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Old Crafty Hen

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Old Crafty Hen is the strong ale of the Old Speckled Hen family at 6.5%. A share of the strong ale Old 5X is blended into the beer. The result combines a distinctive malty taste with a smooth finish that recalls raisins.

ABV
6.5%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
SRM
deep amber15
PaceTwo or Three

AWARDS

Silver · 2024
World Beer Awards
★Silver — World Beer Awards
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
maltydark fruitcaramel
malty
dark fruit
caramel
Aroma
The nose leads with warm malt character, showing notes of toasted grain and subtle caramel sweetness that reflect the blend with Old 5X.
not found:hoppy,roasted,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Old Crafty Hen

◎ Appearance

Old Crafty Hen presents a deep amber to copper hue, characteristic of its 15 SRM color specification. The beer displays good clarity with a persistent, cream-colored head that exhibits fine lacing as the glass empties. Carbonation is moderate and well-integrated, supporting a stable foam collar throughout the tasting.

deep amberclearpersistent headfine lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with warm malt character, showing notes of toasted grain and subtle caramel sweetness that reflect the blend with Old 5X. A gentle floral-herbal backdrop from noble hops provides balance without dominating the profile. Soft fruity notes emerge on closer inspection, hinting at the dried fruit character to follow.

toasted maltcaramel sweetnessnoble hopssubtle fruit

◐ Taste

Entry is full and malty, with immediate warmth from the 6.5% ABV. The mid-palate develops layered malt sweetness with raisin and dried fruit notes that build complexity, supported by the Old 5X contribution. Bitterness remains restrained at 35 IBU, arriving late and finishing clean without harshness.

malty sweetnessraisin noteswarmbalanced bitterness

◑ Finish

The finish is smooth and lingering, with raisin and dried fruit flavors persisting in the aftertaste. A gentle warmth from alcohol remains present without becoming hot or unpleasant.

raisin finishsmoothlingering warmth
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
76
Taste
79
Appearance
78
Finish
77
Serve at 12–16°C

Serve at 12–16°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Old Crafty Hen

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About Strong Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Strong Ale?

Strong Ale is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Strong Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same malty, smooth, dark fruit character as Old Crafty Hen will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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