Old Guardian Barley Wine Style Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

BucannonXC5

California

4.35/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Draft into snifter at Yard House in San Diego, Calif., on July 28, 2012. Three fingers of head when I got it. Mahogany brown color. Thick white foam/lacing. Good retention all around (sides and top).

Smelled caramel, light chocolate, rye and nuts.

Tasted nutty, toffee, caramel. Very malty. So smooth.

Full body. Creamy texture. Average carbonation. Long lasting smooth finish.

Absolutely loved this beer. Very malty, but it worked. So smooth and a great aftertaste.

Serving type: on-tap

07-29-2012 22:01:42 | More by BucannonXC5

KomodoDragon

Virginia

4.33/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

A - Copper with thin tan head. Quiet and clear.

S - dark fruits, barley, can sugar.

T - intense sweet malt, grassy hops and a looong finish with citrus tone and a bit of a warming feel

M - Tremendous. Smooth, full, and lightly carbonated.

Solid entry and perfect to style. Dangerously delicious.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2012 03:45:17 | More by KomodoDragon

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Stone Old Guardian 2012

Poured a share into a brandy snifter. Oh boy, I can already start to smell this one.

Two-and-half fingers of cream-colored head that looks dense. Dark amber in color with some murk, but otherwise, great clarity.

Papery scents mixed with muted citrus hops, toffee, buckwheat, pine, booze sweetness, and dark fruits. Lots of malty vs hoppy, where malty wins.

Hops are in the front row, getting tackled by the alcohol in the middle. There's a rye spice character that works in tandem with the pine/citrus hops. An earthy, bread crust-y malt is big and enveloping, working in media of burnt sugars and musty fruits. Gotta love that spicy prickle, almost like there's a bit of cayenne in the mix. Stings in the finish amidst the bubbles. Hey, it's hot, but I kind of like it like that. I have another one to bury in a dark place for awhile, but I like to experience the fresh example. Medium-heavy bodied with great fresh barleywine carb presence. A little sticky on my upper lip, but far from cloying. Knock a few points for the big stomach-sinking booze, but the mouthfeel is otherwise top-of-the-line.

I can't believe this is the first time trying Old Guardian. Gotta look into scoring some older vintages. Highly recommended, and at $6.99 a bottle, a huge win! I'll buy mo', fo' sho!

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2012 03:31:46 | More by thecheapies

Lemke10

Wisconsin

4.3/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I bought a single 22oz bottle (2012 Release) from Woodman’s in Rockford, IL in early 2012 for $6.49

Pours a cloudy, medium brown color with a fluffy, cream colored head. Scent reminds me of an IPA with strong scent of hops, some grains and hints of citrus. Taste is strong and bold. Lots of barley taste mixed with hops and yeast. Smooth and so delicate almost as if it was aged in an oak barrel. A bold and yet dry finish. Delicious and well worth purchasing.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2012 03:12:57 | More by Lemke10

Craigory

South Carolina

4.3/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

2012 release, poured from a 22oz bottle into a Duvel tulip glass.

A: Pours a slightly murky, auburn colour, with tons of off-white head. The head sticks around for a decent amount of time, eventually settling to a light ring on top of the beer.

S: Tons of caramel and burnt sugar, a fair amount of alcohol, and just a bit of citrus-y hops. Smells sweet, sweet, and sweeter.

T: Follows the nose exactly. This is a lot of burnt sugar and toffee, a bit of caramel, a bit of citrus hops, and just enough alcohol to keep me from drinking too fast. There is a little bitterness on the back end, but this is a nice, sweet barley wine.

M: Medium-bodied, just a bit of carbonation. A nod toward syrupy, but not so much as to totally coat the mouth.

O: I like this as an American Barley Wine. Big sweetness, big alcohol, and fairly hop-forward, in keeping with Stone's values. Drinkable in the sense that it tastes great, but take the 11% seriously; this is a night of drinking unto itself.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 02:55:08 | More by Craigory

davewlfpckfan29

Connecticut

4.28/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Old Guardian 2012!

This is the second Old Guardian that I have tried. I had an aged 2010 Old Guardian on tap a couple weeks ago.

This seems to be a great example of a barley wine. Stone does it very well (as they do with any beer they make).

Barley wine really has a unique taste that is hard for me to describe. The tastes I can identify are fruits, lots of them:
Raisins, citrus too. And a brown sugar kind of taste.

My cousin and I agree that this is very comparable to Bigfoot.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2012 17:59:37 | More by davewlfpckfan29

davey101

Connecticut

4.28/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2012 vintage. 22 oz bomber into a tulip glass.

A - Dark red clear body. One finger light khaki head. Moderate amount of lacing and retention.

S - Great balance between rich toffee malts and grapefruit hops. Caramel, pine, and some dark candied fruits.

