Beer Revisited: Old Ruffian

I decided that when I’m unable to get a new beer to try for the weekend, I am going to dip into the cache of beers I have been aging in my fridge. Which is what I did last week with a seven-year-old bottle of Old Ruffian, brewed by the Great Divide Brewing Company of Denver, Colorado.



I do not recall the story behind this bottle or why it’s been in my fridge for so long. Perhaps I decided to age one bottle in a pack. Regardless, it is probably past time to drink it.

Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. The bottled-on date is “JAN 29, 2015.”

Appearance: Poured into a tulip. (I could not find my snifter. Did it break at some point or is it in a box somewhere? I’m unsure.) The color is opaque dark caramel. A finger of tan, bubbly head leaves bubbles and a skim. One floater of sedimentation is noticeable.

Smell: Very fruity. Caramel, cherry, plum, maybe a tough of fig, toasted malt, burnt sugar, molasses, a touch of honey (boogie oogie oogie), and chocolate. A hint of alcohol emerges but it is almost nothing. The Foxy Lady says it smells like Pine-Sol–infused dirty mop water.

Taste: Toasty and complex. Cherry, toasted malt, burnt toast, molasses, chocolate (maybe cocoa nibs), caramel, honey, a touch of alcohol. It’s darker than the aroma. The aftertaste lingers for a while.

Comparison to 2010 tasting
This was not a hop bomb, which is to be expected since hop flavors fade. They have done that, vanishing completely; I did not note any citrus at all this time. Toffee is another flavor element I did not note this time around. Since there is such a difference (which could also be with me), I am interested in trying Old Ruffian again, especially a fresher bottle.