Old Crafty Hen
Greene King / Morland Brewery

Old Crafty HenOld Crafty Hen
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From:
Greene King / Morland Brewery
 
England, United Kingdom
Style:
English Strong Ale
Ranked #23
ABV:
6.5%
Score:
84
Ranked #22,028
Avg:
3.74 | pDev: 13.1%
Reviews:
98
Ratings:
296
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 15, 2024
Added:
Oct 17, 2008
Wants:
  13
Gots:
  58
A strong fine ale combines the malty taste with a smooth raisin finish.

Challenger provides a key herbal dry hop character, First Gold and Goldings give some citrus fruit and crystal malt provides warming toffee in the main beer of this blended ale. The use of some old 5X 12% ale adds dried fruit and raisin and produces a complex flavoured and richly satisfying ale. The tradition of brewing a Strong Suffolk Ale and maturing in Oak Vats is one that unlike other UK brewers, GK have continued - the practice is mentioned in 1810 in connection with GK.
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Ratings by digitalflood:
Photo of digitalflood
Reviewed by digitalflood from New York

4/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Old Crafty Hen - 6.5% ABV. Pours into a short fluffy head with good lacing and retention. Caramel brown body. Small bubbles with very active carbonation. Smells of nutty bread and caramel. All malt on the front nose. Crisp sugars and raisins. A rum filled mid-palate. Great crisp clove and plum back palate. Lingering rum and oak aftertaste. Beautiful rum like charectar. Thick syrup filled mouthfeel. So well rounded. So full. For a malt head this is it-- 4.0. Very good. Highly recommended for the malt lover or those searching for the anti-hop beer.
Jun 10, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.5 by Dethark from England

Jan 15, 2024
 
Rated: 3.9 by dymott from England

Nov 17, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by Ushouldbeworkinh from England

Feb 17, 2023
Photo of REVZEB
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois

4.05/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Poured from a bottle of unknown vinatage clear chestnut brown with a huge tan head. Smells of raisin, date, toffee, earth and bready malts. Tastes washes the palate with the dark fruit and toffee/caramel malt notes in a light way, mild bread comes in before the earthy finish that is slightly oxidized and bitter with a hint of wood. Feel is lighter than expected, malt forward, smooth but somewhat thin for style
Oct 06, 2022
 
Rated: 4.18 by sherillc from Canada (ON)

Sep 24, 2022
 
Rated: 4.18 by pwdda211

Feb 19, 2022
 
Rated: 3.89 by Johnno

Jun 20, 2021
Photo of Sigmund
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway

3.1/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
500 ml clear bottle, as Morland Old Crafty Hen, from Tesco Express, Belfast. ABV is 6.5%. Beautiful brownish-red colour, moderate off-white head. Strong aroma of lightstruck hops, oak, toffee and caramel. Medium sweet flavour of malts, caramel and oak. Too modest hops. No masterpiece.
Apr 22, 2021
 
Rated: 4.19 by ScrewyLoops from England

Mar 12, 2021
 
Rated: 3.66 by pcbnumber1 from England

Jan 05, 2021
 
Rated: 4.31 by starsky92 from England

Sep 25, 2020
 
Rated: 4.02 by Blogjackets from Ohio

Mar 20, 2020
 
Rated: 3.84 by Dave1999 from North Carolina

Dec 13, 2019
Photo of EmperorBevis
Reviewed by EmperorBevis from England

3.27/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottled and watched whilst drinking the Pip episode of South Park
Pours a crystal clear burnished bronze body with good white head
Aroma is slightly nutty
Malt malt and more malt in the flavour
Oct 03, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by lhwjanssen from Netherlands

Jul 27, 2019
Photo of James94
Reviewed by James94 from England

3.64/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
L: Dark amber/red, two fingers of head, good lacing
S: Grainy, dark fruits, some skunkiness
T: Bitter cherries, malts, some lighter fruit notes
F: Quite intense for its ABV

O: 3.75
Jun 03, 2019
 
Rated: 3.95 by MartinK from England

Jan 14, 2019
Photo of Oragyn
Reviewed by Oragyn from England

4.96/5  rDev +32.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
Great toffee aroma, hints of fruit. It has a deep copper, almost red colour. Punchy toffee flavour, subtle raisin/fruit background. Very moreish aftertaste. A total winner in my opinion, but I can see it not being to everyone's taste.
Sep 09, 2018
Photo of JonnoWillsteed
Reviewed by JonnoWillsteed from England

3.84/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
The following is a 2nd 'follow-up' review. My original review (at bottom) seems have been on an unrepresetative day for my palate, which was materially impacted by typical mid-summer allergies. I have updated both my comments, and ratings. My original ratings are listed on my earlier original (at bottom).
L- Deep chestnut, clear, pours with 5mm pale tan head of ultra fine bubbles holding well (much later forming lacing right down the sides of the glass).
S- Toasty and biscuity (reminiscent of McVities Digestives), it is quite subtle though for what it's colour and 6.5% ABV suggest.
T- Deeply roasty-toasty, going into a balanced complex richness
F- I see it's balance now, it manages to remain quite a refreshing beer 'depsite' it's quite deep flavour and 6.5% foundations.
O- I'm very glad I got to try this again, it cautions me to take care reviewing beers in hay-fever season. I do like this and I would buy it again. At £1.75/pint bottle in Waitrose (that was not an 'On offer' price either) it's something of a bargain.

Original review:
L- Mid to deep chestnut. CO2 quickly clears to lacing = 2.5
S- Sadly indistinct vs my high-summer/city congestion, so I have to rate this aspect 2.5/neutral = 2.5
T- [Please gimme something more positive that I can find].... .... Cold, dry, ale, that's nice. I still feel there's a lot more going on here that I'm currently oblivious to. = 3
M- F Dry, quite crisp. A short way into the bottle I now clearly sense this is 6.5%. 'Ding-dong, you won't make a session beer of me!'. It is striking how moving from say 5.0% beers to just 6.5%, and give it an hour ... and the difference in impact is clear. = 3
O. I know this is a quality brewery; and I like other beers they do, and recognise their complexity. Maybe summer is the wrong time of year for me drinking more subtle beers like this. Note to self: Try again when summer/pollen season has passed. = 3 = Overall 2.85 rDev -23.6%
Aug 06, 2018
Old Crafty Hen from Greene King / Morland Brewery
Beer rating: 84 out of 100 with 296 ratings