Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine Style Ale 2009 - Stone Brewing Co.

AmitC

Indiana

4.59/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A pure bliss of a bottle.

Got this in lieu of 3-12 fl oz Hopslams.

Poured from 22 oz bomber into large snifter glass. Very clear, deep amber color with great ruby hues. Still has a lot of carbonation for a 2009. Some bubbles are seen rising up slowly. Very less, thin layered head from the first half pour. Tan colored and does not stay. Excellent stickiness shown by the side laces with each sip.

Aroma is huge. Smells a lot like old ale. Some very obvious malt-hop presence upfront. A little bit boozy as well. Smells fills the nose from a feet away once you open the bottle. Hops shine along with a lot of malt but do not have a distinct presence of their own.

Taste is all malt and boozy. This one is heck of drink, Alcohol has not mellowed down much i would suppose or it would have been hell boozy when fresh. Bitterness is still there. In fact a lot of it. A little bit of toffee flavor and a lot of caramel flavor dominate the taste. An excellent blend of malts and hops is what barley wines are all about. I like it very much. Finish is bitter to very bitter.

Mouth feel is medium to slightly full. A lot of oily and resiny touch. A very good warmth when drinking this. A lot of booze and might appear astringent to some.

Strong and drinking nice.

I love it.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 01:25:19 | More by AmitC

draheim

Washington

4.1/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a snifter. Pours a clear honey amber w/ a 1-finger head, a few bubbles rising from the bottom.

Aroma is clean sweet rich caramel malt, toffee, vanilla, fermented dates, dried apricots, brown sugar. Sweet, savory, complex. Gets more nutty and fruity as it warms.

Taste is sharply bitter and sticky sweet. Caramel, toffee, mushy semi-dried fruit. Booze well hidden.

Mouthfeel is sticky, chewy, lingering.

Overall a solid, well-crafted barleywine.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 04:04:42 | More by draheim

billab914

Virginia

3.73/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2009 vintage poured from a 22oz bottle. It poured a murky orange color with a thin white head barely covering the top of the beer.

The aroma shows a lot of malty flavors to it with some caramel and toffee notes coming through. It's still got a good amount of residual hoppiness left to it as well with some resiny, citrusy, grapefruit like flavors.

The taste shows more of the resiny, bitter, grapefruit flavors to it. The malty sweetness mixes well with it and helps balance it out some. The finish shows a dry, bitter hoppiness to it that lingers.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied for the style with carbonation being moderate. Overall it's a pretty good beer but the bitter, resiny hoppiness is a little overpowering for my tastes in the style. A little more rich, malty, caramel flavors would have gone a long way for me. Still a very enjoyable beer I find myself buying annually.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2012 01:27:24 | More by billab914

benetoh

New Jersey

4.68/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed on 4/28/12

Absolutely no alcohol taste. Rich caramel and toffee, hops are almost gone which is understandable after 3 years. Slight raisin aftertaste, where hops come through a little more.

If you have one of these, you should drink it soon; I don't know how much better this will get

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2012 20:18:56 | More by benetoh

dgilks

Australia

4.23/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cloudy orange colour with a smooth, creamy, off-white head. Good head retention.

Big, sweet malt and toffee. Plenty of fruit as well with a mild hop presence.

Big sweet malt again but with a hefty dose of bitterness. The hop character still manages to shine. Lots of fruit. Complex but easy to comprehend.

Medium body with moderate carbonation. Good.
A seriously tasty beer. Lots of malt and big bitterness combine with enough fruit to keep it interesting.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2012 09:32:24 | More by dgilks

JDizzle

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Aged a few years. Bought a Martha's Vineyard in Grand Rapids for $3.99 a bomber!!!