T - Super smooth and sweet. Grapefruit and piney hops, vanilla, dark fruits, and rich toffee. Finish is a tad boozy with some faint bitterness. Chewy and smooth mouth feel.

O - Perfect example of an American barley wine. Loads of rich toffee and malt sweetness with just the right amount of citrus hops which lends a nice piney bite. Delicious and well priced.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2012 01:52:41 | More by davey101

obywan59

Virginia

4.28/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a crystal clear orange/amber with a 4 finger, thick and chunky, light tan head.

Rich sweet malt, alcohol, and tart to over-ripe citrus in the aroma. A bit of pineyness as well.

Sweet malts and alcohol dominate the taste. Tart citrus contributes in a big way. Bitter hops finish it off. The flavor seems to be in much better balance after the beer warms.

Fairly heavilly-bodied with a light prickle of catbonation and the sting of alcohol. Creamy and syrupy.

I sampled this with some Hersheys Bliss rich and creamy dark chocolate. I'd say that the chocolate moderated the sweetness of the beer, bringing out the beers tart citric character, but the beer moderated the bitterness of the chocalate. This beer is well balanced, especialloy after it warms. Not as good as as I rememvber the previous versions to be, but still worthy.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2012 06:31:30 | More by obywan59

Aaron_Ramson

California

4.28/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Veeery bitter, hoppier and more aggressive than a lot of other barleywines I've tasted. Bright color, orange with hints of red, jewel-like and vibrant with a creamy, clean,tan head.The nose was the most amazing part; fruity and sweet, cherries, lychee, grape. The first sip gives you a fleeting moment of sweetness, followed by a rush of bitter pine, grapefruit rind, and earthy herbs. The aftertaste is hot, boozy and bitter. The mouthfeel is full and oily, full carbonation and bite. I wish the taste matched the nose because the scent was the most amazing part. Still a very good barleywine, aggressively hopped and very much in the vein of what Stone does.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 03:23:48 | More by Aaron_Ramson

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

BeerDawgs

Georgia

4.26/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A 22 oz bomber 2012 release

A - A cloudy amber red, with 1 finger of head and sticky lace left all over the glass. Zero clarity and particle floating throughout. Unfiltered. Beautiful

S - Brown sugar, piny, and caramel. Lots of brown sugar. Not as quite as strong in the nose as some other Barleywines

T - Oh my. Brown sugar, sweet, malty, boozy. Delicious!

M - Full bodied and well carbonated. This one is a sipper

O - Another amazing offering from Stone. All hopped out and full of flavor. Would not expect any less from Stone. Well done, and I will be purchasing this one again...and soon!

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 02:12:01 | More by BeerDawgs

44Stone

Missouri

4.25/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a 9oz Brandy Snifter. Pours Dark Copper with a light tan foamy head. Excellent lacing and body.

Smells of softened dry fruit and honey with a nice earthy hop aroma. Very inviting.

Tastes like it smells; beautiful malty sweetness, more than I remember from last year's version (although we just tried last year's bottle from the cellar and the hops of course mellowed a bit). The hops are defintely present but not as forward as past versions, in a good way. It takes a little warmth to develop but worth the wait. Excellent balance and dangerously drinkable.

Overall, probably my favorite Un-aged version of Old Guardian. I lean towards the English style for Barleywines, and this one satisfies until the end. A must-try.

Serving type: on-tap

03-02-2012 02:20:08 | More by 44Stone

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

TheSixthRing

California

4.25/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beer Review # 100! Old Guardian 2012 release

Appearance - Pours a deep, semi-clear reddish copper with a thick, creamy light tan 3-finger head. Excellent retention. Leaves behind a thick, sticky lace.

Smell - Dark fruity ester, citrus hop, brown sugar and a bit of alcohol to boot.

Taste - A complex array of flavors... it's gonna take a bit of time to break it all down. Starts off with a bit of citrus hop, then fades into a caramel malt which then turns dark quickly for a coffee / mocha finish, with a lingering bitterness behind this. Heat is subtle throughout. At 11%, that's not so bad.

Mouthfeel - Full-bodied. Somewhat syrupy. As a barleywine, it comes with the territory.

Overall - An excellent barleywine. Not my favorite, but certainly up there. A fine choice for beer review # 100!

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2012 02:34:27 | More by TheSixthRing

mjgarrett2

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2012 edition Old Guardian

A-Translucent copper color, delicate head like with most barleywines.

S-Extraordinarily enticing: not sure if it is the spices or the malts but a very elegant aroma.

T-Well spiced and a bit tart. Excellent balance (no bite from the alcohol) if a bit bitter on the back end.

M-Great, nothing to complain about.

O-Nothing in particular jumps out at you but I couldn't be happier sipping and enjoying this. Seems a little unremarkable yet I would judge all other barleywines by how well they compare to this one.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 00:34:02 | More by mjgarrett2

HattedClassic

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Appearance:
Pours a cloudy reddish and orange color. Very little head but what does come out is kind of a creamy white. Leaves some nice lacing.

