Stone Old Guardian (Vintages 2004 and later)

2007. 8 oz on tap @ Rattle n Hum. An awesome barley wine. Pours an hued orange golden. Brutal strength but some sweet bitterness keeps you sipping.

Pours hazy dark orange amber and a thick tan head. Aroma has berries, honey, pine, spice, and sweet fruit -peach, pineapple. Incredibly well balanced in taste. The aroma lead me to believe it would be sweet, but I would say that the taste is more bitter that that. It is quite roasty and dynamic also having a pine-like finish. Somewhat is like a thick cough syrup in taste, but not in a bad way.

Bottle and draft. Pours an amber body with an off white head. Amber body with an off white head. Sweet and malty allt he way with a light fruit character but more like liquid caramel and a strong earthy hoppiness, evervescnet and strong like white. I see why people love this but its not for me. This is one brutal bastard on bitterness.

Small white head. Hazy amber body. Papery caramelly malty straw aroma with alcoholic toffee notes. Dry straw, resin, and caramel taste with nutty notes. Fullish body. Some alcohol heat. Dry-hot cocoa and caramel aftertaste with resiny notes. Lots of alcohol. Probably why the notes were kind of hard to read. (0.65l bottle.)

Thanks Daknole. 2009 release. Amber pour with light tan head. Slight sweet aroma with a little alcohol. Malty flavor with some alcohol taste. Dry aftertaste with malty mouthfeel. Very tasty- wish I had another bottle so as to compare with it after a year in my cellar. Nice lacing on the glass. You do feel a little warmth at the end of the bottle.

Bottle. Small off-white, quickly diminishing head. Medium amber body. Hoppy aroma of resin and grapefruit. Hint of cookie. The flavor is moderately sweet and moderately bitter. It finishes lightly to moderately sweet and heavily bitter with a lingering taste of alcohol. Full body with a velvety texture and soft carbonation. Seems way over the top with hops for a barley wine. Why not just drink a super-hopped IPA? Style aside, a good-tasting beer.

Overwhelmingly bitter. Lots of hoppy citrus. Malt characteristics are overpowered. Not at all what I expected from a barley wine and not one I’ll buy again.

Very very very very bitter. I’ve had good barley wines. This is not one of them. for those who appreciate bitter flavors, this is for you. It is very strong you will feel it... does provide a nice flavor burp... but for those who don’t like bitter, your best bet is to throw to back of the mouth... avoid the front of the mouth and you can maintain some enjoyment.