Stone 06.06.06 Vertical Epic Ale

Formerly brewed at Stone Brewing Co.
Style: Abbey Dubbel
Escondido, California USA

This is it. Number 200. I’ll tell you what. I know a lot more about beer than I did 200 beers ago, but after getting to meet some great people in the beer industry, I realize just how little I know. I guess we’ll just have to keep drinking more beer. Ah well, such is life. This years edition of the Vertical Epic pours a deep caramel color, but settles a dark brown color. Light brown fizzy head with no lacing. Aroma is of sweet, fruity malts, with a universally accepted nose of fig. Initial taste is light sweet, ramping up to a moderately sweet finish. Average duration. Light on the mouth, it has a watery feel with no distinguishable finish feel. It was noted that this ale has a signficant cinammon taste. The first glass that was poured smelled and tasted different from the rest, independently earning a 7 for an aroma score, opposed to a 6 for the rest of the pours. Reviewed on October 22, 2006.

One of the best Vertical Epics yet. Similar to the 03, as I remember, but stronger, more body and flavor. I found a lot of fruit in the aroma: pear, strawberry, raisin/prune. Flavor was yeasty with some spices. Very little hop bitterness, way background. Malt backbone that could age well, but might not make it to 121212.

This maybe the most original beer i’ve tried. Man, where to start. This thing pours about as black can get. The smell is good and reminded me a little of the smell of a campfire. The taste was weird. I can’t figure it our but it tasted like burnt caramel. The flavor was very strong also. The drinkability was ok. I had a hard time consistently taking swigs of it. I will let the other one i bought age and then re-review it. Re-rated 7-26-07 Very big difference in this brew, or in my tastes. Smell is still great, and the flavor blended a little better. 3.3 to 3.8

raisin, black, cloudy, that is the obvious presentation of the beer. i congradulate stone on the nameing because it truly is an undertaking in drinking one of these gladiatorrs in the barley ring...almost a rusty nails and burnt coffee suprise attack but it is quickly and efficent;y dispersed by the velvety chocalte that coats your pallete...the perfect beer for a person that doesn’t like "beer"

Bomber-Trade w/after4ever-Poured a dark brown w/almost no head. Sweet floral aroma. Somewhat sweet flavor up front-dates & raisens, Caramel & yeast. Has a malt finish to balance it out. Had some good carbination to it, somewhat chewy-very smooth, easy drinking brew. Alcohol was well hidden. Long sweet finish, fairly comlex brew.

(bottle) black with scant tan head. Roast malt aroma with spices and yeast. Flavor is roast malt, dark fruits, some spices and yeast.

Almost opaque brown with a medium head. Fair lacing. Aroma of caramel malt, clove type belgian yeast and dark fruits. Tastes of caramel, roasted malts and clove. Fairly sweet taste and finish.

bottle- pours a dark cola color with a minimal head that goes away extremely quickly. smells alcohol and some malts some chocolate maybe slight rum or something I cannot quit put my finger on. tastes alcohol malts. very sweet. raisins something bitter in there as well licorice maybe in the finish along with alcohol warming that coats the throat.