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Old Guardian Barley Wine Style Ale
- Stone Brewing Co.
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BA SCORE
89
good
-
744 Ratings
THE BROS
91
exceptional
-
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rAvg: 3.99
pDev: 12.53%
Reviews: 157
Hads: 587
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Brewed by:
Stone Brewing Co.
California
,
United States
Style | ABV
American Barleywine
| 11.00%
ABV
Availability:
Winter.
bottle (147)
,
on-tap (9)
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growler (1)
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Notes:
No notes at this time.
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lacqueredmouse
Australia
3.75
/5
rDev
-6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Bottle purchased from BevMo in Sunnyvale, CA. Shared with @LaitueGonflable and @tobeerornottobe in Sydney.
Pours a lovely burnished copper-red colour with a fine, slightly overly frothy off-white head. Lacing is patchy, but the body is deep and heavy. It looks very clear and bright, but deep and suspicious as well. Love it.
Nose is heady and boozy, with a barley-sugar character laced with plenty of straight-up and possible straight-down hops. It gives it a slightly medicinal overtone, especially with the wafts of booze coming through. But really, it feels exceptionally sweet, with hops being the afterthought rather than part of the full process.
Taste is similar. There's a chewy, deeply sweet barley-sugar character throughout, that only really gets cut on the edges by the bright hop bitterness, and at the end, where the sharpness comes to a point. It's deeply sweet, however, yet doesn't have a lot of depth or complexity. It's a very odd mixture. I feel like this should be a heady maelstrom of intriguing flavours, when in fact it feels like a barleywine By The Numbers.
I mean, overall, it's good, right? It has to be. It's Stone, it's a barleywine, it's clearly well made and executed. I just really didn't connect with it though. It didn't have anything that got me excited or made me want another bottle right now. But it's solid and worthwhile, at least. That's about as enthusiastic as I can get.
Serving type: bottle
10-13-2012 05:27:42 |
More by lacqueredmouse
kojevergas
California
2.45
/5
rDev
-38.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
1 pint 6 fl oz brown glass bottle (2012 release) with standard pressure cap served into a Guinness goblet in me gaff in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are above average; I remember enjoying the 2011 release.
Served refrigerator cold and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.
A: Pours a half finger head of fair cream, decent thickness, and average (~one minute) retention for the style. Colour is a clear dark copper-gold. No floating yeast particles are visible.
Sm: Hops - both floral and bittering, but more towards the bittering end. Malts. Barley. Cream. Not a particularly appealing aroma. There's nothing unique or special about it, and it doesn't get me excited to taste it. Moderate in strength. I'm hoping it's not as hoppy as it tastes.
T: It is. Entirely too hoppy for the style, ruining the balance with wretched bitterness that doesn't at all belong. Clean malts are there alongside simple barley, but no yeast comes through. Some alcohol does. Horribly balanced. Poorly built for a barleywine. I'd vastly prefer complex malt layering with some subtle hop notes and maybe biscuity yeast, but none of that is here. The finish is okay, with some vague fruit hints coming through - but the hops still overwhelm everything.
Mf: Too thick. Wet and smooth, with some coarseness from the hops, lending it an awkward texture that feels somehow hazy. Doesn't complement the flavours well. Adequately carbonated. Weak. A touch watery on the finish.
Dr: A barleywine that demands aging to mellow out its harsh hop notes. I wouldn't have this again unless it was free and had a few years on it. I don't understand hoppy barleywines and I don't know that I ever will. A major disappointment from Stone. Age your bottles if you buy this. Hides its ABV decently. Difficult to drink on account of its severely limited quality.
Wouldn't pair well with food. Doesn't even do well on its own.
I don't know how it would age, but it can only get better. Pray for early hop death.
High D+
Serving type: bottle
03-28-2012 00:30:24 |
More by kojevergas
scruffwhor
Illinois
3.95
/5
rDev
-1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
2012 release.
Depp ruby and copper colored brew. Decent, slow tan head for a barleywine . Pretty good bubbling too.