This one pours a deep bllod orange red that looks unreal. A little head boils up for a second and retreats quickly. Smells like apricot, plum, caramel, leather, and a wee bit of alcohol. Really sweet and inviting! Can't wait to try this one. WOW, this is one of the best barleywines I have tried-aged. The hops are still there, but have faded perfectly from a fresh one. Still bitter on the finish, but not so abrasive. Really sweet with a carmel, earthy flavor that really shines-so smooth for such a heavy beer. Getting a cherry, peach fruit punch, but it's hard to tell there is so much going on here. Mouthfeel is thick with low carbonation. What a fine beer!-sucks it took this long to get this:) Drank the 10' side by side and it's night and day how much better this is.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2012 04:03:54 | More by JDizzle

divineaudio

Michigan

3.48/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

bomber split with my gf. snifter.

a - pours a murky copper color with a thin cap of pale yellow head. after calming i get a thin ring and lots of webby lacing.

s - maraschino cherry, brandy, candi sugar, prunes, astringent alcohol.

t - tart fruitiness up front with dank bitterness in back. notes of candi sugar, brandy, dark fruits. herbal hop character, faint alcohol taste in the finish.

m - full bodied with adequate carbonation. medium co2 profile.

o - a solid beer overall, but i've had other vintages (and other examples of the style) that i've enjoyed more. might try this one again though.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 02:56:16 | More by divineaudio

BeerOnTheWall

California

3.7/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2009 22 oz bottle poured into a snifter.

Pours crystal clear deep copper/orange with very little off-white head that thins out instantly...small co2 bubbles rising slowly in the glass. Seems pretty standard for the style.

Smell is grainy, nectarine and dried apricot frutiness, caramel, leather, damp earth. Very little alcohol noticeable. Slight oxidation (expected with the age of this bottle). Overall the nose on this is great!

Slightly fruity, caramel sweetness, subtle amounts of cedar and tobacco. Finish is a lingering, sharp, piny hop bitterness that dominates. Alcohol is present but does not warm too much. Some nice components here but the bitterness is overpowering.

The mouthfeel is heavy and viscous. Avg. carbonation leaves this feeling a little too syrupy.

I think a little less bitterness may have allowed the flavor complexity to come through better and the body was a little too heavy for me. However, I do think the age did this bottle some good and generally enjoyed the beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2012 01:09:33 | More by BeerOnTheWall

ONUMello

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22oz bottle poured into a pint glass. Released as part of the 2011 Cleveland Beer Week.
A: Orangish red color, thin head that quickly dissipates.
S: All sorts of fruit: stone fruit, citrus, dried fruit; caramel & toffee rounds it out.
T: Caramel, toffee, orange peel. Straightforward but intense.
M: A bit thick and the alcohol does come through, but typical of the style.
O: Another solid offering from Stone. Drink this one slowly.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2011 01:50:26 | More by ONUMello

kbuzz

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22 oz bottle into my trusty snifter..."Early 2009 Release".

A: Surprised to see a decent bit of carbonation for a 2009 vintage. Poured a murky orange/rusted red color with a thin slightly off-white head. Color somewhat matches the color of the graphics of the bottle. Alcohol legs everywhere.

S: Confectionary sweetness. Raisins, plums, figs. Brown sugar, molasses, slight cinnamon and vanilla...caramel, toffee and some faint roasted malts...sweet smelling beer overall. A hint of the booze, stinging the nostrils...

T: A wee trace of oxidation. Still get a lot of the nose, but muted. Rum-soaked raisins, caramel, burnt brown sugar. Cotton candy sweetness. The booziness is not nearly as apparent in the taste as in the aroma. Palate finishes slightly bitter, with a bit of the oxidation...but not terrible.

M: This is pretty perfect for a Barleywine. Chewy, thick . There's a lingering stickiness. Finishes dry. Carbonation is solid considering...

O: The alcohol here has dissipated gracefully and left a solid beer behind. Still get a good bit of carbonation...along with some oxidation. The nose is slightly misleading - better than the taste, but overall, a well blended Barleywine. Not the most prefectly aged example, but a good 2 year old Barleywine. I would trade for this again.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2011 04:33:55 | More by kbuzz

eslemarc

Ohio

4/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bomber in a medium sized tulip.

Medium amber color, looks very thick, cloudy, and hazier I would have imagined. Nice cloudy cream colored head just a couple millimeters tall, stays pretty strong too. Very full thick lacing begins as the head falls. Half way down the glass the lace is still staying fairly strong.

Smells very fragrant, notes of honey, lemon, mild hints of some sweetness behind the wonderfully floral-esque hop character. Also possibly some darker fruits like cherries.

The taste starts off fairly sweet and fruity with an early onset of hop bitterness, washes over the palate with smooth texture and finishes long and bitter, very quickly warming without over powering.

