XS Old Crustacean - Rogue Ales

philipt

North Carolina

3.93/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A thick, chewy, and malty beer...don't you just love barleywines. Rogue has a more distinctive hop presence than have many of the other barleywines that I have had the joy of trying. It has a hazy reddish-brown appearance and a rather diminutive head. A very drinkable beer. Too bad I have to drive to VA to purchase due to NC's (unbelievably useless) 6% abv law.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2002 14:53:20 | More by philipt

paceyourself

Connecticut

4.13/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I found a 1995 bootle of Old Crustacean and said why not(it's only 7 yrs.)? It was a good choice to say the least. All 6.4ozs. and 100 IBU's held up great. It poured very cloudy with hardly any head. Sweet caramel aroma was faint. I can taste raisin but it was as perffectly balanced as any barley wine i've tasted. The 6.4ozs. is just enough to have at any one time.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2002 19:23:32 | More by paceyourself

maxpower

Missouri

4.5/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

1997 7oz bottle sweet malty aroma, mellowed hops, warming alcohol feel, not much head, sweet and malty, I don't care for the tiny 7oz bottle, need more of this fine barley wine, I will have to get a couple more bottles of this, this one has aged well.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2002 17:47:54 | More by maxpower

CharlesRiver

Connecticut

4.33/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a bottle of the 2001 that I found in NJ. Dark amber in color with no head. The smell is sherry and hops but not over powering. Barley Wines are my favorite style and this did not disappoint. The hops are prominent at 120 IBU's. There is a slight alcohol taste more in the finish that I bet would go away with another year of ageing. Warming and relaxing, a great sipping beer. Another great offering from Rogue.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2002 17:01:08 | More by CharlesRiver

dolem98

Idaho

4.1/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.5

Quite a dark shade of amber for a barley-wine. Hopped well, but not overly-hopped, giving it a wonderful aroma and bitterness without overshadowing the sweetness. Alcohol is definitely noticeable, so stay away if you cannot handle that. The bitterness and syrupy sweetness combine for a really cool mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2002 16:49:13 | More by dolem98

BeerAngel

Texas

4.6/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2002 Vintage: Oooooooooh BABY!!! Pours a delicious looking cloudy dark amber with a small light tan head. The delicious aromas of a sweet fruit and nuts make my mouth water as good as any great beer ever has! Sweet mother of Pearl! This stuff is delicious in case I haven't mentioned that yet. The semi-sweet fruity taste and tart bitterness of hops that resemble grapefruit are blended nicely so that you don't even notice the 11.3% ABV although there is a warming feeling that increases with each swallow that overcomes you. It has a lightly sticky mouthfeel to this medium bodied brew. My first barleywine and it's love at first taste! Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2002 17:20:28 | More by BeerAngel

boblinneman

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2002 Vintage: Reminds me of Stone Ruination IPA. But its a barlywine? Very bitter hops. Smells of alcohol, yet does not burn. Expected this beer to be more complex, there are a lots of flavors peeking through the huge hop presence. Will age well.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2002 17:50:46 | More by boblinneman

putnam

Michigan

4.97/5  rDev +23.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

2002 Vintage: Brilliant solid red with a gold robe. A six-pointed star pattern of very fine bubbles settles onto the surface. The aromas feature freshly cracked new pecans, honey, and terracotta, all in an enormous, profound display of riches. As it opens there are hints of freshly butchered beef, hazelnuts, and sweet prarie grasses that emerge. The flavors are a thundering cascade of velvet: burned sugar, cola, maple wood, black pepper and vanilla bean appear in turn. A keeper, if you can keep your hands off of it.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2002 10:52:20 | More by putnam

proc

Michigan

4.05/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Wow. This barleywine is a hop-head's delight. Pours out to a dark amber color in the glass. Aroma is nice, with that hop-nose you know is a preview to that hop taste. Literally as complex as a beer can be. So many tastes were going through my mouth that I couldn't really put a finger on just one. Raison, molasses, and a slight sweetness that give way to this "in you face" blast of hops. If there is a hoppier beer out there, I haven't had it yet.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2002 05:56:08 | More by proc

