Stone Old Guardian (Vintages 2004 and later)

Marked as "Limited early 2008 release". Long description on the back of the bottle. Pours like syrup. Aroma is hoppy and barely wine fruity with some alcohol. Off-white head that goes away after a little bit. Really good lacing. Murky pink-orange body. Exceptionally hoppy and strong barely wine (11.26%). Probably a bit too hoppy (certainly for the style, and probably too hoppy for me). Syrupy mouthfeel with light, pleasant carbonation. Very nice alcohol presence.

2007 Bottle. Nose is faded hops and caramel, light fruit notes of peach or apricot, cherries and oak. Light alcohol. Between ruby and orange, what might be called peach-colored with a lot of bubble and a thin but bubbly white head. Smooth and silky, but somewhat bland for a barleywine considering the depth of the nose. Very heavy alcohol in the finish, which is somewhat off-putting, but there is a caramel aftertaste that is redeeming. As the palate adjusts to the alcohol-heavy flavor, some lightly bitter orange notes show up that give a touch of depth.

Light copper pour with almost pastel head and incredible lacing. Aroma was a bit lacking- mostly notes of citrus hops. In terms of drinkability, this brew is incredible. It is rediculouslywell balanced and smooth. The alcoholic content, despite being quite high, was nearly non-existant in the flavors because of this fact, and it made it a pleasure to drink. Flavor was almost overstimulating- very powerful tastes of citrus hops and smooth malts in the perfect proportions. Sticky, almost chewey mouthfeel with a nicely lingering hoppy finish. Big flavors, great balance, and robust character make up this wonderful brew- a definite winner.

The hops really take you by surprise wit this beer...great malt flavor with a lot of hop punch in the foretaste. Sweet fruit and yeast finish the beer smoothly, almost covering the alcohol taste completely.

08...22oz bottle. pours a golden hue with a floral, citrus aroma. Piney, hoppy, fruity citrus flavor and feels almost sticky on the palate. Despite the alcohol content, it was very well hidden in this multi-dimensional brew. Definitely one of my favorites!

2008. This is a really amazing American Barley Wine. Poured with a creamy off white head and a turbid amber appearance...maybe a little too cloudy. The aroma is divinely fruity with sweeping toasty and caramel notes. The citrusy hops blend into a nice chocolatey-orange note to the first few whiffs. Fits the American profile very well. The flavor is intensely malty and bitter. A wonderful note of dried fig and a touch of fresh pear come out with time and temperature. Very creamy and full bodied. I would love to taste this with a few more years under the cap. This is a great barley wine, man; probably one of the best I’ve ever had. Thanks to Cellar Door for suggesting I do this.

2008 Bomber. Pours a dark amber with a thinnish white head that settles down to just a film. Less hops character than other barley wines that I’ve had. The aroma is very malty with a touch of fruit. The taste is big, with a touch of caramel and a slight hops balance. It’s thick and the alcohol is rather well-hidden, and there’s just a touch of it in the flavor, but it lingers a bit too much in the aftertaste.

08 Vintage on draft @ Stone Brewing. Another solid beer from Stone. Loads of malt. The noise is sweet of caramel, a little spice, and a little bit of hops. Flavor is good with caramel malt and a little hops to balance. 11.26% is some strong stuff.