Old Guardian Barley Wine Style Ale (2012) | Stone Brewing
Brewed by:
Stone Brewing
California, United States
stonebrewing.com
Style: American Barleywine
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 11.00%
Availability: Winter
Notes / Commercial Description:
No notes at this time.
Added by smerrell on 02-18-2012
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 2,035 | Reviews: 294
4.87/5 rDev +21.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a dark rusty brown with a fresh Khaki head.smells of dark fruits and citrus hops Taste of raisins and dates mixed with pine hops sweet robust malts balance this out , mouth feel is fruity hoppy and sweet . A pleasure to drink.
232 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a dark rusty brown with a fresh Khaki head.smells of dark fruits and citrus hops Taste of raisins and dates mixed with pine hops sweet robust malts balance this out , mouth feel is fruity hoppy and sweet . A pleasure to drink.
232 characters
4.52/5 rDev +12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
3.99/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.3/5 rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.69/5 rDev +17%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
3.25/5 rDev -19%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
4.25/5 rDev +6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.45/5 rDev +11%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Returned to this beer (the first barleywine I ever tasted) at a barleywine tasting with friends. A vertical with 2011 and 2015 present. Served in a Kuhnhenn XV tasting glass. The 2015 was far fizzier and hoppier than I expected from a beer branding itself as a barleywine, though definitely notes of big malt, raisins, and figs were lurking under the surface. The 2011 mellowed the hop of the 2015 dramatically, and brought it much more inline with the style, though interesting notes of now-more-savory-than-astringent hops came through. There was also a unique, almost raspberry or strawberry jam profile to the 2011 which was an interesting departure from the typically-darker-fruits present in the style. Overall, excellent - a beer that truly benefits from cellaring.
778 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Returned to this beer (the first barleywine I ever tasted) at a barleywine tasting with friends. A vertical with 2011 and 2015 present. Served in a Kuhnhenn XV tasting glass. The 2015 was far fizzier and hoppier than I expected from a beer branding itself as a barleywine, though definitely notes of big malt, raisins, and figs were lurking under the surface. The 2011 mellowed the hop of the 2015 dramatically, and brought it much more inline with the style, though interesting notes of now-more-savory-than-astringent hops came through. There was also a unique, almost raspberry or strawberry jam profile to the 2011 which was an interesting departure from the typically-darker-fruits present in the style. Overall, excellent - a beer that truly benefits from cellaring.
778 characters
4.34/5 rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Sampled at CBC 2016 - second day. Deep caramel pour with a thin beige head. Tons of hops in this barley wine, making it quite delicious. Notes of caramel, grapefruit, pine resin.
178 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Sampled at CBC 2016 - second day. Deep caramel pour with a thin beige head. Tons of hops in this barley wine, making it quite delicious. Notes of caramel, grapefruit, pine resin.
178 characters
4.35/5 rDev +8.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
3.91/5 rDev -2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.09/5 rDev +2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.88/5 rDev +21.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
I had the 2013 just last Wed, and came crawling back to,catch a bit of the remaining keg on Saturday. Thought about it those few days and couldn't wait to see if any left. This stuff was absolutely amazing. Taste, smell, mouthfeel is rarely matched. On the level of Bourbon County for me. Would like to compare to fresh now.
328 characters
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
I had the 2013 just last Wed, and came crawling back to,catch a bit of the remaining keg on Saturday. Thought about it those few days and couldn't wait to see if any left. This stuff was absolutely amazing. Taste, smell, mouthfeel is rarely matched. On the level of Bourbon County for me. Would like to compare to fresh now.
328 characters
3.44/5 rDev -14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Giving those deep copper and amber appearance feels, this one has a thin 1/2" head that dissipates quickly. Aroma was lots of crystal malt, lots of c hops, lots of alcohol.
Taste is much like Ruination, but even bigger. Waves of crystal malt and hop bitterness with the stinging bite of a double digit abv. So much malt it doesn't seem as hoppy as it is, but I'm confident this clocks in around the 100 ibu range. So if you're up for something huge, check it out. Not an every day drinker, decent in small quantities, but no way am I doming an entire 22oz of this to myself.
580 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Giving those deep copper and amber appearance feels, this one has a thin 1/2" head that dissipates quickly. Aroma was lots of crystal malt, lots of c hops, lots of alcohol.
Taste is much like Ruination, but even bigger. Waves of crystal malt and hop bitterness with the stinging bite of a double digit abv. So much malt it doesn't seem as hoppy as it is, but I'm confident this clocks in around the 100 ibu range. So if you're up for something huge, check it out. Not an every day drinker, decent in small quantities, but no way am I doming an entire 22oz of this to myself.
580 characters
4.72/5 rDev +17.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
22oz bomber bottled in February 2015 poured into a large snifter. Pours a deep mahogany color with a beautiful 1 inch head that dissipated very slowly and left great lacing all the way through. Smell is of caramel and sweet malt with some hops and then booze following close behind. Taste is of toffee and burnt sugar and then a combination of booze and hops that lingers beautifully on the tongue. Feel is smooth and luxurious. Overall, an absolutely killer barleywine that hits all the qualities I look for and more! Great ale for sure, definitely worth looking for and saving some if you can resist it long enough.
617 characters
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
22oz bomber bottled in February 2015 poured into a large snifter. Pours a deep mahogany color with a beautiful 1 inch head that dissipated very slowly and left great lacing all the way through. Smell is of caramel and sweet malt with some hops and then booze following close behind. Taste is of toffee and burnt sugar and then a combination of booze and hops that lingers beautifully on the tongue. Feel is smooth and luxurious. Overall, an absolutely killer barleywine that hits all the qualities I look for and more! Great ale for sure, definitely worth looking for and saving some if you can resist it long enough.
617 characters
Old Guardian Barley Wine Style Ale (2012) from Stone Brewing
Beer rating:
4.01 out of
5 with
2,035 ratings
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