Old Ruffian Barley Wine - Great Divide Brewing Company

nhindian

Pennsylvania

2.83/5  rDev -33.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

22oz bottle poured into a large snifter.

A - Pours a dark ruby color with orangish-brown highlights. A very bubbly, 2-fingered head quickly grows and makes the beer look like a snow-capped mountain. Retention is pretty good, as well as the lacing. It's a pretty beer, no doubt about it.

S - Much like Great Divide's Yeti series, this beer takes a previously established beer - in this case, a barleywine - and heavily hops it; it's only the American way! There's some slight citrus here in the form of oranges, but most of the hops are quite floral in nature. The caramel malts add a nice sweetness, and there is a little bit of chocolate as well. Unfortunately, I'm getting some alcohol solvency at the end.

T - The taste is similar to the nose but more amped up. The caramel is more caramelly, the toffee more toffeey, the hops more hoppy, and unfortunately again, the alcohol more alcoholy. The malts are a bit stronger here, almost dominating most of the flavor with the aforementioned notes and brown sugar and even some slight vanilla, but the hops bounce back with some floral and spicy characteristics. Here comes the bad part: The finish ends with a lot of alcohol taste that is very offputting. It's like chasing a good barleywine with a shot of cheap vodka. Or nailpolish. Hopefully some age would mellow this, but as it stands it's disappointing that it comes through so strongly.

M - Mouthfeel is moderately heavy-bodied with good carbonation. This feels fairly slick in the mouth and drinks smoothly until the alcohol burn. Lasting impressions are hop bitterness and alcohol with some lingering malts.

D/O - Drinkability is moderately low. The nose on this teases, and the flavor for the most part delivers, until the end where the train just derails. There's way too much alcohol in the finish to make this an easy-drinker. It's a shame, because the rest of the beer is actually pretty good. It's a tradeoff - age this beer to mellow the alcohol, but lose the hops; or keep the hops and chug nail polish. I'd take the former if I could do it again.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2011 05:51:31 | More by nhindian

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Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%

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North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%

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Vermont

3.75/5  rDev -11.6%

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Illinois

4/5  rDev -5.7%

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Maryland

3.5/5  rDev -17.5%

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Oregon

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%

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4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

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4/5  rDev -5.7%

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HopHeadCnK

Virginia

4.2/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

First time trying it having a 2012, 6 months old, next to a 2010. A sipper with only a few months on it, still has a significant hop profile, but once the IBU's diminish over time this stuff goes down real easy. Grab a few bottles and hide them for a few years. Great brew, cheers!

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 00:09:59 | More by HopHeadCnK

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Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

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Georgia

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%

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Oregon

3.75/5  rDev -11.6%

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3.75/5  rDev -11.6%

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Minnesota

4/5  rDev -5.7%

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Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -11.6%

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Texas

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

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Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%

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4.75/5  rDev +12%

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4/5  rDev -5.7%

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4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

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Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

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Florida

3.75/5  rDev -11.6%

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4.5/5  rDev +6.1%

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4/5  rDev -5.7%

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