Rogue Old Crustacean Barleywine

Source:2008 ceramic bottle.
Glass:Snifter.
Appearance:Dark brown/red with a thin off white head.
Aroma:Caramel, toffee, fruits and some alcohol.
Flavor:Dark fruit and alcohol are dominant, with caramel, toffee and brown sugar.
Palate:Full body with mild carbonation.
Overall:An excellent beer. Again with rogue high alc stuff, its just too expensive.

Love this beer. One of my favorite "lock-the-doors" drinks, with a strong flavor and quite a kick. Definitely in my Top-10 Try Every year beers! 55F from 750ml Ceramic Bottle.

750ml - 2008 bottling - Pours a dark brown with a reddish tint in color with a very small off-white head that faded quickly... low carbonation. Aroma is complex... medium hoppy, but plenty of maltiness (caramel, molasses, brown sugar)... and fruit (cherry, dates, prunes)... some alcohol in the mix. Flavor (chilled) is much more hoppy and bitter than I would have guessed from the aroma. Quite bitter, with flavors of molasses, dark fruit and some woody/earthiness. As the beer warms, in addition to the dominant hops, some of the other flavors begin to show... cocoa, toffee, faint coffee, sherry/wine and some alcohol burn & punch. Much better (smoother) after it warmed a bit. The hops are a bit harsh still and it could have used some more aging, but I really enjoyed this! Expensive, but well worth it...

Poured from a bottle: The aroma alone gives away just how hearty this beer is. Appearance is a little opaque and amber red. Flavors: cherries, caramel, toffee, blackberry, hazelnut, molasses, MALTS, and brown sugar. Basically, it’s tart, sweet, hearty, and alcoholic. The alcohol isn’t completely masked (and that’s a good thing)- it’s balanced, it’s good. Six sips and I’m already tipsy...cheers.

2004 bottle thanks to Kevin. Nose is light hops but huge layers of caramel malt. Lots of toffee and malt extract. Flavor is very malt forward but amazingly some hops have survived. Light bitterness. That tells you how hoppy this was originally. For an american barley wine this is very solid. Nice.

Definitely an American style Barley wine with plenty o hops to go around, but they serve nicely to cover any alcohol astringency there may have been otherwise. For a barley wine, this is extremely smooth and easy-going.

Opaque brown in color. Rich malty nose with notes of molasses, dried fruit, and caramel. Flavors are wide and varied. There was plenty of nutty flavors, caramel, dark sugar, molasses and brown sugar. The bitter hops really pick up and kick in on the finish. Nice sweet attack with a bitter hoppy finish. Drank this next to an Avery Hog Heaven. Both beers showed well. I preferred the Rogue by a little bit. Most of our tasting group however preferred the Hog Heaven.

Bottle 2006 vintage (cellphone rating). Reddish with a beige head. Sweet aroma of caramel, ripe fruit and cocoa. Hardly no trace of citric hops as all of the aroma was all about sweetness. Flavour of cocoa, ripe fruit, plum and a bitter, grape finish to go. Enjoyable.