My first trip to San Diego was in 2011, as I've mentioned before. In fact, it was my first trip to California at all. As soon as I was off of the plane and in my rental car I immediately set the GPS for Stone in Escondido, and wasn't disappointed by the trip. The Stone Brewing gardens are gorgeous and their the taproom/bistro is beautiful and busy. It was the perfect place to partake in my first taste of their 15th Anniversary Black IPA, not to mention a healthy pour of Bashah, one of my all-time favorite beers.
I have several Stone brews that have been sitting in the cellar for a while. Every once in a while I'll break one out and see how it's done as it ages.
The last time I opened an Old Guardian, it was a 2006 release that I brought out for an advance showing of Beer Hunter: The Movie that I hosted during Knoxville Craft Beer Week. To say I was disappointed was an understatement. It wasn't what I expected. It tasted like wood, was flat and was overall just not all that good. It had definitely gone beyond its prime.
So it was with trepidation that I grabbed the 2009 bottle I've had sitting in the back corner of the cooler since the 2012 Super Bowl. I had planned on doing somewhat of an incomplete vertical, but that never came of fruition, so I figured I'd try it .
As much as I was disappointed with the 2006, I was just as pleased with the 2009. The bottle says it was a "Limited Early 2009 Release." I don't remember how many bottles I bought. I know I have one bottle left after this one, and I'm glad I do.
I could see a fair amount of sediment in the bottom of the bottle, so was very careful not to disturb it as I took pictures and poured a glass. It poured a beautiful golden/ruby color, with a nice tan head that was about a finger's width. That head dissipated quickly but began leaving very nice lacing behind.
Sticking my nose down in the glass, I could smell malt, malt and more malt with a bit of booze, leather and hops backing it up. I was surprised to find any hop presence left 4 years after the bottle was pulled from the line, but it was definitely still there.
I detected the usual barleywine characteristics. Caramel. Brown sugar. Toffee. You know the routine.
As it sat in the glass I could see the bubbles rising very slowly, almost as if they were in a syrup instead of a beer. Lifting those bubbles (and their container, of course) up to my pie hole, I took a big ol' swig and swished it around in my mouth. As it rolled over the tongue there were two main sensations: Hops! It still had hop flavor! And booze. The warmth of the booziness of this glass of nectar could be felt all the way down my esophagus. Even 5 minutes after taking a healthy pull on the glass I could still feel that booze warmth.
At 11.3% ABV, the boozy nature didn't surprise me a lot, but most barleywines I've had tend to tone down quite a bit as they age, but I'm not sure this one did. It's 4 years old and still packs a wallop.
Letting my tongue rest, other flavors started poking their heads through the bitter booze. Fruit. Caramel. I still felt that resiny overtone throughout, but at least something else was trying to move up there to compete. I was left with a mildly laced glass and a sweet/bitter finale.
Mrs. Traveler's opinion: "It smelled good. It smelled very promising. It was just a little more sour than I expected. I could definitely drink more of it though. It's definitely better as it warms up."
That's a bunch of words by her, so I guess ultimately she liked it.
Overall it's a good bottle. I'm glad I have another one stashed, and will probably open it next year about this time to compare notes. I still have a 2006 as well, but I must admit I'm afraid to open it.
