Today's delicious brew is Stone's Old Guardian Barley Wine Style Ale (the 2012 Release). I love that it's 11% ABV, love that it is a barleywine, so it has a malty sweetness, and love that distinctive hoppiness that is pretty much Stone's hallmark. It is quite a heavy drink, though, with a kind of "hot" alcohol kick right up front. Do not love that quite as much; it could be a more integrated beverage. There's definitely a lot of layers of flavor here: the punch of the alcohol, the sweetness of the barleywine, the spiciness of the hops and whatever else is in here. It finishes just a tad too bitter for me, but a hops lover will disagree, I'm sure.
According to Stone's website, this beer contains Cascade hops (the first Stone brew to do so) and therefore has "hints of grapefruit and pine." I definitely get the pine, much less so the grapefruit. Any subtle citrusy taste is overwhelmed by everything else going on. It's thick in texture, a little cloudy in the glass, and very, very assertive on the palate. I do like it but it is the kind of beer that I have to be in the mood for. Kinda like Quentin Tarantino movies, or Interpol songs. But I like it, I swear! Because Stone beers are cool. And I like cool things.
I really do like it. For reals!
Brewed by: Stone Brewing Co.
ABV 11%
85 IBUs
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