Stone 08.08.08 Vertical Epic Ale

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

Pours a clear golden with a fluffy white head. Nice lacing. Aroma similar to a tripel with that peppery/yeasty goodness, but with a citrus hop smell added in. The taste was similar with a surprisingly full body.

Pours a clear shiny golden yellow with a nice tall white head of foam which looks like whipped egg whites. Very very attractive (Almost looks like a Duvel maybe little more golden) Nose: Definitely hoppy citrus, resiny and some apricot like notes followed by some banana, pear and peppery esters are wonderful. Taste: Really wonderful explosion of flavors tropical fruit notes (maybe apricot) peppery spiciness along with pear and some banana notes. Hop bitterness and flavors really meld with these complex flavors. Palate: Has a long spicy and drying finish and the lingering hop bitterness makes the next sip quenching. Overall: A very well made special ale from Stone. The interplay of hop notes and yeast esters make it a very yummy beer. It seems the beer is perfect to drink right now ... The carbonation is firm and the hop character is expressive - I wonder how this will hold till the end of Epic Series

Bomber. Pours clear golden, with a moderate-sized, dense white head. Aroma is Belgian-style yeast, American hops, spices, hint of alcohol, and some light honey-sweet malt. Flavor is a mixture of sweet and ever-so-slightly tart fruits, various spices, yeast, hint of alcohol, and fresh-citrus hops. Less hoppy than expected, even this early in the recommended aging period, and a bit cloyingly sweet. However still quite good.

Crystal clear pale golden color with a thick white head. Aroma is mostly yeast of banana, clove, and pepper. Flavor is much of the same but has a nice balance with the fruity and spicy hops. This is a very, very good beer. Extremely well balanced, smooth on the palate then finishes bitter and slightly dry. This is by far the b est Belgian Strong I’ve had.

Pours a yellow orange with very minimal head. Aroma of mostly sweet malts and some hops. Flavor of citrus, grapefruit, yeast, and hops. Medium to strong hops bitterness with a unique finish of sour fruit, hops and yeast. I may have had this one a little early so the head and carbonation was low. Still a very good beer.

Haven’t been a big fan of the VE series but this one is worthy. Bomber pours a golden hued body, radiant in the alfresco evening sun. Capped by an attractive vanilla head that has some legs, patching the goblet with sheets and patches. Aroma is fruity with grapefruit and banana esters, kissed by notes of pine resin. The medium body is accented by a yeasty chalkiness. Taste has fruity grapefruit with a hint of bubblegum, tempered by dry and bitter pine hops. Belgian yeasty notes are prominent. Finishes like a cross between a Belgian pale ale and an IPA. Enjoyable...certainly my favorite of the VE series. My first beer consumed and reviewed here on Mount Tranquility in the higher elevations of Claiborne County, Tennessee.

(Bottle, Stockholm Beer Festival, 20 Sep 2008) Golden colour with frothy, white head. Fruity, spicy nose with notes of citrus, apricots and orange peel. Fruity, spicy taste with apricots, orange peel and lots of spicy hops in the finish. Fairly sweet. Lacking something in balance, but still a nice and tasty beer.

Bottle @ Chris_o’s Pre-Beer Exposed Tasting, September 2008.
pours clear golden with a small, creamy white head. Aroma is super hoppy (pine) and wonderfully fruity. Fine, dry mouthfeel. Flavour has some forest, pine, low yeastiness. Not much maltiness behind the heavy hoppiness.