Stone Old Guardian (Vintages 2004 and later)

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

Serve in Snifter

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Insofar as barley wines go (I'm not a huge fan), dare I say this is one of the better ones I've had? Surprisingly transparent brown color with a long living head. Taste is quite sweet malt, with some bitterness and a lot of booziness, which is just a little too much. Nice heat tho. A bit too syrupy as well. My preference is more pseudo Barleywine ala Big Foot, but this one is of the true BWs I've tried one of the better ones. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

11.6% A bottle from Antenna America. The beer pours a gorgeous amber red, with a beige head. A rich sweet malt aroma with some citrus hop notes. It has a thick mouthfeel but the taste is too bitter, this barley wine is too young I think. Some caramel, some pine but it hasn’t become balanced yet, a shame I couldn’t wait longer to open it... I enjoyed the oak aged version more, this one has a quite bitter aftertaste which doesn’t do it for me. If you want a hoppy barleywine rather than a more traditional take on one this will suit you just fine.

2013 edition bomber bottle. Aroma is a good barley wine aroma. The appearance is brown with a lasting tan head. The taste start out sweet and rises to a dry hop finish. Palate is a little off putting. Overall, a dang good barely wine, and one I look forward to trying again since I am aging a bottle as well. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Pours a hazy orange brown color with a small head. Nose is hoppy with predominant citrus and woody pine. Taste is sweet with citrus and moderate bitterness and alcohol. The finish is long, bitter and lingers with fruity alcohol notes. Quaff Score 7 / 10

Pours a muddy brown with a light tan head and aroma of hops and citrus. Taste is bittersweet, massive hops with fruits, citrus, alcohol, and light carmael with a warming, long, dry finish with some alcohol. Complex, delicious barley wine

2006 vintage. Sticky aroma of raisins, figs, caramel malt, brown sugar, and molasses. Sweet, full-body, heavy, and boozy. Smooth, still well carbonated, and a long bitter finish. A bit of oxidation but still holding up very well.

Bottle shared at a local tasting, thanks Matt! Pretty sure this was a 2009 bottle, pours a burnt orange with a thick off white head, the aroma has some good hope notes, more than I was expecting for being 4 years old, the malt and sweetness does come through though, the flavor still has a strong hop front end with a sweet finish though, nice mouthfeel, pretty good stuff.

Bottle. pours golden with a creamy off-white head. Aroma of malt, grains, some floral notes, some herbal notes and grains. Flavor is sweet and malty with some grains, some bitterness, grains, alcohol and dried fruits. Full body, soft carbonation.

22oz bottle. Pours opaque dark copper with hues of red. Aroma of caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, peat, raisin. Flavor is caramel, molasses, raisin, plum, pine, vanilla, alcohol. Sweet up front with an alcohol affront in the middle. The finish is bitter and dry. The alcohol is a bit heavy and overpowering.

Pours rich amber color with off white frothy head. Hop, malt and toffee aromas. Hop, malt and toffee flavor with a hint of alcohol. Very bitter finish. Very tasty.