Rich, warm, caramelized fruity aroma. Sweet, toasty biscuits overwhelmed by syrupy fruit marmalade and alcoholic warmth. A little mustiness in there too.
Caramel meets with marmalade, heavily toasted biscuits, caramelized plums and apples. Add to that ,a sometimes bitter, alcoholic twang and palate. An obvious slow sipper best shared with family and friends, or selfishly by yourself.
;)
Serving type: bottle
04-03-2013 01:42:23 |
More by scruffwhor
StonedTrippin
Colorado
4.05
/5
rDev
+1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
this is pretty much everything i like in a barleywine. pours clear dark red with a tall off white head that hangs around a bit before fading out. smells like caramel, sweet desserty malts, and an uncommonly hoppy character. flavor is huge, sweet up front like molasses and brown sugar, hoppy like a big ipa on the back end, bitter and resinous. flavors of vanilla, candied orange peel, and alcohol dance in between. feel is great, full bodied and very strong, especially when it warms up. mild carbonation, but not too little. this is a great evening sipper. overall an excellent barleywine, complicated but approachable. i would highly recommend this to any lover of strong ales.
Serving type: bottle
05-06-2012 21:41:49 |
More by StonedTrippin
tdm168
North Carolina
3.9
/5
rDev
-2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a bomber into a snifter.
Pours an amber, plum color with a thin lacing of white head that fades quickly. The nose is quite fruity with notes of raisins, figs, and ripe cherries. The flavor is a malty, bready, caramel flavor up front that quickly turns to the same fruity notes from the nose, dark fruit, figs, raisins, ripe cherries and maybe plum. The finish showcases a decent, clean, balanced hop bitterness and a warm alcohol presence. The mouthfeel is full bodied, chewy, a bit syrupy, crisp, and just a bit heavily carbonated.
This is a decent beer. It's definitely a bit fruity, but is intriguingly complex. The fruity sweetness and the bitter finish at times seem to clash. As the beer warms, the flavors tend to play a little more nicely with each other. If you're a barley wine person, it's definitely worth a try.
Serving type: bottle
04-04-2012 12:53:49 |
More by tdm168
dbrauneis
New Jersey
3.93
/5
rDev
-1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Served in a bottle at Idle Hands in New York, NY
A: Pours a clear amber with a thin off-white head that reduces to a ring of bubbles at the edge of the glass. Light to moderate amounts of lacing are observed.
S: Caramel malts, some light pine hops, and a fair amount of sweetness.
T: Nice caramel malts and toffee sweetness to this one followed by a pine hop bitterness. Some light amounts of heat from the alcohol and a nice amount of complexity.
M: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
O: Great sipping beer though a little sweet for my palate. Nice complexity in both the smell and the flavor. I like the hop bitterness on the finish that helps the beer from being overpowering in sweetness. The high ABV is fairly well hidden.
Serving type: bottle
03-08-2012 14:33:21 |
More by dbrauneis
ngeunit1
California
4.43
/5
rDev
+11%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
A - Pours an almost clear amber-orange with a thin layer of frothy off-white head. The head fades down fairly quickly leaving behind some lacing.
S - Aroma is a mix of sweet caramel, biscuit, and caramelized malts with grapefruit, citrus, and pine hops and some booze.
T - Starts off with some sweet caramel and biscuit malts with lots of grapefruit and citrus hops and some bitterness. Through the middle, pine hop flavors comes through with more bitterness alongside some caramelized sugars and some more biscuit malt. The finish is a mix of sweet caramelized malts with lots of tropical, citrus, and resiny pine hops, bitterness, and some booze.
M - Full bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a resiny, bitter, dry, and warming finish.
D - Very drinkable. Really nice hoppy American Barleywine. The hop profile is really great and helps to balance out the hotness and body. Enough malt flavor to keep up as well.
Serving type: bottle
07-27-2012 06:30:33 |
More by ngeunit1
laituegonflable
Australia
3.78
/5
rDev
-5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Pours a toffee-coloured ESB kind of hue. Head is off-white, loose threads, not much left. Lace is alright. Looks OK.
