Stone 04.04.04 Vertical Epic Ale

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

Troubled pale orange, the head was pretty frail.
Lemon pepper at first, but then this strange aroma that I’ve never detected in a Beer before. It was hard to describe, soapy lavander is the best I can come up with. Maybe crushed szechuan pepper, but with an added perfume that made me think of that time I went to a Persian restaurant, the desserts were perfumed with rosewater and other flowers.
Matching the aroma, the flavors were like some strange concoction a holistic healer would make out of whatever weird herbs, magic powders and air freshener he had laying around his house (aka the Van down by the river). It had a taste of flowers and flour! It was quite complicated, and honestly, I can’t even give you a verdict if I liked it or not. This truly is a case where giving this Beer a score is pointless for me, because the taste is something absolutely new to me and my brain is still processing it, trying to associate it with something and coming up with nada. I think at first my reaction wasn’t too favorable (I would have given it a 3), but now a few days have past and I’d be willing to try it again, just to see how I would react to a second dose (I would have gone up to 4).

The pour reveals a cloudy golden color with a ring of white lace. Aroma of fruits and spices that include pepper. The flavor is pretty much the same, fruits, spices and peppery yeast, it finishes bitter. The body has a light to medium thickness with an oily mouthfeel and low carbonation. Interesting, intriguing.

I can’t place the smell but it’s nice. Little head, but to be expected. This is fairly earthy/grainy. I can’t really notice the limes that much. A quite nice brew, and hopefully one that will get even better.

Expecting something special I popped the top on this.... low and behold..... what a letdown. Pours a yellowy golden color with a moderate bubbly head. Strong floral aroma that is almost too sweet and yeasty. Flavor was plesant, mostly banana and spice with a good ammount of hop in the finish. For one of the famned Vertical Epic beers this is a dissapointment, but is drinkable and who knows, maybe in eight years will be much different.

(Bottle) Pours a lightly cloudy golden body with a small off-white head. Aroma of mustiness and lime. Flavor of orange, herbal tea, banana, and cloves.

Bottle. Big perfumey, sharp, rubbing alcohol like nose. Smells like alcohol steeped with light spices (ginger, corriander, anise) and band-aids (phenols at work?). Very pretty honey colored body with a wispy thin layer of bubbles. Very attractive for a lager, but not a BSA. Tatse-tannic, light clove and banana, fresh wood like young twigs, baby powder, ...and wheat? I just can’t get the taste of babay powder out of my head while drinking this. Lots of phenols adding an elastic like quality to it. Overall drinkable, but the baby powder/band-aid really detracts from it. I don’t see this bad bof making it 8 years, but hey, who knows?

Hazy golden orange color with a medium sized white head. Aroma of banana, corriander and cookie like malts. Crisp, lightly sweet banana flavor with some lemon and clove as well. Not bad.

Lightly hazy golden ale with a no head. Tangerine spicey malt with honey notes in aroma. Very restrained in mouth, but classy, with notes of ginger, coriander, and honey. Upon reading the bottle, I note the limeleaves in mouth. Nice lingering sustained hops. Very good. (Spring 2005)