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?  
 scrizzz (1252), kirkland, Washington, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/58/103/515/20
Feb 22, 2008  
wow thats good. caramel chocolate raisin and wood on the nose. smoky wood up front, sweet finish, well rounded, aged nicely. dark fruit finish.


 ucusty (1871), Wake Forest, North Carolina, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/58/104/515/20
Feb 13, 2008    Updated: Feb 14, 2008
Thanks to Himerman for this one! Pours brown with a slight haze and great lacing. Yeasty aroma with lots of spiciness. Complex flavor with hints of dark fruit, chocolate, bread and malts. dry sweet finish.


 padrefan98 (787), (San Diego) Santee, California, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/57/103/516/20
Jan 30, 2008  
On tap at the Stone Winter Storm 2008. Dark with some chocolate and malts in the flavor. Very good.


 hapjydeuce (763), Del Mar, California, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/58/104/517/20
Jan 27, 2008  
On tap at the 2008 Stone Winter Storm. Wait...no spices used here? Really? Hard to believe. Reminds me of a quadruple-style Belgian. Pours a hazy brown color with a bit of cascading beige head, eventually settling out to fine microbubble lace. Probably my favorite Epic so far. Sugary malty aroma with notes of figs, tea spices and chocolate. The flavor is elegant raisin, plum and port wine with toasty Belgian yeast . Finishes sweet and dry. Classic!


 wetherel (1565), Encinitas, California, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/57/103/517/20
Jan 27, 2008  
On tap at Stone’s 2008 Winter Storm. I was lucky enough to find a couple of bottles in the store a couple of months ago 2yrs after it was released, but this is first time I’m trying the beer. Amber color. Malty melanoiding aroma and sweetness. A hint of oxidation and sour. Very good.


 badlizard (2325), Berkeley, California, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/58/104/516/20
Jan 27, 2008  
ON tap at Stone Winter Storm. Hazy golden with a creamy white head. Sweet fruit and malty aroma. Caramel, orange, and tropical fruit taste with a clean finish.


 YogiBeera (2437), Hamburg, Germany
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/105/58/104/516/20
Jan 19, 2008  
September 2006- wonderful dark brown color with a little head on top. Dark plums, chocoalte and malt in the taste and nose- very intense. Alcoholic finish- but pleasant. Wonderful


 MadMan (497), Tempe, Arizona, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/103/516/20
Jan 18, 2008  
Bottle. Pours a dark brown with thin off white head. This one has changed quite a bit since fresh, I’m down to 1 bottle now. Aroma is sweet and malty with chocolate and brown sugar. Flavor seems more mellow and full of dark fruits with cocoa and alcohol. Finish is warm and has a little black licorice taste that kind of sucks. Now to decide when to have this last bottle.......



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