Stone 06.06.06 Vertical Epic Ale

Had this beer on 9/22/2006. Aroma is a rich sweet malt scent with hop back tones. Color is deep purple, almost black with good carbonation and thick tight head. Taste is rich and smooth. Starting with a full body it goes down with a smooth feel. Finish comes on bold with a rich malt flavor that is sweet and roasted then is backed by a nice bitterness. Overall this brew is wonderful. Its well balanced, full of flavor, bold and rich, without being overbearing. I look forward to the next in the epic series on 07/07/07.

Considering the style, Scores ranging from 1 to 5, 5 being the most intense
Appearance:
Body:   Clear(1)->Murky(5) : 3     Golden(1)->Dark brown(5) : 4     Still(1)->Sparkling(5) : 3
Head:   None(1)->Large(5) : 3   White(1)->Tan(5) : 2   Lasting: 3   Lacing : 3
Aroma:
Intensity : 3  
Yeast : 3   Bread : 3   Tropical Fruits : XX   Soap : XX   Diacetyl : XX Sulfur : XX   Fusel : XX  
Malt : 3   Biscuity : 2   Hay : XX   Toasty : 3   Caramel : 2   Fruity : 3   Nutty : XX   Honey : XX   Maple : XX   Molasses : XX   Cereals : XX   Grainy : XX
Hops : 2   Noble(1)->American(5) : 1   Leafy : XX   Spicy : XX   Floral : 2   Lemon/Lime : 2   Grapefruit : XX Orange : XX   Herbal : XX   Grassy : XX   Pine/Spruce/Resin : XX  
Notes :   Peach/Apricot : 1   Earth : 2   Mint : XX   Butterscotch : XX   Smoke : XX   Dates : XX   Bourbon : XX   Bubblegum : 1
Flavor:
Initial Flavor : Dry(1)->Sweet(5) : 4   Finish Dry(1)->Sweet(5) : 4   Sourness : 2   Bitterness : 2   Complex : XX   Length : XX
Palate:
Light(1)->Full(5) : 4   Flat(1)->Fizzy(5) : 4   Clean : XX   Sharp : XX   Watery : XX   Oily : XX   Chalk : XX   Astringent : XX   Alcohol : 1   Mineral : XX   Oxidation : XX   Metallic : XX

Comments: A gently clovey, yeasty, toasty Belgian take that is rather cohesive at this point. Sweet and soft palate.

Rated blind from "Better Know a Style: Abbey Dubbel" tasting. Pours dark brown with barely a head. Aroma is ... wait this isn’t a dubbel. Smoked meat factory. If there is such a thing stone probably brewed this there. And then threw in some red fruit. Flavors are chocolate, fruit, charred, smoked, with more of that dubbel red fruit. Very surprised with this one but I still enjoyed it.

Rated blind from "Better Know a Style: Abbey Dubbel" tasting. Black/brown color with small off-white head. Meaty aroma with some dark aroma, small fruit. Dark fruity, very candy sweet, too much sugar. Thin, little carb. Too sweet and unappealing.

Pours dark brown with hints of red and a small light brown head. Aroma of roasted malts and dark fruits. Chocolate, caramel, dark fruits are balance with a slightly bitter and sour finish. A very nice ale similar to a belgian dubbel.

Courtesy of Dragonstout. Pours a black color with a very thin dissipating head. Has huge flavors of roasted malt, caramel, chocolate, and brown sugar. Finished with a sort of sweet and sour fruit taste on the tongue.

rated blind from "Better Know a Style: Abbey Dubbel" tasting. pours dark w/ red tint, off white head. nose is roasty, chocolate, smoke, piney hop. flavor roasty, brown sugar, meaty, grainy, pretty hot too, some dark fruits in there. feel is smooth, carbonation a tad prickly.

I couldn’t stand it anymore and finally cracked this baby open as I enjoy my first night of football sprawled on my couch. Poured a deep stained mahogoney red-black with barely a whisper of carbonation or head. The aroma is strangely waxy, and a bit date-like ... I don’t know how else to describe it ... This drinks a lot mellower than I’d expected it to, and with much different of a flavor profile than I’d expecte, too. This has a rich dark fruity character, mostly raisin, hint of licorice, plum, blackberry, pinot noir. For all those rich flavors, this goes down far too easily, a nice sipper on this nice cool evening as I watch the Patriots smoke the Chargers.(#3097, 9/16/2007)