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Stone 05.05.05 Vertical Epic Ale

 (RETIRED)
Stone 05.05.05 Vertical Epic Ale - Belgian Strong Ale

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 Percentile 
97
overall
Formerly brewed at Stone Brewing Co.
Style: Belgian Strong Ale

Escondido, California USA

bottled
available

on tap
unknown

Regional Distribution
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 Ratings  Average  Score  Seasonal  ABV  Style Pctl  Serve in 
3593.79/5.03.77/5.0Special8.5%91.7Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler
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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. This time around, we used no spices in the brewing of this beer. If you've tasted the beer before reading this, that may surprise you. The special Belgian yeast we used adds a distinctively spicy aroma and flavor. Roastiness, clove, hops, fruitiness, and those other great and funky phenols abound in the nose. What's in the flavor? You certainly get some dark roasted malts and alcohol overtones. What else? Hints of earthiness, chocolate/cocoa, hop spiciness, maybe even anise, and ... the incredible variety of complexities from the classic brewing ingredients of barley malt, hops, yeast and water, when applied with an artistic brewer's talent never ceases to amaze.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 Panzuriel (992), Westerville, Ohio, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/103/514/20
Jul 8, 2005  
Dark brown opaque beer with a thin mocha head. Mild spicy hop nose with good tang. Flavor is a spicy smoky hoppy blend. Texture is light but fluid. Finish is warming but a little tangy.


 cigarsnbeer (146), Valley City, North Dakota, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/104/57/103/516/20
Jul 7, 2005  
Strange...I wouldn’t expect this from Stone, I thinks an American take on the Belgian Strong Ale. Fruity and peppery through out, with a cigar tobacco aftertaste, REALLY complex!


 biz82 (1328), austin, Texas, USA
3.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/103/56/103/513/20
Jul 7, 2005  
Dark fruit aroma with tropical highlights. Passionfruit, starfruit, grapefruit. Clear and dark red with little head. The flavor does not match the aroma. It’s one dimensional, though clean and somewhat interesting. Where’s the flavor?


 Styles (1653), Lincoln Park, Michigan, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/57/104/515/20
Jul 6, 2005  
Bottle courtesy of Pailhead. Pours dark brown/ruby to the light. Aroma has lots of spice and smokiness. Reminds me more of a dubbel than a strong. Flavor was the same spice and smoke with some dark fruits. Long spicey aftertaste.


 mybrainhurts (212), North Dakota, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/104/515/20
Jul 4, 2005  
Pours deep brown with a short lasting tannish head. Aroma is yeasty, peppery, with hard fruits, dates and plums. Complex indeed. This is just from memory but it almost brings to mind HOTD Adam, only not as good. Molasses, coca, earth, tobacco, and peppery spiciness. Somewhat thin and chalky in the mouth. This is enjoyable now, but I question how it will age. Only time will tell.


 Ughsmash (3978), Waukesha, Wisconsin, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/516/20
Jul 3, 2005  
Deep ruby pour with a moderate beige head. Aroma was quite complex with spices (incl. cloves), dark fruits, Belgian yeast, plums, and some malty sweetness. Crisp mouthfeel from the hops, and white pepper, dark fruit, a medium sweet malt backbone, and cloves were in there. The sweetness dominated the flavor, but I think it may mellow out with time. Familiar Stone hoppy finish with some cloves and sweet malts. I enjoyed this, but the 04’s balance gives it my nod at this point in time.


 puzzl (2579), New York, New York, USA
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/59/105/517/20
Jul 3, 2005  
rating #50. Poured a deep brown with zero head. Wish it actually had some. Full, mouth-coating palate with a luscious, malty, fruity, perfectly balanced flavor. Alcohol was perfectly hidden: I was more than happy to quaff the bomber.

On the other hand, not really sure why this is marked as a Belgian Strong. Tastes loads more like an American Strong to me. In fact, I noticed almost no Belgian flavors whatsoever. Oh well.


 AustinMilbarge (681), Denver, Colorado, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/103/515/20
Jul 3, 2005  
Had in a vertical with the 030303 and 040404. Coffee was apparent to me in both the aroma and flavor. Light head. Alcohol was apparent but not overwhelming. Ruby hue. Made me think of a dubbel.



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