Stone 06.06.06 Vertical Epic Ale

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

Very dark brown with a thick creamy tan head. Aroma is of dark toasted wheat, sweet spicy yeast, some light licorice, toasty and with lots of deep dark malts. Some cherry but not a whole lot of plumminess that I normally go for. The flavour is very toasty and chewy. A bit of roastiness on the back of the dark malts and dark spices. Dry, fairly bitter finish. As it warms more of the yeasty spice comes forward bringing a bit more balance than was present initially.

Pours deep brown with a medium head that fades. Aroma is of a fresh vial of belgian yeast, banana, plum, lots of spice, raisin, some biscuity malt, and a slight waft of alcohol. Flavor is toasty cedar, raisins, chocolate, plum, some spice, some biscuity malt. A mix of cedar and roast rise up and dry out the mouth a bit on the finish. Medium body slightly watery palate. Very interesting beer with the mix of spice, roast, and cedar. The drying of the cheaks and tongue get a little annoying after a bit.

bottle-well well, i have to say that this one was a little better than the god awful 10th aniv. pours deep mahogony red with a nice fizzy brown head . lots of dusty esters and dark fruit on the nose with a boatload of brown sugar and allspice. flavors are toasty, lightly roasted, light caramel with a lot of coca and clove. some salty flavor on the finish. very complex and interesting and may develop over time. body is lush with ample carbonation but true to the style. not bad and a decent american version of a dubbel.

Poured a dark brown small head. Was a little thin out of the gate. Aroma was of malts caramel and chocolate. Flavor was smokey choclate wasn’t bad just was way different then i expected. Good though

Bottle at Kookfest 06. Black with ruby edges, beige head. Slightly herby, nice hop. Dark malts. Love the aroma on this. Some sourness. Bit of toffee. Hop is ok. Pretty good beer.

Dark cloudy brown with a medium sized tan head. Rich aroma of dark fruits, caramel, a touch of chocolate. Sweet flavor initially with a mildly bitter finish. A short blast of alcohol also. Flavor is slightly chocolatey. Some bourbon/scotch notes. I’m thinking this is going to be awesome in a few years.

Dark brown color with medium tan head. Aroma is a bit of a potpourri... dark fruits, chocolate, spice, roastiness, caramel and butter. Flavor is not very well-balanced... the dark fruit flavors are very dominating. Sweetness is a little overwhelming. Interesting brew that should be even more interesting in a few years.

Poured a deep brown color with a nice thin tan head that dissipated quickly. Strong wheaty, roasted malt aroma, much like a weizenbock, with a bit of light caramel and chocolate in there. The flavor was roasted light chocolate malts, but the roastedness was a firm ash/smokey flavor, somewhat strange for the style, much more typical of some stateside weizenbocks I’ve had. Other flavors that came on with temperature included strong spicing, particularly cloves, light fruity esters (touch of banana), and a bitter balance (yeast?) in the finish. The mouthfeel was dry.