RateBeer
   Home Sign Up or Login Advanced Search
   People Ratings Events Places Forums Shop Magazine
      Top By Category  RateBeer Best  Latest Ratings  Top 50    

Stone 05.05.05 Vertical Epic Ale

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

* picture credits
copyright may apply

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

Escondido, California USA

bottled
available

on tap
unknown

Regional Distribution
Find this beer

Add Distribution Data
send corrections | shelftag |

 Ratings  Average  Score  Seasonal  ABV  Style Pctl  Serve in 
3593.79/5.03.77/5.0Special8.5%91.7Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler
View Statistics  P 

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?  
 AmEricanbrew (1747), Louisiana, USA
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/59/105/517/20
Sep 13, 2008  
Bottle from the cellar enjoyed on 09.09.08 mbd. Mahogany pour with a tight tan head. Strong aroma rising from the glass is lightly oxidized with chocolate toffee and pecans. Medium body. Rich, hearty flavors mirror aroma; again cocoa, toffee sweetness with roasty nutty pecan flavors. Has a mild burnt malt bitterness to finish. Seems the oxidation in this bottle added another ( nice ) layer of depth here. Enjoyed this much more this time than when fresh back in 2005. Wish i had more of these. Most worthy


 bdigital (585), Ft Wayne, Indiana, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/57/103/516/20
Sep 4, 2008  
Bottle: Courtesy of cmr1517...pour a cloudy amber color with no head. Biscuity malts, caramel, clove and dark fruits are abundant in the nose along with...wait for it...wait for it...wait for it...cardboard. Shocking isn’t it...this was definitely oxidized a bit but in all honesty it didn’t really detract that much in overall complexity and drinkability. Medium bodied, somewhat sticky. Flavors of caramel, cloves, dark fruits and had some grassy notes. Ultimately a very good brew that I wish I could have had during its prime.


cmr1517 (35), New Haven, Indiana, USA
4.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
10/104/510/104/518/20
Aug 31, 2008  
Pours a dark amber in color. Its aroma smelled of banannas and other fruits. This has aged very well! I did not taste initially but this beer after three years is still quite amazing. Very smooth and with just a little bite. Will love to try again!


 chicagodri (1021), Chicago, Illinois, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/58/103/516/20
Aug 30, 2008  
22 oz bottle (I still have one in waiting). Pours a very dark brown with a thin tan head. Heavy caramel malt aroma, with raisins and other dark fruit in there as well as yeast and some spices. Good flavor. It has a little bit of an aftertaste and lingers in your mouth. Still good. Some serious stuff.


 skoisirius (570), Seattle, Washington, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/58/103/516/20
Aug 19, 2008  
22 oz bottle tasted around the 777 release date. Big caramely malty nose blended with a bit of cherry notes and a bit of semi-sweet chocolate. The flavor is a lot of the same, yet so mellow after 2 yrs and quite well blended together with the age. The chestnutty flavor comes out a bit in the body, but is mainly swept over throughout by big sweet malts. A tiny hop presence was still traceable. Definitely remember enjoying this one slowly...meaning, I loved it!


TapMaster (16), , California, USA
3.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/57/103/515/20
Aug 12, 2008  
May 27, 2005 I lost my password and this was my rating so Well this is my first rating and I think I picked a good one. I am new at the whole "palate" thing So I will say it has a lime flavor, nice dark amber color. It has this sense stimulating the outside edges of my tongue and sneaking into my stomach in a nice way. Lots of bubbles. Hey, my writing improves as I get the closer to the end of the bottle.


 LinusStick (1831), Moon Twp, suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
3.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/58/103/515/20
Aug 8, 2008  
A nice Belgian strong and very delicious. Aroma of dates, plum and raisin. Pour was a nice deep brown with a thin tan ring for a head. Taste was strong and fulll. All dark fruit with a hint of yeast and a sticky brown sugar and alcoholl aftertaste. Very nice and drinkable beer.


 yespr (11645), Copenhagen O, Denmark
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/515/20
Aug 7, 2008  
Bottle at Stone Bistro. Pours a golden brown with a lacing tan head. Smooth caramel and fruity aroma. Flavour too is smoothly mixed caramel and fruity hops. Lingering into the finish with a fruity mild flavour.



CONSIDER FREE RATEBEER MEMBERSHIP



Join us! RateBeer is made by beer enthusiasts for the craft beer community. Your basic membership is free and allows you to read all beer ratings. Click here to create your account... and give your opinion!

SIGN UP NOW »

View Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36

What's Your Opinion?
Tell us what you think of this beer. Start your free RateBeer account now.
» Click here.

More Belgian Strong Ales

Westvleteren Extra 8 (4.24)

Struise Pannepot Reserva (4.21)

Struise Pannepot (4.2)

Rochefort Trappistes 8 (4.11)

Pizza Port Cuvee de Tomme (4.1)

Abbaye des Rocs Brune (4.09)

Struise Pannepot Grand Reserva (4.05)

Abbaye des Rocs Grand Cru (4.04)

De Dolle Oerbier Special Reserva (4.03)

Gouden Carolus Cuvee Van De Keizer Blauw/Blue (4.01)

Chimay Bleue (Blue) (4.01)

Bush de Nuits (4)

Charlevoix Dominus Vobiscum Lupulus (4)

Bush Prestige (Scaldis Prestige) (3.97)

Abbaye des Rocs Triple Impériale (3.96)


About RateBeer | Add A Beer | Add A Brewer | Edit Personal Info | 100 Beer Club | FAQ | Log out | Feedback? | Copyright 2000-2009, RateBeer LLC