Old Guardian Barley Wine Style Ale (2003)
Stone Brewing

Old Guardian Barley Wine Style Ale (2003)Old Guardian Barley Wine Style Ale (2003)
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From:
Stone Brewing
 
California, United States
Style:
American Barleywine
ABV:
9.91%
Score:
94
Avg:
4.27 | pDev: 9.37%
Reviews:
89
Ratings:
98
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Aug 06, 2013
Added:
Jan 29, 2003
Wants:
  6
Gots:
  3
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Wildman:
Photo of Wildman
Reviewed by Wildman from Ohio

4.45/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
2003 Edition:
Well, I finally laid my hands on some Stone Barleywine. Thanks to the brewmasters old connection to Columbus, it is one west coast beer we can count on getting. This beer poured a dark amber color and formed a nice light tan bubbly head that disipated quickly and left some circular lace. A small amount of carbonation is present. An aroma of malt, caramel and spice. A flavor of malt and caramel. The finish was a touch astrigent. May need to have this a little warmer, but I couldn't wait to try it.
Jan 29, 2003
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.5 by tommyguz from Pennsylvania

Aug 06, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by WOLFGANG from South Carolina

Jul 08, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by t0rin0 from California

Feb 25, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by bigred89 from Maryland

Feb 25, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by beerpadawan from California

Aug 27, 2012
 
Rated: 4.75 by trancesk8er from California

Jun 09, 2012
 
Rated: 5 by Rochefort10nh from New Hampshire

Dec 08, 2011
 
Rated: 5 by jerz from California

Nov 18, 2011
 
Rated: 5 by khumbard from Indiana

Nov 14, 2011
Photo of ZX6Chris
Reviewed by ZX6Chris from California

5/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
A-Dark amber, light around the edges. The liquid in the glass looks so smooth and inviting. Nice carbonation after all these years. A thin layer of head with a nice ring of offwhite bubbles around the edge. Nice lacing, this sticks to the glass.

S-No hop aroma. Alcohol isn't even present. Malt aroma, tropical fruit, carmel.

T-Malty sweetness that comes off as pineapple to me so I'd say it has a tropical fruit taste. A little alcohol on the finish. Maybe a touch of bitterness from the hops on the finish.

M-Medium body. Smooth! Slips all over your tongue down your throat. This is the first beer I've had that I would call luscious.

D-Easy drinking for a BW. This could age for many more years. I definitely like this aged.
Aug 26, 2010
Photo of ChainGangGuy
Reviewed by ChainGangGuy from Georgia

4.15/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Appearance: Pours a dark, obscured, rich amber body with a thin, beige head.

Smell: Sweetish, robust caramel maltiness with a scent of juicy raisins and aged plum jelly.

Taste: Rich caramel maltiness with a delicious, home-made quality to it. Pleasant dark fruitiness. Fairly restrained hop character, assumably due to age, but even less so than the 2002. Light hoppy flavors of citrus and shaved wood. A touch grainy. Very mellow alcohol presence. Sweetish, satisfying finish.

Mouthfeel: Full-bodied. Medium-low carbonation.

Drinkability: Enjoyed as part of a vertical spanning the vintages between 2002 and 2007. The 2003 was the real standout in the group, closely followed by the 2005. I'd recommend pulling it out of your cellars now or stealing out of someone else's.
Sep 09, 2008
Photo of sessycuban
Reviewed by sessycuban from California

4.37/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Sampled at the Stuffed Sandwich. You can always count on Sam having a gem or a thousand.

A - The beer pours a deep orange color. The head was very minimal, which is standard for an aged beer. Perfect retention, lots of sedement at the bottom. The lacing took a hit as well, but again, given the age, I think this is standard.

S - Very floral. I'm getting pineapple, dark fruits, and what I'd guess to be cascade hops. Very aromatic.

T - The beer is a bit subdued, but at the same time assertive in flavor. In it's current state, it tastes very much like Fred, albeit a lot murkier and probably has a richer hop profile. Very robust malt backbone, some unfermented sugars; in sum, very complex and very delicious.

M - Medium bodied. Very yeasty.

D - Excellent beer! It probably would've tasted better fresh but it was still good nonetheless.
Jan 29, 2008
Photo of BlindPig
Reviewed by BlindPig from Nevada

4.3/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
A- Thin light tan head on a clearish amber body. Hints of orange too.Thin and small collar with very little sticking to side of glass and a little tiny bit of lacing in the middle.
S- Alcohol, malts, bit of fruit, and some grassy and citrus hops. Smell isn't as strong as the other years. Alcohol and caramel malts come though most. It has a pretty sweet smell to it also.
T- Big caramel malt flavor. Bitterness is also big but more under everything else but it like a bumpy ground...you know it's there. Some light cirtus flavors also. Maybe a hint of grapefruit. Alcohol is pretty strong too. It is very sweet. Can taste the pale malts also. A bit of toffee. Hints of oak too (almost like part of this was aged in oak barrels and mixed with beer that wasn't (like 20/80). Bit sticky and cloggy. Big in flavors and very complex. Maybe a bit bready?
M- Light to medium carbonation. Bit cloggy with a medium to full body to it.
D- It is a very good brew but not as good as 02 and 00 (they are the top so far). Very sweet and complex.
Dec 07, 2006
Photo of FightingEntropy
Reviewed by FightingEntropy from Minnesota

