Stone Old Guardian (Vintages 2004 and later)

Early 2008 release. Pours a nice, mostly transparent red with a medium off white head. A nice aroma that is full of malt and some hops and honey. Lots of hops and some malt and got some honey on the taste too. Pretty good.

22oz bottle of the 2007 release. Floral hop aroma. Hazy orange in color with a foamy light yellow head that leaves a nice lace. Strong alcohol, piney, malty flavor. Bitter, dry mouth feel. Very good Barley Wine, one of the hoppier Barley Wines you’ll find. Ages very well, this 2007 might hits it’s peak in a few years still.

From tap. Pours hazy deep orange with a lacing white head. Aroma is dry breadish malty towards wet cardboard. Barley wine fruity too. Flavour is intense overripe fruity with a dry slight roasted malt base. Dense fruity and malty lingering finish with a solid dry and bitterhops flavour.

2004 Vintage. On tap at Stone Brewing World Bistro and Gardens. Pours dark-rich amber and opaque. Nice aroma of rich and complex hops. No real head. Flavor begins spicy and hoppy and finishes with a really nice sweet green apple lingering after taste. There is still a hint of alcohol, but it is subtle and very enjoyable.

On tap at Stone RBSG, 2004 vintage. Cloudy butterscotch with no head. Exceedingly smooth with background alcohol and aged malt. Very caramel-like. So strong and thick... Age did a great deal of good to this. Very tasty!! I could drink this often!! I think this might have been the highlight of the afternoon.

Early 2008 Release. Nice color and piney / sweet aroma. Flavor is not as malty and smooth as thought but has a bite of hops that seem to grow in flavor on your tongue. This beer will taste much better with a little age. As with all Stone Barley Wines I have tried, they are much better in a year or two.

Bottle from early 08 release. Pours a hazy orange/bronze colour with a foamy off-white head. Nice lacing. Aroma of piney hops, sugar and pineapples. Big flavours of both malt and hops with an alcohol bite in the finish. Tastes pretty hot. Decent barley wine, maybe it will better with age.

Early 2006 release, aged over 2 years. Pours a dark, reddish-copper color with a lightly hazy appearance. A spongy, cream colored head leaves nice rings of foamy lace on the glass. Aromatics are that of a classic American barleywine, with sweet caramel and toffee notes being countered by a faded citrus hoppiness and earthy spices. Toffee flavors are joined by a buttery nuttiness, its sweetness balanced out by orangey hops and mildly peppery spicing. Nearly full bodied, smooth, and viscous, the easy going palate makes up for a slight alcohol burn. Overall, this is a very good barleywine that clearly handles aging quite well. I’m a fan.