Driftwood Brewery

Microbrewery in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦
Associated Venue: Driftwood Brewery

Established in 2008

Contact
102-450 Hillside Ave, Victoria, V8T 1Y7, Canada
Description
Distinct and local, at Driftwood Brewery, we aspire to create a unique profile in every beer we make. And, from the moment we sold our first keg, we’ve upheld a commitment to never cut corners on quality, character or style.

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7.8/10 Appearance 10 Aroma 6 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 8

2018-01-22, bottle from Legacy, Vancouver, 5 years old, 8-4-8-4-16=40
Dark caramel, burn sugar and darks malts, strong elements in the aroma and flavor, nice fruit touch from the malts, the bourbon is barely noticeable, there are minor signs of oxidization.
Beautiful.

2017-04-24, bottle from Legacy Liquor Store, Vancouver, 5 years old, 7-5-8-4-16=40
Aroma of malts, caramel, some oak barrel, hint of cardboard. Juicy malts, fudge, some chocolate, hints of bourbon, leading to a warm alcohol final.
Big nutty boozer.

2012-12-24, bottle from Legacy Liquor Store, Vancouver, 6-5-8-4-16=39
So, the guys at Driftwood have traveled and discovered that with wax all over the cap of the bottle they can seriously annoy the customers. The color is dark mahogany, with small compact head, and nice lace. Mild aroma of caramel and apple peel, unexpected and weird. Very good caramel and malt flavor, with a touch of chocolate; full bodied, with a good amount of sweetness but not thick or syrupy; some fruity impression (it becomes more evident if the beer is paired with salty and savory food); there is a pleasant alcohol kick, more evident that the light Bourbon vanilla touch; mild nuttiness in the end, and more alcohol.
Good beer, but less good than the original, and not very elegant with all that booze. Mixed feelings…
Tried from Bottle on 01 Jan 2013 at 23:47

7.1/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 8 Texture 4 Overall 7.5
Great sourness though the palate can be a little sweet. Looks darker like a Rodenbach but with more carbonation. A little Dunkel-style stuff in there too. What can I say, I rarely have a sour ale I hate, and this is a pretty good one.
Tried from Can on 31 Dec 2012 at 14:31

6.4/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 6 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 5.5
Many gave high marks for this one but I found the hops to be a bit too citrus-y if that’s a word. Nice head and a bright orange body, the intended layers of hops don’t mingle as well as I hoped they would. Still a highly drinkable brew but I don’t think it’s the amazing beer many say it is.
Tried on 28 Dec 2012 at 22:06

7.6/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 9 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 7.5
Bottle - Light citrus and grass, pleasantly sweet. Clear light orange, light foamy white head. Nice hoppy and lightly bitter ale. Sessionable and very flavourful.
Tried from Bottle on 20 Dec 2012 at 17:01

9.1/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 10 Flavor 9 Texture 8 Overall 9.5
650 ml bottle. 2012 vintage. Pours a dark red/mahogany with almost no head. Aromas of brown sugar, oak, dark cherries, and deep roasted malt. Wow. Incredible balance for a young barley wine. Warm and full. OK very warm with definite alcohol burn. Sweet. Flavors of toffee, plums/cherries, oak/beech, and toasted malts. Beer liquor. Excellent. Can’t wait to see how it cellars.
Tried from Bottle on 17 Dec 2012 at 22:40

7.9/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 8.5
Bottle (Großes Dankeschön nach Garching!!!): Deep golden, a bit unclear, stable creamy off-white head, flowery and distinctive piney hoppy nose; creamy MF, moderate to solid bitter-sweet flavour; lingering and well balanced piney-hoppy and caramalty finish. Great stuff...
Tried from Bottle on 03 Dec 2012 at 22:51

6.4/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 6.5
650mL bottle, pours a cloudy dark amber with a medium foamy off-white head. Aroma gives off lots of Belgian yeast, subdued sour fruits, and various spices - noticeable acidity in there. Flavour brings out tart deep dark fruits, with brown sugar, loads of Belgian yeast, and a medium acidity. The acidity becomes more pronounced further back in the mouthfeel. The tartness isn't that overbearing, as the sweet malts are fairly heavy, but the malt heaviness is off-set by the high carbonation and acidity. Decent stuff overall, but no where near Driftwood's best.
Tried from Bottle on 23 Nov 2012 at 22:28

7.5/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 6 Overall 7
Bottle: Poured a pitch-black color stout with a large dark brown foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of medium bourbon notes with some woody notes and light vanilla with some medium dry roasted malt with light dry notes. Taste is a mix between some bourbon notes with some light vanilla and dry roasted malt with dry black chocolate notes. Body is quite full with a nice creamy texture and good carbonation. Not the most complex beer out there and not enough vanilla and woody notes to satisfy me but still very enjoyable nonetheless.
Tried from Bottle on 21 Nov 2012 at 12:35

7.8/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 8
Bottle shared from Deanso. Pours clear amber with a thick off white head. Aroma of grass, citrus and grapefruit, very fresh. Flavour is light to medium sweet and moderate bitter. Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Tried from Bottle on 04 Nov 2012 at 07:22

7.3/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 8 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 7
66cl bottle via a friend, shared with Kermis. Thick white head. Citrus aroma. Lovely citrus bitterness. Hazy blond pour
Tried from Bottle on 04 Nov 2012 at 07:19