Great Divide Oak Aged Old Ruffian

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

Draft at Capone’s. Mostly clear ruby color, a good looking beer in the tulip. Tastes of sweet cherries, dark fruits, sherry and prevalent spicy hops. The oak and vanilla were present, but fairly subdued. Medium sweet finish. Very nicely put together.

[Draft @ Max’s] Poured a lightly hazy, amber color with a small, off white head that left light lacing on the glass. Aroma of citrus fruits, vanilla, floral hops, with sticky caramel malts, and dried fruits as well. Taste of citrus fruits, bubblegum, watermelon, toffee malts, caramel, with more vanilla, and a dry, oaky finish. Some alcohol noted in the end as well.

Draft at Capone’s. Poured hazy magenta/brownish color with minimal head. Aroma was cherry, merlot, some oaky earthy notes, and hops. Smooth palate with a notable complexity, providing flavors of cherry, oaky earthy malt, cabernet, mild vanilla, and some figgy spirity notes at the finish. This one was nice.

On tap. Poured a deep and muddy amberish color with a small sized off white head. Aroma sof citrus, lighter oaky/woodiness, caramel, and lightlly fruity. Tastes of wood/oak, vanilla, citrus, smoke, caramel, toffee, and fruity. Alcohol content well hidden. Smooth and very easy to drink! Barrel aging done nicely...not overpowering and added to the other aromas and tastes.

Growler
Pours a hazy ruby amber colour with a small off white head. Nose is very aromatic, brown sugar, black cherry, oak and mild citrus hops and pine. Initial taste of dark fruits moving into a caramel & oak. Mid palate is slightly toasty. Finishing with bitter hops and sweet malts. Body is lighter than expected, Light to medium body. Good palate duration. Good head retention and excellent lacing of the glass. Dry finish. Alcohol is decently masked. Overall enjoyable!

On tap @ Great Divide tasting room poured a clear reddish brown with a small lingering amber head. Aromas of oak, fruitiness, carmel and toffee. Palate was light to medium bodied and smooth. Flavors of BIG oak, carmel and toffee and a hint of fruitiness with a smooth lingering oaky finish. A very tasty Barleywine!

Draft. Note: I was told the various batches of this brew have been aged on oak chips for different lengths of time -- first six weeks, then one, then 2.5 in the version rated here. Dark jewel amber with a ring of head that sticks around for your first few sips. Grapefruit, raisin, honey, maple, vanilla on the nose and some yeast/herbal notes in the background. Sweet to the taste, but not unpleasant or syrupy; this is a delicate, somewhat pretty beer. A bit of whiskey-like flavor helps the alcohol cut through the sticky perfume sweetness, but otherwise the aging seems to mellow the flavors at work. Drying finish, at 10.27 percent, but the fruit shows through on the finish, too. A delicious beer.

On tap at Capones. Pours a lightly hazy reddish amber with a smaller bubbly/creamy lacing head. Aroma of light oak, woody, some dark fruits, toasted malts, hints of vanilla. Flavor of dark fruits, some toast, vanilla and light oak. ABV well hidden.