Great Divide Old Ruffian

Old Ruffian poured a burnt copper and deep amber glory while a burgeoning head of fluffy foam billows then recedes, leaving an explosion of lace and foam to mark her path. Each swirl of her rich brew produces even more lace and foam. The world’s largest army couldn’t hold back the powerful nose and aroma of Old Ruffian as it rushes my senses and takes them hostage. Armed with ripe hops, pine, grass, sap, and tons of fresh grapefruit of all varieties, my nose willingly surrenders, opening a path to my greedy consumption of this powerful brew. Crisp and sparkling with effervescence and hops galore, my palate almost immediately turns arid like the desert while grapefruit, pine, and grass eagerly absorb all available moisture. It is an exciting barrage which leaves me thirsting for more. Toasty malts provide a solid support for all the hops which surround my tastebuds. Each quaff is sticky, wet, hoppy and piney with a dry toasty body that hints of spice and alcohol warmth. This is no baby of a Barleywine, but instead a great beast of epic proportions that I cannot get enough of. Delicious! Old Ruffian may come in a larger 220oz bomber of a bottle, but all too soon I find myself looking at the bottom of my glass while basking in the warmth which pervades my being. Crisp fresh hops. Wet pine and sticky sap. Tart and sour grapefruit. Toasty malts and spice. Warm alcohol presence. Savor an Old Ruffian Barleywine now and set aside a bottle for a few years from now.

I enjoy both the hoppy and malty side of barleywines for they come both ways. The malty Barleywine is far more English-centric, while the hoppy Barleywine is far more American-centric. Both are excellent though, and deserving of a place in both one’s fridge and their cellar. Maybe it’s a symptom of Stockholm Syndrome, but Old Ruffian is both my captor and my savior.

2007 on tap at Brouwer’s Hard Liver ’09. Hoppiest one I had at the fest. Pours orange amber with a small off-white head. Nose is mostly citrus hops with a little bit of caramel. Taste is more bitter and floral, finish is long. Nice thick mouthfeel.

2009 Bottle - Thanks SpringsLicker! - Pours amber with a medium sized cream coloured head...aroma is massively bright hop florals and rich caramel malt, brown sugar...flavour is initially hoppy bitter, and quickly leads into a carmelized sugar balance...finish is nice and sticky with minimal bite...alcohol is well hidden even in this young bottle...very enjoyable!

22oz bomber. Pleasing pour into my Leavenworth Grumpy Old Ale snifter. Opaque dark leather brown color, topped by a nice, smooth tan head. Uneven lacing, but it’s there. Aroma is stuffed with hops and dry chocolate. Taste and mouthfeel are really off-style for a barleywine, mainly due to the predominance of the hop profile. I really like this beer, but it really doesn’t fit into my conception of a barleywine. It seems more like a high-test winter warmer or holiday ale. Hey, what difference does a category make? It’s tasty stuff!

Bottle. Poured brown with a tan head that settles but renews with a twirl of the glass. Light lacing. Aromas of milk chocolate, fruits and a slight hoppy background. The flavor is much the same as the aroma and well balanced. Medium to full body with a bitter finish.

Bottle. Poured a deep, hazy reddish amber. Sweet malty nose with a good amount of alcohol. Flavor is pretty complex, very earthy with big fat hops. Alcohol is not as strong as expected. Nice wood and toffee notes in the finish. Very nice!

Aroma of caramel and floral hop. Reddish tinged amber color with a white head. Medium to full body with creamy carbonation. The flavor is primarily grapefruit, with backing caramel malts. Some pine resin kicks in. The finish is almost gummy with hop. The malt sweetness tends to drain away, and the hop is fantastic in a fairly non-bitter way. This is really an exceptional drink

Bottle. Pours an amber color wtih a small whtie head. Aroma is sweet and fruity with a lots of malts and some floral hops are evident as well. Flavor is very nice...fruity, caramel malts, syrup and some smooth hops. Nice beer.