With age I'd imagine this beer will become amazing as the hop bitterness subsides slightly and allows the fruit complexity to shine through. I have another bottle in the cellar that I will revisit down the road. Wonderful barley wine style ale.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2011 21:32:13 | More by eslemarc

fmccormi

New York

3.6/5  rDev -12%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Straight pour from 22oz pry-off bomber bottle to a Duvel apèro tulip; no bottling date evident, though I suppose it’s not overly necessary.

Appearance (4.5): Beautiful light tan, almost custard-colored head, starting at a full three fingers and fading to a one-finger cap; moderate lacing. Body is a deep, glowing reddish amber, and quite hazy.

Smell (3.5): Caramel and booze, with rich, sweet malts dominating here. Bit of a candy scent, like those little Valentine’s Day hearts.

Taste (3.5): Following the nose, starts off with caramel and moves toward a deeper, kind of roasty, husky malt feel, like the barley was only half de-husked before it was malted. If that’s a thing. Bit of a boozy dry red wine finish, with just a hint of grassy-herbal hops coming in at the very end. Think I’m getting the flavor of distinctly British Isles (Scottish?) yeast happening here, which I like! All in all it’s decently balanced. Could use more bombast, but I appreciate the low-key balance here. Smooth.

Mouthfeel (4.0): Thick but not syrupy, a little oily, very little carbonation left in spite of the head. That’s okay, it’s aged two and a half years, shouldn’t expect a ton of carb. Still, has an effervescent feel going down, so mark it up a notch.

Overall (3.5): This is nice. I think I want to try this beer fresh, though. Definite sipper, but that’s okay. I like sippers, especially as it cools down. This beer is good, but it’s not blowing me away. Not the rich beauty I was expecting from Stone. Definitely enjoying it, but I’ll opt for it fresh next time.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2011 00:52:57 | More by fmccormi

zeff80

Missouri

4.08/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sampled in August 2011

A - Poured out a clear, golden amber color with a small, head of bubbly, off-white foam. It left sudsy trails of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled very malty and sweet. Lots of caramel and toffee with some floral notes.

T - It tasted of sweet caramel and toffee. Nice spicy bitterness with a slight citrus kick.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A dry finishing beer that is medium to full bodied.

O - This is a very good barleywine, but I still enjoy the '08 better. I think aging these is a very good thing.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2011 02:04:56 | More by zeff80

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2009, the freshest of my lot and the last stop (Belgo doesn't count).

A: The barleywine harvesty red-orange color, bright especially when light shines through. Still translucent, the barleywine doesn't have the murky suspiciousness.

S: The nose is rich, malty and thick. The caramel and toffee malts go to the extreme, syrupy in consistency. Lots of hops here, though, balancing and then some with an oily citrusy grapefruit finish.

T: Thick and oily, the fullness of the malts wants to clog up my throat; the only thing saving my life is the oiliness of the hops. Hell, the beer is like cheating death. The hops are still hot, burning in each sip. Sweet caramel follows immediately after the hops, filling the void when the bite drops off. Bold richness permeates.

M: The mouthfeel, in all its syrupy glory, is wickedly thick. I think I like this one, the freshest, best of all.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2011 00:45:25 | More by akorsak

joefuzz

New York

4.25/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours redish gold with a small quickly fading white head beautiful looking beer

Smells of candied fruit and malted barley with a slight alcohol afterburn

Tastes of butterscotch and caramel with some dark fruit aftertaste very slight alcohol presence

Mouthfeel is pretty right for the style if anything a little on the thin side

Overall a exceptional sipper probably could have used another 6 months in the cellar but way better than a fresh one. This is a beer you sit on.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2011 05:57:38 | More by joefuzz

DrJay

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed on 6/10/2011 in a Stone Old Guardian glass.
This beer certainly isn't fresh, but it's held up wonderfully.
The top part of my bomber poured a bit hazy, but had a nice orange hue and a darker reddish cast through the middle of the glass. A modest cap of fine, whitish bubbles lingered for quite a while and formed a bit of transient, spotty lacing. Tons of caramel and toasted malts in the aroma, some cereal grains as well. The hops have mellowed, but there are still notes of earthy, citrusy hops mingling with the alcohol. Bitterness was still powerful, softer up front while the caramel was present, but sharper in the finish. Cereal husks and toasted malts, mild citrusy and fruity flavours, plus alcohol flavour and warmth in the finish rounded things out. Really nice texture at this point in its maturation. Full bodied with lowish carbonation, just enough to keep it lively, that was integrated nicely with the malty mouthfeel. I'm glad I have more in the cellar and look forward to how they'll continue to change.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2011 00:19:36 | More by DrJay

