Great Divide Old Ruffian

On tap at Rich O’s. clear dark amber with a great fluffy white head that settles into a thin film and leaves great lacing. molasses piney hop aroma. sweet molasses light raisin bitter piney hop flavor. piney bitter hop finish with some light sweet raisin and warm alcohol. solid barley wine.

22 oz. bottle from Lukas, OPKS. I assume this is the most recently release, couldn’t tell from the bottle. Pour is a slightly hazy reddish orange with some carbonation and a medium sized off white head. Aroma is butterscotch sweet malt and a hint of hops. Taste is more of the butterscotch malt, but not nearly as sweet as the smell. A touch of heat in the finish. Good BW, though still a bit young.

bottle. small, tan, fizzy head (quickly disapates) into hazy reddish body. chocolate, dark fruit, caramel, and pine are all present in aroma. almost velvety mouthfeel. flavor is bitter with some semisweetness in the finish. alcohol is extremely well hidden. Damn fine barley wine.

The best way to describe this stuff is that it’s a whopping, massive tongue buckler. The up front flavors of citrus (tangerine, grapefruit and orange) along with floral hops, make you think your drinking an IIPA. But right behind that, is a massive malt backbone and warming alcohol. Hell yeah, it’s a bit raw. It’s 85-90 IBU’s for chrissakes. A fantastic beer.

Dark red/brown with a smallish tan head. Nose has some grapefruit, chocolate, a touch of rubbing alcohol. Flavor is quite rich and sweet, with a good dose of grapefruity hop bitterness. Lots of nice barleywine notes under there that might come out with some age--tobacco, caramel, almonds.

bomber. the beer is a beautiful glowing shade of amber. only a small tan head sits on the top. strong and dense malt aroma with hints of spice and hops hiding behind the malt. leaves heavy lacing doesn’t describe it. this stuff paints the glass. Begins with a massive malt base. creamy texture and a thick oily mouthfeel. hops dominate the back end with potent pine and herb notes. the finish is looooooong and strong with loads of mediciney hops and plenty of alcohol. take it slow and enjoy.

I really liked this one. Pours almost the color of a trappist ale. Hoppy and malty taste with sweet fruit notes. Awesome, my personal favorite barley wine. Has notes of caramel too. Awesome!

Bottle. Pours a hazy deep brown colour with a nice creamy beige head leaving a good lacing. Sweet aroma of hops, citrus, pine, toasted malt and alcohol. The flavour is sweet with a lot of hops, citrus and fruity with toasted malt, caramel and alcohol. The finish is bit brunign sweet with bitter hops.