Smell is lovely, caramelly toffee and sweet. Buckwheat, a touch of port and salted caramel above all else. Bit of solvent is a slight glitch, but otherwise very pleasant indeed.
Taste gets more of that caramel than all other flavours, but lots more as well. Bit of figgy richness, buckwheat again, some slight herbal hopping and some metallic notes. Bit on the heavy/sweet side, so not for every day, but it was always going to be. Still lots to like here.
A little flat and very syrupy texture. Could use something maybe to dry it up at the back, or more hops to cleanse.
Big, sweet beer. Nice, but could use a bit more on the balance side perhaps.
Serving type: bottle
03-07-2013 03:39:34 |
More by laituegonflable
ArrogantB
Colorado
4
/5
rDev
+0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I had been anticipating this one for a while. It pours a nice ruddy orange color with a really good head (maybe I poured too fast). The smell is not very strong. The taste is average barleywine and alcohol. This is the first Stone beer that has ever disappointed me. it wasn’t bad but I always expect to be blown away by Stone seasonal beers (I usually am). The alcohol was pretty noticeable but I think in a year or two this one will be awesome. I plan on picking up a case for aging purposes. Update: 06/2007: This tastes much, much better after having six months behind it. I have to adjust my review accordingly because the flavors really made me smile this time.
Serving type: bottle Reviewed on: 01-29-2007 23:16:39
Serving type: bottle
04-29-2012 00:32:19 |
More by ArrogantB
srandycarter
California
3.8
/5
rDev
-4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
1 liter of the 2012 Old Guardian bought tonight.
A - Fairly clear dark apricot, huge head, lots of lace.
S - Light malt and hops. Maybe too cold.
T - Rich malt, heavy handed hops to hold it down.
M - Very creamy, good balance, good carb.
D - An excellent beer.
Serving type: growler
10-18-2012 04:24:09 |
More by srandycarter
johnnnniee
New Hampshire
4.11
/5
rDev
+3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
I was surprised to see I hadn't reviewed this one yet, I guess tonight we set that straight.
2009 Vintage.
Pours a slightly hazy orange amber color with a decent sized beige head that settles in quite nicely. Smells of caramel and brown sugar with a bit of dark dried orange, tangerine and plum with a hint of earthy hop and ethanol. The flavor is lots of fruity sugar with a hit of ethanol. Orange and dark fruits covered in a syrupy glaze with a solid hit of alcohol. Medium body with a light level of carbonation and a sweet resinous mouthfeel. Nice barleywine that I enjoy every year. At 3 years old this one is just starting to develop a sherry like note.
Serving type: bottle
01-09-2013 00:31:59 |
More by johnnnniee
rarbring
Sweden
3.6
/5
rDev
-9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
The beer is clear copper amber, a warm off-white head leaving good lacing and small curtains.
Smelling hoppy, grass, nettles, pine. Then sweet dried fruits, honey, heather.
Sweet toffee, brown bread with honey, bitter oranges, dried apricots, then bitter citric peel. Slightly boozy.
Medium carbonation, small bubbles, oily and sticky, a coarse dry finish.
Once again I have consumed a barley wine far too young.
Serving type: bottle
10-01-2012 19:49:47 |
More by rarbring
morimech
Minnesota
3.63
/5
rDev
-9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3
2012 release
Pours a clear copper color with a nice two finger head that had good retention. Eventually the head settles to a thick cap. Moderate amount of spotty lacing is left on the glass.
There is something odd about the aroma. Sort of smells like an orange cream soda. A cream soda with a bunch of booze in it. More citrus and grassy hops along with caramel malt.
The flavor just does not feel deep to me. The alcohol comes on too strong, too soon. Just not able to savor the malt and hop flavor. Bitterness is high with citrus, grassy flavors. Some toffee malt as well.
Good body and carbonation. Enjoyable, smooth texture.
