Olde School
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery in Milton, Delaware, United States 🇺🇸
Barley Wine - Barley Rotating Out of Production|
Score
7.27
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Fermented with dates and figs, this smooth barleywine has a unique flavor.
The concept for this beer came from an old cellerman's manual Sam came across (for more on that, check out the video below).
At about 15% ABV, this beer is a great candidate for aging. Over time, the beer dries out and the pit fruit flavors come forward and the hops recede. Our recommendation? Grab a few bottles when you find it -- enjoy one now, and age the others for a bit. Let us know which you prefer!
For more on the Olde School Barleywine (and our potential Olympic bid... yeah, there really is no connection, but it is in here anyway!), check out our Quick Sip Clip.
The concept for this beer came from an old cellerman's manual Sam came across (for more on that, check out the video below).
At about 15% ABV, this beer is a great candidate for aging. Over time, the beer dries out and the pit fruit flavors come forward and the hops recede. Our recommendation? Grab a few bottles when you find it -- enjoy one now, and age the others for a bit. Let us know which you prefer!
For more on the Olde School Barleywine (and our potential Olympic bid... yeah, there really is no connection, but it is in here anyway!), check out our Quick Sip Clip.
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4.6/10
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Appearance 5
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 5
Overall 18
The Nose is complex, as you would hope at the alcohol level -- apricots, prunes, brown sugar, a shave of chocolate, a medicinal effect and dark fruit are featured. The body is rich and dense, with taste highlights including, caramel, butterscotch, massive amounts of dark fruit, prunes, dates and apricots, sweet bready malt, scotch whiskey and a Dogfish-head-traditional hint of vanilla. Some fruity hop underpinning. A lovely soft carbonation allows the taste to come forward. Well rounded and integrated. As the beer approaches room temperature, the Caramel and the hop bite step forward. Love big beers that morph with temperature! In the conversation for the best large beer I have ever sampled.
Tried
on 23 Sep 2025
at 19:59
7.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7
Reddish murky amber. Small thin white head. Figs and plums and cedar and caramel and apricot. Dates fruits booze wood nd burn.
Tried
on 20 May 2025
at 01:08
7.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
thanks to mcbackus for the bottle!
pours a dark amber/brown. After a hard pour, i got a tiny biege head that disapeared quickly. Aroma is super malty with notes of caramel, figs, and alcohol. Flavour is again, VERY malty, and the figs flavour is really there, and quite enjoyable. The finishis quick, and boozy, and warms all the way down. Its an enjoyable sipper now, but it could really benefit from a few years in the cellar.
pours a dark amber/brown. After a hard pour, i got a tiny biege head that disapeared quickly. Aroma is super malty with notes of caramel, figs, and alcohol. Flavour is again, VERY malty, and the figs flavour is really there, and quite enjoyable. The finishis quick, and boozy, and warms all the way down. Its an enjoyable sipper now, but it could really benefit from a few years in the cellar.
Tried
from Bottle
on 27 Feb 2025
at 12:14
4/10
Oh god. It's rubbing alcohol.
Tried
on 13 Dec 2024
at 16:55
7.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
Notes from April 2011 An approachable 32oz growler fill from New Beer. ;) Baby Duvel tulip. Gorgeous, clear, cherry/amber color. Just a faint wispy ring of off-white head. Smell is cherry pits upfront, followed by toasted malt & orange oil. Ugly aerosols soon follow. Mildly sweet, slightly caramelized malt. A woody/barky note. Appropriate oxidation I think. Soapy, more so then rindy hops. Light sour cherry & notes of fruit peel. Bitter, dried out finish helps me endure till the end. Slightly, slightly syrupy, but lots of carbonation & bitterness to keep things flowing. Not terribly difficult for the quoted 15%ABV, but it doesn't feel that far off. No warming effect. I'd guess 12%, based on DFH's notoriety for being inaccurate. It's missing that extra note, but it feels & drinks much better then most other American barleywines in my opinion.
Tried
from Growler
on 01 Nov 2024
at 01:09
7.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Sampled at a tasters choice get together on 11/19/2023. A big thanks to whomever shared this.
Tried
on 26 Nov 2023
at 19:27
7/10
A dark reddish amber barleywine with a thin lacing off white head. In aroma, sweet fruity caramel malt with dark fruits, licorice, alcohol warmth, light oxydation. In mouth, sweet fruity caramel malt with dark fruits, licorice, alcohol warmth, very nice for a 9 years old ale.
Tried
on 01 May 2021
at 02:19
7/10
bottle at home.. may 2020... 2007 vintage... copper.. thin tan lacing lacing... soft Caramel toffee malts nose.. rich buggy woody malts.. rich roast.. warming malts.. Light sharp buggyness
Tried
from Bottle
on 14 Jun 2020
at 14:11
7/10
Tried
from Draft
on 26 Oct 2019
at 13:30
3.2/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 3
Flavor 2
Texture 10
Overall 1
Pours with a malt-like aroma and a thin head. Very harsh taste, difficult to describe. Palate is complex. Worth trying but not exactly my favorite beer. The high ABV is easily apparent.
Tried
on 10 Apr 2018
at 02:42