Stone Old Guardian Belgo - Barley Wine

When our illustrious brewing team spiked a few barrels of the Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine with our Belgian yeast strain last year, we absolutely loved it. So much, in fact, that we knew we needed an excuse to make more. So, in our unending quest to constantly challenge the status quo (even our own), we came up with Odd Beers for Odd Years, a program to release odd beers – e.g. Stone Old Guardian BELGO Barley Wine – in odd years (2011, 2013, 2015…). It was met with a bit of resistance (to say the least) since we weren’t originally offering the traditional Old Guardian alongside it, but we’ve mended our ways and decided to make both. You’re welcome.

Appearance:
Deep gold/light amber with a light tan head. Beer has a light haze.

Aroma:
Floral and very fruity, with banana and other tropical fruit notes, wine, and hints of spice.

Taste:
Banana fruit esters, light caramel/toffee notes and hints of alcohol that should mellow over time.

Palate:
Medium body up front, finishes dry with a nice hop bitterness and some alcohol heat.

Overall Impression:
The Belgian yeast takes this beer into a totally new direction. The yeast esters dominate the flavor, while the malt character remains solidly in the background to provide ample fullness and balance. Hop flavors, while muted slightly up front, end strong on the beer's finish.