Written By Colin Hynes Beer & Cider / Libations Mar 5, 2015 Driftwood Cellar Dweller SHARE VIA: Facebook Twitter PinterestThis time last year I decided to embark on a quest. Not quite as difficult as discovering the northwest passage, but a quest for me nonetheless. I was going to start a “beer cellar” and write an article every year to see how the beers aged. I got to work doing research on proper storage techniques, how beer should taste and what off-flavours may present themselves as the beer progressed in time. I needed to find a beer that aged well though. Living in Victoria I had the perfect candidate at my disposal: Driftwood’s Cellar Dweller Barley Wine. This is a beer that is meant for aging.I gave Jason at Driftwood Brewery a ring, and explained what I was thinking of doing and to find out his thoughts on the subject. He responded with delight “we are already are sort-of doing that in house! We cracked open a 2013, a 2012, and a 2011 [remember, I had this conversation last year] at our christmas party. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to try each consecutively in a sit down setting.”Sometime over the next couple of days I went down to Driftwood and grabbed some bottles to start this adventure with.A note about storing beer.Beer should be stored upright – regardless of if it has a metal cap or a cork. Beer should be sheilded from as much light as possible (even in a paper bag is better than nothing) Where it is stored should have a temperature that’s best for the style of beer: strong beers (barleywine, tripels etc,) should be left around room temperature (15°C). Standard ales (IPA, lambic, stouts) should sit around cellar temperature (10°C). Any lighter beers (lager, pilsner, milds) are best kept near refrigerator temperature (7°C)Want the long and in-depth version of beer storage? Read this: Beer Advocate.I tried a bottle last year, and judging from my notes, I liked it. Although, the further into the bottle I got the more the notes read “good, yar! GOOD.” Apparently I speak pirate the more I drink.The 2014 version of Cellar Dweller is slightly sweet, has aromas of dried fruit, and has a nice reddish tone (that came out well in the photos!).Soon, I will pick up a couple of bottles of the 2016 vintage, and try another bottle of the 2014 and report back on how it has changed from last year. I am excited to keep trying these every year until my cellar runs out, but hopefully by then I can have something new to try, or my cellar will be so full that I will be overwhelmed with choice. SHARE VIA: Facebook Twitter Pinterest Written By: Colin Hynes Colin is the Assistant Editor at EAT. You can contact him via colin@eatmagazine.ca. Colin was born in Nova Scotia and spent his first five years there. His mother and father owned an inn and restaurant and Colin spent his time ... Read More You may also like Beer / Beer & Cider / Drink / Events March 2, 2020 Victoria Beer Week March 6 – 14 Victoria Beer Week returns March 6-14 with 19 different events held in venues around Victoria. This 7th annual festival of craft beer offers ... Read More Beer & Cider / Events / Food Events / Places / Victoria November 17, 2019 Canoe Brewpub’s Eighth Annual Winterbrau Festival 2019 Beer brewers from across the island and the lower mainland gathered in the lofty wooden halls of Canoe Brewpub over November 9 and 10 for the eighth ... Read More Beer & Cider / Beer Dinners / Events / Food Events / Wineries & Breweries August 30, 2019 A Categorically Great Meal Saanich Brewery Category 12’s ‘Brewmaster’s Dinner’ Marries Wildcraft With Craft-Beer It was somewhere at the beginning of the ... Read More Beer / Beer & Cider / Drink / First Look / Places / Press Release / Wineries & Breweries July 25, 2019 There’s a New Buoy in Town Whistle Buoy Brewing Company, a locally owned craft brewery and taproom, is now open in Historic Market Square, Victoria. Whistle Buoy Brewing ... Read More Beer / Beer & Cider / Events / Press Release July 24, 2019 Great Canadian Beer Festival The line-up is set and the tickets are on sale. The Great Canadian Beer Festival will return to Royal Athletic Park in Victoria, BC, on Friday, ... Read More Beer / Beer & Cider / Drink / Events / Victoria March 24, 2019 A New Beer Society in Town Victoria Beer Week launched its sixth annual festival earlier this month, which ran from March 1-9. In addition to the festival returning for another ... Read More Comments are closed.
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