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Old Guardian – New Love

Posted on November 1, 2015 by Cam Ireland

Stone Old Guard PintStone Brewing Old Guardian Barley Wine is an ale that weighs in at 11.6%ABV and 80 IBU’s. With every sip I am thinking about saving this for winter. I picture myself sitting around a fire pit or in front of the fireplace trying to get warm inside and out. This is a big, high octane beer, so enjoy in moderation…or with a designated driver.

I am a big fan of Stone Brewing and this 2014 Old Guardian does not disappoint. Some examples of barleywine can be cloyingly sweet. This makes them hard to drink beyond sipping slowly in small doses. Old Guardian on the other hand is well balanced by the comparatively high hop bitterness (80 IBU’s is high, but relative to the alcohol content and residual sugar in this barleywine it’s hardly noticeable) that helps to balance the sweet, malty elixir. I am eager to pour the 2015 release for comparison. So much beer. So little liver.

Tasting Notes:
Appearance:
Old Guardian poured a rich, dark amber to nearly brown. This barleywine was topped with a creamy, long-lasting tan colored head.

Aroma:
At first whiff a caramel and rich toffee maltiness fills my senses. Immediately following are warm fruity esters. Just as I start to formulate the expected taste coming next I am tapped on the shoulder by the citrus and pine aromas from the hops. Wow, now I can’t wait to taste this multidimensional aromatic barley wine. Wait, another sniff before moving on…
Stone Old Guard Bomber
Flavor:
The start is rich, malty sweetness with a subtle fruitiness. The malt is immediately complimented with a perfect balance of hop flavor including pine and citrus and a bitterness to keep the malt in check. The high alcohol adds another dimension of flavor and warmth that tops off the taste perfectly.

Mouthfeel:
Rich, full bodied and complex! Moderate carbonation helps the malt shine and the hop bitterness wait its turn…and it does. The taste wraps up with a nice lingering hop dryness that eventually leads to a cozy and welcoming alcohol warming on the finish. Ahhhhh…
Stone Double Bastard

Overall Impression:
This is a superb example of an American barleywine. The chewy, malty character is balance so well with hop flavor and hop bitterness. The complex sweet start to dry hop finish with a bonus of smooth alcohol warming is magical. Great job!

Perfect Pairing:
I paired this beer with a side dish of Brussel sprouts. I prepared the caramelized sprouts with onions and bacon that was all simmered in beef broth. This pairing was perfect! The maltiness of the beer contrasted with the salty, smoky bacon to give you another well balance flavor combination.

Cheers!

Category: Beer Style, Brewery, Food Pairing |

Cam Ireland

I am a BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) National judge. I am also a homebrewer. I love to taste classic styled and outside-the-box beer from around the world, explore craft beer breweries, cook and pair meals with beer and share all of these with anybody that has the same interests.

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Handcrafted Beer Cap Neckwear

32,10,0,70,1
600,600,60,1,3000,5000,25,800
90,150,1,70,12,30,50,1,70,12,1,50,1,1,1,5000
Stone Brewing is located in Escondido, California and is known for hugely hoppy and high octane, malt-rich beers. Stone Brewing Co. was founded in 1996 in San Marcos, CA. The Double Bastard this cap sealed uses huge amounts of hops, but the type of hops used is not released. The necklace shown here was previously crimped on a bottle of Double Bastard Ale. The beer is orange-light brown in color and has a hoppy and malty nose. A mouth full of hop flavor and a rich malt and bitter/dry and finish. The hop types and IBU\'s are \"Classified\" according to Stone Brewing, but the alcohol is plentiful at 11% abv! This artisan piece was handmade using that recycled bottle cap. The cap was domed and filled with 2-row malted barley and caramel malt similar to that malt commonly used in similar beer styles. The malt is set in resin and helps add weight. This is a must have item for beer enthusiasts, craftbeer enthusiasts, Stone Brewing fans, IPA, DIPA fanatics, San Diego beer lovers or anybody that enjoys truly unique, handmade jewelry. Each piece is different as each cap has been treated differently through their travels to my beer fridge. Additionally, each cap reacts differently to the doming process. Cracks and chips may result naturally and add to the unique, unduplicated, rustic character of the finished product. The cap artwork represents the Stone gargoyle logo.
Stone-Double Arrogant Bastard
The beer cap shown here was previously crimped on a bottle of West Coast Double India Pale Ale (DIPA). The beer is orange-copper in color and has a hoppy and malty nose. A mouth full of hop flavor and a bitter/dry and finish. Clean and refreshing even though this beer weighs in at 95 IBUs and 8.1% abv!
Green Flash West Coast Double IPA
The necklace shown here was previously crimped on the bottle of Blue Moon Belgian White. Blue moon uses 2 row barley, white wheat and oats in their grain bill. They also use Valenica orange peel and coriander to give the beer the signature aroma and flavor profile of a traditional Belgian white. The specific gravity is 1.053, IBUs-9 and weighs in at a moderate 5.4% abv. The aroma is malty with a bit of orange. The flavor has a sweet start with a bit of spicy orange flavor and a nicely balanced finish from the hops. The addition of oats provide a smooth, creamy mouthfeel.
Blue Moon Front
This artisan piece was handmade using that recycled bottle cap. The cap was domed and filled with real 2-row malted barley and white wheat used this beer style. The barley and wheat is set with casting epoxy to hold the grain in place and add weight.
Blue Moon Back
Blue Moon beer cap from the side
Blue Moon Side View
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