This beer, like a few other Stone brews, would benefit greatly from some age. A couple of years from now, this beer could be excellant. As it is now, just too hot.
Serving type: bottle
04-18-2012 22:07:24 |
More by morimech
ADZA
Australia
3.53
/5
rDev
-11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This is the 2012 edtion and thanks to my favourite bottleshop for this and it pours a hazy light amber hue which leaves a two finger creamy head and lacing everywhere,the smell is very barley and malt orientated with aromas of obviously barley,caramel fudge,toffee treacle,butterscotch and also Xmas cake,the mouthfeel is medium bodied and could be thicker for my liking of the style and the taste is nice but doesnt leave you gobsmacked like other big American Barleywines and the taste is very sweet with hints of marzipan,toffee treacle,butterscotch candy,raisins soaked in brandy,fruit cake and finished with a touch of bitter herbal hops to take a little edge off the sweetness first encountered and overall its not bad and could age a little bit but not too long as the malt profile is dominant and if left for a while could be even more sweeter and theres definately better Barleywines out there cheers.
Serving type: bottle
06-17-2012 13:26:48 |
More by ADZA
clayrock81
Virginia
3.68
/5
rDev
-7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Poured a reddish brown with solid one-finger offwhite head and lace on top of lots and lots of barely malt, as the label states, but also lots and lots of floral hops to match it seems. Hearty, boozy malts are prevelant and a slightly sticky and medicinal feel. The malts only slightly overpower the hops, so while there is a good sweetness and some hop bite the sweetness doesn't stick out like it should. Thicker, less carbonation leads to a dry, bready finish w/ minimal sweetness as the ABV kicks in here. A good beer, nice sipper, but more hoppy than I prefer for this style so TO ME a tad off balance.
Serving type: bottle
04-08-2012 17:44:33 |
More by clayrock81
LiquidAmber
Washington
4
/5
rDev
+0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A two year vertical (and horizontal with the current oak-smoked Guardian)
2013: Poured into an Elysian snifter. Pours an orange-copper amber with a thin, patchy off-white head forming an almost perfect clover shape in the glass with a ring around the glass with light lacing. Surprisingly mild aroma of caramel malt, pine hops and grain alcohol. Flavor follows aroma with caramel malt, great piney and citrus hops, a bit of dark fruit. The hops dominate the finish, leaving a pleasant pine bitterness. Medium bodied with a hint of creaminess. A very nice hoppy American style barley wine.
2009: Also poured into an Elysian snifter. Pours an orange-copper amber with a thin off-white head formed a thin persistent film and ring around the glass with light lacing. Aroma of caramel malt, brown sugar, dark fruit and a hint of sherry oxidation. Flavor follows with caramel malt, dark fruit and mild grassy hops. Nicely integrated and the alcohol noticeable on the fresh Guardian is now well covered. Medium bodied with only a suggestion of creaminess (unusual for a barley wine aged this long). This has held up very well and definitely mellowed with the flavors and alcohol melded very well. Hops are muted, but identifiable. This will absolutely stay in my cellaring cycle, but scores about the same as the fresh one; the fresh shows brighter, spicier hops, but the alcohol is more noticeable. The older one is more muted in flavor, but more balanced and less boozy tasting.
Scores are almost identical, but the 2013 gets a half point off for being rather muted. Total score here is for the aged one.
Serving type: bottle
03-03-2013 03:41:13 |
More by LiquidAmber
Arbitrator
California
3.78
/5
rDev
-5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Chilled bottle into a glass. I don't buy a lot of Stone products anymore besides the 3 main seasonals (Double Bastard, Old Guardian, and IRS). Last year's Old Guardian was not very tasty, so I was hoping this year would have a return to form.
A: This is a rose-tinged maroon body capped with a fluffy, off-white head that leaves streaky lace webbing around the sides of the snifter. It's nice to look at.
S: Caramel malt, rose petals, grass, plum, toffee, and grapefruit. This is a welcome change from the over-malted recipe that 2011 presented; the hops are bright and hint at both flavor and bitterness in the taste.
