sweetness, a hint of citrus tartness, then then medium bitterness, not quite enough to balance out the sweetness, some hotness, but surprisingly well hidden for nearly 12% abv. Very deep and flavorful, a huge beer.

Pours a nice reddish brown with no head. Aroma is boozy, toffee, caramel and sweet malts. Taste is caramel,sweet malt, good toffee taste. Oaky. Palate is good, balanced and good warming ability. Overall this is a very good brew