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Old Ruffian
Great Divide Brewing Company
- From:
- Great Divide Brewing Company
- Colorado, United States
- Style:
- American Barleywine
- ABV:
- 10.2%
- Score:
- 93
- Avg:
- 4.2 | pDev: 10%
- Reviews:
- 1,128
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- May 24, 2023
- Added:
- Nov 28, 2004
- Wants:
- 299
- Gots:
- 440
Old Ruffian is a hefty, hop-forward barley wine. Seemingly mellow at the start with subtle fruit aromas and complex caramel sweetness, it quickly becomes aggressive with its bold hop flavors and huge hop bitterness. Ultimately, the big body, succulent sweetness and massive hop character come together to work wonders on your palate.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by elgiacomo:
Reviewed by elgiacomo from Georgia
4/5 rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
New review July 24, 2011. 22oz bottled Jan 8, 2009...about 2.5 years old. Let’s see how this does with some age. Served at cellar temp.
Pours red/copper with a three finger beige head that leaves some spots of lacing and holds a nice creamy cap.
Aroma is caramel, toffee, brown sugar, some dark fruits, wood, bread & toast, some earthy hops as well still lingering on. Very good strength.
Flavor is rich toffee & caramel, brown sugar, dark fruits, wood, vanilla, some hop notes of citrus & grass are present as well as some warming alcohol. Fairly sweet with some moderate bitterness.
Mouthfeel is medium/full, creamy, a bit oily, with low to moderate carbonation.
A very tasty barleywine that I feel could go even longer. I’ll pick up some more for some extended aging for sure.
Original review Feb 25, 2008:
Pours a murky dark red/copper with very little head. Quite sweet on the nose and tongue from the caramel malts, but mixed nicely with the hops for some bitterness. Creamy, and a little sticky on the mouthfeel. Finishes relatively dry considering what it’s like up front.. Alcohol taste is completely hidden, but this one can knock you out! Couldn’t finish the bomber or write a review on night #1 with ’Ol Ruffian due to it’s effects, and am instead having to do so tonight with the leftovers...
Aroma 3.5, Appearance 3, Taste 4, Palate 3, Overall 4, Score 3.75
Jan 11, 2010Pours red/copper with a three finger beige head that leaves some spots of lacing and holds a nice creamy cap.
Aroma is caramel, toffee, brown sugar, some dark fruits, wood, bread & toast, some earthy hops as well still lingering on. Very good strength.
Flavor is rich toffee & caramel, brown sugar, dark fruits, wood, vanilla, some hop notes of citrus & grass are present as well as some warming alcohol. Fairly sweet with some moderate bitterness.
Mouthfeel is medium/full, creamy, a bit oily, with low to moderate carbonation.
A very tasty barleywine that I feel could go even longer. I’ll pick up some more for some extended aging for sure.
Original review Feb 25, 2008:
Pours a murky dark red/copper with very little head. Quite sweet on the nose and tongue from the caramel malts, but mixed nicely with the hops for some bitterness. Creamy, and a little sticky on the mouthfeel. Finishes relatively dry considering what it’s like up front.. Alcohol taste is completely hidden, but this one can knock you out! Couldn’t finish the bomber or write a review on night #1 with ’Ol Ruffian due to it’s effects, and am instead having to do so tonight with the leftovers...
Aroma 3.5, Appearance 3, Taste 4, Palate 3, Overall 4, Score 3.75
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Treyliff from West Virginia
4.06/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.06/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Taken from notes-2019
Pours brown in color with a one-finger foamy off-white head that reduces to a ring. Smells of caramel, toffee, raisin, brown bread, fruit cake, faded piney and citrus hops. Tastes of malty caramel and fruit cake up front, followed by faded piney hops, raisins and figs. Finishes with caramel and faded hops. Medium body with moderate carbonation, foamy mouthfeel and slightly warming finish
Jun 02, 2022Pours brown in color with a one-finger foamy off-white head that reduces to a ring. Smells of caramel, toffee, raisin, brown bread, fruit cake, faded piney and citrus hops. Tastes of malty caramel and fruit cake up front, followed by faded piney hops, raisins and figs. Finishes with caramel and faded hops. Medium body with moderate carbonation, foamy mouthfeel and slightly warming finish
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway
3.88/5 rDev -7.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.88/5 rDev -7.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
1 pint 6 fl. oz. bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 10.2%. Dark orange to brown colour, hazy. Big and lasting pale orange to beige head. The sweetish aroma has notes of pine, ripe fruits, raisins and molasses. Full and warming mouthfeel. Rich flavour with loads of malty sweetness, notes of raisins, caramel, molasses and udefined fruit, while the high IBU makes itself known towards the end, through a substantial and resinous hoppy bitterness.
