Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine Style Ale 2008 - Stone Brewing Co.

Baileyuk

Michigan

4.22/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Another beer from Uptown from the Stone launch party. Again I left my notes behind from this one so I am going off memory altough it was within a day.

Color was a fairly light amber, some cloudiness. Head was reduced. The lacing around where the head was superb, the further down it went the weaker it got very quickly. After about 1 third there was no lacing.

Smell had a hoppy aroma but not overpowering. There was a sweet alcohol smell that was more dominant.

Some resiny hops. Tasted very much like pineapple. I think this is the sensation I get from Molasses (still a theory right now). Very pleasant and very drinkable. Was definately heavy with the alcohol content. However I could have done another, it was always a pleasure drinking it. Could definately feel it though!

Serving type: on-tap

11-09-2008 03:17:49 | More by Baileyuk

InspectorBob

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -2%

05-23-2013 20:28:37 | More by InspectorBob

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%

05-13-2013 22:30:31 | More by mikeincharleston

cadaugherty

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%

05-07-2013 23:21:35 | More by cadaugherty

mctizzz

New York

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%

04-15-2013 05:31:24 | More by mctizzz

jvillefan

California

4.5/5  rDev +10.3%

04-06-2013 23:50:28 | More by jvillefan

t0rin0

California

4/5  rDev -2%

02-25-2013 02:22:15 | More by t0rin0

tilopud_rye

4.71/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Got this February 2013 in a nice bottle. Right as it's opened the smell pops out and fills the surrounding air. A very sweet smell- caramel and toffee backed by a hint of alcohol. Hazy copper liquid with the thinnest rim of bubbles circling and clinging to the edges of the glass. Taste is great flavor of dominant toffee with caramel backed by subdued bitter hops and warm alcohol. The hops carry that strong bitterness many stone beers but the aging of this puts that bitterness more as an undertone. The aftertaste is quite fun as the hoppy bitterness sticks to the mouth while the alchohol and sweet flavors can be felt streaming down the throat. 2nd glass from the bottle tastes more bread notes that really balances the overall delivery as initially it is very sweet. Hope to run into another aged bottle someday.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 11:19:10 | More by tilopud_rye

Amalak

New York

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%

11-27-2012 21:59:22 | More by Amalak

hpthebull

California

4.5/5  rDev +10.3%

10-12-2012 21:31:04 | More by hpthebull

Nickfellow007

Rhode Island

5/5  rDev +22.5%

08-14-2012 20:38:09 | More by Nickfellow007

RyanGoodman

Bolivia

4.75/5  rDev +16.4%

07-10-2012 23:44:29 | More by RyanGoodman

trancesk8er

California

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%

06-09-2012 04:21:25 | More by trancesk8er

cowboy83

New York

4.5/5  rDev +10.3%

06-06-2012 15:32:29 | More by cowboy83

ArchitectBrewCo

California

4/5  rDev -2%

06-05-2012 06:35:39 | More by ArchitectBrewCo

ScottyC54

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -2%

03-17-2012 16:59:16 | More by ScottyC54

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap at Mugs Alehouse in Brooklyn, NY

A: Pours a slightly hazy golden orange in color with a thin off-white head. The head reduces to a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate lacing is observed.

S: Lots of very sweet malts with caramel and toffee notes. Also, there are some subtle pine hops present as well.

T: Very sweet with a lingering pine bitterness in the finish. Caramel and toffee notes upfront with intense pine hops in the finish.

M: Medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Slightly sticky.

O: This beer tastes great with some age on it. After having both this beer and the 2012 version of it this week, I much prefer the 2008 with the age on it. Very nice sipping beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-12-2012 02:34:19 | More by dbrauneis

metter98

New York

4/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The beer is very hazy copper in color. It poured with a ring of beige bubbles around the edge of the glass and lacing covering the surface.
S: There are aromas of citrusy hops in the nose along with notes of caramel malts.
T: The taste has flavors of caramel malts with some malty sweetness and a light amount of bitterness.
M: It feels medium- to full-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation. There is some warming from the alcohol.
O: This beer ages well as it develops some complexities in the taste and seems to be a bit smoother. It has an excellent balance between the malts and hops.

Serving type: on-tap

03-12-2012 02:11:33 | More by metter98

nrs207

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22 ounce bottle poured into a tulip. No idea how this was aged. I picked it up from a bottle shop a couple weeks ago.

A - Beatiful cloudy dark orange color. Half a finger of off white head. Doesn't leave a lot of lacing.

S - Dark, sweet fruits. A little bit of hop character remains after 4 years, but if it was there originally it's certainly in the background now. The 11.26% abv is nowhere to be found. Just a touch remains, but for such a high abv, it's basically non-existent.

T - More of the same. There's just a hint of alcohol, but the taste is dominated by sweet and dark fruit. They blend together really well. After 4 years, this is just a big bready, caramel, and fruit dominated beer. I really enjoy what it's like now. I've never had such an old beer, but the alcohol character barely being there amazed me. It stepped aside to let the flavor of this beer come out, and I really loved the flavor.

M - So smooth and absolutely no alcohol. Definitely still a sipper. It's a big beer no doubt.

O - I really enjoyed this beer. It's not my favorite style, but it was a really nice step away from the usual. I have to give credit where it's due, and they really made this to stand up to years on a shelf. I'll be going to grab some more of this soon. If you can find it, I'd recommend doing the same.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2012 01:21:38 | More by nrs207

claytong

Vermont

4.5/5  rDev +10.3%

02-22-2012 05:52:09 | More by claytong

cynical1027

Ohio

4/5  rDev -2%

02-21-2012 00:53:26 | More by cynical1027

superspak

Michigan

4.43/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22 ounce bottle into snifter, 2008 vintage, so almost exactly 4 years old now. Pours hazy reddish orange color with a small 1 finger khaki head with good retention that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Some spotty lacing on the glass. Aromas of big orange, banana, caramel, biscuit, herbal spiciness, toasted malt, pepper, dark fruit, and molasses. Fantastic well balanced aromas with good complexity. Taste of big orange, pepper, herbal spiciness, caramel, molasses, biscuit, banana, raisin, pine, and toasted malt. A fair amount of bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of citrus, pine, caramel, molasses, and herbal spiciness on the finish for a while. Great overall balance of flavors that blend together nicely. Medium carbonation and fairly full bodied; with a very creamy and slick mouthfeel. Alcohol is incredibly well hidden, with only a warming after the finish noticed. Very smooth for a barleywine, but it is still a sipper. Overall this is a fantastic barleywine at 4 years old. Incredibly balanced, complex, and not boozy at all.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 04:29:59 | More by superspak

bearisprime

California

4/5  rDev -2%

02-08-2012 22:45:10 | More by bearisprime

krabriter

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +10.3%

01-28-2012 01:08:02 | More by krabriter

Fermenticusrex

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Stone old guardian 2008 vintage
Poured from 22 oz bottle into mad elf tulip
Appearence hazy copper/orange
Smell lots of sweet malt and raisins
Taste sweet malt, raisins, caramel, bitter orange peel, pepper
Mouthfeel thick and syrupy, high carbonation helps balance
Overall nice barley wine aged well, would have like to try it fresh but can't travel back in time.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 00:27:46 | More by Fermenticusrex