Rich caramel dominates Old Guardian’s aroma, inundating toasted bread and dank hop scents with sticky sweetness. On the tongue, this boozy barleywine splashes down with toasted bread and a hefty dose of caramel; zesty orange pops through the thick malts. Despite the bold flavors, hot alcohol and aggressive bitterness quickly overtake the tongue and push the swallow toward a harsh, unbalanced finish. A few years in the cellar should calm this beer down and make room for its flavors to shine.
