Great Divide Old Ruffian

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

Pours a darker amber color with definite red hues. The beer is mostly murky and has a great head retention that remains throughout. Decent lacing. The smell is rich in sweet malt. A prolific aroma with great hints of plums and raisins. For the malt a stronger caramel hint comes to mind, but other tones are present as well. Such as butterscotch and dry cherry flavor. The taste is warm. A sweet and very complex malt is noticeable. With strong tastes of brown sugar and molasses. The malt does really well backing up the hop aroma behind it. The hops are not overpowering and I am impressed on how well the compliment each other. The mouthfeel is one of the drawbacks on this beer. I feel that the stronger phenols make it a “hot” beer taste. Understandably on its high ABV, but I would like this to be a little bit smoother. Although I bet if I were to age this a year or two, it would be outstanding. Overall a great barelywine. A little hot in the taste but a beer I would like to get more of.

very fruity scent with lots of hops and barley. taste is of carmel and hops and barley. a very nice taste. nice warming sensation of the alcohol. this is another fantastic beer. i would certainly purchase again.

Pour is couldy golden amber with a very malty aroma with light alcohol. There is also an after-aroma of toffee. Taste has a bite of bitterness and a strong malty aftertaste. There is also a taste of a scotish ale type brew. This is real good. Worth another purchase.

Redish pour, Pillowy off white head, lots of lacing. hoppy nose, slightly fruity. Oaky mouth, very sweet and hoppy. Good B wine but a little hop heavy.

Beautiful garnett red pour with excellent lacing and two finger lingering head. Aroma mostly of citrus hops and malt. Flavor was raspberry and citrus fruits, with a hint of wood aging. Quite hoppy, almost too much so. Palate was a bit alcoholic with a sticky finish. A bit over hopped, and alcohol was not too well balanced- but pretty tastey overall.

Bomber. Pours a deep amber with a tan head. Aroma of hops, carmel and sweet malts. Flavor is hops, dark fruits, malts and caramel. Finishes bitter. Very hoppy for a barley wine. The first barley wine I ever had and was preasently suprised

Hazy dark amber with large off white head. Hoppy aroma with caramel and roasted malt notes. Sweet flavor with roasted malt, caramel and loads of hops. Ends bitter.

Ruby red with a dense head. Bittersweet aroma of grass and caramel with some butter too. The flavours are very strong: caramel, alchohol, sweet oils, basement, wood, pine and grape. And lastly an overall massive palatte makes this beer a great experience.