Great Divide Old Ruffian

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

22 oz bomber. I definitely liked the hop emphasis on this barley wine from the start. Pleasant, full, and non-overpowering aroma notes of sappy pine, pineapple and various sweet citrus fruits, brown sugar, caramel, toasted grains and bread, and light booze. On the pour, a big soapy bubble head, good retention and lacing, medium opacity, and autumn red-orange in color. Very pretty. The feel is full and creamy throughout, but has a nice alcoholic kick right in the middle. A bunch of tasty caramel and mildly sweet fruity notes in this one. Toasted grains, earthy herbs, and citrus pineapple and grapefruit as well. Bitter finish of more fruity thick citrus hops. All in all, this was a nice barley wine with some good complexities and strong flavors that made for an enjoyable experience.

Bottle. Poured a caramel brown with red hue and an off white head. Aroma of brown sugar, nougat and malt. Flavor is sweet full of malty notes with an undertone of nougat. Nice and thick on the tongue and goes down smooth.

Bottle from the Majestic on Eastchase. Brown pour. Aroma is brown sugar, hops, malts. Taste is high alcohol and very astringent.

Bottle courtesy of Fratto. Clear reddish orange pour. Large head response. There is some heaviness in this beer. Rich woody scents. Taste is rough no doubt. Sharp woody characteristics. Aftertaste is all bitterness.

Very nice looking ruby tinted caramel color liquid. Almost two fingers of light tan foam. Great retention. Really good lacing. Nice, big, sweet malty profile. A touch of earthy hop notes. Big caramel and brown sugar presence. Big nougat notes. Hints of creamy sweet milk chocolate. Hints of dark fruits and pine. Complex and beautiful nose. Man is this good. Big caramel malts in front, with a nice piney hops bite, just below the surface. A nice, solid spice profile. A nice warming effect, but doesn’t taste particularly ’hot’. Promises of fruit baskets, but no single fruit flavors are really distinguishable. Just a nice big ’fruitiness’ blend. Notes of yeasty biscuits, broiled with butter and brown sugar on top of them. Good medium, not quite full, but almost, body on this one. Pretty much what you’d expect in a barleywine stle brew. Nice and creamy smooth. No complaints, here. Very drinkable, overall. The high alcohol content is quite concealed, though. Be careful, ’cause this one will slam you quick.

Color is a dark brownish amber color. It almost looks like muddy water with a thick off white head. Aroma is of hops, roasted barley, chocolate, and a little nutmeg. Taste is full of hops, citrus, lemon peels, and alcohol. Has a lemony aftertaste. This is a hell of a brew.

Pours a beautiful copper with hues to the red. Aroma of apricot, toasted grain and a sweet molasses. Strong sweet molasses with a touch of fruitiness at the initial taste. Finish is bitter hops, but a mellow toasted malt balances the flavor.

Bottled Jan 8, 2009. An unclear reddish-brown beer with little head. The aroma is sweet & bready. The taste is very sweet with a dry bitter ending. A hoppy barleywine that makes me ask " Should this be drank fresh or aged", because my store just got these in 10 months after the bottling date.