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Old Ruffian - Barrel-Aged
Great Divide Brewing Company
- From:
- Great Divide Brewing Company
- Colorado, United States
- Style:
- American Barleywine
Ranked #73 - ABV:
- 12.7%
- Score:
- 92
Ranked #4,466 - Avg:
- 4.15 | pDev: 10.84%
- Reviews:
- 182
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jul 02, 2022
- Added:
- Oct 08, 2008
- Wants:
- 254
- Gots:
- 147
SCORE
92
Outstanding
92
Outstanding
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by DIM from Pennsylvania
4.19/5 rDev +1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.19/5 rDev +1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2015 vintage
I'm not finding much complexity at this point. There might be some faint hops at the end and maybe a little apple in there somewhere. But the bourbon, caramel, toffee, brown sugar coming across like a hard Werther's Original dominates and it is tasting great to me tonight. The carbonation is holding up great and the body is still full and lightly sticky.
May 07, 2022I'm not finding much complexity at this point. There might be some faint hops at the end and maybe a little apple in there somewhere. But the bourbon, caramel, toffee, brown sugar coming across like a hard Werther's Original dominates and it is tasting great to me tonight. The carbonation is holding up great and the body is still full and lightly sticky.
Reviewed by Treyliff from West Virginia
3.61/5 rDev -13%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.5
3.61/5 rDev -13%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.5
2016 Vintage
Taken from notes on June 2017
Pours a amber brown in color with a one-finger foamy off-white head that has short retention. Smells of basement must, wet cardboard, caramel, old hops and an acidic fruity aroma. Tastes of malty sweet caramel with some fruity esters up front. mid-palate brings some tartness followed by red apple peel. The finish gives notes of tart apple cider and vinegar. medium body with moderate carbonation, foamy mouthfeel and finish. This one had some infection issues.
Oct 05, 2020Taken from notes on June 2017
Pours a amber brown in color with a one-finger foamy off-white head that has short retention. Smells of basement must, wet cardboard, caramel, old hops and an acidic fruity aroma. Tastes of malty sweet caramel with some fruity esters up front. mid-palate brings some tartness followed by red apple peel. The finish gives notes of tart apple cider and vinegar. medium body with moderate carbonation, foamy mouthfeel and finish. This one had some infection issues.
Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts
4.1/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.25
4.1/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.25
Been waiting to crack this for quite a while, not sure on the vintage but must be quite a few years old, newer label than the picture, bottle 38/1188, 11.9%abv
No sound on cracking it, and pours with no head even aggressively, so there is no carb in this, a clear iced-tea mahogany color
Nose doesn't pop as much due to no carb but still great aromas as expected, lots of barrel, vanilla toasted oak, some whiskey, little buttery oak, big sweet malt, candy notes with caramel and toffee, mild dark fruits like fig date, and a touch of oxidation papery but soft malt
Taste hits flat again lack of carbonation, but nice barrel, big whiskey flavor, as well as some toasted and little buttery oak, big juicy malts, sweet with caramel, toffee, candy notes, more dark fruits fig raisin date but also candied molasses like dates, almost fig jam, light warming slight spicy alcohol, some nice barrel vanilla as well, bit of spicy hop bitterness late seems like it has died off, sticky sweet finish, but more alcohol warmth
Mouth is full bod, rich almost chewy, no carbonation unfortunately, with some warming alcohol
Overall this was quite nice aside from lack of carbonation, great malts, fruits, nice barrel, good alcohol level, but just the carbonation would have helped it pop nicely
May 05, 2019No sound on cracking it, and pours with no head even aggressively, so there is no carb in this, a clear iced-tea mahogany color
Nose doesn't pop as much due to no carb but still great aromas as expected, lots of barrel, vanilla toasted oak, some whiskey, little buttery oak, big sweet malt, candy notes with caramel and toffee, mild dark fruits like fig date, and a touch of oxidation papery but soft malt
Taste hits flat again lack of carbonation, but nice barrel, big whiskey flavor, as well as some toasted and little buttery oak, big juicy malts, sweet with caramel, toffee, candy notes, more dark fruits fig raisin date but also candied molasses like dates, almost fig jam, light warming slight spicy alcohol, some nice barrel vanilla as well, bit of spicy hop bitterness late seems like it has died off, sticky sweet finish, but more alcohol warmth
Mouth is full bod, rich almost chewy, no carbonation unfortunately, with some warming alcohol
Overall this was quite nice aside from lack of carbonation, great malts, fruits, nice barrel, good alcohol level, but just the carbonation would have helped it pop nicely
Reviewed by macrosmatic from Florida
4.01/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.01/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Reviewed from long-standing notes. Poured from the 750mL bottle into an El Catador Barrel-Aged glass. 2015 vintage, consumed 9/2/17.
