Stone 03.03.03 Vertical Epic Ale

Formerly brewed at Stone Brewing Co.
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Escondido, California USA

bottle consumed 9/11/04. Well after finding a good deal more of these around town, I figured I may as well try one right now. Pours a rich chestnut brown, hints of amber and light pink highlights. Off-white head, mostly disipating. Aroma is wonderfully spicy, with notes of alcohol, yeast, and plenty of coriander. It almost smells like chicory, though that must be the roasted dark wheat. Adds a rich, licorice-like smell to it. Hints of over-ripe blackberries on the end. Anyways, the aroma is quite intense. Flavor is big too. This one, though it may be pretty thin in 8 years, should be at least interesting.. Tons of pepper, it clings to the palate and with the large amount of alcohol, this packs quite a wallop. Flavors are very wheaty; not altogether unlike a strong dunkelweizen. Plenty of earthiness, moderate belgian yeast apparency. At room temperature, it’s got too much alcohol, and actually not enough malt balance. Interesting though, I am not tasting much hops. I can feel the bitterness, but not the citrus flavor. It seems that it’s just too peppery/alcoholic right now, but the relative lack of malt concerns me. It starts out wonderfully rich and full, but as it sits, breathes and warms, it looses its body, gets dominated by alcohol and black pepper.

I made an error when I popped the cap on this one, for I had just downed a bomber of Old Guardian Barleywine. Was I in fit condition to discern the myriad nuances of this awesome ale? Perhaps, perhaps not. I transcribe directly from my notes: "Appearance: a dark, ripe red, big, creamy head. Aroma: fresh, frothy, citrusy, sea-air, the very aromatic picture of a witbier. Drink it deep, that’s the whole, beautiful witbier style. Oh, delicious, but dark! Complex stuff! Definitely darker than a witbier. I can’t understand how they can create a brew that tastes like a witbier but doesn’t look like one. I don’t know what to think!" Now, I know there were additional ingredients, alligator peppers, of all the things in the world, and roasted wheat. Made for a still smooth and flavorful, but quite intriquing beer. Seemed to keep a step in two worlds at once, light, yet deep and powerful, refreshing, though full of complex, even harsh flavors. Quite an astounding beer! Got to try this one again!

Aroma of perfectly toasted *toast*, a medley of toast and mild citrus. Peaches as well. What the hell is this? It tastes like a spiced Belgian? Kinda like a spicy Corsendonk, maybe. I don’t see this lasting another however-many-years, but it was good right now anyway.

Gotta say I was kind of let down by this one. Tried it when it was first released but didnt rate it because I felt it was to young and had not come together yet. Tried another one last night and guess what? Still just a jumbled mess. Belgian hints with yeastiness and dark fruits at first, some spiciness and then the hops come in and bludgeon everything and not in a good way. Hopefully time will be kind to this one and in 9 years it will come together.

Amber color out of the bottle with a thin off-white head. Belgian candi sugar nose. Very sweet Belgian style beer with some faint spice and some hops. Finish shows a little pepper heat with a lingering citrus bitterness. Not very interesting, but still tastey.

mostly clear amber color, with a lasting creamy tan head. aroma is strong on belgian yeast, with mild spices, almost perfumey with a faint hint of patchouli..it’s a beer for whores. flavor has mild notes of fruit (banana ya know), lots of belgian yeast, loads of spice in the finish...i detect what i’d call "grapiness" in the flavor. very nice.

Had extremely high expectations for this beer and I must say I was a bit let down. Beer poured a nice brown color. Good carbonation and head. Aroma was a nice mix of malt and hops, but not overly complex. Taste was well balanced, but again not overly complex. A good beer, not a great beer. I think this beers reputation exceeds the merits of the actual beer. One of the best brewing/marketing concepts ever conceived in the brewing industry. Once you have the first couple of years, you’re hooked and will buy it every year. Has as much collectable value as anything. Anyway, a good but not great beer.

Brown coloured. Loads of chocolate and dark malts in the aroma and in the flavour. Quite spicy and complex.