Stone Old Guardian (Vintages 2004 and later)

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

22 oz bomber that we shared at the 2005 beer exchange. I loved this beer! I think that I really like barleywines because this thing floored me, even after drinking a few Alesmiths and other beers on this same night. It is a beautiful copper cherry color with a slight head that obviously laces well with all of the malt blasted into this brew. Caramel nose with dried apricot and peach along with an evident alcohol aroma there as well. I loved the balance for such a high ABV brew. Maybe some honey in the nose as well, but the flavor was great with an alcohol burn that was only slight compared to the fruity caramel flavors that blasted through. Stone rocks! Mouthfeel is silky and creamy with a tremendous body that almost glides down the throat. It’s a good thing that I had to share this one or I could have been in trouble.

2004 Vintage-I don’t think I’ve given many 10’s for flavor before, but this beer hit it for me. Just a nice, well hopped b-wine. I wish I had a few more to age and see how it matures. Next time I’ll buy a case. One of the best beers Stone makes.

Update 4.3.07 Bottle shared with Adamskillin. Much better than before. Yum 2.22.06 Tap at Andy’s for Stone Promo night. Strong, powerful, vinuous, slippery, caramelizations, smoky. That’s all you need to know

Bottle: Excellent aroma of caramel, banana bread, cookie dough, alcohol, and slight hops. Pours a transparent reddish-orange with a white head that diminishes quickly. Pretty much tastes like it smells with more hops in the finish. Real nice caramel and banana bread flavors up front. Alcohol is covered up very well. Moderate hop finish that balances very well with the initial maltiness. This is a very good barley wine. If letting it sit depresses the hop finish, then drink it now because it has a very nice balance to it.

22oz bottle with the standard stone look and gargoyle to ward off all the impurities. Pours a thick and hazy darker orange color with a good sized off white head that almost flowed out of the glass. The head retention was surprisingly good as it stayed about half an inch high through the consumption of this beer and left a nice lacing that slowly fades as you drink it. The nose had sweet malts mingling with citrus hops to form a well-balanced and appetizing aroma. A touch of alcohol comes out as it warms as well. Malty sweetness starts the taste off before the hops takeover to give it a kick. The finish is dry, with a slight hint of warming alcohol and a nice bitterness as well. Very thick mouthfeel that is rich warming and lasting. For a high alcohol beer this is very drinkable remind me of old horizontal how easy it goes down. Excellent stuff defiantly recommended, another top notch brew from stone.

Bottled. Orange brown coloured with an off white head. Aroma of hops, malts, caramel and dried fruits with notes of alcohol. Sweet flavour of dried fruits and lots of hops. Long bitter finish.

2006 edition, bright dark amber color, with a frothy beige head, nice sweet caramelized malt, with a candied orange peels fruitiness, hint of pine, butterscotch and toffeee accents, with a brandy note in the aroma follows through on a full-bodied palate with a sweet caramelized character, notes of toffee and crème brulée, candied oranges and apricots fruitiness, with a piney floral hops accent coat in a caramel english pudding , leading towards a well hidden alcoholic punch and a piney floral hops bitterness finish.

22oz bottle pours a ruby red color thin almost nonexistant head. aroma of port malt barley some darker fruits. taste is very smooth malt hops leaves a dry mouthfeel very good. i wish i had more.