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Driftwood Old Cellar Dweller Barleywine

Score
9786
OVERALLStyle
Brewed by Driftwood Brewery (Canada)
Style: Barley Wine
Victoria, Canada
Serve in Snifter

bottled
common

on tap
unknown

Regional Distribution

Add Distribution Data
RATINGS: 75   WEIGHTED AVG: 3.66   IBU: 100   EST. CALORIES: 420   ABV: 14%
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COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Three times the malt bill and five times the hops of a normal strength beer, this Barleywine tests the limits of our brewhouse and our backs! But the real struggle is in getting this massive brew to completely ferment, a true test of our skill and the vigor of our yeast. Consisting of 98% Pale Malt (with a bag CaraMunch thrown in for color) and just one hop variety, Columbus, this beer showcases these two basic ingredients in their most concentrated state. 32°

Enjoy this very special beer young, but save a few bottles for future winters. Enjoy not too cold, say about 13C!

Vintage 2008 & 2009 - 12%
Vintage 2010 - 11.8%
Vintage 2011 - 14%.


most recent ratings

3.9
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 5/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 15/20
solidfunk (1820) - Ontario, CANADA - MAY 19, 2013
2012. Pours ruby clear with great head of foam and good lacing. Aroma of hops, caramelized malt and some prune and dark fruits. Booze as well in finish. Soft carbonation. Finishes bittersweet. Well-balanced and well done overall. Texture thick but not too syrupy. Bottle from Cook Street.

3.4
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 14/20
maxwelldeux (2240) - Raleigh, North Carolina, USA - MAR 20, 2013
Bottle at a bottle share. Pours a reddish amber color with a slightish head. Nose has a slight bourbon tinge to it. Taste is a bit malty and quite smooth. Not bad.

4.6
   AROMA 9/10   APPEARANCE 5/5   TASTE 9/10   PALATE 5/5   OVERALL 18/20
Lazerlobe (10) - Bellingham, Washington, USA - FEB 21, 2013
2011 version. Huge barleywine full of dark fruit, caramel and toffee. Drinking amazing right now with ~1 year on it.

4.3
   AROMA 9/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 18/20
LarryBeast (274) - - JAN 20, 2013
650ml bottle, 2013 vintage. A little more rugged, a little less ready than Driftwood’s Old Barrel Dweller. Still incredible -- and I’ve heard it ages well (I haven’t the patience to find out). Love it now.

3.8
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 15/20
MrFecesious (329) - British Columbia, CANADA - JAN 12, 2013
Bottle share of 2010 release. Thanks to Tristan. Thick cloudy amber. Pure malt aroma. Caramel, apricot, and spices. Taste is the same. Great balance.

3.7
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 15/20
pushkinwow (1339) - Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA - NOV 16, 2012
500ml bottle from 2008. Clear but dark mahogany with a dark creamy head that fades to a nice layer. Had to let it sit for a while to open up as at first it was a little odd. Quite hoppy with nice resin, dry, some alcohol, nice maltiness, some dried toffee; moderate to full body, moderate carbonation, bit sweet with a nice hopiness, becomes dry. Didn’t think much of this to begin with but its actually quite good with some time in the cellar and some time to open up.

4
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 16/20
Steasy66 (542) - Minnesota, USA - NOV 4, 2012
2011 bottle. Dark brown. Big caramel malt aroma. Big caramel flavor, toffee. Has a bit of a bite, pretty hot and young.

4
   AROMA 9/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 9/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 16/20
jstraw (1665) - Chicago, Illinois, USA - SEP 15, 2012
Hazy copper-caramel with fair, creamy, beige head / Rich, sweet nose of caramel, brown sugar, pine, and citrus / Full body, sweet and chewy, somewhat sticky, with good balance and hot, bitter finish, but still not enough to stand up to 14% abv (which strikes me as unnecessary / Somewhat winey, perfumey flavors of orange peel, caramel, burnt sugar, pine, and grapefruit / This is potentially terrific if the alcohol were toned down.

4.3
   AROMA 9/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 9/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 18/20
Gerbeer (859) - Vancouver, British Columbia, CANADA - JUL 19, 2012
650 ml bottle. 2011 vintage. Pours a clear garnet red/brown with no head. Strong aromas of roasted malts, caramel, and alcohol. Sweet and bitter. Flavors of toffee, orange peel, malts and pine. Hot. Big alcohol kick. Can keep in the cellar for some time longer...

3.5
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 13/20
WheatKing (703) - Oak Bay, British Columbia, CANADA - JUL 17, 2012
Really it’s the typical Driftwood style beer with five times the power. Nice to see what Columbus tastes like, I’m definitely a fan of that hop. The alcohol really warms the mouth and throat. Took us a while to finish this one.


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