Old Crustacean Barleywine 2004

In Britain, seasonal brews for winter are high in alcohol, robust, malty, and dark. The two main styles of these brews are Old Ales and Barleywines. As the name suggests, barleywines are similar to wines in alcohol and need aging but are derived from grain, not the grape. Rogues barleywine is described by beer expert Stuart Ramsey as: "A masterful, intense creation from brewer John Maier....it has achieved a depth and complexity usually associated with well-ages strong ales. I hope the brewery bottles some before it disappears." We call it the cognac of beers. An unfiltered and unfined Barleywine. Intense, robust, malty and dark. The cognac of beers. A hugh beer in a little bottle, this is a beer designed for sipping.

Old Crustacean is brewed with eight ingredients, Great Western Harrington, Klages, Hugh Baird Carastan and Munich Malts, Chinook and Centennial Hops, free-range coastal water and PacMan yeast. Old Crustacean is best when aged for one year. Old Crustacean is available in a new 750-ml ceramic swingtop bottle (replacing the much older 7-ounce and more recent 12 ounce XS-line package) and on draft.