Stone 06.06.06 Vertical Epic Ale

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

On tap at the Blind Tiger’s VSK3 event. Pours a clear black with a thin white head. Smoke, coffee, roast. Creamy with some good roast flavors, a hint of coffee, and some nice chocolate. Finishes up with some lingering raisin, plum, and a tart roast note.

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 a tan head. Aromas are dark fruit, yeast, brown sugar, and cloves. Flavors are malt, chocolate, hops, fruit, and spices. Thanks to LeopoldStoch for this bottle.

This is an interesting take on an Abbey Dubbel. Whereas most of these styles, are pretty straightforward big malt and yeast vehicles, Stone does things a bit different here. The pour into my Orval glass is dark mahogeny color with a nice dark tan colored head that is smaller than I would like and totally dissipates. The aroma exhibits multiple qualities including nice malt, bublegum, wheat and some yeastiness. Flavor is quite wheaty with significant bubblegum, lots of spices and some yeastiness in the finish. This, to me is a cross between a wheat and Belgian style and as it is works quite well. I wonder how it will progress? Tasty.

I finally get to try the beer thats on my birthday! Someone was so generous to share this with me on DLD this year. This poured a lighter brown color with an off white head. Aroma was lighter than I expected. It mainly consisted of some candy sdugar spices, and light malts. Flavor was very full of fruits, some sweet candy sugar and a hint of roastedness as well. This was pretty good stuff, especially at 3 years old.

Bottle. Aroma of roasted coffee, dark fruit, and spices. Flavor like a dubbel, but with porter elements. I think it will taste even better after aging.

From 22oz Bottle. Pours a deep dark, chocolatey brown color with a beige creamy head resting on top - fabulous retention. Loads of banana in the nose, but light and creamy like a frozen popsicle treat. Some coconut and smooth clove spice add some olfactory highlights. A mild chocolate licorice rounds out a solid malt base. Thick, rich and creamy mouthfeel without being overly heavy. This beer is going to be amazing if its already this good. The yeasty clove spice is a bit staggering as it confronts the palate at first, but it eventually gives way to some rich Belgian chocolate notes with a hint of anise. The chocolate flavors are nice and balanced without being overly dry or too sweet. Final smack of cedar cone hops and a smooth caramel maltiness. Well constructed beer with a delicious complexity as is - I will eagerly look forward to tasting this in the years to come.

Phenolic and mildly spicy with a good initial mouthfeel that falls flat at mid palate. Caramel and toffee notes balancing on a very mild backbone of dark candies fruit.