Simmer Dim
Cellarmaker Brewing Co.

You have to like scotch, but if you do, you’ll love this! The scotch is powerful in its booze, peated earth, cigar tobacco and it all accents what you love about american barley wines, with notes of dried dark fruit, a hint of vanilla and even with a West Coast nod of pine on the finish. Smell is not as complex with scotch barrel pretty much dominating save some barley and tobacco there. Feel is warm but never hot, barrel and booze forward but not too much so, smooth and medium bodied, a feat given the scotch barrel treatment.

Look - Pours a dark amber color with a light head that diminishes to a light ring around the edge of the glass.

Smell - Light notes of scotch, fig, date, tobacco, and malt.

Taste - Tastes of fig, date, tobacco, scotch, and malt.

Feel - Perfectly carbonated and nicely smooth. Has a great mouthfeel.

Overall - This is yet another great barleywine from Cellarmaker. They do phenomenal barleywines.

I’m not actually sure if I’ve had a scotch barrel aged beer before, but I trust Cellarmaker to do it right. The biggest beer I’ve had from them so far was also my favorite and was a Munichwine/Barleywine blend, so I have very high hopes for this one. Let’s crack it open and see what it’s all about

Pours an opaque medium brown with just a wispy ring of light tan bubbles that leaves no lacing

The nose shows an incredible depth, though it’s not super scotch-forward. I’m picking up on aromas of burnt caramel, molasses, stewed cherry, brown sugar, toasted oak, golden raisin, smoky tobacco, earthy scotch, red grape, leather, and light fig

Oh yeah, there’s much more scotch to it in taste, creating a nice smoky and earthy back end. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting creme brûlée, charred oak, golden raisin, brown sugar, port wine, black cherry, tobacco, vanilla bean, molasses, light scotch, and walnut. The swallow brings notes of earthy scotch, stewed cherry, poached pear, toffee, charred oak, smoky tobacco, brown sugar, molasses, port wine, walnut, light vanilla, and burnt caramel

A medium body pairs with gentle carbonation, resulting in a rich beer. Finishes surprisingly dry and drinks well below its abv

Cellarmaker is excellent at making big beers like this. I need way more from them

 

Dark tannish brown, cloudy, mild head and lacing. Malty, smoky, boozy, and mossy scents. Taste is tart dark fruit and bittersweet butterscotch, caramel and vanilla flavors, wooden boozy barrel back burn. Medium bodied, dry finish, mildly assertive alcohol presence. I love barrel aged English Barleywines, and this one is a reason why.

 

Courtesy [USER=749253]@Beersnake1[/USER] for another stunner of a beer from Barleywine/Stout BIF # 1.

Simmer Dim, a 14.5% Barleywine from Cellarmaker aged in Highland Park Scotch Barrels. :astonished: Let’s go!

Poured from a 12.7oz bottle into a tulip at slightly cooler than ideal temperature. Pours a murky dark brown/almost black with some mahogany hues when held to the sunlight and almost no head to speak of. Some nice alcohol legs and some creamy, tan fizz around the perimeter of the glass.

Nose is classic Barleywine and fantastic. Sweet caramel, roasty malt, dark ripe cherry, tobacco, leather & oaky Scotch Whiskey barrel. Taste follows with a dark toasted brown sugar, honey, tobacco, oak and whiskey with a smokey, peppery spice and some tannin astringency on the finish. The ABV was somewhat hidden on the nose but is a welcome participant on the taste and coming to the fore as this warms.

This beer coats the entire mouth with a smooth honey feel and more carbonation than advertised in a luscious ride across the palate.

Overall this is a phenomenal Barleywine and the perfect beer for a sub-zero MLK day here in Southern Wisconsin. This year is first time my company has make this a holiday and it may quickly become a favorite. My first Scotch Barrel Aged BW. It is delicious.

Poured from a bottle at fridge temp. Pours black with almost no head. Looks very low on carb. Nose is wonderful. Smooth Scotch, toffee, oak, slight tobacco,

The taste is wonderful. Definitely a sharp Scotch note. Bitter oak, honey, raisins, brown sugar, molasses, burnt toffee, and vanilla. Definitely different than most other barleywines.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied. The aftertaste is Scotch and maple syrup.

I haven't had many Scotch barrel aged beers and as I recall for the most part they have been more American leaning barleywines. While some have been pretty good, the only I loved was Xyauyu Fume (Islay Whisky) from Baladin (decidedly NOT American) and this is right up there with that one.

This is absolutely decadent. Layered sweetnesses of dark honey, lightly charred caramel, European chocolate, light vanilla, faint dates, and so much more make it hard to sip this slowly. There is a light smoke here as well plus floral whisky, oaky tobacco, and hint of something mineral-y. The carbonation is faint while the body is silky smooth and leaves lovely legs down the glass. Magnificent beer, so glad to have tried it. Thanks so much for the opportunity Christine!

Sweet caramel malty, butterscotch, honey, a hint of vanilla, touch of rye spice, and a balanced scotch whiskey barrel nose on this one! Taste follows with a sweet honey and burnt sugar malty, and a smooth scotch boozy finish. This is a great sipper! And, a different but well-executed barleywine!

Poured from a 12.7 oz bottle into a Belgian Libbey glass.

L- Hazy dark brown with a very very thin
head.

S- Ripe stone fruit and dark fig with raisins

T- Bitter orange peel and butterscotch
upfront. Boozy heat gives way to a
burnt sugar and buttery caramel .

F- Quite viscous. Very little carbonation.

O- Wow! I mean wow! You better have
your “big boy “ pants on if you’re going
to enjoy this, and enjoy it you will!