Crunkle Sam
Clown Shoes

Crunkle SamCrunkle Sam
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Clown Shoes
 
Massachusetts, United States
Style:
American Barleywine
Ranked #151
ABV:
11%
Score:
88
Ranked #14,537
Avg:
3.92 | pDev: 9.95%
Reviews:
86
Ratings:
485
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 30, 2023
Added:
May 09, 2013
Wants:
  27
Gots:
  76
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by VelvetExtract:

  None found.

Photo of jjamadorphd
Reviewed by jjamadorphd from Florida

3.74/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
About the only thing I didn't like of the beer was its scent. It was essentially non-existent. Otherwise, it was a deliciously boozy experience. Too bad this was limited.
Jan 30, 2023
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.11 by Tadwinks from Virginia

Jan 23, 2023
 
Rated: 3.94 by ElGallo from New Hampshire

Jan 05, 2023
Photo of hman43
Reviewed by hman43 from North Carolina

3.8/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Look: It pours amber and clear. It has an off white head with very good head retention.

Smell: It has a strong malty aroma with orange and other citrus notes.

Taste: It has a malty flavor up front with orange notes and other citrus. The alcohol is noticeable in the flavor. There is a bit of a spicy bite to it.

Feel: It has a full body with strong alcohol warming.

Overall, I wish there was a bit more in the flavors with the malt, but it's a decent beer.
Jan 02, 2023
 
Rated: 4.25 by Sellen from Connecticut

Dec 24, 2022
Photo of TooManyGlasses
Reviewed by TooManyGlasses from Canada (AB)

4.15/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottle from cellar - did not date this one and no date on bottle but at least five and probably more years old.
Pours a murky dark orange amber with a half finger of tawny light beige head that fades to a minor bubbly cap.
Aroma of burnt orange, caramel with aggressive hops - piney, citrus, resin, and some booze soaked dark fruits.
The palate is hit with the aggressive hopping that years in the cellar have not diminished - there is sweet caramel, toffee, again burnt/over ripe orange, and resiny bitterness with a boozy warming burst.
Full mouthfeel with active carbonation belying its age - a lingering boozy bittersweetness finishes the ride.
Dec 14, 2021
 
Rated: 2.19 by Winzlow from Florida

Nov 27, 2021
 
Rated: 3.91 by Sammy from Canada (ON)

May 26, 2021
 
Rated: 3.78 by AGoodStout from Kansas

Jul 19, 2020
Photo of Joe_Tool
Reviewed by Joe_Tool from New Jersey

4.38/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
I've had this in the cab for 6 years. Wasn't expecting much. Poured in a mug, see expectations above. Murky as typical. Aroma of America's influence on this ambiguous ale. A touch sweet but a small price to pay for an otherwise delicious aromatic brew. Maybe another few years would have served this brew better than my relative impatience. Thoroughly enjoyed and regarded. Clown shoes, who knew?
Aug 18, 2019
Photo of darktronica
Reviewed by darktronica from Indiana

4.09/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2014 release enjoyed on draft. Still just as aggressive and American a barleywine as it was when fresh. Hot and sharp, with massive pine resin and bitter citrus.
Oct 14, 2018
 
Rated: 1.6 by Chilmer from Iowa

May 22, 2018
Photo of bark
Reviewed by bark from Sweden

3.19/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
1½ year old bottle.
The colour is dark gold; the liquid clear. The finger thick head is compact and beige, it sinks slowly to a thin lid leaving no lacing on the glass.

The smell is semi-sweet with some toffee and sweet almonds. Earthy hints a touch of brandy, and warming alcohol.

The taste is semi-sweet with a fine balance between semi-sweet malts and smooth citric marmalade hops. Toffee, brandy and banana peels. Medium body. Growing hot alcohol in the aftertaste as well as shortbread, oak barrels and bitter herbs. The finish is rather bitter with alcohol, vanilla and cookies.

The carbonation is medium strong, the few mid-sized bubbles long-lived. The liquid is somewhat sticky.

Not as smooth and elegant as I want barley wine to be.
Jan 04, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by Erik-P from Canada (BC)

Dec 11, 2017
 
Rated: 4.12 by StormAles from Canada (ON)

Jul 30, 2017
 
Rated: 4.25 by bigred89 from Maryland

Jul 02, 2017
Photo of Lone_Freighter
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont

3.74/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Bottle to snifter, the appearance was a murky dark mahogany color with a fingers worth of white foamy head that fell off at a moderate pace. Slim concave lace. The aroma had some sweet dried dark fruits, light leather, subtle earthiness, vanilla, driftwood, dried leaves and light smoke. The flavor took all of the prior mentioned aromas to boot and seemed to have the normal level of tobacco that I usually get in this style. Aftertaste was brisk and sweet. Finish followed suite. The palate was medium bodied with a fair sipping quality about it. Carbonation felt fine. ABV felt just a touch under than what was projected, but I wasnt bothered by that. Overall, pretty nice barleywine seemed to lean towards the English side more than the American, in my opinion.
Jun 22, 2017
 
Rated: 3.6 by Silke_Neryn from Sweden

Apr 20, 2017
 
Rated: 4.25 by Heeenrik from Finland

Dec 23, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by BEER88 from North Carolina

Nov 18, 2016
Crunkle Sam from Clown Shoes
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 485 ratings