Stone Old Guardian (Vintages 2004 and later)

Surprised that I haven’t rated this one yet. Probably in my top 5 barleywines. The aroma is second to none, and the overall flavor and smooth drinkability make this one dangerous brew. It’s a big beer, so Its a rare treat for me, but if I could, I would drink the O.G. everyday.

mmm, bottle- warm, spicey, lightly buttery, slightly sour, and a touch of bitter hop. This one went down easily...very nice brew.

2007 vintage bomber courtesy of HogTownHarry. Been looking forward to this for quite some time. Pours out a medium tangerine/chestnut. A little hazy. Head is a cream colour and very plentiful, eventually disapating to soapy lacing. Aroma is piney hops, booze and sweet bread. Flavour- wow- a stong beverage indeed. Waves of warming liquid cascade through my mouth. The booze hits home quickly, but is offset by a hammer of piney hops and a caramel malt truck. Very bitter finish that dries the mouth. I can see how this benefits from laying down for a while. Its quite sharp even with a few months under its belt. A true American west coast barleywine. Its brash, but that’s what I was hoping for. Mouthfeel is actually light compared to what I thought it would be. Given the malt in this sucker, that it quite the feat. Not a sticky sweet mess at all- if anything leans on the dry and boozy side.

Bomber 2006. Aroma is a boatload of fine malt, some courageous hops backing this up, clear garnet, pours a small tan head, a little lace. Flavour is a hefty malt start, hops bitterness is present, treacle, caramel, toffee, butterscotch, with some woody, nuttiness as well. Full bodied, complex, bitter, warming, the alcohol is interwoven with all the other tastes and textures to create one of the best tasting beers I’ve had the pleasure of drinking in a very long while. Marvellous! Thank You so much HogTownHarry!!

07 Poured from a bomber. Poured a deep amber-orange color with a thin head that diminished to a ring. Aroma of malt and fruit, with some hops peaking through. Nice initial malt hit with fruity citrus undertones. Nice carbonation and mouthfeel accentuate the flavor. Somewhat bitter hop finish that lingers a while.

Name: Old Guardian
Date: April 19, 2004
Mode: Bottle
Source: Whole Foods Market, DC
Vintage: 2004
Appearance: clear dark amber, fine white head
Aroma: nice floral and citrus aroma
Body: incredable soft and creamy body
Flavor: big hop flavor well balanced on a nice sweet carmel base, long esb bitter finish
Overall: like a really big really nice esb

Name: Old Guardian
Date: April 17, 2005
Mode: bottle
Vintage: 2004
Appearance: big strong earthy hop aroma with lots of sweet fruity essence
Aroma: lots of sweet fruity malt flavor, nice bitterness, the fruity character is coming out really nice after only one year, the hops have backed off to aroma and nice bitterness
Overall: still a very nice creamy esb, but now with added fruity character

Name: Old Guardian
Date: January 06, 2007
Mode: bottle
Source: blind tasting
Vintage: 2004
Score: 3.2
Appearance: muddy orange, wispy white head
Aroma: sweet fruity bitter malt aroma
Flavor: nice fruity malt flavor balanced by earthy hops, light alcohol essence

Name: Old Guardian
Date: February 01, 2007
Mode: bottle
Source: Ale Atlanta
Vintage: 2004
Body: body is thining out
Flavor: picking up some oxidation in the malt flavor

Name: Old Guardian
Date: September 06, 2008
Mode: bottle
Source: vertical tasting
Vintage: 2004
Appearance: hazy amber, wispy beige head
Aroma: sweet caramel and crystal aroma
Flavor: sweet caramel and crystal flavor, touch of fruityness, plenty of balancing lo

Early 2007 release: Pours a beautiful tawny amber color with a small off-white head that quickly disipates to little more than a thin line around the top of the glass. The aroma is muddled with notes of sweet apples and mild, mild hop floral notes. The flavor is incredibly well balanced. There are notes of creme brulee, raisins, stewed fruits, and a strong bitter note from the hops without any floral or spicy hop notes. There is remarkably little alcohol burn for such a huge beer. The 6 months of age that are on this bottle most evidently smoothed out the heat from the alcohol and the bitterness of the hops. Fabulous barleywine... poor beer for August... but will be excellent in 6 more months.

this barley wine is delicious a deep ruby red color with a decent finger and a half sized head desipates quite fast. not alot of an aroma but gives of a slight malty hoppy one at that, smooth sweet caramel and malt taste with an alcohol warmth as it goes down