Stone Old Guardian (Vintages 2004 and later)

Pours a dirty golden color with some particulate, and a light soapy head. Aroma is dirty hop, slight citrus, and some soapiness. Tastes about the same. Taste is really astringent and soapy. It’s like a bad IPA.

2009 22oz bomber; This beer is perhaps the best offering from Stone. I dare to say that it is in fact better than the Double Bastard, if only slightly. People are saying that the hops overpower the malt, but I feel that it is almost perfectly balanced. More akin to a East Coast DIPA than a Barleywine. Heck of a deal at $4.20 a bottle. Drink and enjoy, this is a masterpiece by any measure.

bottle 22oz: 2009 release: Poured a murky amber with a small head. Hops smells with grapefruti and pine. Tasted sweet and malty with extreme hop flavor and bitterness. Lasting bitterness...long lasting! Medium body. Overall really enjoyed and would not mind letting one of these age and try later.

ridiculous.....epic bitterness, great hops, 11% barleywine...have a 22oz cellared!

22oz bottle, 2009 release. Pours golden amber with a small head. Smell of malts and alcohol. Flavor is characteristically malty at first, but then the bitter hops dominate on the way down. Spicy with dark and citrus fruit. Alcohol is well hidden. Some aging would balance the bitter flavor profile, but it’s very good fresh.

tasting at lake las vegas..massive barley wine!! reddish beer with tan head..super hoppy and bitter throughout

2008 Bottle thanks to TikiE. Pours a red amber beer with a beigh head. Flavor is super hoppy and bitter. Pine citrus and hops is overly done, very good but a crazy one.

On draft at Teresa’s. 2007 vintage. Poured hazy orange in a tulip glass that left some solid lacing. Flavor of sweet caramel that evolved into a strong citrus bite. Lots of bittering citrus to finish. Spicy, peppery tones as well. Nice alcohol bite.