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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

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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?  
 gunhaver (1024), Tampa, Florida, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/104/515/20
Aug 6, 2008  
De facto Rating #600

~RBSG ’08~

Bottle at Stone. Pours a clear reddish copper color, with a fuzzy white head, and wet dripping lacing. Aroma is fairly hoppy, lots of floral notes with caramel and slight vanilla. Sweet malts in the flavor, vanilla, some hops, citrus, molasses, and what could be bread in the finish. Nice medium-body, easy to drink, and has aged well in three years.


 carruthm (1109), Seattle, Washington, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/103/515/20
Aug 3, 2008  
dark brown with a slightly tan head
spices and cherries aroma
very good taste, dark fuits and spices


 SQNfan (591), Wheaton, Illinois, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/57/104/515/20
Jul 30, 2008  
On tap during Stone Fest (Feb, ’08): This poured a deep/dirty orange/brown in color. Aromas and flavors were of orange peel, spice, caramel and chocolate. This was medium-bodied with nice richness and quite smooth.


t4h2c0 (80), seattle, Washington, USA
2.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/104/55/102/512/20
Jul 22, 2008  
Man, maybe I aged my bottle poorly becasue it was not good in my opinion. After over two years of aging I was excitied to taste it after aging. What a disappointment. Poured dark redish brown with a thick white head. The poor balance of the beer threw my palate off right away, tasted like a funky belgian beer. I don’t understand why Stone is using a Belgian Yeast in beers that are supposed to age up to ten years. Well, i guess i’ll just have to let my next 05’ age even longer and see what happens.


 cbkschubert (1945), Cochise Co., Arizona, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/515/20
Jul 12, 2008  
22 oz. bottle shared by FlacoAlto - Pours a deep mahogany color with red edges and a medium size off white head. Faint lacing. Aroma and flavor is toasted malt, esters, and a touch of spice. A smooth, medium body beer. This beer was a pleasant suprise. Has it peaked? It was pretty good.


 GuilTTy (527), Cherry Hill, New Jersey, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/105/58/104/516/20
Jun 22, 2008  
Hazy light mahogany pour supporting a dense dark khaki head with lacing like velcro. Dark fruits, figs, walnuts, toffee and semi-sweet chocolate in the aroma. Wonderfully complex palette of flavors with more dark fruits, caramel, a hint of coffee and butterscotch all shepharded about by a strong hand of sweet malt and Stone’s healthy hops. Long, sweet finish with a peppery flair and a rich, smooth texture. This was my only bottle so I won’t have one to crack open with an 06.06.06, 07.07.07 & 08.08.08 mini vertical later this summer but this one was worth the early peek.


 highibus (421), Mill Creek, Washington, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/58/103/518/20
Jun 21, 2008  
a nice chestnut color with nice carmal notes. fruity flavors and a great blance for a three year old beer. very nice.


specksnreds (55), USA
4.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
10/105/59/105/518/20
Jun 18, 2008  
A friend opened it as we boiled his latest home brew. Flawless after three years. Every flavor is incorporated perfectly. From the prunes at the beginning, to the cocoa and clove finish. A perfect lacy head. No too boozy. As close to perfect as I’ve had. Not much bitterness.



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