Stone Brewing Old Guardian Barley Wine (1998 - 2003)

Old Guardian Barley Wine (1998 - 2003)

 

Stone Brewing in Escondido, California, United States 🇺🇸

  Barley Wine - Barley Rotating Out of Production
Score
7.98
ABV: 9.9% IBU: - Ticks: 22
A beautiful bold barley wine. Massive malt and hop notes. Silver Medal winner at the 2000 Great American Beer Festival in the Barley Wine category. Gold Medal winner at the 2002 World Beer Championships in the Barley Wine Category. Look for it in the first quarter of each new year. Can be cellared or enjoyed upon its release.

Admin Note: These first few years used the original recipe that was released in 1998 through 2003. For the 2004 vintage and later please use the other entry reflecting the recipe change.
 

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6.6/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 6.5
22oz bottle, 2002 vintage courtesy of @Radagast. Not every day you get to drink something 20 years old. And... it's Ok. Malty. Some cardboard. Decent. Brandy. Sticky still.
Tried from Bottle on 27 Dec 2022 at 18:34

9/10
Solid after all these years. Rich and smooth, with a lasting malt sweetness. Almost no heat here. Absolutely no cardboard, or other age that destroys this 20 year old beer in any way whatsoever. Absolutely gobsmacked that this even remotely held up.
Tried from Bottle on 12 Dec 2022 at 22:11

8.4/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 9 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 8.5
Aged pretty well given 20 years. Leather and some caramel. Tobacco. Brown pour with decent head. Booze. Age has softened some of the sharp edges here. Bittersweet finish. Bottle.
Tried from Bottle on 11 Dec 2022 at 22:21


7.5/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 8
2003 bottle at Stone Bistro. It pours deep ruby-amber, with a thin white head. The nose is very sweet : brown sugar, caramel, toffee and honey. The taste is brown sugar, wood, ginger, nutmeg, alcohol, good bitterness, hay, over-baked cake, leather and caramel, with a dry, warming finish. Full body and moderate carbonation. Good balance of sweetness and bitterness..
Tried from Bottle on 15 Mar 2012 at 05:25

8/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 8
22 oz. 2003 release. Pours an dark orange color with a small white head. Even after all this time, there is quite a bit of carbonation. Aroma is citrus, sweet caramel, with a touch of alcohol, though well hidden. Flavor is sweet, touches of citrus but not very hoppy after all this time. Aged quite well.
Tried on 27 Sep 2009 at 04:07

8.4/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 10 Overall 8.5
2001 22 ounce bottle shared by TheBeerGod at Immy’s Backyard Throwdown. Thanks Mike! Pours a red color with floaties. Medium head with good head retention and lacing. Aroma is toffee, nutty notes and citrus hops. Taste is strong citrus hops with toffee and caramel notes. Very bitter and well balanced. Full bodied. Extraordinarily impressive after all these years.
Tried from Bottle on 20 Jul 2009 at 00:01

8/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 10 Overall 8
Bottled. A hazy amber beer with some sediment under a thin beige head. The aroma is sweet with notes of alcohol, wood, malt, and caramel. The flavor is sweet with notes of malt, caramel, and lots of alcohol. Thanks to WeeHeavySD for sharing.
Tried from Bottle on 01 Jul 2009 at 15:37

7.9/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 7 Texture 10 Overall 7.5
2002 Bottle thanks to lumpy. Pours with a spare and fading light brown head and a hazy brown body. Some lacing and decent alcohol legs. Aroma of brown sugar, red wine, caramel, alcohol and a touch of sherry. Taste is sugary with caramel, dark fruits alcohol, and still quite a bit of lingering bitterness (surprisingly high amount of it). A few notes of cardboard oxidation. Syrupy mouthfeel, light bubbles.
Tried from Bottle on 30 Jan 2009 at 13:41

7.5/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 8 Texture 6 Overall 8
2002 bottle at the Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens on 08/03/2008 on day three of RBSG 2008. Clear deep amber body with a small light brown head. Big caramel and molassas aroma. Assertive caramel and floral citrus hop flavor with a dry bitter finish. Medium full body with low carbonation
Tried from Bottle on 28 Sep 2008 at 13:57