DrinkingDrake

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Rainy Saturday with nothing much to do but watch a couple movies.... And drink some beer from the cellar.
Poured out a ruby mahogany with only some spotting of lacing on the top. The nose has a tingle of booze but is mainly a lot of darker fruits like raisins and dates with some caramel notes. A citrus hop character is blended well with the boozy smell. The body is very smooth and full. Some sweetness right upfront with the a bold middle. A lot of malty sweetness and the dark fruit notes from the nose. Finishes with a solid amount of fruity hops and a dry bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2011 22:39:15 | More by DrinkingDrake

emmasdad

Colorado

4/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Consistently one of the better bomber values out there, this one hasn't disappointed yet. Poured a clear, dark, reddish-brown color with a little tan head on top. On the nose, aromas of earthy hops, dark fruits and caramel. On the palate, this one was medium bodied, with flavors of earthy hops, caramel and booze.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2011 03:11:35 | More by emmasdad

litheum94

California

3.08/5  rDev -24.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

22 oz bottle. Reviewed on 2/7/11.

Nice looking beer, with orange edges and a dark, burnt ochre middle. Fluffy, brownish head that takes awhile to settle down. Nice lacing, and beautiful bubbles.

Carmel sweetness on the nose. Robust malts. Surprising yeasty profile. Musty. Raisin bread. Pine hops. White pepper spices. Citrus twinge. Very complex and shifting nose.

Where does this beer start? Vague flavors immediately give way to a punch of pine hops and phenolic, medicinal flavors. Leads into spicy flavors. As it warms, more flavors try to poke their heads out. Carmel and raisin bread with candied orange appear, but those flavors are quickly beaten into submission by the hops. The finish is extremely bitter and has a giant alcohol punch, almost burning.

I can't believe this beer has 2 years of age on it. Very abrasive, and I feel abused. Wish I would have split this bottle with someone; it was a little too much for me by the end. Needs about 5 more years on it.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2011 03:40:27 | More by litheum94

Snow81

Minnesota

4.72/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Reddish haze

Head: Very little head that dissipates quickly

Smell: Big citric with a rich heavy sweet malt

Taste: Big dark malty citric that has a little heat on the back of the palate

Weight: Heavy to medium body with medium to low carbonation

Finish: Sweet, hops, and a nice stickiness on the lips

Serving type: on-tap

04-06-2011 04:53:07 | More by Snow81

juhl31

California

3.63/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

-orange, auburn, caramel color with a thin white head. thick looking with some sedi up in there

-still has a pretty hoppy nose. solid caramel in there, with maybe some grapefruit and a little nose sting

-wow, still really hoppy. seems the hop flavor died a bit, but there is still a big hop bitterness in the middle that runs through the aftertaste. some definite grapefruit characteristics, while the caramel is in the background

-strong body, but not as thick as it appears. the lingering bitterness on the tongue is crazy

-this is one of the beers in which someone wonders the difference between an american barleywine and a DIPA. this is one hoppy bitch at 2 years old still. needs at least 2 more years for those malty flavors to come out

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2011 18:59:38 | More by juhl31

ChrisPro

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tasted blind on 3/12/11 as part of Blind BIF #4

22 oz. bomber poured into a snifter.

Pours a burnt orange with a two finger pillow of cream-colored head. Virtually no lacing as I drink.

One whiff and I'm thinking this must be a barley wine or DIPA. There are huge pine and juniper notes with only the slightest hint of a malt backbone. As it warms, there's a bit more grapefruit coming to the party. As it opens up even more, there's definitely a bit more caramel on the nose.

