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Stone 05.05.05 Vertical Epic Ale 3.77 364

Stone 05.05.05 Vertical Epic Ale

 (RETIRED)
Percentile
97
overall

bottled
available

on tap
unknown

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RatingsAverageScoreSeasonalABVStyle PctlServe in
3643.78/5.03.77/5.0Special8.5%91.7Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler
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?  
 angrypirate06 (781), Texas, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/57/104/515/20
Jul 21, 2009  
Bottle thanks to bman1113vr. Dark brown pour. Aroma is caramel, bready malts, syrup, pancakes. Flavor is pancakes, caramel, sweet malts. Nice thick palate.


 hapjydeuce (773), 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!


 Hangover (771), Atlanta, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/517/20
Aug 4, 2005  
Dark amber pour with a quickly dissipating head. Fruity aroma with cloves and spice. Taste features heavy bourbon notes, a little bit of chocolate, more cloves, cherry... very spicy and has a nice alcohol bite to it. I really like this one... too bad I’m too impatient for wait for it to age, I’m sure it would be even better.


 BrockLanders (750), Panama City, Florida, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/57/104/516/20
Dec 24, 2005  
Poured a translucent deep brown, a reddish brown when held to the light. Off-white head hung around for a while. Big spiciness in the nose with some caramel malts too. Smells yummy. Flavor is just as spicy with some sweet malts in there too, herbal. Creamy mouthfeel....very pleasant drink. Nice hop presence about midway through. Alcohol is persistent throughout...right up to the final swig. Very tasty...I liked it more than the 04-04-04.


 HumuloneRed (750), Portland, Oregon, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/103/517/20
Jun 27, 2005  
Pours a clear deep crimson with a creamy head and weepy lacing. Alcohol and fruit in the nose. Caramel, fruit and spicy notes in flavor. Nice robust flavors that will hold up for a while. Must try one with some age on it.


 herbjones (742), Orange, California, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/104/58/103/518/20
May 8, 2005    Updated: May 10, 2005
Re-rate 5-9-05. After having another one I have to say this is growing on me.Starting to suggest a cross between Rochefort and Hacker Pschorr Weiss Bock. Odd, but it works. Original rating-Chestnut colored brew raising a 1/2 inch tan head. Nose is yeasty with some alcohol heat. First sip makes me think of a juiced up hefe, all banana and clove. then it settles into some rich maltinesss that doesnt quite fill things out. Almost like a rochefort light. Still a decent brew that should make it another 7 years(hopefully).


 Sregnar35 (730), Rotterdam, New York, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/57/104/516/20
Jun 22, 2005  
This is a really nicve belgian ale brewed by stone. Althogh I prefer hopped beasts, belgians offer a nice rotten fruit taste that tastes good.


 wnhay (722), Princeton, New Jersey, USA
4.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/105/59/104/516/20
Jul 13, 2005  
Pours dark ruby with a long lasting tan head. Really good appearance. Smell had toffee, lemon, banana, chocolate, orange and cranberry . The cranberry was very good in the flavor. The flavor was like a Tripel with cranberry added to it. This is really pleasing. I am raving because I like it so much better than the 04. I’m glad I have another one to age.



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