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Great Divide Old Ruffian

Great Divide Old Ruffian  - Barley Wine

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 Percentile 
99
overall
Brewed by Great Divide Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine

Denver, Colorado USA

bottled
common

on tap
available

Broad Distribution
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 Ratings  Average  Score  ABV  Style Pctl  Serve in 
8703.91/5.03.91/5.010.27%93.5Snifter
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Commercial Description:
Old Ruffian is a hefty, hop-forward Barley Wine. Seemingly mellow at first sniff, with its subtle fruit aromas and complex caramel sweetness, this deep mahogany-hued ale quickly shows its true character marked by bold hop flavors and massive hop bitterness. Old Ruffian’s rich, slightly creamy, caramel malt mouthfeel balances its grapefruit, pine, and floral hop flavors, working wonders on your palate.
A mind-numbing 90 International Bittering Units (IBUs).
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 chef201atc (249), Weatherford, Texas, USA
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/105/57/104/517/20
Feb 8, 2007  
Pour is a clear red tinted deep copper. Huge, light tan, foamy head. Nose is divine – sweet malt accentuated with hints of vanilla, cherries, and caramel. Medium-bodied, smooth, and silky mouthfeel. Taste is sweet caramel and roasted toffee. Hop bitterness in the end, but little hop flavor up-front. Overall a very good barley wine.


 vyvvy (2023), Hazelwood, Missouri, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/103/515/20
Feb 8, 2007  
Pours clear bronze with a soapy tan head. The aroma is very hoppy with pineapple, coconut, spice, pine and heavily roasted malt. Full bodied with lots of soft frothy carbonation. Taste starts with the malt from the aroma along with woody and earthy hops. The finish has some spicy hops and a pleasant hop harshness. Very hop heavy enjoyable barleywine.


 frankenkitty (1900), Oak Lawn, Illinois, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/516/20
Feb 8, 2007  
Pours a thick-hazed, melon-tinted bronze, while a fat & sticky head slowly leaves a fat and sticky lace. Aroma finds thick, citrus-laced toffee perfumed with florals and dry, peppery notes. Flavor finds a spicy hint of rye to a juicy, fruity base. This brew is pretty "big" with a healthy ABV hit. Thick & silky with a warming finish.

<font size=-4>Purchased several months ago from <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp?PlaceID=1477>Archer Liquors, Chicago, IL 60638. Phone first.</font>


 DrBayern (1135), Morehead City, North Carolina, USA
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/105/58/104/517/20
Feb 6, 2007  
22 oz. bottle with no date, but I’ve had it for at least a year, so there is a little age on it for sure. A big beige head leaving a sticky and substantial lace, and showing excellent durability floats on top of a deep ruby/brown pour. Biting spicy and piney hop aroma is the introduction to this inviting brew. Undertones of dark fruit, roasted grain, and burnt caramel add to the mix. Resinous mouthfeel with a medium body and light to medium carbonation. The big bitter hop presence is right up front, but is nicely supported by a rich malty character, although make no mistake, hops are what this beer is all about. A long bitter finish is the perfect ending.


rsauermann (38), Arlington, Texas, USA
4.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/105/510/104/517/20
Feb 6, 2007  
Amber to ruby color. Beige head w/ lacing throughout. Had in a Chimay goblet. Nice fruity amlty flavor with the hops kicking in afterwards. this bottle will put you on your ass though.


 beerbill (1918), Laurel, New York, USA
3.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/56/103/514/20
Feb 6, 2007  
22 oz. bomber. Pours an almost clear garnet with a two-inch, yellow-white, bubbly head. Very nice aroma of caramel malt, dates, and some whiffs of alcohol. The flavor is all about the hops. There is an initial sweetness of caramel malt, which is very quickly overrun and trampled to death by a massive wave of hops bitterness. Its like taking a grapefruit and biting into it like an apple. There is a long, lingering bitter finish with some heat from the alcohol as well. An interesting interpretation for sure but a bit too rough around the edges for me.


 cathcacr (586), Portland, Oregon, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/103/516/20
Feb 5, 2007  
This is the beer to drink if you want your ass kicked. Most powerfully, bitingly bitter beer I think I’ve had. More bitter than Double Bastard, maybe more bitter than Founders Devil Dancer. (Back in the day when I was on a disfiguring hop-kick, this would have been a real fix, 4.6+ material for sure. Just goes to show how my ratings are skewed.) This is hardcore, relentless. My tongue is crying for mercy. Much like the minus-5 weather we’re having before the wind-chill . . . BRUTAL!

Only 90 IBUs? I think they’re downgrading their estimate for marketing purposes so as not to scare anyone away. This is a mean, sadistic beer. Sophist-ochists will appreciate.

That’s before the hard alc-buzz kicks in....


imanerd (37), Novi, Michigan, USA
4.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/105/59/105/516/20
Feb 4, 2007  
A nice deep coppery red pour. Big hoppy aroma with hints of various fruits. Malty sweetness also. Taste is full of hop bitterness but well matched with a the big malty flavor. This is what i love to see in Barley Wines.



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