Great Divide Old Ruffian

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

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.

Pours out a dark ruby with a creamy head and great lacing. Nose- piney hops with a hint of malty sweetness. Taste- piney hops slam the senses, with a rich malt base that follows. This baby is hop overload to the senses- thick and chewy mouthfeel. Freaking awesome! This is the american barleywine- huge hops, but with a great malt base- not cloying at all and with just enough of a booze bite to make you take notice that isn’t a session beer. There’s a lot of great barleywines out there that I haven’t tried- but I doubt there’s many that beat this.

The pour is burnt orange. Glassy. Forceful resinous hop aroma, both crisp and hot. Slick tasting and syrupy. Notes of artichoke hearts and sweet toffee malts slathered over a hop puree. Hidden shades of tropical fruits. Rather a combative alcoholic palate, like a mint flavored medicine or a solvent. Inoffensive but somewhat simplistic and difficult. Too fresh.

pours a red mahogony color with little head. huge nose of rock candy, dark fruits, crunchy hops and alcohol. nice full flavor and roundess of the hop floral character with alcohol sweetness. a nice barley wine. bold and sippable.