T: Yep, I was right. This is incredibly, powerfully bitter; grassy hops lead the way, packed with tons of IBUs. Thankfully, the beer also uses some hop flavor instead of just bitterness. It has a floral presence of rose petals that works very well with Stone's signature citrus-driven profile. The malt backbone is firm, giving the beer plenty of caramel and toffee character throughout the taste.
M: The mouthfeel is quite hefty, as you'd expect from a beer of this gravity. It suppresses the booze and provides a firm grounding point for the bitterness and hoppy flavors to do their work. The booze is lightly noticeable, but pretty restrained overall.
O: This is substantially better than last year's recipe, which I found oddly malty. But it is also bruisingly bitter, so the pendulum has swung too far in the corrective direction. The price point in my area ($6) is very reasonable, so I'll probably buy one or two more, calorie budget permitting, before the hops drop off.
Serving type: bottle
03-24-2012 22:48:13 |
More by Arbitrator
harrymel
Washington
3.98
/5
rDev
-0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Vintage 2012
Copper with a straight etching of cream foam. Smells of hops, rich malts with some tea and caramel and some nicely woven in toffee and sweetness. Flavor is sweet with a good bitterness on the backside with some caramel and a gobs of malt syrup. I like the flavor. Medium bodied with sharp carb and a semi dry finish. I like this beer quite a lot.
Serving type: bottle
11-04-2012 07:26:19 |
More by harrymel
scottfrie
California
3.6
/5
rDev
-9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Split with abecall98 and friends. Snifter.
A: Pours a deep dark caramel color with a finger of khaki head that faded into a bubbly collar.
S: Sweet scents with a good dose of sticky hop resin. I get hints of caramel, toffee, leather, and cocoa. Leafy and sweet smelling.
T: Follows the nose with sweet and a bit woody and buttery flavors of leather, toffee, caramel and hop resin. I get hints of vanilla in the finish.
M: Bubbly carbonation, smooth body, full mouthfeel and solid bitterness.
O: A very solid barleywine but I think I prefer these with some age.
Serving type: bottle
03-17-2012 19:05:05 |
More by scottfrie
puboflyons
New Hampshire
4.28
/5
rDev
+7.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
2012 batch, It has been in my cellar for about six months. Sampled on April 9, 2013.
I like the way it pours with its medium reddish to mahogany amber tone and its short, silky white head. The head becomes a ring. Handsome looking beer.
For a barleywine the aroma is more subtle and mellow. Certainly it is malt forward and sweet with a roasted note but the hops are played down. There is also a bit of a dark fruit character mingling in the background.
The body is medium to bold.
The taste is warming. malty, and sweet with the faintest of alcohol. The hop finish lingers briefly but tends to be low to moderate. This is a pleasant barleywine.
Serving type: bottle
04-09-2013 22:16:23 |
More by puboflyons
VelvetExtract
Massachusetts
3.6
/5
rDev
-9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
A-Poured dark brown and hazy. Head was minimal. Not much light penetration but this beer was blatantly brown and didn't tiptoe on the realm of blackness.
S-I was expecting more punch from the aroma. There was booze, a bunch of concentrated sweetness and some bitterness which was subtle. Dark fruits. Not very impressed by the nose.
T-The bittering hoppiness comes out more on the tongue. The hops lend much bitterness but are not very complex and do not leave much hop-derived flavor complexity. There is plenty of booze (although shaded in decently enough), and dark fruits laced in rich caramel.
M-Big body. Mellow carbonation. Bitterness lasts. Somewhat slick. A rich feel.
O/D-Full pint glass of this came in at $3.50 so I cannot complain about the price, but I was not satisfied with this beer. Most of Stone's brews are great but this one didn't hit the same spot for me. Still a nice juggernaut beer for a great price-per-fill.
Serving type: on-tap
03-31-2012 04:14:42 |
More by VelvetExtract
GilGarp
Colorado
4.25
/5
rDev
+6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served slightly chilled into a pint glass.
