Stone 05.05.05 Vertical Epic Ale

Formerly brewed at Stone Brewing Co.
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Escondido, California USA

Dark reddish clear brown with a thin off white head. Sweet malty caramel aroma, with ginger notes, sweet candy and alcohol. In mouth, sweet candy sugar, caramel, licorice and oranges. A good year! Rich and alcohol in mouth. On tap at BCTC 2006.

Head is initially average sized, frothy, light brown, mostly diminishing. Body is dark orange-brown. Aroma is moderately malty (toasted/roasted grain, cooked caramel), lightly hoppy (apricot), lightly yeasty (cobwebs), with notes of clove, oregano, orange peel, cola. Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, moderately acidic, moderately bitter. Medium to full body, velvety texture, lively carbonation, lightly alcoholic. Like an imitation Fantome Black Ghost, perhaps, but without the rustic farmhouse character. Reminds me of something Ommegang would make for some reason (just a tad harsh/edgy/unrefined in the finish). Surprisingly good overall, though. Finally seeing a little improvement in the head size/retention from Stone here, but still disappointing compared to most Belgian beers.

22 ounce bottle from Table and Vine in Northampton, MA (fall 2005), consumed at cellar temperature from a Dieu du Ciel! tulip. As with the previous two VEs, the bottle pops with an audible (though faint) hiss, ahh it hasn’t died. It pours a similar luxurious, lasting head with thick lacing (this time dark tan); the body is the darkest yet, nearly black, translucent and quite cloudy....the nose too is "dark", strong chocolate and burnt caramels, a bit of molasses and perhaps the tiniest hint of port, moderate yeastiness; a sort of caky dubbel; unlike 03 and 04 this doesn’t really seem oxidized, aromatically at least....the flavor too is that of a luxurious dubbel, dark chocolate cake and hazelnut fondant, a hint of cherry, perhaps a faint touch of caramelized banana.....carbonation is low to moderate, moutfeel is silky at first but gradually turns a bit gritty, as a light metallic/mineralic component enters the picture, along with light tartness and dark yeasty breadiness, faint dry hoppy bitterness.....in the end, a tiny bit more carbonation, a slightly lighter texture, might’ve made this a masterpiece; as is, very very good with not a hint of degradation yet detectable to me.

Strong resiny pine, orange-citrus, leafy hops along with a vinous fruitiness and some molasses like chewy sweetness in the aroma. Fizzy, fine bubbled, tan coloured head recedes fairly quickly to cover, then ring atop the opaque, dark, brown body. Bittersweet chocolate, mint, leafy, herbal, resiny citrus notes and a very strong nutty character with a mild but pleasant roastiness that appears in the finish. Although there are plenty of hops in this one, the malt still manages to be the star of the show. Medium body is quite lively with effervescent little bubbles that demand the tongue’s attention. Tulip glass. Just below cellar temperature. Bottle (Half Time, Sep-05).

Bottle: Pours a very deep redish hue with an initial frothy head and very good lacing. The aroma has notes of carmel, toffee, black malt, current, raisin, fig, cardamom, white pepper, peat moss, and musty yeast esters. The taste starts quite yesty with a lot of brown sugar and heavy malting upfront. Sublime notes of bitters and fruits run throughout the tasting as well. The finish is the best part of palate with a nice combination of spice characters and a touch of dark chocolate. The feel is lush and smooth but not heavy, the crispness and light salty nature keep the palate refreshed. Overall I think this is a hit with potential to become great.

Poured a clear brown color with a red tint. Sweet malty aroma with plenty of dark fruits. Fruity flavor continues with the dark fruits dominated by prune. Bitter finish. Medium bodied.

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.

Bottle (650ml). Shared with blankboy, GregClow, jer and tupalev - GregClow’s bottle. Deep clear brown-mahogany with a small tan head. Mild aroma of yeasty malt and spices, a hint of milkiness. Tastes of oaky alcohol, rich roast (almost burnt) malt, and bitter spices. Mouthfeel is lively, sticky and alcoholic, with a hint of bottle metal on warming - this is very strong and very sweet, with a bitter spicy finish - reminded me of chewing on cinnamon sticks when I was a kid; seemed more of an ASA than a Belgian strong though.