Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine Dry Hopped with Pekko Hops
Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine Dry Hopped with Pekko Hops is an American Barleywine that features Pekko hops, a new varietal from Washington’s Yakima Valley. This big ‘ol Barleywine comes in at 11% ABV. Bottle provided for review.
The beer pours with a clear medium copper color with nice orange and ruby red highlights when held to the light. This beer smells absolutely amazing with notes of brown sugar, pineapple, mango, and passion fruit. The flavor is big and juicy with hop notes of tropical fruit flavors of pineapple, mango, and a surprising note of kiwi as well. There is a solid caramel malt base that adds just enough balance in the taste, and this all leads to a finish brings in a fairly mild and dry hop bitterness. The mouth-feel is a bit syrupy, but it works really well with the lighter fruit flavors of the hops. This is a surprisingly delicate tasting for an 11% ABV beer.
Excellent. Excellent… I thoroughly enjoyed this beer. I am not often blindsided by a new beer these days but this was was not on my radar… and delivered the goods!! You might be tempted to stick this in your cellar for a few years, but I will implore you to open it sooner than later. There is no reason to let all those hop flavors and aromas fade.
