(Escondido, CA) – Stone Brewing Co.’s annual February beer, Old Guardian Barley Wine, returns in a couple weeks. More on the beer below…

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2014 Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine

Barley wines are traditionally hefty brews, but ours is downright excessive. The huge maltiness of this beer is only tamed by an equally prodigious addition of hops, creating a rich, slightly sweet, caramel-hued ale infused with assertive bitterness and bright hop notes, all culminating in a pleasing dryness. While it will evolve into an even more glorious brew with age, this beer’s delicious onslaught of flavors will seriously challenge your ability to wait any longer to drink it.

TASTING NOTES

Mitch Steele, Brewmaster

Appearance: Deep amber with a creamy tan head and light haze.

Aroma: A blend of bready yeast esters, toffee malt flavors and citrus hops. Allowing the beer to warm to about 50° – 55° F really allows the malt and hop character to come through.

Taste: Flavor is rich and malty, with a pronounced yeasty ester profile. It finishes with strong citrus and tropical fruit hop flavors.

Palate: Rich and smooth up front. At mid-palate the beer transitions to a pleasant dryness and lingering hop bitterness with a slight alcohol heat on the finish.

Overall: It’s a well-rounded, complex beer that is ready to drink now, or can be aged at cellar temperature for many years.

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS

Appetizers: Foie gras, lamb lollipops, bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with blue cheese, stuffed mushrooms, caramelized onions on brioche

Entreés: Cassoulet, duck confit, venison, boar, pumpkin ravioli with fried sage, vegetarian shepard’s pie

Cheeses: Stilton, Gorgonzola, Maytag Blue, Montgomery Cheddar

Desserts: Salted caramel apple pie, caramel pecan crunch, sticky toffee pudding, plum-almond tart, Fig Newtons

Cigars: Dunhill Signed Range Toro, Don Pepin Garcia Lancero, Illusione 888 Churchill