Stone 07.07.07 Vertical Epic Ale (Red Wine Barrel Aged)

Formerly brewed at Stone Brewing Co.
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Escondido, California USA

Tap at Tria - I was never too impressed with the standard version, but this one has some nice woodiness and a bit of dark, tart fruits in the nose. Flavor is a bit sweet and saison-ish with some mild wood and lightly sour cherries. Nice improvement over the standard release.

Draft at Tria in Philly: pours a golden amber color with a wispy white head, aroma of banana, yeast, taste has some sweetness up front but finishes with tastes from the wine barrel. Very nice tasting brew. I also got to meet Mitch Steele during this tasting which was an extra bonus.

Getting notebook online. Draft. had this a few days after I had my bottled original. Good sweetness from the residuals in the barrel, the oak flavors are a nice twist too. The spices make it taste very merlotique. Very nice! Re-sampled growler fill 9/19/2009. Did side by side with the regular 07.07.07. You really can get the oak barrel come through when you drink after the regular. A nice burned wood flavor with a peppery spice fills the flavor with the oak really coming through.

On tap, BCTC 2008. Poured a hazy dark gold body with a small off-white head that left a bit of lacing. The nose is still very spicy like the original, fruity wheat, with slight oak, and a fairly muted vinous character. The biggest difference in flavor was the little bit of oakiness that emerged on the finish. The actual red wine flavor wasn’t all that apparent because the spicing was still very evident. Mouthfeel was fairly full bodied with fizzy foamy carbonation, a bit sticky. I liked this a better than the regular version, but that may be just due to the age on it and letting the spices mellow some.

On tap at the Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens on 08/03/2008 on day three of RBSG 2008. Clear dark amber body with a small white head. Big fruity aroma, lots of sour aromas, very winey. Spicy, winey flavor with some slight sour hints. Medium full body with moderately low carbonation.

Draft... RBSG ’08... Hazy golden ale. The aroma is a restrained marriage of tangy, woodsy and grainy notes. Full-bodied with a whole-milk mouthfeel and feather-soft carbonation. Perfect mingling of tanginess, sweetness and very light bitterness. Maybe a touch of caramel. The short finish provides quick glimpses of fruit and acidity. Tasty!

On tap @ Stone, RBSG. Slightly cloudy amber, sparse light white head. Looks thick in the glass. Sweet floral Belgian nose, oak is apparent on the aroma but not overwhelming. Some alcohol presence. Taste is more spicy and tannic (duh) than the regular version, and the alcohol seems to come out more. Nice oak and red wine characters, but they rough up the softer Belgian characters. A nice brew, but kind of mixed up.

On tap at Stone during RBSG. Pours orange with a touch of hazy rust. Minimal wet white head. Aroma is rather winelike, with a vinous woody character that overpowers the traditional fruity esters found in the standard version of this beer. Flavor starts out sweet with banana and sweet spices, but then a thinning, tannic, vinous wine character dominates the finish. Honestly this beer tastes exactly like you’d imagine: part Belgian strong pale, part red wine. Not really a complementary combination. Finish is quite dry from the tannins and the winey astringency. Herbal tannic bitterness lingers. Overall this was an interesting and tasty beer, but it doesn’t all fit together quite right for me.