Stone Old Guardian (Vintages 2004 and later)

A glorious translucent amber color, pours a thin quarter inch white head. aroma is very malty and contains hos ints of caramel. If you can get past the ever present boosyness there is a very hoppy malty flavor. the after taste contains hints of vanilla and pepper.

2008 bottle. Pours amber with a thin white head. Very nice malty aroma with a bit of caramel and fruit. Flavor is toasted malt and spices with a grassy hop finish. Alcohol is a bit too prominent. The underlying structure and flavors are there but it just hasnt opened up yet.

2008 bottle: Pours an orange/honey color with a small white head. Aroma is also very strong of honey, some caramel malts and light piney hops. Wow, definitely a hoppy barley wine. The start is smooth and sweet like a light clover honey, with some more herbal stuff going on there in the middle, but the end is all hops. Very plant-like dry flavor and then a long bitter finish. Maybe a little hop heavy for a barley wine but I love hops.

This is one of my favorite beers. Great flavor and palate. the color is typical of a great beer. the head dies down once you let it set for a minute but does not completely disappear. smooth malty finish that has an after note of hops.

on tap at hop devil in manhattan. deep amber pour with off white head. aroma of vinous fruit, spice and floral hops. hops, toasted malts and some dark chocolate on the taste. also cherry, bourbon and vanilla notes. great texture. smooth, long, slightly hot finish. K-7

(2008 Spring Release) Slightly coppery golden color with a medium to thin off-white head. Aromas of caramel - just a touch nutty and bits of orange. Very creamy mouthfeel, somewhat viscous with inital flavors of toffee and caramel, lightly roasty, moving toward a more bitter finish toward the end. Finish is not crisp but with a lingering bittering. This is still a very young barley wine - it should mooth out in another 6-12 months. Maybe will revisit it in a year or so...

Decent barley wine but not a favorite. Aroma, appearance, and palate were all very nice. The flavor was not the finest as the alcohol taste was much more present than in some other barley wines with about the same ABV (i.e., not quite as smooth). Has a fair amount of bitterness. Still did enjoy and would partake again.

2008 limited release, 11.26 abv. I have been wanting to try this for a while and was fortunate to find it at Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, VA. Pours an amber/orange color with a thin head but it sticks around. Aroma is a lot of sweet malt, vanilla, fruity, particularly grapefruit, and a touch of alcohol. This is a wonderful tasting barleywine with many layers adding to it’s complexity. The flavors are sweet malts, sherry, tart cherries, oak, a dark fruit note and finishes off with grapefruit hops. Not a lot of bitterness but some mild alcohol burn and although you know the alcohol is in it the 11.26% hides quite well. A nice representation of the style and a beer that makes for a great evening. 2007 Version, Sampled 5/22/09. This pours a clear amber color with a thick initial foamy head that fades to a thin layer. The aroma is sweet caramel, tangy fruit, plums, resin. Flavor shows sweet caramel and plums along with orange peel and grapefruit. Toffee and sherry is picked up after it sits a bit. Warming, smooth, with a slight bitter finish. A nice sipper but I actually prefer this fresh when it has a bit more of an edge to it. The hops have clearly faded here and I prefer the sharper hop flavor to balance the sweetness. Rating for this bottle would be 4.1. A few adjustments to overall score.