Smell:
A strong mix of hops and malts. the malt smells sweet bordering on caramel while the hops seem to be citrus bordering on orange. Other smells include dark fruit.

Taste:
Tastes like it smells but that the hops are stronger.

Mouthfeel:
Lite carbonation and fairly heavy bodied.

Overall:
A fairly nice barley wine and this beer really brought me into the style so I might try some other ones.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 00:56:44 | More by HattedClassic

Viciousknishs

Virginia

4.23/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I've always had a special place in my heart for this beer. It was my first barleywine and my first aged brew at that. 

A- pours a seductive ruby garnet hue with a finger and a half of off white head. Solid retention with some lacing as well.

S- big caramel and toffee characteristics with a liquor like note hits the nose with delight. Bountiful sticky pine and candy coated citrus from the hops blend in making this brew distinctly American and Stone like. Finishes with candied notes and just a little to much heat from the alcohol. The nose begs one to lay this down in the cellar.

T- sticky sugary malts explode on the palate with notes of caramel and toffee. Palate annihilating hops soon usher in some balance and a candied citrus and pine flavor. Liquor like characteristics hit the palate on the finish with a warming alcohol that again wants a year or two tucked away. Still rather tasty and more than drinkable however.

MF- sticky syrupy mouthfeel with a subtle creaminess. Heavy body and good soft small bubbled carbonation.

D- for a barleywine this has very good drinkability. However fresh this brew is monster and will take you some time to conquer. Age will only do wonders.

Overall a great example of the American barleywine style. Tons of malt, buckets of hops and high ABV!

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 02:15:58 | More by Viciousknishs

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.23/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 22 oz. bottle into a Surly Darkness Chalice glass.

Appearance: Pours a deep and slightly hazy brownish ruby red with a moderate amount of bubbles. Decent one finger of off white head that dissipates into a small patch. Moderate amount of lacing on the glass.

Smell: Sweet caramel malts with a good hint of toffee. Hints of bananas and some citrus fruits. Light presence of earthy hops and some sugar. The sweet malts and caramel stand out the most here with the hops being fairly subtle. Alcohol is pretty faint.

Taste: The hops come out a lot more in the taste. Sweet malts with plenty of caramel and toffee. Hints of banana and a little sugar. A good amount of citrus hops with notes of grapefruit and orange. Also a hint of apple. Pretty juicy with a nice kick of bitterness in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a moderate level of carbonation. Chewy and moderately sticky. Alcohol heat is pretty moderate.

Overall: A very good American Barleywine. Full juicy flavor and pretty smooth for the ABV.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2012 07:05:34 | More by MattyG85

Fubar1453

Massachusetts

4.23/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Beautiful deep red with a thick foamy white head.

S: Lots of fruit and sweetness.

T: Does not match the sweetness of the nose, of of the most bitter beers I've ever had. It tastes like Arrogant Bastard mixed with a large amount of dark fruits.

M: Very slick and creamy, mixed with the bitterness, its a sipper.

O: Great beer, my first barleywine and I absolutely loved it. I want to have this with a thick cut sirloin every night of the week.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 23:15:43 | More by Fubar1453

9InchNails

New Jersey

4.23/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Light copper body color with a lot of noticeable carbonation. Off white head that leaves some lacing on the snifter glass.

Dark fruits, smells very sweet, candy sugar, caramel and some hints of alcohol.

The taste is where its at! Dark fruits, toasted bread, caramel, some bitterness and alcohol at the very end.

Medium body, smooth, light but slightly noticeable carbonation, dry, it doesn't leave the lips feeling sticky surprisingly. Some alcohol warmth going down.

Not quite pungent as the aroma but very smooth and to the point with the taste - the balance of flavors are near perfection.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2012 07:28:15 | More by 9InchNails

duracell

Quebec (Canada)

4.23/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle into a snifter. 2012 release.

A - Pours an amber/reddish color with an off-white, rocky head which has a very good retention considering the ABV. Moderate lacing left on the glass. 4.5/5

S - Tons of malt as expected. I pick out caramel, apricots, honey, raisins and plums. Floral notes from the hop, slightly piney. 4/5

T - Malt as in the nose in addition to a good hoppy character (relatively grassy). The blend reminds me of some orange peels. Very little residual sugar. 4/5

M - Full body. Very smooth, quite chewy up front. Bitterness on the high side at the end. Moderate alcohol. 5/5

O - Definitely a classic Barleywine with a strong American influence. Drinkability is very good and the beer is well balance. Overall, very enjoyable and highly recommended! 4.5/5

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 12:09:26 | More by duracell

brewski09

Ohio

4.21/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.75

2011 Release aged in a combination of a cool dark closet and a beer fridge. Poured into a red wine glass (a nice serving substitute for a goblet or tulip style glass).

