Stone 07.07.07 Vertical Epic Ale

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

Bottle sampled on 7/05/07: Pours a transparent orange amber with a clingy-lacing white head. Aroma of sweet bready Belgian malt and yeast with a touch of light fruits and some earthy grass. Starts fairly full and biscuity malty sweet with some spices and mild warmth toward a doughy finish. Fairly true to style and should age well.

Bottle. Poured with a finger high head. Smell reveals a heavily spiced beer. Initial taste was interesting, hints of nutmeg and cinnamon, with a malty finish. Decent lacing. Excellent spiced beer if you’re into interesting flavors.

Bottle. Aroma has moderate malt notes of nutty and caramel, hop notes of perfume and lemon or lime zest, and musty for the yeast. White wine notes up front and a nutmeg/clove spiciness in the back were also present. Head is small, white, moslty diminishing and has fair lacing. Color is clear amber. Flavor starts moderately sweet and lightly acidic, then finishes moderately acidic. Palate is medium, oily, and has a soft carbonation. it finishes moderately astringent. A unique and flavorful beer, but a winey aftertaste detracts from the experience a bit.

Golden colored ale with just a bit of haziness. Large and lovely white head. First thing I pick up in the aroma is pineapple and honeydew. Further sniffs reveal notes of citrus and biscuits. Wonderful fruity flavor is at first tropical like a lot of typical belgian golden ales but with a spicy finish. By the time this sucker has warmed I get a full on tangy fruit salad with a thick mouthfeel. This one filled my belly with joy and I can’t wait to try it again in a few weeks to relive this experience.

Bottle. Thanks Markus (bu11zeye) for this bottle. Pours a clear pale amber color with a small white head. Sweet malty spicy yeasty aroma with some waek hints of ginger and hops. Sweet malty warming spicy yeasty flavor with some fruity hints. Long warming malty spicy finish.

650 ml bottle

Now that I can pick up the Stone Vertical Epics every year for $5.99 I figured I had no excuse not to sample them. I only wish I would have done so before buying a second bottle. It’s not the worst Belgian but once again this is pretty underwhelming like 06.06.06. I still imagine it will be going for $50 or more in five years. Perhaps there is some silver lining in having a second bottle on hand.

Aroma / Appearance - A fast growing one finger head surged up the sides of the tulip glass. Underneath was a bronze body that let about 75% of the light trickle through. The nose was overly medicinal with sour raspberries, yeast and cotton candy. It put me off just a bit as when I closed my eyes I thought of Vick’s vapor rub.

Flavor / Palate - Caramel, rye bread and Nutella form a very pedestrian aroma. The taste of cough syrup makes me wonder if this would double as a throat soother when one was sick. Cotton candy, dark chocolate and malt make an appearance before a respectable finish. The mouthfeel was slightly too thick for the style. If this were a regular release or a lesser known brewery it would be acceptable; for something billing itself as a ’Vertical Epic’ my expectations are higher.

Hazy, golden/amber appearance with a small off white head and sparce lacing. Spicy aroma; ginger is evident; lemon and grapefruit to a lesser extent. Yeasty, well spiced, gently hopped, dried fruit flavors. Medium bodied, well carbnated mouthfeel. Dry, lingering, peppery finish.

Sweet and fruity malt aroma. Cloudy orange color with a large white head. Tangy malt taste with a spicy cinnamon finish. Slightly stick palate.