Old Cellar Dweller
Driftwood Brewery

Old Cellar DwellerOld Cellar Dweller
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From:
Driftwood Brewery
 
British Columbia, Canada
Style:
American Barleywine
Ranked #89
ABV:
11.6%
Score:
92
Ranked #5,821
Avg:
4.12 | pDev: 8.98%
Reviews:
56
Ratings:
152
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 02, 2023
Added:
Dec 26, 2008
Wants:
  56
Gots:
  43
Malts - Pale, Pilsner, Crystal Hops - Columbus, Cascade

Description
This ale shows huge malt body, with notes of caramel and toffee, complemented by ample hop bitterness to support it. When young, it is a hoppy treat with plenty of citrus and pine; cellared for a few years and Cellar Dweller gracefully ages into a rich, round reward for patience, hinting at flavours of tawny port.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 4.57 by KeithGreatNorth from Canada (BC)

Dec 02, 2023
 
Rated: 3.78 by Ristaccia from Nebraska

Dec 11, 2022
Photo of TooManyGlasses
Reviewed by TooManyGlasses from Canada (AB)

4.24/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2019 Vintage - one year of cellaring.
Pours a just less than clear apricot amber colour with finger of white head.
Aroma of grainy caramel malt, piney hops with citrus, floral notes, orange peel, and tangerine.
Taste starts with rich caramel malt sweetness, overripe orange, orange peel, resinous piney hops, sugar coated grapefruit rind, slightly earthy.
Full sticky mouthfeel with resinous bittersweetness and lingering piney citrus hops sitting on palate.
Very much to my liking.
Dec 26, 2020
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.3/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
November 14, 2017, thanks to leftpaw for bringing this out. There is no vintage on this label, unlike the one in the picture that is a 2008. This bottle says 14% unlike the 11.6% referenced here.

Pours a dark amber color. The head didn't stay on it. Aroma of malty but bitter caramel and hops.

Taste took on those amber waves of grain and caramel and pushed a grapefruit rind bitterness. Slight dallop of prune on it. Mouth feel is full of the alcohol. Bitter C hops. Slightly lower than average carbonation. Plenty of stickiness to it, slightly viscous for a barleywine even. Takes on some darker bread toastiness later on. For me the significant downside of this beer was the alcohol heat that really obscured attempts at discussing any nuance in this beer. Has elements of dark fruit, caramel, toffee and bittering hops through the entire experience, but the alcohol burn seems the most prominent thing about this beer. Perhaps 11.6 would have been nicer than 14%.
Aug 21, 2020
Photo of leaddog
Reviewed by leaddog from Canada (AB)

4.13/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
2019 vintage at 11.1%.

Appearance - Pours a warm amber with two fingers of frothy white head.

Smell - earthy, leafy, and floral hops, toffee malts, plum, raisin, fig, orange and grapefruit peel, brown and candied sugar, and earthy yeast.

Taste - earthy, leafy, and floral hops upfront. The toffee malts, plum, raisin, fig, orange and grapefruit peel follow suit. The brown and candied sugar alongside the earthy yeast round out the brew.

Mouthfeel - Medium to full bodied with moderate carbonation. Finishes chewy with the all ingredients lingering.

Overall - A bold and dangerous brew. The ABV is well hidden in this one making this one a dangerous treat to drink at the moment.
Apr 05, 2020
 
Rated: 4.06 by AmeriCanadian from Tennessee

Mar 02, 2020
Photo of Hat_Fulla_Beer
Reviewed by Hat_Fulla_Beer from Canada (AB)

4.17/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
650ml bottle poured into tulip. 2019 bottle.

Pours a clear honey amber with two fingers of beige head that leaves some cool pagoda rooftop lace as it recedes.

Smells of freshly baked dinner rolls, brown sugar, marmalade, sultana raisins, orange flesh, grapefruit candy, and some soft pine.

Tastes of sweet bread, sugared raisins, caramel tarts, more marmalade sweetness, cocoa powder, muddled citrus oils and more pleasant piney hops.

Feels big and chewy. Full bodied with frothy carbonation. Finishes fairly thick.

Verdict: Vigorously recommended. A big feast of a beer.
Feb 01, 2020
Photo of Lingenbrau
Reviewed by Lingenbrau from Oregon

4.15/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
A lightly burnt orange color, moderate clarity, off white foam with soapy lacing.

Aroma of orange marmalade and wet pine needles.

Flavor follows with tons of orange candy and grapefruit rind. Piney finish.

Smooth, warming, and sappy.

A delicious English style Barleywine which I assume did well in the bottle. This may have been pretty dang hot when fresh.

Huge thanks to Tim for the bottle! Cheers!
Nov 27, 2019
 
Rated: 4.24 by Eric_Standard from Canada (BC)

Aug 13, 2019
 
Rated: 3.01 by Oh_Dark_Star from Washington

Apr 21, 2019
 
Rated: 4.07 by IPAnicked from Canada (BC)

Apr 05, 2019
 
Rated: 4.21 by goalie35 from Canada (AB)

Apr 01, 2018
 
Rated: 4.71 by StormAles from Canada (ON)

Mar 13, 2018
 
Rated: 3.86 by mattsander from Canada (AB)

Dec 18, 2017
 
Rated: 3.88 by Birdlegs from Washington

Jul 26, 2017
 
Rated: 4.25 by NickThePyro from Washington

Jun 26, 2017
 
Rated: 3.96 by byronic from Canada (ON)

May 11, 2017
Photo of polloenfuego
Reviewed by polloenfuego from Canada (NB)

3.96/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a clear amber color with a small but persistent head. Upon break there is decent lacing that sticks around the entire time I was drinking. The smell is a quite pleasant, a nice bit of piney hops, some lovely caramel malts, toffee, and brown sugar. Taste follows nose, however the hops come in much stronger, and there is a strong bitter/astringent presence from them. Malts come in second, and seem muted. Feel is quite nice, with a sticky and sweetness, along with a full body and about medium carbonation.

A nice beer, this was a 2015 bottle and I think it has probably changed from what others describe. Still, quite nice, and would definitely seek it out again.
May 07, 2017
 
Rated: 4.33 by GJKerr from Canada (ON)

Nov 14, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by SmithyAlan from Canada (QC)

Sep 26, 2016
Old Cellar Dweller from Driftwood Brewery
Beer rating: 92 out of 100 with 152 ratings