Stone 06.06.06 Vertical Epic Ale

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

(22oz bottle, thanks kmweaver) Clear dark red-brown body with small tan head. Aroma is moderately sweet, chocolate, candi sugar, some Belgian yeast, caramel, banana, raisin. Taste is medium sweet, chocolate, some banana, light Belgian yeast. Medium body with some alcohol roughness. Seems more like a Weizenbock.

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.

Bottle. Dark brown colour with a big beige head. Sweet, fruity, spicy aroma and taste. Medium to full body with a light sweet, light alcoholic finish.

(Bottle) Pours a dark burgundy body with a moderate beige head. Aroma of toasted malt, dark fruit, caramel, and clove. Flavor of malt, tobacco, caramel, and spices. Should mature well with some age.

22oz bottle. Poured a dark, dark brown, with red edges and a large sized off white head. Aromas of plums, raisins, bananas, roasted malts, and spices. Tastes of plums, raisins, chocolate, caramel, and spices. Light alcohol in the finish. Lacing left on the glass.

22oz bottle-pours an offwhite head with red color. Aroma is sweet, malt, dark fruit. Taste follows, dry.

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.

Bottle... Clear, crimson ale with a mid-sized, creamy, lightly tanned head. Good retention. The complex aroma is a swirl of chocolaty, vinous notes with a touch of burnt rubber, port, soy sauce, anise, clove and smoke. The flavor is chocolaty and toasted with dark fruits, molasses and alcohol. Decently-balanced by the hops and booziness. Full-bodied and creamy with lively carbonation. Finishes toasted and medium bitter. Pretty hot. Should age well, but I enjoyed it straight out of the Brickskeller’s cooler.