Stone Old Guardian (Vintages 2004 and later)

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

Bottle 2009 Love this stuff! Pours a rather cloudy orange with a rather thin head and practically no lace. First sip was sorta malty and i at first thought mellow... Whew what happens! the bite comes on! Its great! but it’s a build up. It’s like the bitterness layers on your tongue and sticks around or something one of the best barley wines around! Bitter style!

Bottle 2007. My first attempt at aging. Pours clear amber with moderate off white head. Aroma is caramel sweetness with floral hops and grapefruit. The hops have mellowed nicely. The first flavor is caramel/port wine with raisins and plum. Very sweet and palatable. The hops come through at the back with a strong bite which mellows as you drink. Alcohol is well hidden. I was nervous that this wasn’t going to make it a year in less than ideal aging conditions, but it was great.

Pours opaque amber with a thin cream-colored head, good lacing. Smells of barley, grass, alcohol, plum and pine. Tastes of dough, caramel, hay and pine. Has a delicious lasting bitter aftertaste. Well balanced.

Bottle. Poured a medium cloudy honey color. Aroma is of strong alcohol, hops, and caramel. This is a very aggressive beer. This is the kind of beer that goes around giving other beers wedgies and stealing their lunch money. The first sip was an assault on my senses. Alcohol is very pronounced as it burns the mouth. Once my taste buds were numb I could taste the overall sweetness the hops and caramel. Don’t expect a shy balanced beer, this one is a kick in the teeth.

Hazy orange pour with a thin white head. Seemed thick pouring it out. Strong aroma of hops and citrus. Thick texture and mouth feel. Real nice hops and citrus flavor initially with the bitterness and alcohol hitting at the finish.

Great barley wine. Almost like a kick in the balls but one that I liked. Great robust flavor and smooth on the palate.

Bottle 2009 vintage. Pours hazy, orange-gold, with a thin white head. Aroma of cereal, and hops but kind of faint. Flavor is very hoppy, citrus, pine, grass definitely overpowers the malt. Chewy, bitter, with a strong kick in the aftertaste. Definitely a silent killer.

Double dry-hopped version, draught @ Abraxas. Nice hazy orange-red. Great earthy hop aroma, and the hops come through nice and bright but body is too thick, sweet and syrupy for me.