marc77

California

4.47/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2000 Vintage: Hazy garnet hue, covered by a thin soapy head due to the high alcohol. Intense caramel and toasty malt w/ a wallop of buttery toffee in aroma. Fruitiness eeks in, combines w/ the sweetness resulting in a red licorice - like note. Mild vinous alcohol and hints of sherry are present as well. Although subdued, the waft of heaty fusels are a harbinger of a potent brew. This warms my nostrils if I inhale deeply. Trace pine hop nose. Rich and enticing aromawise. Deeply toffeeish sweetness hits the palate initially, but quickly gives way to assertive, sharp, yet clean hop bitterness that more than offsets what would be a cloyingly sweet malt profile. Caramel notes, and nutty sweetness akin to peanut brittle provide contrast to the quenching bitterness mid palate. Hop flavor has faded into muted citrus. Full in body and very dextrinous in mouthfeel, partially due to the apparent high final gravity. Finishes w/ lingering hop bitterness and residual sweetness on the lips. Enveloping alcohol warmth grows progressively stronger throughout. Old Crusty 2000 has matured wonderfully. The hop bitterness is still sharp, but the rich buttery malt is not overshadowed. Intense and absolutely delcious.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2002 18:29:56 | More by marc77

hyuga

North Carolina

4.72/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2001 vintage

Dark brown color with hints of amber. Pours to a big impressive head, which settles to about 2cm, leaving a bit of patchy lace, and stays there well. Strong alcohol-soaked esters and citrus and floral hop aromas jump at your nose. You can smell the bitterness in this one! That's no surprise with an insane 120 IBUs. Rind-like bitterness with a bit of pine smacks you around with the first sip, and alcohol presence cleans up after it. Even with huge hop presence, malt still plays a big role here. Massive creamy caramel maltiness that coats your palate almost keeps up with the hops. Chocolate is noticeable under the caramel. Leafy character is subtly present, especially in the aftertaste. This is a full-bodied, intense, and heavy brew, but, surprisingly, it's very drinkable.

2000 vintage

Dark amber-brown. Head has been lost in the aging for the most part. A more malty nose than the 2001, but still very hoppy. Strong, sweet caramel and chocolate with intense plum and dark fruit. Hops are citrusy and a bit piney. Great aroma that definitely improved with age. Excellent taste as well, spicy and citrus hops with huge caramel/chocolate malt and alcohol heat, one hell of a full body. This is definitely a beer to cellar, and more than the recommended one year.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2002 15:50:03 | More by hyuga

Murph

Arizona

4.43/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dark amber/medium brown color with a decent head that fades fast and leaves a nice lace down the glass. Tons of sweet maltiness and some nice piney hoppiness in the aroma of this one. Huge caramel maltiness to start this one off with some nice hoppy twangs in it as well. Great piney character as well and some slight alcohol warming. Nice and smooth but a little bit thin for the style, however, the brew remains awesomely drinkable. Damn this is on fine BW. Yet another great one from Rogue.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2002 09:29:01 | More by Murph

cokes

Wisconsin

3.38/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

2001 Vintage: This is likely a legend in the making, but it is only at AA ball right now. Like any prospect, it needs time to develop, but many of the skills are already in place.

Muddy brown-orange. Frothy, creamy khaki head retains well for a brew of this size.
Aroma is big on hops, with pine being the dominate persuasion. Some toffee and chocolate hues are noted as well.

Taste is, in a word, raw. Ragged, piney hops seem to pierce through everything. Bitterness is huge. Toastedness and chocolate stuggle for survival. There is a solid carmel/toffee base, but this cannot weather the hop melee. Solvent-like alcohol pops up late, forming an oppresive alliance. Faint dark fruits, and perhaps even tropical fruits linger in the distance, too frightened to approached due to the menacing regime.
In a year or two (or five), the malts will begin to win this war, and make this much more balanced. But the hops and alcohol are too aggressive at this point to make any headway.
The body is in place, smooth and viscious. Chewable, if somewhat syrup-like.
Presently, it is only drinkable to witness the carnage. I'd suggest giving this some time to achieve stability. Psychotic hopheads excluded.
With some rounding, this will be in the majors someday. A rough diamond as it is, but capable of aspiring to it's 1999 big brother. The bigger frame (12oz vs 7oz) helps.

