Waitrose Duchy Organic Old Ruby Ale
Wychwood Brewery Company Ltd

Waitrose Duchy Organic Old Ruby AleWaitrose Duchy Organic Old Ruby Ale
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From:
Wychwood Brewery Company Ltd
 
England, United Kingdom
Style:
English Pale Ale
Ranked #152
ABV:
5%
Score:
78
Ranked #26,840
Avg:
3.4 | pDev: 15%
Reviews:
49
Ratings:
109
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 03, 2023
Added:
Sep 04, 2010
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  10
Formerly Duchy Originals Organic Old Ruby Ale 1905
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Ratings by Rijtjeshuis:
Photo of Rijtjeshuis
Reviewed by Rijtjeshuis from Canada (ON)

3.18/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
LOOK (3.5/5) the look was fairly good, ideal for the style. Not so much ruby, as per the name, but copper with some interesting garnet highlights when held to the light. Some nice carbonation clings to the glass. The head is large, about two and a half fingers. It reduces to a cap that last and leaves some lacing.

SMELL (3/5) the smell is pretty crisp. The nose is dominated by some sweeter, biscuity malts and some fairly herbal hops. The main problem is that the hops take a somewhat metallic character which was unpleasant.

TASTE (3/5) the taste is a lot like the nose. It is very crisp and on the drier side. Initially, there is some biscuit malts, which are a little less sweet than in the aroma. The hops were, again, fairly herbal. The metallic character of the hops was also present and quite unpleasant (I wonder if this is possibly sediment or hops or hop/malt interaction). The bitterness was appropriate for the style, and the balance was well achieved between the between malts and hops.

FEEL (3.5/5) this is a strength of the beer. The hops stick around with an oilier character than you might expect from a brew with a body that could be describes as medium-light. The medium-high carbonation compliments the dry finish and makes up for the metallic hops slightly.

DRINK (3.5/5) A good session beer, especially if you are given to crisper brew (of the ESB or English Pale-Ale variety). This was a pretty refreshing beer, but maybe not complex enough to warrant getting again. Also the metallic notes were somewhat unpleasant.
Jul 17, 2011
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.46 by KeithGreatNorth from Canada (BC)

Dec 03, 2023
Photo of FBarber
Reviewed by FBarber from Illinois

3.67/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a ruby tinged brown color. No head to speak of other than some minimal bubbles. Almost looks flat as its poured.

Aroma is very malty, with some dark fruit notes, a bit of stale white bread and some light brown sugary notes. Overall its odd in that it comes across on the nose more akin to a barleywine than what Id expect from a 5% ale. I am chalking that up to the likely but unverifiable (due to no date on the bottom) age of this bottle.

The taste reminds you quickly that this is a 5% beer as you get watery notes of stale bread, some toffee and caramel notes, lightly toasted malts and bitter earthy hops. The yeast in this comes across a bit spicy on the palate. I mentioned watery and that is how this presents - its flavorful, but the flavors themselves seem watered down to the palate. That being said, its a pretty drinkable and pleasant profile overall - an overly old English pale ale thats taken on some light barleywine character at this point - or perhaps it was meant to go that way. Either way its a surprisingly nice and enjoyable pint.

Feel is light and drinkable. Very light, minimal carbonation - to my tastes its definitely under-carbonated and would benefit from some additional carbonation. Semi-dry finish.

Overall, this was an interesting beer - I enjoyed drinking it and would like to have a chance to get
Jan 13, 2020
Photo of Spike
Reviewed by Spike from England

3.98/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
This is the same beer as the ‘Old Ruby Ale 1905’ but you have to search the label to find out. 500ml bottle.
L: Clear, amber, no carbonation visible, two fingers of creamy head, lots of lacing. Looks very appealing.
S: Rich & malty right to the end.
T: A mouthful of sweet malt & caramel. Bitterness is moderate. Some spiced fruit in the finish.
F: Medium body, some chew, no carbonation.
O: A solid, traditional English Bitter with English hops and Plumage Arthur barley. Loads of malt flavours with hops taking a back seat.
Dec 07, 2018
Photo of Offa
Reviewed by Offa from California

4.54/5  rDev +33.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Red copper, small pale tan head slowly shrinks to lasting ring & creamy thin top.

Aroma nice tea, wood, toasty barley, caramelly.
Taste wonderful fruity character, juicy, woody lemony, caramelly with nice light sweet-bitter balance, feel is zesty and engaging.
Nov 04, 2018
Photo of JonnoWillsteed
Reviewed by JonnoWillsteed from England

2.28/5  rDev -32.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2
L- Mid chestnut, slight haze, pours with 5mm white head quickly reducing to lacing.
S- Indistinct. I'm congested for sure, sadly I register nothing at all. Hence neutral rating there
T- I usually expect the prominent style/flavour to come through right on the front; that didn't happen here. Slightly dry and hoppy. Nothing much else to report here.
F- a dry/hoppy edge, but also rather thin/watery for 5.0%
O- The lable suggests it is a 'robust blend of hops and malt' but it really isn't; it seems an unusually remote beer to nail down IMHO. Disappointing, and given the '1000 choices' in London I won't bother buying this again.
Aug 06, 2018
 
Rated: 4.36 by EdmundBlackadder from Ohio

Sep 09, 2017
 
Rated: 3.35 by DOCRW from Kentucky

May 21, 2017
 
Rated: 3.99 by Azpittil57 from Arizona

Jun 24, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by Robertas from Lithuania

May 11, 2016
 
Rated: 2.7 by SlainteAlbanyNY from New York

Jan 22, 2016
 
Rated: 3.49 by 4ster from Canada (ON)

Oct 19, 2015
Photo of SLeffler27
Reviewed by SLeffler27 from New York

3.82/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pours murky, dirty copper (SRM 15-17), with a thin clingy off-white head. Fine lace coats the Cicso fisheye pint glass while modest random carbonation percolates within.

The aroma is malty with caramel, followed by slight grass and straw.

Light bitterness is well balanced against sweetness with an earthy background. The finish is brief, modest and white bread.

A medium to light body with soft texture is accented by light carbonation. There is no presence of alcohol in this beer that finishes moderately dry.

This is one of the better organic beers I have tried. It worked well while winding down in the shade on a perfect summer day.
Jul 19, 2015
 
Rated: 3.24 by Risenhower from New York

Jan 19, 2015
Photo of Svingjo
Rated by Svingjo from Canada (BC)

3.49/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Nice orangish hue with a sweet malt taste that has well balanced hoppy aftertaste
Dec 23, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by MayonakaStout from Canada (ON)

Nov 28, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by rale from France

Nov 22, 2014
 
 
Rated: 3.6 by dcmchew from Romania

Oct 09, 2014
Photo of Maryobeerian
Reviewed by Maryobeerian from Illinois

2.75/5  rDev -19.1%
I have been a fan of Duchy for years, especially when there was less choice in the American craft market. Was disappointed in this Old Ruby Red. To be fair, this is partly because I don't particularly like the style but I also think the execution is less than inspired.
Lovely amber honey color, no head to speak of and nice mouth feel. Slight bitter in the front which moves to a plum, raisiny center. Mostly, however, it tastes like a fruit nectar that has been diluted by melted ice cubes. Not going to finish the pint.
Sep 24, 2014
Waitrose Duchy Organic Old Ruby Ale from Wychwood Brewery Company Ltd
Beer rating: 78 out of 100 with 109 ratings