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Stone 03.03.03 Vertical Epic Ale

 (RETIRED)

Stone 03.03.03 Vertical Epic Ale

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 Percentile 
95
overall
A Belgian Strong Ale formerly brewed by
Stone Brewing Co.

Escondido, California USA

bottled
common

on tap
available

Local Distribution
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 Ratings  Average  Score  Seasonal  ABV  Style Pctl  Serve in  Advanced 
2973.74/5.03.74/5.0Special9%86.8 Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler P  Stats

Commercial Description:
A new Vertical Epic will be released every year, with the goal being to collect them all and have a Vertical Epic tasting once the final Epic is released on 12/12/12. Each new Stone Vertical Epic Ale will be release one YEAR, one MONTH and one DAY apart. With Vertical Epic 03/03/03, we used some pretty interesting ingredients...coriander (a "Belgian-style" beer favorite!), alligator pepper (wow, bite into these little gems and you get a bigtime spicy rush of flavor), and a bit of both unmalted wheat and dark roasted wheat. And a blend of Belgian yeast and American ale yeast. And a nice selection of high alpha hops (a decidedly non-Belgian style twist). All told it makes for a dubble-ish taken-to-San-Diego-pushed-to-the-edge-and-slapped-around-a-bit beer. So, treat it gently. It's been abused enough already. Store it upright, cool and in the dark. It would enjoy a nice long rest. It will have plenty of patience. Now let's see about you . . . . In addition, we are pleased to provide the homebrewing recipe: http://stonebrew.com/timeline/030303

Most RecentTop RatersHighest Ratings Who's Rated This?
 xsketchyx (184), Oregon, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/104/514/20

Mar 30, 2004  
room temp. sweet then bitter, plums and raisins. A tad boring, just too simplistic.

 illidurit (393), Santa Cruz, California, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/517/20
Aug 8, 2008  
Bottle at Stone Bistro during RBSG 08. Pours a dark orange-gold, with a tan head that leaves spotty lacing. Aroma is huge caramel with ripe dark fruit. Flavor is a subdued mealy maltiness, with caramel, cold coffee, and the tannic remains of old hops. The coriander and pepper are still very apparent. A nicely mellowed beer.


 gunhaver (610), Tampa, Florida, USA
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/105/58/104/517/20
Aug 6, 2008  
~RBSG ’08~

Bottle at Stone. Pours a murky cloudy amber, with a thick ring of lacing on the glass, and creamy head. Big strong caramel in the nose, with apricot, biscuit, vanilla wafer, and just a ton of spices. Flavor has caramel, brown sugar, molasses, sweet creamy malts, vanilla, some slight chocolate and a fair amount of roasted malts. Soft body, feels like a barley wine, smooth and still refreshing and drinkable after 5 years. Enjoyed it a lot.


 AgentSteve (747), Livermore, California, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/57/104/517/20
Aug 5, 2008  
Pours a golden orange with decent cream colored head. Bready yeast, fruit and spice fill the glass and flavor. Creamy on the palate.


 Capa (737), Yokosuka, Japan
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/58/103/517/20
May 25, 2008  
Part of a vertical in half Tokyo; thanks marc! Orange caramel in color with a creamy head. Aroma is full of caramel malts, biscuit, molasses, and sort of spicy. Mouth is a tad thin. Bready malts, caramel, pepper, molasses, and belgian yeast. Warming alcohol in the end. Highly enjoyable.


 Goodgrief (1018), Middletown, Delaware, USA
3.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/57/103/514/20
Mar 29, 2008  
Oct. 2007 - Ruby brown pour with nice looking head and lacing. Wonderful aroma of caramel malts and earthy hops. First sip, taken aback by a sour fruitiness. Caramel malt base and significantly hopped and not a bad tasting beer, but the sourness was detracting. Slightly thin mouthfeel. Ok. Thanks to eaglefan538 for sharing.




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