Stone 05.05.05 Vertical Epic Ale

Had planned on saving this and trying to get the entire series. As it’s unlikely I’ll live to 12/12/12, may as well drink up. Besides, not all years have been banner ones, so what the hell. This is a clear dark brown with a frothy tan head. Citrus zest, caramel, hints of chocolate, and other, fairly typical Belgian vapors meet the nose. Medium body has lively carbonation. The flavor was fairly common Belgian strong ale along the lines of what one would get from Famtome and the like. Maybe by 12/12/12 it will be better. Damned if I’ll know.

Clear dark ruby brown pur under a small collapsing tan head with no real lacing. Aroma of brown sugar/molasses, dark fruits, and a hint of licorice. Rich and thick mouthfeel with a lingering fullness but without any stickiness. Multiple flavor levels start off with sweet malt notes of caramel and molasses. There is a bit of roastiness, and some earthy flavors, and some alcohol stars to come through as well. Raisins, plums and similar fruit flavors are more in the background. Finally, a bit of spiciness leads to a a finish that is initially a little sour, turning to a light bitterness. I really liked this, and it became more enjoyable as the drink progressed.

Deep yet translucent red-brown body, medium dense tan head. Caramely, toasty aroma, with hints of brown sugar. Alcohol and bitter esters begin the flavor profile, with notes of caramel and toast that linger with the strong esters, which carry through the flavor profile. Toffee and chocolate are also evident. Outside the malt contributions, there is little depth or complexity to this beer. The yeast adds little character to the beer. Not bad, but disappointing.

Deep brown color. Richness is exuded from this brew. Dried fruit, yeast and alcohol dominate the nose. Easy-drinking Belgian strong. Definitely could polish off a couple bombers of this. Rich, a little soy saucy at times (in a good way). Nice bitter finish. Really enjoyable. Can’t wait a few weeks for the next release.

22oz. bottle: This one pours a dark mahogany with ruby tints to it. There was a fairly strong tan head on mine, that does subside after awhile. The aroma is pretty much that of a standard Belgian Strong Ale. I get caramel, raisins, some spiciness, and some other dark fruits. The body is actually a bit lighter than I expected. Certainly not light at all, but I expect these beers to be more of a "liquid bread". The taste is good, with some roastiness coming out on top of the caramel and fruits that you normally find in this style. Certainly a decent beer, but I’m not sure that it will make it another 7 years.

Bottle. Pours dark mahogany with thin beige head. The aroma is raisins, brown sugar, and passionfruit. The flavor has a ton of caramel, raisins, sugar, and a woody finish. Drinking more brings out an earthy overtone and some alcohol. Not bad, not bad.

bottle. Pours a dark thick red with a quaint white head atop. The aroma is thick and syrupy of burned wood, tons of caramel, and a hint of berries. In the mouth a bit of lemony citrus is apparent with more of that thick caramel and notes of earthy spices. The huge amounts of caramel never seem to get overbearing and the finish exposes a touch of smokey, meaty flavor.

Bottle. I love Stone brews, never had one I didn’t love. This Epic ale is no exception. It’s certainly not for the entry level beer person. Only a person with a love of thick, rich, full flavored beers can appreciate this. It’s described well here by other reviewers...I would only add that I taste a small similarity to the Stone Porter.