I know I am more than a little late to the Cronk party. It is long gone from the shelves But I thought I would weigh in on Cold Garden Brewery’s internationally famous Cronk beer, anyway. Over the holidays I purchased and sampled both the second release of the traditional Cronk and their re-imagined modern version.

I sampled them between Xmas and New Year’s but have been sitting on my notes since then (I didn’t have much time to pay attention to the website the past couple months). I realize both are likely long gone and this post is mostly for historical record, but there you go.

First up, Traditional Cronk. Whoa! This thing is a trip! It pours a dark, murky brown, offering some chestnut highlights. The head is dark tan but it drops away to little islands quite quickly. It looks very old school.

The aroma is similarly confusing. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, root beer, molasses, ginger, a dank root cellar note. I also pick up some dark fruit like cherry and plum. There is a lot going on here.

I finally take a sip, and the complexity doesn’t end. There is a dirty, earthy molasses upfront with dark root flavours mixing in. I pick up some plum and raisin on the outside. The middle introduces ginger, root beer, cinnamon and clove. The beer finishes moderately sweet with tons of earthy spiciness. The linger is cinnamon, some light floral notes and, curiously a nutmeg-like flavour that verges on garam masala. It have a very pungent finish. To be honest I can’t say I particularly like the linger.

So, okay, there are so many flavours and aromas going on here I can’t quite even keep them all straight. Spicy, earthy, molasses, dark fruit. This is both its allure and its detraction. There are many flavours to keep your palate interested, but none of them blend well together. It is just a jumble of various flavours. There is no harmonious whole.

I judge the beer knowing it is an historical artifact. This is what the recipe was. I completely believe consumers’ palates at the time might be open to this combination. Today it feels anachronistic.

So let’s turn to the modern take Cold Garden released at the same time. It pours medium copper with a thin white head. Unlike the traditional it offers good clarity. to my eye it looks like an English Pale Ale, including relatively low carbonation.

The aroma reveals more about what this beer is. First I pick up a sweet vanilla note, followed by light molasses, maple syrup, subtle cinnamon and clove. Underneath it all is a mild earthiness. The aroma reminds me of a Christmas Ale.

In the sip I can see this is a very different beer. Overall the flavours are fairly subdued. I pick up chocolate, vanilla, touches of ginger and a light maple syrup sweetness. That is followed by a bit of fruit. It finishes sweet with a lingering vanilla and maple syrup.

There is no question this is a much more understandable beer by modern standards. It is, essentially, a Christmas Ale. Nice vanilla, earthy spicing and vanilla. Brewed very cleanly.

There is no question the modern version is the more drinkable of the two options. It speaks to contemporary palates more than the original. But I must say I find the original more interesting. Less drinkable, but more interesting.

I appreciate the modern version is designed to appeal to a contemporary palate. And fair enough. It is a decent Christmas Ale. But my sense is the Cronk was something more than just a flavourful seasonal treat. It was meant to be a thing – something people sought out on a daily basis.

Traditional Cronk is not something I would drink again, but Cold Garden needs to be thanked and celebrated for their willingness to embrace its historical quirkiness. It is bizarre, complex and thought provoking. And I LOVE they put it in stubbies.

I am less convinced by their modern version. Sure, it is a decent holiday ale, but why call it Cronk? It is not. It bears very little relation to the complex mess that is Traditional Cronk. Had I tasted it by itself I think I would be quite complementary about it. But beside the real Cronk it pales, even if it is a much more drinkable product. It lacks that bold kitchen-sink feel that Traditional Cronk has.

I think it is great Cold Garden found themselves with an international hit, with people across the globe seeking out bottles. It is the kind of thing that can make a small, local brewery. I truly hope they capitalized on it as best they could and are using the money to stabilize the company during insane COVID times and/or finding ways to build using the success.

I just wish they hadn’t co-released a modern version. It is a decent beer but it dilutes the impact that is Cronk. It should be allowed to stand alone in all its crazy, insane flavours.

This is Cronk. And Cronk, I think, is good.