Top 100 Beers of 2015 (Issue 22)

World Class (100 to 96)

12.
96
by Josh Weikert
Barrel Aged Old Ruffian
Great Divide Brewing Co.

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Judge's Second Opinion
from Josh Weikert

Some people tell me that my beer tastes run too much toward the simple, small, clean, and boring (hell, I’m the author of the Beer: Simple blog!):  I’m a great lover of standard bitter, German pilsner and English mild styles.  In spite of that, I recognize that there’s a “degree of difficulty” argument to be made for certain styles and beers.  I don’t think I’ll ever exclaim, “WOW, that was an INCREDIBLE blonde ale,” but I just might when faced with a barrel-aged barleywine like this one.

This is a beer that’s like an ugly but high-performing car.  It isn’t much to look at with its low head and slight haze.  Truth be told, it looks a bit like a fermenter sample of a beer that isn’t quite ready for primetime yet.  But the aroma quickly shows why this ended up with such a sterling rating.  It’s a pleasant trip down a country lane on a snowy evening – a touch of alcohol, a bit of dark fruit, and a rich toffee background note.  What’s not to love?

The flavor is set up by the aroma and is likewise very enjoyable; it manages to be lovely without overwhelming the senses – a rarity when it comes to barrel-aged beers generally and barrel-aged strong ales in particular.  Maybe the best part is the way the flavor just goes on and on, changing and evolving as it does so.  One of the real treats of craft beer is that it trains the palate so much more effectively than mass-produced light lagers, because those tend to be one-trick ponies (and it usually isn’t a great trick).  Beers like this one just keep going: first it’s toffee, then treacle, then alcohol, then bitterness, then a touch of chocolate, then a dry finish with a lingering tannic structure from the barrel – it’s a journey.

To bring about such a rich aroma and flavor in a big beer with such a challenging method (barrel aging can go badly wrong very easily, you know) is impressive enough – to do so in such a way that I still want to drink a full glass (and another) of it is remarkable. Because remember: this isn’t really my scene. I’m happy as heck with a nice Kolsch, but I usually take a pass on the big beers. 

Sometimes, though, they just get it right. Your palate wakes up and your eyes snap open, and even after thousands of beers over a number of years you’re reminded of how you felt when you first drank a beer that wasn’t just corn, a little bitterness and a little alcohol. 

So by all means, keep it simple (which is practically my mantra) – but make allowance for your own limitations as well, and keep trying those big, complex beers.  Yes, a great many will be overwrought and annoying and over-the-top.  But once in a while they’ll also be not just big, but nuanced and impressive. We can all do with a little complexity sometimes – even those of us who love simplicity.

Brewer's Thoughts
from Ethan Osborne

Great Divide Brewing Company in Denver, CO have been telling their fans that “Great Minds Drink Alike” for 21 years. With their popular line of Yetis, which have the honor of being both extremely popular to the craft beer-drinking masses and widely acclaimed by judges and other tastemakers, Great Divide have carved out a niche in a heavily saturated craft beer market in one of America’s best craft beer destinations.

The brewery’s Old Ruffian Barleywine enjoys similar accolades, but our judge fell head over heels for the barrel-aged rendition of Great Divide’s Old Ruffian, and Great Divide head brewer Ethan Osborne answered a few questions about the barrel-aged beauty.

Of course barrel-aging fundamentally changes a beer, but Ethan outlined exactly how: “The biggest difference between Barrel Aged Old Ruffian and the original is the hop profile. Any barrel-aged beer will lose most of its hoppy taste and floral/piney/fruity aroma because the aging process oxidizes the beer. We age this beer for at least 12 months, which adds huge oak and vanilla flavors as well as subtle bourbon notes. The nose produces pleasant caramel and bourbon aromas with a hint of booziness.”

Many barleywines can have a strong alcohol heat, but our judge was struck by how mellow and balanced Barrel Aged Old Ruffian was. Ethan expounds upon this: “The mellowness and balance of the barrel-aged version is definitely intentional, as the long aging process aids in the richness and complexity of the beer. The hop profile is quite subdued compared to fresh Ruffian, and deep malty flavors and aromas have surfaced over time.”

While Ethan assures me that no other versions of Old Ruffian are in the works, he has always thought aging Ruffian in port barrels would make for an interesting and delightful beer.

All photos of brewers were provided by their respective breweries.