Thanks, Bighuge. But I should have let this one develop. Hope to find another one to cellar.

--

1999 Vintage: I am truely stunned by this amazing beverage....where to start? How about the f'king 7oz's...I want 12oz bottles...But at least I have heard the latest batch comes in them.

This is my favorite Barleywine. Fantastic integration after 3 years...but this could go strong for several more. Flavor upon flavor. Malt lays down some sweet carmel and (slightly) bready notes. The hops jump on top with some piney and splendedly bitter tones. I also detected some minty hues as well. Sweetness dominates, but in a lovely way. Balance is extraordinary. My lord, is this good.

Only drawback (as previously mentioned) is the $2.50 for a 7oz bottle. But still unquestionably worth it. One of the absolute best. Bargain at any price.

I am amazed that I can still find this batch, but it is still available in stores in the Madison area. I won't say which ones out of selfishness...so you better act fast!!
(note to self: pick up more bottles of Ol Crust 1999 tomorrow)

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2002 00:26:16 | More by cokes

Brent

Kentucky

2.95/5  rDev -26.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

2001 Vintage: Perhaps I'm under-rating this beer because it has not aged sufficiently, but 1 year seems not to have been enough. Still very raw and unbalanced. Strong hot alcohol undercurrent and medicinal sweetness. I might give this vintage another shot on down the road, but for the time being I'll stick with Bigfoot or Anchor's Old Foggy.

--

1998 Vintage: The pour on this beer was so flat that I had to hold it to the light and make sure there were some carbonation bubbles coming up the side of the glass. Appearance like prune juice. First sip and 120 IBU's of hops storm in. Some caramelized dark fruit follows along in the hops' wake. A very tasty and drinkable barleywine, although I was looking for a little more depth, given that this has had 3 or 4 years to age. Still, a very nice barleywine.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2002 06:50:20 | More by Brent

Jon

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2002 Vintage:

Deep burgundy with an ample, though quickly diminishing cream-hued head. Minor trails of lace appear down the chalice. A quick swirl of the liquid unmasks this beer's alcoholic qualities, as if you weren't all ready aware. Aromas of chestnuts, molasses, Pacific Northwest hops and alcohol linger. Taste features equal notes of the chestnuts, molasses, relatively sweet malt, and alcohol, but the hops (which weigh in at 120 IBUs) stand out the most. Wonderfully hoppy with a sharp bite, the finish on this young Old Crustacean lasts and lasts. Turbid, viscous mouthfeel is quite oily as it should be. Once again, Rogue fails to cut any corners in crafting an aggressive barleywine that is truly indicative of John Maier's style. Good stuff young, better with some (lots of) cellaring. A vertical tasting between the 2001 (two years) and the 2002 (one year) is next. It gets better and better. This stuff is even great for cooking....

2001 Vintage:

This poured a beautiful, deep amber color. The head was minimal, and didn't retain very well, although it did leave nice lace on the glass. I put this away for three months after I initially got it, and I think it could have certainly been cellared for many more months, or years, for that matter. This has a huge hoppy bitterness to it, and is almost a little unbalanced, but you won't hear me complaining. Another excellent creation from the folks at Rogue.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2002 21:40:46 | More by Jon

Viking

Indiana

3.05/5  rDev -23.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Beautiful looking brew! Deep, dark, murky reddish brown body with a thick bubbly head. Good head retention, with lots of lace. Aroma is salty, with notes of toffee, fruit, and spicy hops. Flavor dominated by hops - way too much hops. Malt overpowered, but still adds some solid flavor. Very salty taste as well. Nice fruity notes, especially in the finish, but are somewhat lost in the salt and bitter hops. Too young, too young...I'll certainly try another bottle in a year or so.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2002 15:28:19 | More by Viking

