Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine Style Ale 2010 - Stone Brewing Co.

Tilley4

Tennessee

4.05/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This pours into my Perfect Pint an auburn reddish color with a quickly growing and persistent off white head... Almost a burgundy color really... Sort of like AB....

Interesting aromas of sweet caramel toffee malts and resiny piney hops... The malts wind out in the end as they seem more assertive but there is definitely some pungency left to the green stuff as well... A touch of booze here and there but nothing like I would expect in a brew of this ABV...

A big dose of sweet toffee and caramel malts mingled with a hint of booze followed quickly by a rough-around-the-edges hoppiness of the piney variety... There's a battle between the two elements of the beer without a clear cut winner... There is a long bitter finish here that leaves me waiting for the next sip so that's a good thing.. No booze to speak of which is scary... This one could down you in a hurry...

I like my barleywines nice and hoppy and although the hops have faded a bit in this, its still a very nice sipper for a cool early autumn evening....

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2010 13:58:36 | More by Tilley4

buschbeer

Ohio

3.73/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle
Served in a snifter

A - It is dark amber to almost copper in color. I got about an inch of tan head.

S - I get a sweet malty molasses aroma.

T - The taste is malty and sweet. It finishes with an unpleasant bitterness.

M - Medium mouthfeel and oily slick

O - I don't like the hop profile in this one. I love the mouthfeel and the ABV.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2011 18:37:29 | More by buschbeer

KickInTheChalice

Illinois

4/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap in a snifter.

Appearance: Deep amber / burgundy color with a small white head around the edge. No lace.

Smell: A strong malt nose, with caramel, some spices. A hop presence is mostly citrus, with some floral notes as well.

Taste: The toffee and caramel malt barely appears before the hops sink their teeth in. A strong grapefruit and apricot flavor, with a resonating bitterness in the aftertaste. I think I would like this a little better if it aged a bit, fading out some of the hop presence to give it more depth and balance.

Mouthfeel: Slightly coarse in my mouth with a bubbly carbonation.

Drinkability: The ABV is clearly present throughout each sip. Combined with a strong aftertaste, I am less than inclined to really get into these regularly. Still impressive for 11%.

Serving type: on-tap

04-04-2010 17:34:44 | More by KickInTheChalice

ThePorterSorter

New York

3.95/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thought I had gotten lucky and grabbed a brand new 2011 bottle...unfortunately I was getting a year old 2010. We shall see how well it has kept.

Appearance:
Light brown with hues of orange and red. A thin white head blankets the beer and doesn't leave much lacing. The beer may have lost some carbonation sitting for a year, but that's speculation only. The high %abv may also contribute to this beer's lacking head. Everything seems fine so far, I have no major complaints.

Smell:
Caramel maltiness with notes of vanilla and cherries. The alcohol is also quite pungent, almost burns the nostrils. Thankfully the beer doesn't smell infected, so this may actually be a pleasant surprise!

Taste:
I'm very selective for which barley wines I like and this one is pretty damn flavorful. The beer is sweet and smooth, almost reminds me of a beer that spent time in a barrel. A beverage that is good for sipping and easily pleases the palate. I enjoyed this beer with some sausage and pepperoni pizza, but it could easily be paired with a more complex dish.

Mouthfeel:
Sticky sweetness with a noticeable bitterness in its finish. The alcohol works to improve this beer's sweet-bitter balance. Likewise there is a subtle bitterness that works to improve the beer's spice factor and contributes some additional bitterness. Describing this beer's mouthfeel in a few words: resiny, thick, strong, and smooth.

Overall:
Although I thought I had a brand new 2011 in my hands, this wasn't a bad purchase. The beer was fairly priced and lived up to my expectations. Rich sweetness with a little spice, there is a place for a beer like this, but I was unfortunately in the mood for an IPA.
I am looking forward to the 2011, but I may not wait a year just to buy it!

Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2011 01:19:30 | More by ThePorterSorter

daledeee

Iowa

3.9/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up a bottle while in Wisconsin.

Pours a dark walnut brown and off white head. Thin head stayed for a while.

Nose is not real strong but nice. Mild citrus and roasted malt with hints of caramel

Taste is IPA-like. Good dose of hops is predominant. Quite a bit of malt and a slightly sweet undertone. Finish is also pretty hoppy with lots of carbonation, mostly foamy feel in the mouth. Overall, except for the hops, taste is not over the top like other barley wine I have had.

