Great Divide Brewing Company Old Ruffian

**Aroma:** “Subtle noble hops, earthy or woody. Bready pils malt and some sulfur notes with a bit of corn-like sweetness.” **Flavor:** “Full hops flavor without being resinous. Sweet malt plays a supporting role. Toasty malt notes are a little different for the style. Lively carbonation complements pungent hops, leading right into the closing bitterness.” **Overall:** “Lots of hops flavor in an American hops-centric pilsner. Malt is adequate to support hops. This beer has a message, and it is ‘hops.’ Aside from the toasty character, this is fairly straightforward.”

Aroma: “Hints of grapefruit, pine resin, and subtle dank hops character. A very subtle malt sweetness underneath the hops, but only faint and not competitive.” Flavor: “Very malt-forward profile for an IPA, with caramel and honey plus a hint of sherry oxidation, solvent, or metallic. The bitterness is well-balanced, delivering the bite you want without being painful, but hop flavor is really subdued. Hints of lemon pith and herbs. Finish is mostly bitter and somewhat dry, yet not out of balance or over the top.” Overall: “The hops chosen are interesting, but the malt profile has trouble supporting the bitterness despite it being a very malty IPA that harken back to earlier IPA times. Not as flavor-forward in the hops as other contemporaries— not off, but simply less exciting. Well executed though and very refreshing.”

**Aroma:** “Vanilla, bourbon-like sweetness, and lots of buttery English toffee. Rich malt notes with a pleasant vanilla undertone. Medium level of alcohol. Nice malt nose: cocoa nibs and buttered toast. Barely perceptible diacetyl.” **Flavor:** “Robust caramel malt sweetness, with hints of toffee and butterscotch, complemented by a complex oak character, with hints of vanilla and some pleasant oak tannins. Barrel character is subtle but complementary. Moderate hops bitterness to balance. Alcohol seems a little edgy, not quite hot.” **Overall:** “A lovely, well-executed barrel-aged barleywine with the base beer being more of the focus than the barrels. The barrel character is subtle but complements the malt complexity very nicely. Delicate yet complex and flavorful. If you love English toffee, this one’s for you!”