AaronRed

New York

3.95/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1999 Vintage: Hazy upon the pour, with no head whatsoever. I was careful (maybe foolish) to leave a wee bit left over because I could see in the bottle an abundance of "stuff" (yeast?). All I could smell was hops. Just hops. All I could taste was, well, hops. Tremendous bitterness, just heaving itself at you without regard for your taste buds. The most bitter beer I have ever tasted. For whatever reason I like this beer. It is sort of like the graduation of beers: you need to love beer to enjoy this. No one else would. A perfect afer dinner drink to really clean the palate.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2002 18:49:13 | More by AaronRed

Jason

Massachusetts

4.8/5  rDev +19.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

1999 Vintage: Close to heavenly, the hops are still running wild even after three years of aging. Touch of estery alcohol and a dollop of fruitiness partially from the hops.

Serving type: on-tap

06-22-2002 15:59:29 | More by Jason

beerluvr

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours with a substantial light tan head. Cloudy/muddy amber liquid. Nose is malty, fruity yeast & hops. Taste is supercharged fresh hops...followed by more hops! Goddamm, this is liquid hops in the extreme... finish is just enough malt to let you know this isn't hop juice you are drinking, followed by more extreme hop bitterness! Not recommended for disciples of Coors Light, Bud Light...or any other light colored/flavored beer for that matter, this is Manly-man's beer!

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2002 21:45:31 | More by beerluvr

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.72/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2001 Vintage: This beer pours like liquid polymer. The appearance is murky burgandy. Looks great. A slight bubbly off-white head is present. It laces nicely. The huge bitterness can be perceived in the aroma. Very nice. The bitternes on the tongue is incredible. It is fabulous. I've had the vintage '98 recently, which was exceptional, but the bitterness and hop flavor is much more pronounced with this younger one. There's actually pretty good balance provided by the malt also. The hops seem very hebal and biting. This is a great concoction.

--

1998 Vintage: Pours no head. Murky, brown/burgandy color. Huge earthy hop tones mix with a fruity sweetness on the nose. Mouthfeel can be compared to cough syrup. There is a medicinal property in the taste as well. Huge bitterness coming from Centennial hops (as well as Chinook I believe) . IBU = 120 for this brew. But there is also an abundance of sweet flavor. Only John Maier could make a beer with such incredible hop bitterness and malt sweetness like this. There is indeed a warming effect with this brew. Not for the faint of heart. One of my favorite Barleywines. My son and this beer were born in the same year. My son is now four. Both are great treats. And luckily I have several more of these brews to improve with age (as my son will I'm sure too).

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2002 21:38:28 | More by Bighuge

beernut7

Massachusetts

3.8/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

2000 Vintage: Picked up a 8oz from the brewery and decided to pop it a couple of days later. Prabably should have waited a few months for a little more mellowing. Good amber color with a medium body. complex flavor character with very apparent alcohol taste and warming. Not bad at all, but definitely a sipper.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2002 06:07:03 | More by beernut7

hooligan

Florida

4.88/5  rDev +21.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Dark ruby color w/thick creamy tan head... disapates to a thin clinging foam. Smells of caramel, pepper, slightly roasted characters, and alcohol.
Caramel, bready, and a hoppy spice upfront. finish is sweet, alcoholic, and pleasantly potent bitterness.
This is what a Barleywine should aspire to when it dies... very hoppy, very malty, and both blend well to create a balanced and potent barleywine.
Oh BTW... they are now in 12oz bottles... oh happy day!

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2002 22:19:46 | More by hooligan

Todd

Massachusetts

4.15/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

1996 Vintage: Redbones BBQ in Somerville, MA tapped this baby last night at their North West Fest. Whoa! Pretty rough stuff! The hops were incredibly puckering/assertive and the malts were intensely complex. You could lay this down to mellow for another 10 years, easy.

The yeast had broken down in the keg and leech out a bready/yeasty flavour in the background, and there was loads of proteins and the like permanently suspended in the beer, but it was still a good beer.

Serving type: on-tap

11-19-2001 20:23:09 | More by Todd