Stone Brewing Old Guardian Barley Wine (2004-)

Old Guardian Barley Wine (2004-)

 

Stone Brewing in Escondido, California, United States 🇺🇸

  Barley Wine - Barley Rotating
Score
7.66
ABV: 11.2% IBU: 80 Ticks: 218
Barley wines are traditionally hefty brews, but ours is downright excessive. The huge maltiness of this beer is only tamed by an equally prodigious addition of hops, creating a rich, slightly sweet, caramel-hued ale infused with assertive bitterness and bright hop notes, all culminating in a pleasing dryness. While it will evolve into an even more glorious brew with age, this beer's delicious onslaught of flavors will seriously challenge your ability to wait any longer to drink it.
 

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8

Can in the Airbnb. Pours clear amber, nose is pine, caramel, herbs, sweet toffee, taste is similar, sweet.7/8/8/8/8

Tried from Can on 11 Aug 2025 at 16:05


7
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

Bottled, early 2k9 vintage. Pours a darkish cloudy amber with small dissipating head. Aroma is floral and hoppy. Taste is a bit bitter and woody. This guy might need some more time to age.

Tried from Bottle on 20 May 2025 at 00:55


9.1
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 10 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9.5

bomber from the cheese man!
2006 edition.
Murky brown pour with a very small off white head. Aroma is BIG on sweet malt, and some nice hops, and a touch of fruit. Wow, this smells so much of a big glass of caramel. Flavour is very smooth, some big matly notes, the hops come through in the finish, they leave that high alpha soapiness in my mouth, with a touch of pine. Finish is nice and bitter, but not too bitter, they hops are present enough, and do they job beautifully, and the malt is the star, it leavs a wonderful sweet/caramel maltiness, and adds a bit of a brandy like sweetness. Excellent barley wine, i enjoy its not a hop monster like many other american barley wines i’ve had.

Tried from Can on 28 Feb 2025 at 05:01


7

Tried from Bottle on 31 Dec 2024 at 22:36


8

it's caramel and sweet and delicious.

Tried on 13 Dec 2024 at 18:26


7

Tried from Bottle on 19 Apr 2022 at 16:55


8

Humalane, magus, karamelline, linnaseline, alksi ka. Ma näen kust põhjala odravein "inspiratsiooni" sai :D Igal juhul hea kraam.

Tried from Draft on 17 Jul 2021 at 22:50


7.9
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Old Guardian (vintage 2012) was my final beer at a tasting session at Aces & Ales in Las Vegas. The bartender suggested this one from a number of barleywines available on tap. It arrived an attractive dark amber and had a full covering of light tan foam. I immediately picked up the ripe fruit smell before taking a drink. And that drink followed with more of the ripe fruit, malt, cereal, karo syrup and something field. Enjoyable, I hope to locate again.

Tried from Draft on 24 Aug 2020 at 17:32


8.2
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9

Bomber. Wine Rack, Sheffield. 2016 vintage. 11%. Soft haze on a reddy, pale copper colour. Dense, messy, off white head is lasting and almost fully lacing. Nose has ginger biscuit malt. Fruited loaf. Privet leaf. Hint of pine. Lacquer. Polished leather. Touch of booze. Bit of a Christmas cake vibe going here. Taste is sweet and fruity, with a pretty punchy, earthy, tart fruit bitterness. Smooth and fully rounded on the palate. Fine carbonation. Lingering leafy bitterness to finish. Never feels the ABV. Great stuff.

Tried on 31 Jan 2020 at 22:37