Rogue Old Crustacean Barleywine

12oz bottle. 2001 Vintage (I have a large vertical and will some more time on this one). Poured a deep and muddy brownish color with a small sized off white head. Aromas of caramel, toffee, dark fruits, and lighter sherry. Tastes of caramel, dark fruits, light citrus, brown sugar, and sherry. Medium alcohol in the finish.

Sampled at Delilah’s Vintage Strong Ale fest. I believe this was the 08 vintage. Though I could be wrong and it might be 07 (either way its the freshest one). Well I’m glad I didn’t shell out the dollars for this overpriced ceramic bottle. Pours a clear copper red with a tall frothy beige head. Caramels, red fruit, and brown sugar in the nose. Chocolate malts, bitter and burnt malts. Green hops that are way too bitter for the lack of balance.

2006 750 ml ceramic bottle from Plaza Liquors - Pours a hazy brown color with a one finger thick tan head. Aroma is big hops, some toasted malt and a bit vinous. Again, flavor is big hops, sweet malt and alcohol. Medium body. I think this beer could use a little more time. Definately a sipper.

On tap for Gravity Head at Rich O’s in New Albany. Kegged in 2002. Arrives in what I think is a thistle glass. It is stemmed, not as wide or curvaceous as a tulip, and doesn’t flare out as much at the top. A nice head sits atop the beer, which was served nearly ice cold. My perception of the aroma was certainly affected by the few smokers, so I will only say that the smell wasn’t as good as my bottled samples of this vintage. Wow. Hoppy doesn’t even begin to describe this beer. After letting it warm a bit, the hops are still overwhelming. I detect a slight, ever so slight malty sweetness, a vinous quality. This part of the flavor is quickly emasculated by the hops. The mouthfeel is scalding. I would describe the drinkability as scathingly hoppy. In comparison to the 2002 bottled version, this draft Old Crusty has not mellowed nearly as much. I consider myself a hophead, but this needs more time. I wonder if I should even attempt to drink one of the younger, ceramic bottles. I think I’ll wait. Serving type: on-tap Reviewed on: 03-11-2006 09:15:25 --

2007 Ceramic bottle. Pours dark, dark brown with a very large head. Excellent lacing. Strong aroma of brown sugar and dark fruits. The hops come on a bit too strong, lending to a bitter taste. It is balanced out a bit on the back end.

Ceramic, XS bottle. Aroma has raisin malts, hops, sugar. hazy, brown coloured with not much head. Taste is sweet, grainy with rasin sugary caramel malts. Even some chocolate. Hoppy bitterness. Decent, but as Caesar said ’no fireworks’ .

Ceramic bottle. Hazy brownish color, short head. Aroma of a typical barley wine, hoppy, caramel malt, some sugar. Sweetish taste, very bitter. skortila took it this may from Olbutikken, so aged for almost a year. Decent stuff, no fireworks though.

2005 bottle of Phred’s Nightcap Barley Wine. Kind of oily mouthfeel, low carbonation. Extremely hoppy, with a really strange aftertaste. Kind of smoky or something, tastes kind of off. Dunno man, maybe a bit too old or something.