Mar 20, 2021Reviewed by MesaDan from Minnesota
4/5 rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
4/5 rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Nov, '20 bottle aged since 1/28/16: Good nose of sweet dark fruit; Amber hue with tan head & good lace; medium mouthfeel w/ smooth effervescent carbonation; taste is bitter raisins and dank fig/date; dry quenching finish that retains bitter bark notes. For me, I would like to see a bit better balance with sweet to bitter, but my review reflects what the brewery says about their beer.
Nov 18, 2020Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho
4/5 rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Barley wine bottle share on 1/31. Poured a crimson/ruby red w/ a thin soap like head. Aroma of hops, fairly astringent. The palate was smooth and slickly The flavor was bitter hops followed by sweet citrus and malts..Incredibly good and tasty.
Jul 19, 2020Reviewed by Nass from Florida
4.06/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.06/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Vintage 2016
I like most of their yeti imperial stout variants so let's see how their barley wine goes & hopefully the 90 IBU's have mellowed out . The pour is umber brown color into the snifter glass. On the taste i'm getting some hops but they have mellowed out somewhat, some dark cherry, black currant, malts, caramel, pine, & burnt sugar. It's a really good Barleywine & it leave a nice lacing around the glass but I still favor Yeti variants. cheers! A-
Jan 10, 2020I like most of their yeti imperial stout variants so let's see how their barley wine goes & hopefully the 90 IBU's have mellowed out . The pour is umber brown color into the snifter glass. On the taste i'm getting some hops but they have mellowed out somewhat, some dark cherry, black currant, malts, caramel, pine, & burnt sugar. It's a really good Barleywine & it leave a nice lacing around the glass but I still favor Yeti variants. cheers! A-
Reviewed by Peach63 from New York
4.94/5 rDev +17.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
4.94/5 rDev +17.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Pours dark amber to brown. 1/2 inch yellowish tan head. Thick lacing. Moderate carbonation.
Aroma of roasted & caramel malts, oak, molasses, toffee.
Tastes is sweet and bitter. Rye, oak, toffee, vanilla, molasses, dates, whiskey.
Full bodied, creamy mouthfeel, very rich.
One of the best barley wines I've had so far.
Oct 04, 2019Aroma of roasted & caramel malts, oak, molasses, toffee.
Tastes is sweet and bitter. Rye, oak, toffee, vanilla, molasses, dates, whiskey.
Full bodied, creamy mouthfeel, very rich.
One of the best barley wines I've had so far.
Reviewed by Samlover55 from New York
4.29/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
4.29/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
12oz bottle into perfect pint
Bottled on 1/29/15
Pours a dark brown with cream colored head
Aroma of sweet rich malt, candied hops
Taste follows real mellow, with the just the right amount of hops
Smooth creamy feel, no hint of the alcohol
Overall it aged really well, this was a superb barleywine
Jul 28, 2019Bottled on 1/29/15
Pours a dark brown with cream colored head
Aroma of sweet rich malt, candied hops
Taste follows real mellow, with the just the right amount of hops
Smooth creamy feel, no hint of the alcohol
Overall it aged really well, this was a superb barleywine
Reviewed by Viaduck from California
4.16/5 rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.16/5 rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Chestnut brown with a modest head. Very pretty aroma, caramel covered malt with a hint of hops. Taste is salty bitter & very little of the sweetness promised by its aroma. Complex flavor, hoppy, pine, resin, raisin, malted barley, molasses & a strong pepper finish. Silky smooth & fairly thick, not much alcohol flavor but plenty of numbing effect. Fun to drink & delicious!
Jul 19, 2019
Old Ruffian from Great Divide Brewing Company
Beer rating:
93 out of
100 with
2513 ratings
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