Stone 06.06.06 Vertical Epic Ale

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

Upon its release from the 22-ounce brown bottle the beer sets a deep incarnadine color, the head behemothic in size, light tan in color and semi-creamy in texture, the lace forms a thick and sticky sheet to hide the glass. Nose has a deep, rich malt sweetness, hints of aromatic spices dominate after resting a bit, a joy to this old schnozzle, start is sweet with a delightful grain presence, top is moderate in feel to the palate. Finish has a spiny acidity, the hops and spice quite flavorful, dry and long lasting after taste. One of the better verticals from Stone, and one that will age nicely.

Dark brown body with a substantial head. Innovative brew with aromas of chocolate, plum, raisin and fruit spice. Initially malty mouthfeel with notes of chocolate and caramel that lead into strong clove, banana and raisin notes. Yeasty, alcoholic finish with elements of smoke and clove spice, light undertones of chocolate. Overall, it tastes kind of like a mix between Chimay, a Weizenbock and a Scottish Ale. Yummy, but will improve with time after alcohol softens.

Crimson chestnut. Healthy light beige foam is slightly rocky and holds an air-whipped consistency. Floral hops, clove-infused apples, bubblegum and green raisin aromas fill the nose. Dainty nougat and unripe banana notes. Creamy and silky on the palate. Seductively soft and mellow, up front, with a flavorsome smack of brightly floral hops. Gritty roast eases its way into the mix and beautifies the deep juiciness. Vibrant display of chewy raisins and plums. Chocolate accented roast exerts its coarseness and highlights the slightly dusty yeast elements. Yeast adds a thickly fluffy texture, but stops just short of overexerting itself. Alcohol is quite keen in its sharpness, and rather than being overaggressive, it imparts a perfect touch dryness which keeps the yeast from becoming overbearing. All the while the spicy clove lends its poignant heat and further aids in keeping the yeast at bay. Clove- and bubblegum-infused chocolate pudding and juicy plums create quite the savory arrangement of flavors. Finishes softly and explosively hoppy, yet with a brash edge of roast kissed with fresh hop bitterness and a lingering bubblegum aftertaste. After a fairly not-so-epic line of Epics leading up to this, I stopped expecting Stone to ever succeed at crafting something of this caliber from a Belgian yeast strain. But 06.06.06 has certainly convinced me otherwise, as it’s my favorite in the series by far. A most pleasant surprise.

Good slow sipper. The focus is on bitter flavors--dark espresso, hops, wood, and cloves. A little bit of roundness with milk chocolate and prunes. Balanced caramel sweetness. Tastes more like a stout than a Belgian ale. Not complex except at the back of the tongue. A good but not great beer.

The flavor here seems the best of the epics yet. The yeast is better incorporated with the alchohol and I think this is a bit sweeter. Nutty and bready, not as much perfume.

Bottle. Deep dark brown in color with no head. Citrusy lemony aroma. Clove peppery notes. Spicey citrusy flavor. White pepper. Full bodied. Sweet. Finish is bitter. Very nice beer. Enjoyable.

Bottle. Pours a very dark mahogany body and soapy white head. Roasty aroma, almost dunkel-esuqe with toasted toffee and some citric hop notes. Nice creamy palate with toast flavours along with almond nuttiness and caramel. Good balance with a solid dose of bitterness in the finish.
Thanks for the opportunity, radiomgb. Sampled on April 21, 2007.

Dark brown with a tannish head. Good lacing. Nice looking. Very spicy aroma. Coriander and cloves, almost minty. There is quite a bit of fruitiness there. The malts are a touch roasty, not too aggressive though. The flavor is loaded with fruits and spice. Roasted malts. Yeasty notes, slightly bready. It ends with a bitter spicy touch. The mouthfeel is heavy and leaves you with a tingly, numb tongue.