Stone Bourbon Barrel Old Guardian Barley Wine

Brewed by Stone Brewing Co.
Style: Barley Wine
Escondido, California USA

~RBSG ’08~

On draft at Stone. Pours a ruddy brownish red color, with a fuzzy white head and minimal lacing. Aroma is spicy, with bourbon, some chocolate, and subdued caramel. Flavor has a nice feel to it, with caramel, some chocolate, sweet malts, subdued hops, and an interesting liquor element. Surprisingly crisp. Bitter, sticky body. Slides right down the throat easily, and considering what this beer is made of, is fairly impressive.

What a nose! Huge aroma of bourbon, vanilla, oak and dried fruits. The flavor tags right along with the nose in complexity and fullness. A bit hot and biting, but coating on the palate. Finish is a bit hot.

Draft at Stone Bistro for RBSG, 2006 vintage. My pour was a deep brown, much darker than the regular OG. Aroma of rich malts, vanilla, and oak. Flavor of dark caramel, molasses and vanilla countered by a nicely balance bitterness. Finish has a hint of wood, and is not too hot or bitey. Nice use of the barrel and has aged well.

Tasted at brewery for RBSG. This was a really amazing beer. Nice copper red with creamy tan head. Bourbon, spice, and caramel aroma. Smooth buttery palate. Bourbon, vanilla, caramel, spice, toffee, and oak taste.

Stone RBSG luncheon. Pours orange with an off white head. Nose is sweet and amazing with a lot of sweet bourbon. Taste is really good very sweet and very nice.

On tap at Stone’s RBSG incredible luncheon. Cloudy orange amber color. Nice small bubble head. Medium carbonation. Malty sweet aroma. Mellow flavor. Sweet. Tiny bit of alcohol bite. Delicious.

(bottle) This barley wine has an orange copper body with a small beige head. The aroma is very sweet and spicy that somehow seems to fill the room with its floral bouquet. The alcohol and bourbon notes as there, as well. The first thing I notice when taking a sip is how creamy, soft, and full bodied the beer feels. Sweetness and alcohol are apparent upfront, but it finishes very dry with some hop bitterness and some alcohol burn. Don’t have much experience with barley wine, but this was really quite good and much better than which ever barley wines I have had before.

Had this beer on draft at Mad Mex in Oakland. Excellent spicy version versus my standard Old Horizontal. Very modest head, cloudy, sweet but nice balance with salittle Stone finish. The alcohol does not dominate and carbonation is just right.