The Dark Crystale
Horus Aged Ales

Beer Geek Stats
From:
Horus Aged Ales
 
California, United States
Style:
American Strong Ale
ABV:
11.9%
Score:
+7 ratings needed
Avg:
4.14 | pDev: 8.45%
Ratings:
3 | reviews: 2
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jul 12, 2025
Added:
Aug 22, 2024
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
“The Dark CrystAle” is my first spin on the CrystAle using darker Crystal malts. It was aged in Old Elk Wheated Bourbon Barrels for 38 Months. The result is very barrel forward and complex. I would describe its flavor as something similar to a cross of an English Barleywine with a strong Imperial Porter, and with more viscosity and body than a standard CrystAle.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Ratings by SadMachine:
Photo of SadMachine
Rated by SadMachine from New Jersey

4.42/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Mar 29, 2025
More User Ratings:
Photo of GreesyFizeek
Reviewed by GreesyFizeek from New York

4.36/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
This one pours a very dark brown color, almost black, with a small head, and no lacing.

This smells like caramel, graham cracker, dark chocolate, rye bread, and bourbon.

I have had very few examples of this style, but it does seem like this is one of the better ones. It’s got a nice little bready and almost graham cracker spice to it, with lots of bourbon, the expected caramel/toffee sort of thing, and some nice chocolatey notes.

This is medium bodied, slightly warming, but not super boozy.

I don’t usually like Horus all that much, but this was very nice.
Jul 12, 2025
Photo of REVZEB
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois

3.64/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Medium semi-translucent black body, thick light brown collar. Smells strongly of bourbon, molasses, sweeter malts and dark grains. Taste is hyper sweet with booze and brown sugar and honestly white sugar, before dark grains and dried dark fruit with some bitters. Weirdly warm without being boozy, graininess is there but in a very smooth way and thinner body overall though that doesn't really get into barrel character of note
Apr 19, 2025