Not hard to drink, alcohol is hidden. A pretty good barleywine.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2010 23:08:15 | More by daledeee

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

4.18/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a hazy glowing burnt orange color. A bubbly off-white head melts into wispy islands.

S - Rich caramelized brown sugar, fresh cut pine wood, grapefruit, pineapple, cinnamon, strawberries. Notes of oak comes out as it warms.

T - Warm and spicy up front before blankets of malt brings in sweet toasted toffee, and rich caramel. The grapefruit rind hops start invading the castle and turn from citrus to pine resin on the finish diminishing any and all sweetness from the malt. The aftertaste is dry with flavors of malt, herbs, and bittering hops.

M - Full bodied with high carbonation.

I had high hopes for this beer and it didn't let me down. The nose is heavenly. The different stages of this beer from start to finish is like a Willy Wonka beer. With an 11.10ABV the alcohol shows up a bit, but is not off-putting. It's hidden well. An excellent and very complex Barleywine.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2010 23:37:16 | More by StaveHooks

dasenebler

Maine

4.35/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a hazy dark amber with a dense head that reduces to a thin layer, lacing fairly well.

Nose is packed with woody, spicy hops along with a bit of fruity, juicy hop notes.

This is a big barleywine with a a hefty hop dose; typical Stone. Not too sweet, but definitely rich and malty, with lightly roasted notes and a dense bready character. Plenty of dark caramel and brown sugar, too. The finish is somewhat bitter, but actually very manageable for this style. Unlike others, I think the alcohol is well integrated here, especially for this high of an ABV, and it will only get smoother with age. The mouthfeel is perfectly carbonated, resinous and weighty.

I feel like the rich flavor rather than the alcohol would hold back drinkability with Old Guardian, which speaks to the well-crafted nature of this brew. Tasty and dangerously drinkable. Kind of like a bigger, badder Bigfoot.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2010 03:56:33 | More by dasenebler

hooliganlife

Missouri

4.4/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

HUGE thanks to Greg Koch/Stone for bringing these with him and visiting us at the Schlafly Tap Room...

pour was bright orange with hints of straw yellow. light fluffy head, nice lacing.

tons of hops, lots of pine, pine resin, light grapefruit. faint hints of malt.

flavor was similar, huge hops. lots of pine bitterness, pine resin, tart grapefruit, and beneath are heavy malts. light toffee and caramel hidden through out. being that this was fresh, the hops were quite dominant. no hints of booze.

fairly thick and chewy but also light and easy. this was one of the easier barleywines i have had. carbonation was light, and no alcohol burn for a 11%.

i FINALLY got to try this and I am pleased I did. this was one easy drinking barleywine that was not a malt bomb or overly heavy.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2010 12:59:05 | More by hooliganlife

u2carew

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bomber. Consumed 2/27/10
A) Pours with a finger thick head then settles quickly to a thin lacing. Hazy body. Amber in color.
S) Floral and caramel sweet nose. Hints of alcohol.
T) Caramel sweet. Notes of cedar / oak / woodsy. Finishes with bright floral flavors. Hints of black pepper.
M) Full body. Slightly syrupy. Dry and pucker inducing in the finish.
D) A great brew. Slow drinker. I'd definitely have another!

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2010 20:44:15 | More by u2carew

ocelot2500

Arizona

4.35/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear amber color with a small white head that leaves enough lacing on the glass.

Smells of pine hops with some caramel sweetness.

Tastes of a big caramel malt flavor up front followed by that west coast hop flavors of pine and citrus. Some fruit makes an appearance to add depth to the sweetness. Alcohol is very well hidden. Compared to the 2009, I would say it is more balanced and less raw. My complaint about 2009 was that there was too much alcohol character, but that has been resolved and this is more to my liking.

Mouthfeel is on the full side of medium with a good creamy amount of carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2010 01:58:33 | More by ocelot2500

Reaper16

Alabama

3.55/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

22oz. bomber served into a snifter

Pours a sort of cloudy, muddy-water-looking shade of orange-brown that gets more yellow towards the top of the body. Less than a finger of whitish head that leaves some sparse, dotted-line lacing. Pretty basic looking stuff. The relative lightness of color is the most intriguing aspect to Old Guardian's appearance.