4.67/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
I asked my sister to get a few bottles of the 2003 Old Guardian, and she got me a case. Best decision she's ever made for me. Drank most in the first year or so, but just opened a three year old bottle tonight. Still pours with a creamy tan head, that leaves pretty quickly, but the beer is somewhere between a teenager and middle aged, so give it a break. Strong alcohol scent wafts up with a lot of raisin and vanilla, spicy. The hops have receded a bit into the background, but the smooth, oily character of a full integrated aged beer makes up for it. It warmed up well, opening up even more with the fruity esters and big malt in the nose and mouth. Slight bitterness on the way down the back. It aged well, and aged beer is the ultimate pleasure. I've got three more bottles and going to aim to make them last a total of ten years or so, and I'll re-review as I go.
Sep 27, 2006
Photo of lackenhauser
Reviewed by lackenhauser from Maryland

4.04/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4
Thanks to beerrun13 for including this gem in HBIF 3. Awesome addition!!! Somewhat murky brown color-good orange to amber highlights. Extreme fusion of malt and hops in the nose-really quite the "bomb" on the senses. Almost an apricot/marmalade sort of smell. Huge malt flavor with an overabundance of hops. Big, slick heavy handed hop and malt mix. Hasnt mellowed in the least. The "brightness" might be gone but thats about it. Perfect mouthfeel-get me spoon. Its just a big, bold, in your face body that doesnt let up. Very, very drinkable. Wouldnt make it my primary barleywine but like everything else I have had from Stone it is highly recommended.
Apr 17, 2006
Photo of brewdlyhooked13
Reviewed by brewdlyhooked13 from Ohio

4.38/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Appearance - poured into a Belgian glass, it looks like a dull red, with some purple hues to darken things. Held up to light it shows more of an orange cast. Minimal head, I 'bounced' the last ounce or two in and worked up a half-finger or so. It held for a minute maybe before falling back to an incomplete cover. A splotch of lace here or there.

Aroma - very sweet, pineapple upside-down cake aroma. Could be seriously sweet, boozy, or both.

Taste - make that 'both'. Large sweetness right away, alcohol hitting mid-palate. Whew, that's some hooch. Following the swallow is the signature Stone hop assault on your tastebuds, this year by the aptly named Warrior hop variety. Grapefruit all the way. The sweetness never leaves, the alcohol backs off a tad at the end, but with the hop effect, all three combine for a great finish with some notable length.

Mouthfeel - I know it's a barleywine, but you better open your mouth - this stuff is so thick that attempting a small sip will be like trying to suck peanut butter through a straw! The feel is practically sliceable. Tongue-paint, how 'bout that? It's as thick a barleywine as I've had. I think it's how they all should be.

Drinkability - a fantastic sipper. The thickness slows you down, the flavor is on steroids. It's like beer concentrate.
Feb 22, 2006
Photo of TastyTaste
Reviewed by TastyTaste from Minnesota

4.92/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Appearance: Rusty brown-orange color, head is small on the pour. Hazy and fairly slick.

Smell: A wealth of hops, dark fruit, malt and alcohol come out of this beer. Lightly floral, very potent.

Taste: Mellow yet assertive. Alcohol is strong, hops are present and robust, a very nice bitter edge. Malt flavors are sweet, light maple and brown sugar. Excellent, well balanced barleywine, sweet and bitter.

Drinkability: Excellent beer, every sip is a tribute to the style, I thanks to OldFrothingSlosh for this remarkable beer.
Jan 24, 2006
Photo of ggroller
Reviewed by ggroller from Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Another trade with Swillinbrew.

Same type of silk screened bottle as 2002.

Translucent amber colored beer with a huge, tightly wound head. Very nice lacing.

The smell is surprisingly subdued. Sweet caramel with hints of brown sugar.

Tastes hot. A bit rough around the edges. Sweet honey up front with a bit of coffee and dark chocolate in the back.

Chewy sweet mouthfeel with a residual maltiness.

A nice beer that I think would have been even nicer (is that a word?) next year.
Dec 30, 2005
Photo of OldSock
Reviewed by OldSock from District of Columbia

4.4/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
Appearance and Presentation – 22 oz bottle from Marty’s bought a few months ago. Poured into my snifter it is a deep brown/red with a 1 finger creamy off-white head with some bigger sudsy bubbles on top. In addition there is decent lacing, but retention that only lasts a few minutes.

Smell – Moderate alcohol with sweet toasted malts and some vinous character.

Taste – Remarkably smooth, age has treated this well. All that remains of the hops is a moderate bitterness that is overshadowed by the big complex malts. The malt is toasted, roasted and a bit smoky with hints of chocolate, very nice. Added complexity comes from dark fruit flavors, raisons and plums. Terrific balanced it’s a flavor that I really enjoy. Alcohol is almost non-existent in the flavor.

Mouthfeel – The mouthfeel is thick and syrupy with light carbonation, just what a big barleywine should be.

Drinkability and Notes – Guardian 2003 has great drinkability for such a big beer. This is an excellent Barleywine at this stage of aging and I need to get back over to Marty’s to get more of this while it lasts.
Oct 11, 2005
Old Guardian Barley Wine Style Ale (2003) from Stone Brewing
Beer rating: 94 out of 100 with 98 ratings