A: Rich toffee brown, quite hazy to nearly turbid. It forms a half-finger of cream-colored head that lasts decently well despite a fairly low amount of visible carbonation.
S: Whiskey and barrel, caramel and toffee. Toasted malts, some sticky dark fruit, but the toffee and brown sugar dominate here. Vanilla, and Werther’s hard candy, and sorghum.
T: Caramel and and burn from the whiskey. Vanilla and oak and sweet molasses. Brown sugar, toasted malts, dry woody tannins. Mild raisins and a touch of chocolate in the malts. More toffee at the swallow with whiskey heat, and the dry tannins linger after the swallow.
M: A nice heavy body but not syrupy, though the mouthfeel remains sticky. The alcohol, while obvious, is well-integrated. Low but as-expected carbonation sensation.
O: This isn’t a "best-in-class" barrel-aged barleywine by any stretch, but it’s not bad. For a beer this size, it stays quite drinkable with the base beer balanced with the barrel, and reasonably complex. Certainly nothing to sneeze at.
Mar 20, 2019A: Rich toffee brown, quite hazy to nearly turbid. It forms a half-finger of cream-colored head that lasts decently well despite a fairly low amount of visible carbonation.
S: Whiskey and barrel, caramel and toffee. Toasted malts, some sticky dark fruit, but the toffee and brown sugar dominate here. Vanilla, and Werther’s hard candy, and sorghum.
T: Caramel and and burn from the whiskey. Vanilla and oak and sweet molasses. Brown sugar, toasted malts, dry woody tannins. Mild raisins and a touch of chocolate in the malts. More toffee at the swallow with whiskey heat, and the dry tannins linger after the swallow.
M: A nice heavy body but not syrupy, though the mouthfeel remains sticky. The alcohol, while obvious, is well-integrated. Low but as-expected carbonation sensation.
O: This isn’t a "best-in-class" barrel-aged barleywine by any stretch, but it’s not bad. For a beer this size, it stays quite drinkable with the base beer balanced with the barrel, and reasonably complex. Certainly nothing to sneeze at.
Reviewed by Tony210 from New Jersey
4.25/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours a clear reddish copper color, minimal head. Aroma is boozy, sweet molasses, caramel. Great sweet malty flavor, molasses, caramel, toffee. Barrel presence is prominent but not dominant. Has quite a bitter finish. Thick and syrupy, quite full bodied. Overall a very nice BA Barleywine, great sipper.
1/6/19
12 oz bottle, 2017 vintage
4.25 rating
Jan 07, 20191/6/19
12 oz bottle, 2017 vintage
4.25 rating
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho
3.75/5 rDev -9.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev -9.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Bottle at barley wine share. Mahogany pour, tiny ring of beige head. Boozy, warm aroma, sweet malts, vanilla, barrel notes. Taste is up front caramely malts, plenty of alcohol warmth too. Syrupy, slick
Apr 02, 2018
Reviewed by TreyIsWilson from Michigan
4.02/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.02/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A - Pours a murky reddish brown with a one finger creamy off white head. Heavy soapy lacing.
S - Aroma is caramel, toffee, oak and piney hops.
T - The taste is caramel, brow sugar, vanilla, whiskey, oak and piney hops.
M - Medium/full bodied with medium carbonation. Soft body with a crisp dry finish.
O - This is a nice whiskey aged Barleywine. The flavors are on the boozey side making this a slow sipper.
Mar 29, 2018S - Aroma is caramel, toffee, oak and piney hops.
T - The taste is caramel, brow sugar, vanilla, whiskey, oak and piney hops.
M - Medium/full bodied with medium carbonation. Soft body with a crisp dry finish.
O - This is a nice whiskey aged Barleywine. The flavors are on the boozey side making this a slow sipper.
Old Ruffian - Barrel-Aged from Great Divide Brewing Company
Beer rating:
92 out of
100 with
491 ratings
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