This beer has plenty of assertive aromas vying for attention. There is an abundance of deep malt smells, of course. Caramel, french bread, cinnamon rolls w/o the icing. Then there are the hops. Lots of hops. Floral honeysuckle sweetness along with a tiny flutter of mint. A massive crest of fresh-squeezed orange tries to dominate the nose. Seriously, there is a lot of bright orange flesh aroma to this beer. The herbal/mint quality makes for an enticing combination with the orange hop aromas. It gets to be like a cough drop after a while though. Feel free to interpret that as a positive or a negative, depending on how much you like cough drops.

This might be too young? I don't know. This bottle is one of the more perplexing beers I've had in a long time. Lots of hop resin leave a bitter orange flavor in the start and finish of the drink. Sweet, deep malts bloom in the middle. The aftertaste is equal parts sugary and ashy. Does this ever come together to form a congruent whole? Not for me it doesn't. This is a challenging beer.

This is among the thicker barleywines I've come across in terms of mouthfeel. Its viscosity and sticky nature compliment the orange, resiny flavors. As far as drinkability goes, well, this seems about average for the style. You can feel that 12% ABV and you can feel the heavy flavors accrue on your palate.

Strange barleywine. Too incongruous for me to fall in love with. If I had another bottle I would let it sit in the cellar for a while, hoping that the flavors cohere with age.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2010 04:19:30 | More by Reaper16

wvsabbath

West Virginia

4.22/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Serving Type - 22oz Bottle

Appearance - Dark tan/brown, no head at all. Looks like a double ipa really

Smell - Barley, hops, alcohol. sugar and spices, more barley, yeast

Taste - Very hoppy for sure. And barley out the a$$. Very bitey, bitter and strong. Pineapple from the hops mixed with the yeast and barley is intense. This is a hop heavy beer, the fruit is second.

Mouthfeel - BItter and strong, thick and aggrssive, this beer whips your mouth, tounge and palette Sour aftertaste, and tounge is numbed.

Drinkabilty - Its too much to drink anymore then this 22oz. This style is fine once a month or two. Its wonderful for a hoppy version. Too strong to give it anymore then a 3.5 honestly

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2010 06:55:35 | More by wvsabbath

BEERMILER12

Maine

4.13/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Early 2010 vintage

A: Pours a nice cloudy copper color with a nice head that leaves good lacing

S: Fruity malts and some hops in the background. Some bready yeast also comes through. Surprisingly no alcohol in the smell, which is impressive for an 11.1% brew

T: Some nice dark fruits up front with definite malts, followed by a pleasant hop bitterness and some alcohol burn

M: Medium body with light carbonation. Fairly prickly from the alcohol despite the low carbonation

D: This one is a sipper for sure, and a pretty damn good one at that. More and more complexities come out when it warms up, which is very nice. I'd say it could use some more age, but it is still drinking well after almost a year

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2011 21:26:41 | More by BEERMILER12

grittybrews

Washington

4.15/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2010 bottled, opened 02/2011.

Poured a murky cider-amber color with a finger of quick-receding eggshell head. Aroma of toffee, boozy heat, biscuit, and orange-dominated citrus.

Carbonation just shy of average and a creamy mouthfeel with just a touch of thinness on the finish. Flavor isn't overly sweet up front with lots of citrusy hops balanced by toast, brown sugar, mild spice. Agressive, hot finish with lots of bitter pine hop presence.

Enjoyable, but I thought this brew was a little two-dimensional compared with some of the other fresher barleywines I've sampled lately. Very malty, very hoppy, but not too much complexity emerging beyond that.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2011 06:04:10 | More by grittybrews

yeahnatenelson

Illinois

2.7/5  rDev -34.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Appearance -- Pours a ruddy amber with one finger of sudsy beige head. Fair amount of lacing for the style.

Smell -- Right off the bat it just *smells* like a Stone beer...what is it, mineral content? Must be the water. Grapefruit, pineapple, apricot, tropical fruity as the day is long. A dash of mint rounds out the hop aroma. Great hops, but the malt base seems a big flat: caramel is all that can be picked out.