Redish amber color with great clarity. The head is thick and slow to settle. Great lacing left behind.
Aroma is malty sweet and slightly boozy. Mild fruity quality with cherry and apple.
Flavor is intense with huge hop bitterness. The malts are big enough to support the hops but just barely. This is one giant barleywine.
Mouthfeel is medium plus bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall a really great version of the style and about as big as they get.
Serving type: bottle
03-20-2012 02:28:26 |
More by GilGarp
CuriousMonk
Virginia
3.73
/5
rDev
-6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Poured from 750ml 2012 vintage bomber into a heavy chalice glass. Pours amber/orange appearance with a froth off-white head that slowly thins out into nice lacing throughout. Aroma portrays a clean hop bitterness with pine followed by raisin, a bit of toffee, and light sweet malt. Taste is clean hop bitterness and spots of pine followed by a strong bitterness with raisin, plum, and a bit of heat in the back finish. Mouthfeel is thin-bodied and crisp up front. A nice example of a barleywine, but a bit too hoppy (which exemplifies what Stone truly stands for in their beers).
Serving type: bottle
04-12-2012 19:11:43 |
More by CuriousMonk
JoEBoBpr
Missouri
4.1
/5
rDev
+2.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Poured into a tulip glass from a 22oz bottle.
2012 version.
Pours a gorgeous dark copper light amber color with some awesome ruby hints and hues. The head is nice and at about 0.5 inch recedes at a moderate pace to a nice thing film and then to a nice sticky ring.
Sweet malty notes to start off with some intense molasses, nice caramel notes. Some slight brown sugary notes are present as well. There is also some nice resiny hop notes with some pine and slight sweetness in there as well. The nose is definitely more in the malt and caramel realm. Nice boozyness is also perceived.
Now the hops definitely speak up in the taste. Starts off with some intense citrus notes and some real piney notes as well. There is definitely a big booze note to the beer and some heat. However the hops help to offset this a bit. There is also tons of caramel and sweet malt notes in the flavor as the nose indicates. Pretty intense flavors overall but well done. The mouthfeel is silk and oily with some lower carbonation that helps to accentuate some of the intense malt and hop notes.
Good brew by Stone. I think the hop heavy recipe is a step in the right direction for this years release.
Serving type: bottle
02-27-2012 01:09:05 |
More by JoEBoBpr
Darkmagus82
Montana
4.05
/5
rDev
+1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Poured from bottle into snifter
Appearance – Pours a deep reddish-amber color with a one finger yellow tinted off white head. The head has great retention and fades slowly over time to give decent lacing.
Smell – The aroma is of a big bready biscuit smell. Mixed with this aroma there is an alcohol smell and with some fruit aromas of citrus and banana. There is a very light pine aroma that mixes with the others overall creating a nice complex aroma.
Taste – A big bready and slightly hoppy flavor greet the tongue. The breadiness is initially mixed with a sweeter orange citrus and the banana that was in the nose. The orange taste also is present initially as a light hop like flavor. As the taste advances on, some nice pine hoppiness begins to develop with the sweeter citrus lightening. While the sweeter fruit flavors diminish in the middle of the taste, some caramel sweetness takes its place. The pine hop gets more intense as the taste advances until just before the end, where it levels out. While the hop flavors level out at the end, an alcohol taste comes into the flavor, leaving a nice warming aftertaste on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – The body of this brew is on the creamier side with a lower level of carbonation. While creamy, it is not as thick as would have been expected from its abv. and bready taste and smell. The lower carbonation suits the beer well although the body would be better a little chewier.
Overall – This is a barleywine with a nice taste and great smell. Its mouthfeel is a little on the thin side, but overall it is a good brew to sit back and enjoy.
Serving type: bottle
06-04-2012 23:40:13 |
More by Darkmagus82
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Old Guardian Barley Wine Style Ale from Stone Brewing Co.
89
out of
100
based on
744
user ratings.
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