Stone 06.06.06 Vertical Epic Ale

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

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.

The aroma was coffee off the bat with chocolate and caramel coupled to a bit of a smoked character like that of smoked sausage. The backbone was malty and nutty with a Munich malt nature. The beer poured dark brown, almost black, with an off-white very low yet lasting head which did work to lace the glass. The flavor was malty with a light spice, coffee and a strong bit of smoke thrown in for good measure. The spice was not readily able to be deciphered, but had a bit of a cinnamon and clove note through the smoky and roasty phenol. The bitterness from the roasted grains and hops kept the malt from having any chance at balancing the flavor toward malt so the bittering and acidic grain properties ruled the day. As it warmed some nutty Munich malt character emerged. The body was medium full with a moderate level of carbonation and a creamy character to the mouthfeel. The finish was bone dry with lasting smoked sausage and light roast into the aftertaste and beyond. Alcohol never played a role in this beer with no apparent alcohol anywhere in the aroma nor flavor, but with just a hint of warming post consumption. An interesting beer, perhaps a Belgian Porter or Stout. 22 ounce bottle.

Aroma has alcoholic lightness, caramelly and roasty. Body is surprisingly light, relative to color, good carbonation, smooth but not creamy. Flavor is very malty and, umm, kind of, umm...tastes a little like pot. I think pot has a very nice taste, and is something that goes very nicely with a beer of this darkness. Nice light finish with some banana esters and alcohol. Doesn’t fit in a category, and I like it for that.

Bottle from Holiday Wine Cellar: Pours very dark brown (almost black) with a medium light-brown head that is mostly lasting. Aroma is fruity with roasted malts. Flavor is nutty with hints of spiciness and a yeasty dry finish. Was able to fill up my Trappist glass twice with the bottle. Complex and delicious!

Bottle. Poured a deep brown-black with a light tan head. Clove smell is dominating in the aroma. Smell some fruit as well. Flavor is yeasty, tasting some fruit in there also. Smooth taste from start to finsh. A young beer, especially since it is not supposed to be tasted till much later. It should be very good around 12.12.12.

Bottle. Pours a dark brown almost black with a medium sized tan head. Aroma is yeasty, roasted malts, dreid fruits. Flavor is roasted malt, clove, yeast, chocolate. Palate is full bodied, with a medium carbonation, sweet toasty finish. This is good

Bottle. Pours brown with a medium head. Aromas of yeast, bread and spices, perhaps a bit like gingerbread. Flavors of cloves, anise, yeast, bread an hops. Fairly complex. I also found that it is better chilled than warmer, it gets too sweet. The alcohol is there but never overpowering. The beer has a full body which makes it almost hard to finish a bomber bottle.

06/10/06 Dark walnut with cherry tints in the body and very small beige head. Malty aroma with banana and plum notes. Flavor shows malts and bananas with hints of chocolate and spice. 04/19/08 Nose more molassy with raisin, chocolate, and clove notes; clear dark walnut with a nice medium straw head; flavor is brown sugar, prunes, molasses, and a light chocolate note; has developed nicely over these last almost two years. Good thing I still have six to sit on for the next dozen or so years and see the development!