Stone 06.06.06 Vertical Epic Ale

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

very dark, a bit red up to the light. good amount of head though it’s pretty foamy. smell is totally candi sugar but i love it. in the flavor alcohol jumps at me right away. there was a whole lot going on, but i remember it also being a little too bitter. unexceptional light/medium body.

Shared with Hogtown Harry, GregClow, Jerc, and Blankboy, thanks big time Harry! Very dark brown, small brown’ish head. Nice strong Belgian aroma - spicy, alcohol - very nice. Taste follows - strong alcohol, spices, I even got a little bit of smoke at first, some pepper. Full bodied for the style. Very bitter finish. A nice beer that should age well.

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.

Pours very dark; I’m not seeing anything other than black. Tan head that goes away quickly. Big, spicy clove aroma, with some sweet dark fruit notes and a dose of hot alcohol. Faint roastiness. Very good flavor: the fruit, candy sugar, and other various malt and yeast tastes sit right alongside a less-traditional roasted malt flavor. The finish is dry and hot, with a touch of spicy phenols. Great now, but should be even better in a few years.

Aroma is dark malts, spice, licorice and sweet dark fruits. Body is a a rich dark brown with a firm two finger thick tan head. Fore is pumpernickel, rye, licorice and then dark fruits, spice, alcohol and floral notes waft in. Quite spicy in the finish. Pretty damn tasty and gets tastier as it warms.

Lovely dark brown pour with a one finger tan head that is foamy with some larger bubbles scattered about. Aromas are heavy of roasted malt with some dark fruit peeking through. Flavor centers on dark malt, anise and clove spice, a peat-like character that may be attributable to the hops and alcoholic flavors that come through just a bit. Alcohol blends nicely and does not overpower. It definitely warms a bit as it goes down, but is rather thinner bodied that I would expect with this much going on. Nice. I’ve got one more that is going to wait six more years for its moment of glory.

Brown-black body with a small tan head. This is one heavy beer. Deep liquorice/molasses and wood on the nose. Very malty and creamy body with plenty of dark fruits, woods and molasses. Finish is black liquorice with a nice hoppy touch. Alcohol manages to tickle my palate despite being less than 9% in such a thick body. I first had it draft at the Cooperstown beer fest 2006 and it was magnificent (original rating 4.5). The bottle wasn’t nearly as impressive. From my notes the bottle had more woods/hops while the draft was that grossly amazing and complex mix of dark stuff. Deserving of a re-rate since the bottle is what most will be having including myself if I have it again. 06-06-06 The Number of the Beer.

Bottle. Pours a very dark, dark brown, with a thin tan head. Very roasted malty aroma, with some spices and some dark fruits. Very nice mouthfeel. Creamy and smooth finish. Flavor is mostly the roasted malts, with some fruity sweetness and a splash of hops. Very tasty. Very drinkable. I am glad to have a few bottles to cellar.