Stone Old Guardian (Vintages 2004 and later)

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

Nice body! Deep red to very light brown in color with minimal head (just right for a Barley Wine). Nose is extremely sweet (first whiff reminded me of cotton candy), with hints of fruit (definitely put in a snifter as recommended). Taste is quite surprising. A lot dryer then expected with a kick of liquor as it warms its way down the throat. Creates a great moutfeel as it softly caresses the palate (not to strong in any particular area). Wish I had this one when it was colder. Gotta love Stone! I know I do.

A great copper amber clear color. A nice mode white head. A very strong licorice aroma, sweet and strawberry. very nice indeed. A very bitter hoppy feel, deep roots of trees are there. Very, very hoppy. I like it, its a solid deep body without the natural licorice comparison, i like it, cause it stand on its own two feet. Alot of hopps, but a sick ass background to back it up.

Clear amber color with a small beige head. Aroma is sweet, malty, caramel, fruit and hops. Flavor of caramel malt and hops. Finish is long with a tangy hop bitterness.

Clear burnt orange color with an off white head. Fruity aromas with hints of malts and butterscotch. Sticky to syrupy mouthfeel. Thick and rich. Very malty and very smooth with cherry and toffee characteristics. Nice aftertaste with little alcohol burn present. Really tasty and very smooth once it opens up.

Hazy, golden red body with a creamy, white head. Fruity sweet aroma full of citrus, tart berries, pine sap, caramel, a touch of toffee and a little warming alcohol. The body is fairly moderate in thickness but has small, tight bubbles that stick to the glass. Good flavors that start sweet with the malt before becoming intensely bitter. Hoppy as hell that finishes with a bitterness that really makes the tongue curl. Alcohol makes its way into the finish to warm the ming, body and soul. Another strong Barley Wine from the folks in San Marcos.

Not quite as good as last year’s version but I liked it well enough. Pours golden orange with a thick off-white head. Nice lacing through the entire glass. The aroma is big on malt, along with some hops, butter and alcohol. Rich-bodied and smooth despite the bitter hops and borderline harsh alcohol. There are also malt and grapefuit flavors in the mix. Despite being a little rough this is a good Barley Wine.

On Draft. Very nice orangish amber, aroma has some sweetness but is quite hoppy. Malt levels may be light for the style; has some acidic candied fruit character that you can discern before the hops kicks in and takes over. Hides the abv well, quite drinkable and much much better as it warms.

Beautiful old brass door knob color. A big thick head and thick sheets of lace stick to the sides of the glass like cobwebs. In the nose, huge, rich caramel malts, slight grapefruit rind hop notes, distant baked apples and oak-barrelled alcohol. Bursts of flavor on the tongue and even the sides of my mouth and all the way down. Big doughy, caramel and fancy orange liquor flavors are immediate. Dry burning hops, more soft warming alcohol, and slight woodiness in the finish. caramel and alcohol warm on the way down and in the aftertaste. Side by side with the ’03, this is stronger in firey alcohol but a little lighter in malts and hops.