Old Guardian - Belgo (2011)
(Batch of Old Guardian - Belgo)
Stone Brewing in Escondido, California, United States 🇺🇸
Barley Wine - Barley Rotating Out of Production|
Score
7.32
|
|
2011 Odd Year Release
The über malty, super hoppy mega beer that you know and love is back. We've been making it for a while now… gosh, since 1998, and we love it, just as we love all of our liquid children. But you know kids; as they get older, they start to rebel. They want to start thinking for themselves and challenging authority. Defying the rules. Talking back.
It's a trying time for any parent, but at some point you have to loosen the reins a bit and let them experiment. Yes, the recipe has always varied a bit from year to year, but this time, it was a much bigger change. And so was born the "Odd Beers for Odd Years" program. The thought being that in odd years – odd as in not even (2011, 2013, 2015…) – we would release odd beers – odd as in different takes on our special releases.
Enter Stone Old Guardian BELGO Barley Wine. It's our classic Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine, but tweaked with our Belgian yeast strain. We'd originally planned on only releasing the BELGO-ized version, but due to a slew of vituperative emails popular demand, we decided to concede a little… by making both. You're welcome.
The Belgian yeast takes this beer into a totally new direction. The yeast esters dominate the flavor, with the malt character present in the background, providing ample fullness and balance. Hop flavors, while muted slightly up front, end strong on the finish.
The über malty, super hoppy mega beer that you know and love is back. We've been making it for a while now… gosh, since 1998, and we love it, just as we love all of our liquid children. But you know kids; as they get older, they start to rebel. They want to start thinking for themselves and challenging authority. Defying the rules. Talking back.
It's a trying time for any parent, but at some point you have to loosen the reins a bit and let them experiment. Yes, the recipe has always varied a bit from year to year, but this time, it was a much bigger change. And so was born the "Odd Beers for Odd Years" program. The thought being that in odd years – odd as in not even (2011, 2013, 2015…) – we would release odd beers – odd as in different takes on our special releases.
Enter Stone Old Guardian BELGO Barley Wine. It's our classic Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine, but tweaked with our Belgian yeast strain. We'd originally planned on only releasing the BELGO-ized version, but due to a slew of vituperative emails popular demand, we decided to concede a little… by making both. You're welcome.
The Belgian yeast takes this beer into a totally new direction. The yeast esters dominate the flavor, with the malt character present in the background, providing ample fullness and balance. Hop flavors, while muted slightly up front, end strong on the finish.
Sign up to add a tick or review
6.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Bottled 0,66ltr (2011, Beer Hunters)
Hazy orange color, small off-white head. Sour fruity aroma with hints of orange peels. Medium-bodied. Fruity, Belgian yeasty, slightly tart flavor. A bit glueish with alcohol in the finish. Quite Belgian, quite strong. I had mixed feelings with this one.
Hazy orange color, small off-white head. Sour fruity aroma with hints of orange peels. Medium-bodied. Fruity, Belgian yeasty, slightly tart flavor. A bit glueish with alcohol in the finish. Quite Belgian, quite strong. I had mixed feelings with this one.
Tried
from Bottle
on 14 Jan 2012
at 00:12
7.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8
66 cl bottle @ Olutravintola Konttori, "2011 odd year release"
Aroma has grapefruit-like earthy notes, feels really like a belgian ale. Also some belgian yeast also. Reminds me of Fantome Saison. Flavour is rather tart with citrus. Also some biscuits, some ripe fruits and some warming alcohol. Interesting mix of belgian saison and american BW.
Aroma has grapefruit-like earthy notes, feels really like a belgian ale. Also some belgian yeast also. Reminds me of Fantome Saison. Flavour is rather tart with citrus. Also some biscuits, some ripe fruits and some warming alcohol. Interesting mix of belgian saison and american BW.
Tried
from Bottle
on 30 Dec 2011
at 07:10
7.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
660ml bottle @ Pannuhuone, Kuopio
Pours dark reddish orange with a small foamy head. Strong malty and dark fruity aroma with notes of anise, spices and caramel. Taste is strong and sweet with malty caramel notes. Hints of vanilla and oak as well. Finish is sticky, strong and sweet. Nice, quite strong and tasty barley wine.
Pours dark reddish orange with a small foamy head. Strong malty and dark fruity aroma with notes of anise, spices and caramel. Taste is strong and sweet with malty caramel notes. Hints of vanilla and oak as well. Finish is sticky, strong and sweet. Nice, quite strong and tasty barley wine.
Tried
from Bottle
on 29 Dec 2011
at 13:10
7.1/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
(Bottle, 0.65 l - BBE 03/2014, from Systembolaget, 20111227) The beer poured mahogany coloured and clear. Its head was medium sized, long lasting and almost white. Aroma had sweetness, Belgian style yeast, fruitiness and malts. Palate was medium bodied and warming with medium carbonation. Flavours were fruitiness, malts, Belgian style yeast, floweriness, alcohol, sweetness, mild sourness, hops and bitterness. Aftertaste had sweetness, Belgian style yeast and medium bitterness. Not an ordinary barley wine. This was a bit edgy and too sweet currently. Aging would perhaps improve the beer.
Tried
from Bottle
on 27 Dec 2011
at 10:51
6.3/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 4
Overall 6
Bottled at oh6gdx’s birthday bash at chriso’s. Clear amber, small head. Intense concntrated grapefruit aroma. Sweet, full bodied and full flavoured with marzipan, grapefruit and bread, as well as ash and glue. Warming really bitter finish. Very intense.
Tried
from Bottle
on 11 Dec 2011
at 23:21
7.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8
Bottle at Pat’s chriso birthday tasting. Pours clear amber with a small, white head. Boozy aroma with some ripe fruits and leaves. Very sweet flavor, some alcohol, toasted sugar, dark fruits. Full bodied with average carbonation. Warm to hot finish, ripe fruits, some sweet bread. Good beer. Would like to try this again.
Tried
from Bottle
on 08 Dec 2011
at 14:23
6.1/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
(bottled) Pours a shiny amber with a foamy, thick head. Aroma is cotton candy, toffee and caramel. Sweet flavour of marshmallows and toffee. Some roasty notes. Long bitterness that seem to come from a combination of hops and alcohol. Not too shabby but way too sweet.
Tried
from Bottle
on 26 Nov 2011
at 11:56