Taste -- The hop character is all over the place: citrus pith and pine resin up front, vegetal bitterness toward the back end. Malts are sweet and simple: honey, soft caramels, possibly some brown toast. Finish is bitter herbal/medicinal hops, caramel, and dark toast. Alcohol presence is more than would be desired, but not terribly distracting.

Mouthfeel -- Medium-full body with mild carbonation. Moderate alcohol sharpness. Meh.

Drinkability -- I know many (most?) will disagree with me, but I wasn't bowled over by this one, and I'm typically a Stone fan. The hop profile is scattered, overly strong (even for the style), and downright unpleasant in the finish; it tastes like I swallowed a cloud of gnats. Even after the hops fade with time, I'm not convinced I enjoy the malt base enough for that to turn it for me as it is lacking in depth.

Your mileage will likely vary, and feel free to disagree. If it helps, I'm really quite bummed that it didn't meet my seemingly sensible expectations.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2010 02:28:54 | More by yeahnatenelson

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

4.05/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Review adapted from notes taken 6/4/11

Appearance: Hazy orange brown/amber color with an off-white head and some lacing - the head is especially nice considering that this beer is about a year old

Smell: Cooked, caramelized malts - smells kind of sweet, but also smells really hoppy - citrus and pine - kind of spicy, unfortunately kind of has that "old hops" smell

Taste: Somewhat sweet, but mostly just a remarkable amount of balance - caramel malts, some dark fruits, sugar - on the earthy side, with some leafy hop flavors - really good, and it gets better and better as it warms

Mouthfeel: Medium body - not as heavy as I would have anticipated, maybe this is partially due to the great level of carbonation - this really works for me

Overall: Great, I need to get this yearly

This is a solid American Barleywine. I'm curious if the hops would have been over-the-top a year ago. It aged well, but it could definitely be better. Next I will review the 2011 BELGO...

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2011 19:22:16 | More by angrybabboon

PicoPapa

Connecticut

4.33/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle with "Limited Early 2010 Release" on the front. Pours a hazy reddish amber color with a thin head. Some lacing. Aroma is boozey. Also picking up on some apple and malts. Taste has a nice malty, boozey sweetness to it. Some hop bitterness as well. This barleywine has a lot going on and is really good. Nice alcohol burn to it but is still surprisingly drinkable. One of the best barleywines out there.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2010 05:28:07 | More by PicoPapa

billshmeinke

California

4.18/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into my stone barleywine glass. (From notes)

A: Ruby/copper in color. One finger slightly off white head. Slightly opaque. Real nice lacing.

S: Intense aroma. Dominated by hops. Tropical fruits (grapefruit/pineapple). Caramel malt background. Smells almost like a DIPA.

T: Honey, caramel, and a bit of toffee malt profile up front. Real bitter hop profile comes through as resin, pine and grapefruit. Some alcohol up in there too.

M: Full bodied. Bubbly, quite dry. Crisp clean finish.

D: Well masked alcohol makes for an incredibly drinkable barelywine.

I was a little caught off guard due to the somewhat DIPA characteristics of this beer, but I feel it was a very interesting twist on the style.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2010 03:32:39 | More by billshmeinke

joecast

Australia

4.28/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Hollingsheads deli.

Fairly light color. Clear deep amber / mahogany. Thin frothy tan head. Actually impressed it has such a stable head considering the age and abv.

Seriously complex stone fruit and heavy malt aroma. The type of beer you could easily sit back and sniff for a good while before drinking. Alcohol weighs in a bit as a warning of it's strength.

Big, no, huge malt bomb. Amazing how this beer, and obviously a good example of the style, can be so forthright in it's robustness. It seems to push everything else out of it's way. Don't let it fool you, hop bitterness, even after a year, creeps up on you in the finish.

Not something I would look to sip everyday, but this makes a fantastic night cap on those special occasions. More than a glass and you better phone a friend.

Serving type: on-tap

04-09-2011 06:13:58 | More by joecast

jettjon

Florida

4.03/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Into a glass, clear amber with very few tiny bubbles. Pour yields a towering light tan head which fades away slowly leaving heavy clinging lace. Nice looking brew. On the nose is a faint boozy alcohol and sweet floral malt with hints of honey. On the tongue, the honey-sweet flavor asserts itself again, followed by a moderate alcohol burn. Hops are there as well, grapefruit-like sour biting toward the middle and taking over from the sweet malt. It ends on a slightly dry bitter note. Mouthfeel is good; it's slightly thin with low viscosity and quite smooth. Drinkability is good, but of course with all such high ABV brews, moderation is a must. It's deceptively smooth and tasty, and can easily sneak up on you.