Interesting first sip. My palate either has something going on with it or this beer has some unique hops. I get sort of a weird bitter maple up front, then a sweet honey, then a long long lingering bitterness that stings the side of the tongue. This bitter finish is incredibly citrusy with lemon and grapefruit all over the place. It's such a weird finish that it's almost a hint of sour. This is sort of a weird finish, but I like it

Pretty thin for the aroma and taste. Definitely doesn't have the body for a barleywine, but I'm definitely digging it as a IIPA. Perfect carbonation and insanely smooth. I can tell there's some heat there, but the wildness has been tamed by the brewer.

Overall, it's going down sickeningly well at cellar temp. Part of it is its complexity driving me to sip and sip, but part of it is that it's just plain good. I don't think I'd go out of my way for this beer, but if it's around, I'd probably try it again.

Still a bit confused on the style. If I had to pick something, I'd say imperial amber. It's got some malt, but not enough to be a barleywine, so it must be a DIPA. As to which one, I'm clueless.

Reveal: 2009 Old Guardian (a Want)
4/4.5/4/4/4

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2011 05:22:37 | More by ChrisPro

alleykatking

Indiana

3.53/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 22oz bottle. Thanks to SuperNova777 for opening this bottle.

A- Poured a semi-hazy amberish brown color. A half figner of tan head shows up and actually dies down rather quickly. Nice streaky lace on the sides of the glass.

S- Caramel malts in the front of the aroma with hints of brown sugar. Orange skins come in hints from the hops. Darker fruits with a high alcohol tingle the nose in the ending. A simple barleywine aroma to me with hints of alcohol.

T- Caramel malts with darker fruits in the front (raisins mostly). Some light alcohol heat in the front which comes back mostly heavy and very hot in the ending. There is some piney hops that still stand out toward the middle to ending that for 2 years shouldn't be there (I feel like it at least). Caramel malts shine in the middle and stay through till the end.

M- Medium mouthfeel. Carbonation is good for the style. Caramel malts, darker fruits, and higher alcohol left on the palate. Aftertaste is light pine hop, darker fruits, caramel malt lingering, and high medicinal alcohol. Flavors were highly balanced for the style which seems to be a Stone trademark. No off flavors but the alcohol seemed to be a little on the high end at times. High alcohol drying on the palate.

D- This could have laid down in the cellar a little longer I think. A overall above average barleywine that could be tweaked a little. Maybe a little less on the alcohol flavor and a little more indepth fruit flavors could give this one a little more justice.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2011 18:28:38 | More by alleykatking

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into my tulip glass as a reward for a nice workout snowshoeing in Maine. Getting a foot of snow here today and we hiked around in the woods for well over an hour. Sounds like a perfect day to break into my '09 Old Guardian.

Hazy deep amber color with brown/orange highlights. I did have this in a regular fridge here and took it out for 20 minutes to allow it to get to the right temp. Interesting that it's this hazy. A finger of bubbly light tan head forms and settles quickly. Quite interesting that despite a less aggressive head, there is a ton of lacing left everywhere. Literally almost the entire inside of the glass has a thick file left clinging to it.

Sure smells like a barley wine. Deep and inviting malt aroma with a background of fruit. I think more caramel vs. brown sugar here. Certainly a sweet note.

Sure tastes like a barley wine! ;) The depth of the flavor is really nice here. There are layers to the malt flavor and you can just enjoy them as you slowly sip this big beer. A sweet punch immediately, followed by a moment of vanilla cream. More sugar but now a bit more like brown sugar. Some fruit then a punch of pithy bitterness. Lots going on here.

Big in body and big in your mouth. Very mild carbonation. Almost oily

Certainly fits the bill on a day with a foot of snow. I really enjoyed working through the bottle and sharing just a bit of it..

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2011 19:28:08 | More by Reagan1984

SupaCelt

Michigan

4.05/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bought off the shelf last week at my favorite haunt.

The colour is a blushing honey tone with minimal carbonation. Head is small and doesn't stay to visit.

The nose is largely hot and alcoholic. Fusels, baby. There is a grand crusty sweetness underneath. Burnt sugar and caramel with some funky old tones.

The taste is heavy on the burnt sugar and a prominent, but appropriate and welcomed alcohol burn and dryness. Tastes are crude and raw.

The mouthfeel is like warm syrup.

The drinkability is good for the style. This one is a sipper. Watch some Survivor and nurse one.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2011 01:23:01 | More by SupaCelt