A - Pours a ruddy brownish red with a small head that doesn't stick around too long. The beer is nice and clear.

S - The smell is now dominated by a big sherry note as expected by the original booze note when this was fresh. I feel like there is a non-distinct hop aroma in the background here too. Overall, a really nice progression of the malt profile and alcohol, but still balanced enough by the other beer characteristics.

T - The beer still has a mild hop bite to it up front that hangs around the taste profile. The sherry hits you up front as well, but then fades into the background and allows the booze to mellow and then allows the malts and hops to return.

M - The mouth feel is thinner than expected, somehow less viscous than the fresh beer was. The carbonation seems a little finer as well. The mouth feel falls just a little short for me.

O - A really nice progression of a high quality barleywine. Happy I hid this one instead of just drinking it right away.

If you have one of these from 2011 still, I would probably drink it now.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 00:39:13 | More by brewski09

MEsoJD

California

4.2/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

[Poured into a Snifter glass]

I: Not much to say about this. It's a new stone, and automatically warrants a purchase on that fact alone. That said, I'm intrigued to see stones take on Barley Wines.

B: [11% ABV. 1 Pt. 6Fl Oz. Ingredients ("Tons and tons of Barley, bountiful hops, water, and yeast")] Stone makes some of the most beautiful beer bottles out there. Their Barley Wine bottle takes a more minimalistic approach that seems fitting. Nice gold font for the majority and red for the latter.

A: Damn fine looking brew. Transparent dark ruby red body, with a bubbly semi fluffy head(fast/medium dissipation), and light lacing.

S: Slight boozy pine, sweet caramel malt, some citrus, and some dark fruit presence. Smell wasn't as prominent as I expecting.

T: Heavily moderated by the creamy sweet caramel malt, fig, biscuity, molasses, citrus hops (take a backseat), and warming alcohol.

M: Super slick dry finish, medium/full bodied, medium carbonation, and apparent boozy alcohol presence (becomes more subtle overtime, but will creep fast).

O: Aw stone I love you so. Stone almost never diss-points with their official releases (same can't be said about the collabs). For once the hops aren't the star of the show, but the malt in this case. The only blind taste test identifier is the uniqueness of this brew. This is one slick/syrupy/sweet tasty beer that gracefully coats your mouth. It also looks gorgeous. I would say "Old Guardian 2012" is another winner. I recommend you buy this. Hell I wish I bought 3. Cheers!!!

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2012 05:03:48 | More by MEsoJD

herman77

Minnesota

4.2/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Dark clear amber/dark copper with a fairly large off white head that dies down after a bit. Awesome lacing.

S: Lots of bready malt. Toffee and a bit of carmel malt too. Pine hops and a bit of grapefruit in the mix as well.

T: Tons and tons of deep carmel malt and toffee. Caramelized sugar. There is a good dose of pine hops. It's got that classic stone hop profile taste that's intense and in your face, but the malt is stronger than the hops in this one. Some lingering hop bitterness in the finish.

M: Medium body. Smooth and moderate carbonation.

O: Nice. I thought it would be a lot hoppier having had a decent amount of Stone's stuff, but the malt is center stage here. I like it, but if remember, it seems a lot like Double Bastard.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2012 00:14:19 | More by herman77

4thmedbn

Maine

4.2/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2012 out of an Old Guardian specialty glass. Picked up at Tully's Beer and Wine in Wells, ME

A - Beautiful deep red amber color with a hint of an almost strawberry blush. Really gorgeous stuff in the glass, head dissipates fairly quickly, little retention and no lacing.

S - Despite the high hopping of this beer, mostly the nose says malt. Nice chocolate, some dark fruit, leading into some nice fruity hop aroma. Not as huge of a nose as you might expect with this beer, but what is there is all good.

T - Huge malt character up front. Lots of nutty and mild chocolate notes. By mild chocolate I just mean not an overly sweet chocolate character, but also not wicked dark and bitter. Just like a toasty, nutty chocolate. Finishes with a pretty solid bitterness. Mostly piney and resiny hop character. I don't get a huge amount of citrus, but that may be due to the fact that it's sitting next to such a strong malt body. A long, lingering hop finish.

M - Full bodied, no way around it. Carbonation is fairly smooth, but definitely present. Doesn't seem to be as much residual sugar as you would find with some of the Barley Wine out there. That contributes to how dry this beer is, but also it's not wicked thick or syrupy, and that works to accentuate the hop character.

O - A great beer. Definitely going to be laying some of this down. A nice dry, well attenuated example of the style. As much as I love big boozey and sweet barley wine, this makes me excited that there is so much diversity within the style. Another absolutely fantastic beer from Stone.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2012 02:57:12 | More by 4thmedbn