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Old Guardian Barley Wine Style Ale (2008)
Stone Brewing
- From:
- Stone Brewing
- California, United States
- Style:
- American Barleywine
- ABV:
- 11.26%
- Score:
- 91
- Avg:
- 4.08 | pDev: 10.05%
- Reviews:
- 259
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Dec 01, 2021
- Added:
- Jan 27, 2008
- Wants:
- 5
- Gots:
- 25
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by wiseguy142:
Reviewed by wiseguy142 from New York
4.1/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.1/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
I don't get to enjoy Stone's beers as often as I should.. they're a bit pricey, they come all the way from the west coast, and I'm not a rabid hophead like a lot of us out there. But given their prowess with high-alcohol, hop loaded beers, when it came time for me to buy some barleywines I definitely wanted to try this one.
Pours very hazy peach orange colored.. very hazy. Didn't think they bottle conditioned. Maybe they don't and something's wrong. Not getting an outrageous head on my pour, but the small frothy head looks very west coast.. apparently heads can be west coast. Soda like bubbles coming up from the bottom.
When I popped this open I felt like I was opening a liquor bottle that I could smell from a couple feet away. Very heavy on the malt. Reminds me of Christmas for some reason. And Victory's Old Horizontal that I also just had a 6-pack of.
Taste is very sweet and loaded with alcohol. Sounds like a good combination. Very similar to Old Horizontal but with more hints of wood, although I don't think this has gone anywhere near a barrel. A bit of a pucker up candy taste towards the end. Obvious usage of those crazy high alpha acid hops that just make it bitter as hell. I think I was hoping for more of a double IPA for some reason. Has a bit of creaminess to it from age which makes it very drinkable.
Sep 22, 2009Pours very hazy peach orange colored.. very hazy. Didn't think they bottle conditioned. Maybe they don't and something's wrong. Not getting an outrageous head on my pour, but the small frothy head looks very west coast.. apparently heads can be west coast. Soda like bubbles coming up from the bottom.
When I popped this open I felt like I was opening a liquor bottle that I could smell from a couple feet away. Very heavy on the malt. Reminds me of Christmas for some reason. And Victory's Old Horizontal that I also just had a 6-pack of.
Taste is very sweet and loaded with alcohol. Sounds like a good combination. Very similar to Old Horizontal but with more hints of wood, although I don't think this has gone anywhere near a barrel. A bit of a pucker up candy taste towards the end. Obvious usage of those crazy high alpha acid hops that just make it bitter as hell. I think I was hoping for more of a double IPA for some reason. Has a bit of creaminess to it from age which makes it very drinkable.
More User Ratings:
Rated by brewandbbq from New Hampshire
4.05/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.05/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Holding up very well. Carbonation is still proper. Zero oxidation. Boozy toffee with minimal bitterness. Bottle cellared on its side.
Dec 01, 2021Reviewed by DefenCorps from Oregon
3.33/5 rDev -18.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.33/5 rDev -18.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Bottle from the cellar. 2008 vintage, purchased at the Village Pump the first year Stone made it to MD.
A mildly hazy ruby red with a dense, beige head that falls off to a ring leaving little lacing, this looks decent. The nose is still Hoppy with plenty of bitterness and some stale grapefruit juice. A moderate crystal malt character is present with toffee and caramel. Some honey and cotton candy are present. That almond like nuttiness that the better barleywines have is missing here.
The palate opens with a blend of mild bitterness and moderate sweetness. Toffee, oxidized honey, a little paper, and a little bit of sherry are present. Caramel, brown sugar with a touch of stale crystal malt is also present. Sticky sweet and full in body, this beer is mildly carbonated. Alcohol is pretty well hidden, though it does have a pleasing warmth. Carbonation is moderate. The bitterness and sweetness do clash, especially on fresh pours. As it breathes, the bitterness does fade, bringing out the honey, toffee and mildly nougat flavors out front. Decent.
Feb 24, 2014A mildly hazy ruby red with a dense, beige head that falls off to a ring leaving little lacing, this looks decent. The nose is still Hoppy with plenty of bitterness and some stale grapefruit juice. A moderate crystal malt character is present with toffee and caramel. Some honey and cotton candy are present. That almond like nuttiness that the better barleywines have is missing here.
The palate opens with a blend of mild bitterness and moderate sweetness. Toffee, oxidized honey, a little paper, and a little bit of sherry are present. Caramel, brown sugar with a touch of stale crystal malt is also present. Sticky sweet and full in body, this beer is mildly carbonated. Alcohol is pretty well hidden, though it does have a pleasing warmth. Carbonation is moderate. The bitterness and sweetness do clash, especially on fresh pours. As it breathes, the bitterness does fade, bringing out the honey, toffee and mildly nougat flavors out front. Decent.
Old Guardian Barley Wine Style Ale (2008) from Stone Brewing
Beer rating:
91 out of
100 with
329 ratings
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