Rogue Old Crustacean Barleywine

12 oz bottle from 2002 shared with toncatcher. Lot’s of dark sweet fruit on the aromas. Some alcohol in the aromas too. Murky brown with almost no head. Flavors were very good. More raisin, molasses, toffee. Coffee flavor then alcohol on the finish. Pretty good stuff.

Bottle from 2002: Pours an incredibly thick and cloudy brown (like the color of a caramel chew, but darker) with a thick light tan head that fades quickly into a layer of large bubbles. Intermittent spots of lace are left on the glass. The aroma is very strong - alcohol, oak, tons of earthy and fruity hops, loads of sticky-sweet malts, and some strong notes of soft, bitter fruit. The flavor starts intense with alcohol and tons of bitter hops. A low tide of chocolate-caramel cremes rides in after the wave of resiny, astringent hops. The malt backbone is quite delicious, but the hops are just a touch too bitter - giving it a medicinal, mouth-puckering bitterness. The finish is full in body and packed with alcohol, chocolate, caramel, and a not-so-subtle, varnish-like bitterness. The mouthfeel detects a delectable texture - creamy and rich. It is thinner in body than it tastes (it tastes like it should be thick and chewy). Overall, very nice - but a bit unbalanced.

Great Barley Wine! Recently had a 2002 from Bottleworks. After 5 years in the bottle it was syrupy and mellow. I prefer a fresher one, perhaps 1-2 years in the bottle would be enough. Bottles are pricey (or "spendy" as they say in Eugene) -- better to get it on tap!

Brown of color with a off-white head. An aroma of chocolate, prunes and hops. A nice flavor with notes of chocolate, sweet malt - then a nice bitter finish of hops.

ok i have to steal this because badlizard hit it dead on "Dark brown with foamy tan head. Aroma of malt, molasses, and caramel. Thick chewey palate. Wow, it has a big taste. Caramel, toffee, molasses quickly transition to a big bitter bite with citrus and pine notes from the hops and an alcoholic finish with a lingering floral hoppy after taste."

Shared ceramic swing top at Coastal Wine’s beer club (Allagash night of all things) ... Fire engine red with a tan head. Big ol’ rich aroma of malt and sugar. The flavor is pure gold ... brown sugar, warm, nice, definitely living up to the 120IBUs declared on the back. Beauty of a big, but easy to drink barleywine. Rich and thick. Nicely done. (#3051, 8/7/2007)

Big porcelain Bottle. 11.5% alcohol as opposed to 10.5%. Malt aromas of roasted and caramel with heavy smells of hoppy resin and orange peel. Soap, raisin, licorice, fruit cake and alcohol in the background. Head is a rocky light brown with excellent lacing and is fully lasting, color is hazy brown. Flavor starts lightly sweet and acidic then turns moderately sweet and harshly bitter in the long finish. Palate is med/full, creamy with soft carbonation and a moderately astringent and lightly alcoholic finish. A little too bitter of a finish but otherwise a very good beer.

Aroma: hops, dried fruits.... wood? Appearance: hazy, amber... Flavor: caramel, hops, smooth friendships... Palate: Overall: I’m drinking th Hog Heaven right now... I’m not gonna lie... but I recently had the Rogue... and I’m wishing that I was having it again....