Overall: A tasty but not spectacular barley wine. Cellaring would probably help with smoothing out some of the rough edges.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2010 19:39:13 | More by jettjon

jondeelee

Massachusetts

4.45/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Old Guardian has all of the rich, malty aromas one would expect from a high-quality barleywine--deep brown sugars, caramel, vanilla, molasses, chocolate malts and hints of oak--and combines these with a medium-strength blast of hoppy goodness.

On the tongue, the brew provides an immediate sugary blast, but with far darker tones than the nose would imply. Here, the sugars tend more towards the blackness of molasses than the sweetness of sugarcane, and are tinged with chocolate malts, syrupy vanillas, dark chocolates, hints of tobacco, fig, and roasted nuts. A thick layer of hops and hoppy flavors counterbalances this darkness, bringing grapefruits as well as lychee nuts and light rosewater threads. The aftertaste is largely black sugars, and lingers. Mouthfeel is medium to medium-heavy, and carbonation is medium.

Overall, this is an excellent barleywine, and quite refreshing in its depth and complexity. One of the beer's only weaknesses is a strong alcohol tinge that runs throughout the mouthful, obviously the result of the massive ABV (11.3%). I've encountered few beers of this style that so revel in chocolate malts and roasted nuts, and find myself wishing that more did. Well worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2011 03:39:04 | More by jondeelee

tewaris

Minnesota

4.2/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Aged 2 years in a CLOSET. It worked.

Looks great albeit a little hazy... smells great... strongly malty: caramel, old hops (it's Stone alright!), toasty, awesome.

Great and robust malt character minus the sweetness... an excellent fruit and nut character with a finish to die for. Excellent feel if not quite as silky as I'd like. Great overall.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2012 04:59:14 | More by tewaris

ColdPoncho

Ohio

4.05/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

From notes, 7-21-2010

A - somewhat clouded deep copper body, medium taupe head.

S - sweet malts, some hop undertones.

T - full and complex malt sweetness, well balanced with some spicy hops

M - full bodied and creamy

O (D) - goes down easy and smooth, but its pretty strong.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2011 18:25:40 | More by ColdPoncho

BostonHops

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev -7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

bomber (22oz) served in a snifter glass.

pours a murky amber tone with slightly less than a finger of a creamy beige head; not much retention, lacing in spots.

aroma is great: smacks of heavy, sweet maltiness... brown sugar, caramel, maybe a hint of dark fruits... some hops evident.

the malty introduction of the flavor is quickly followed by a surge of hops, much more than i would have guessed judging by the nose. lends the beer a decided bitterness lasting through the finish, which also packs some heat from the alcohol. solid representation of an american barleywine, if maybe a little too hoppy/boozy for my taste.

smooth, medium-bodied mouthfeel; drinking pretty well for a north of 11% ABV beer. will have to experiment with some more age on this one.

originally reviewed: 12-10-2010

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 04:58:10 | More by BostonHops

bobhits

Kentucky

3.78/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 5

Maybe stone does change this beer yearly.

Deep amber/red, in finger off white head, a LOT of bubbles, and some lacing.

Fruity, amber malt, finished with sweet citrus hops. Touch of alcohol to finish.

The first taste is honestly of a pale ale/amber, but then the rush of malt comes kicking down the door. Now 9 or so months old the hops are lacking more than expected. I didn't have the 2010 fresh but most years this beer packs a hell of a hop kick for a long time. They still bite at the end but the opening is a touch watery where there should be a powerful hop start.
3.5

One of the most drinkable barely wines I've had and for some reason I like that about this beer. It doesn't have that "sip me" feel so this all works. The 11+% is pretty subdued as well...I expected more given it's under a year old.
5

It's a bit thin and the carbonation works to emphasize that. I want a touch more body, this is medium heavy vs heavy and far form the syrupy body many barely wines take on.
3

The best "pizza" barely wine I've had in ages. I recall stone doing a better job in the past, but a fully worthy effort.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2010 03:17:10 | More by bobhits