Great Divide Old Ruffian

22 oz bottle, maybe 2 years old. Murky dark brown with a lacy tan head. Nose of caramel and grassy hops. Bitter, buttery bite with caramel-apple. Medium body and light carb. A hoppy barleywine to be sure but now quite balanced. Good stuff.

Bottle pours a murky, dark amber with small white head. Strong dark roasted malt aroma and a little bit of caramel and cane sugar notes. Wonderful mouth feel. Not much in the way of noticeable hops in the taste. Tasted more like a strong ale than a barley wine. Drank this with some deep-fried jalapenos and pickles at Hot Shotz in Indy. Good brew.

Fruity nose of alcohol and grainy malt. Pours a sparkling copper with ruby highlights. The lovely cascade produces a mostly lasting tall beige rocky head that leaves behind light lace. The well balanced flavor is light on acidity. The roasted grainy finish has moderate to heavy bitterness. The thick body is syrupy and soft.

22oz bottle, cellar aged for 2 years. i thought i already rated this one so i didn’t take much notes. i’ve also had this most recently at 1 years age and fresh but i dont recall what it tastes like fresh. at 2 years age...i love the way this beer ages, at 2 years there’s a lot of nice oxidized notes of tobacco and charred wood. some chocolate and lots of caramel notes. the hops have faded but are still present. carbonation is fine, alcohol very well hidden. this may be peaking at 2 years old but i bet it could 3-4 years. very fine aged beer.

Aroma is the best part of the beer. Finish is very long, slightly acidic/alcoholic. Intially the taste is sweet, but then gives way to the strong finish. At the bottom of the glass, after it has warmed some, caramel makes its way into the nose. Personally, not a huge fan of Barley Wines, but this has been the best!

Aroma of sweet malt with hints of hops and fruit. Light on hops and fruit. Tastes of caramel malt, hops, pine, fruit, spices, and alcohol. Pretty complex with sweet malt being more dominent.

Bottle. 22 fl. oz. Hazy, redwood color with some lucious off-white head. Sweet aroma of malt, raisin, and hops. Creamy and full-bodied. Initial flavor is sweet and malty which is then quickly overpowered by a dry, hoppy finish. This beer has it all.

22oz. Bottle: Aroma is lightly sweet. Smells of caramel malts, hops, wood, sugar, and raisins. Poured a deep copper color with a hint of amber. Small, tan head diminished quickly. Good lacing. Cloudy. Many particles. Sparkling. Flavor is heavily bitter. Tastes of hops, sweet spices, caramel, a little alcohol, and pine. Medium to full body. Slick texture. Average carbonation. Bitter, hoppy finish becomes salty. Overall, a good barley wine.