Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine Style Ale 2011 - Stone Brewing Co.

Thanby

Ohio

3.58/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours like a hazy iced tea with a thin beige head and a bit of lacing.

Nose has a very citrusy character, kinda sweet, orange, pineapple, toasted malt and some citrusy hops to fill it out.

First taste is big on the pineapple and immediately the hops kick you in the mouth. Huge bouquet of bittering hops. Thick, rich malt coats the tongue and paves the way for more hops, a little bit of an apple flavor, pine, a bit spicy and maybe a touch sour (not totally fermented maybe?) Lingering hops spice and a bit of sticky malt sweetness.

Huge body, a bit of spice from the carbonation, two or three years in a cellar would probably round it out to a nice molasses body and mellow hops, but still good fresh. Not the easiest drink, but tasty nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2011 02:11:29 | More by Thanby

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.73/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

way better with a year on it, or two, I found this edition to be a much more approachable version of the style, although barleywines are supposed to be a little intimidating I think. this one pours that same dark crimson color, bordering on brown, and retains a decent tan head. the nose and the taste are identical, with all kinds of fruit being detectable in here, red apples, ripe cherries, even dried dates. I think its complexity isn't so stifled by its raging booze content as it is in the fresh version, so I pick up so many more subtleties in both aroma and flavor. the alcohol is still sharp though, and the carbonation is disappointing. its a slow sipper, and when it warms its almost like a distilled spirit. the oaked and smoked versions mellow this out in a special way that apparently even age cant do with this one. still, I think its an improvement over the fresh, and maybe this year I will keep a few bottles around a lot longer to really see how time affects these barleywines.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2013 19:13:27 | More by StonedTrippin

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +10.7%

05-13-2013 22:31:09 | More by mikeincharleston

cadaugherty

Illinois

4/5  rDev +4.2%

05-07-2013 23:20:27 | More by cadaugherty

stereosforgeeks

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

05-07-2013 21:51:09 | More by stereosforgeeks

spycow

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

05-02-2013 04:50:28 | More by spycow

ShemRahBoo

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +10.7%

04-27-2013 04:47:37 | More by ShemRahBoo

jealmanzar

New York

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

04-15-2013 17:30:17 | More by jealmanzar

jvillefan

California

4.5/5  rDev +17.2%

04-06-2013 23:51:24 | More by jvillefan

Hoptimus-Prime

North Carolina

2.75/5  rDev -28.4%

03-24-2013 22:40:24 | More by Hoptimus-Prime

DaPan

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

03-11-2013 23:31:57 | More by DaPan

jtierney89

New Jersey

2.5/5  rDev -34.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Very brash beer. Sweet simple malts with an over abundance of hops and lots of detectable alcohol. Everything battles for dominance. Earthy, malty, caramel, piney, with citric peel notes. Drinkable but not enough focus, and for a beer with so much strength it's not too complex. I wouldn't buy it again and the simplicity of the malt body seems to me make it not a great candidate for ageing. Drinking this beer with pickles on the side makes the process a lot easier.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 02:08:29 | More by jtierney89

sloelco

California

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

01-29-2013 09:13:58 | More by sloelco

DrJoe82

Illinois

4/5  rDev +4.2%

01-29-2013 04:04:52 | More by DrJoe82

TonyTalon

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

01-14-2013 23:38:27 | More by TonyTalon

MordorMongo

Indiana

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

01-13-2013 23:38:22 | More by MordorMongo

TripsRight

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

12-20-2012 23:24:18 | More by TripsRight

BrittQ

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

11-16-2012 18:12:35 | More by BrittQ

Beefytits4

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +17.2%

09-30-2012 00:55:08 | More by Beefytits4

grumpygerman

Alabama

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

09-22-2012 14:41:31 | More by grumpygerman

twizzbeatz

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +17.2%

09-13-2012 16:08:45 | More by twizzbeatz

awaer

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

08-27-2012 02:14:40 | More by awaer

Nickfellow007

Rhode Island

3/5  rDev -21.9%

08-14-2012 20:40:14 | More by Nickfellow007

WoodenLeg410

4/5  rDev +4.2%

08-10-2012 01:01:43 | More by WoodenLeg410

crobinso

Colorado

3.25/5  rDev -15.4%

07-11-2012 00:36:00 | More by crobinso