To be sure, this is an American style barleywine.
Barleywine is an English style of strong, complex, and very malty ale that
we Americans have usurped and given our own signature to by hopping it to
the max. English barleywines will be well hopped too, but only enough to
balance their huge malty character which otherwise would leave them
cloyingly sweet. Both American and English barleywines will generally age
out well; in the case of the Americans the intense hops will subside over
the years.
I have learned from experience that most Rogue beers are rather fragile, and
best consumed fresh. To be fair, that is true of most beers. One exception
in the Rogue line, however, is Old Crustacean. Rogue suggests on the bottle
that the beer be aged at least one year, and for that purpose provides the
year of bottling on the bottle.
Here's what I thought of this beer in 1997:
The bottle before me is dated 1995, so it is roughly two years old. I have
enjoyed Crustacean rather young, when the hops completely dominated the
brew, and at the given level of 100 IBU's (International Bitterness Units),
that is no surprise. I open the beer and pour it in my glass, and a dirty
brown nectar fills it halfway. The nose is extremely complex, loads of sweet
malt character and yeasty esters here but not much in the way of hops. As I
sip, I get caramel-like flavor right off the bat, not the malt kind but
rather the sweet candy type. The beer is syrupy, sticky, warming with
noticeable alcohol, and hints at fresh bread and butterscotch. The hops have
all but faded, with just enough presence in the finish to balance and keep
the beer from being overly cloying. Absolutely incredible.
I have more of the 1995 before me now. It's big and chewy with loads of
caramel and fresh bread as it was when I took the preceding notes in 1997.
Perhaps it's me but it seems hoppier, not so much aromatically but with the
bitterness in the finish. It has aged very nicely.
Currently the beer has an even higher IBU rating of 120 and Chinooks and
Centennials are used. Malts used are Munich, Great Western Harrington, Hugh
Baird carastan and Klages. Original Gravity is about 1.04. This beer is an
American classic, my only complaint is the 7 ounce bottles : they just
aren't big enough. If Bigfoot can come in 12 ounce bottles, then Crusty can
too.
I wouldn't pair this beer with cuisine, rather I'd have it before or after
your meal. It's a great aperitif or digestif.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft