Stone 08.08.08 Vertical Epic Ale

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

22 ounce bomber purchased from the Covell Nugget in Davis, CA. Aroma is delightfully hoppy with some herbal, hemp, and orange characteristics. This is followed by some straight forward banana notes from the yeast. There is a bit of sweetness in there, which makes this a very enjoyable beer to smell. I honestly don’t think the aroma will improve with age. I expect the opposite, as a matter of fact. Transparent honey-colored body with a wispy, off-white head that is pretty small. Start is pretty carbonated, which becomes a little herbal with hop flavors. In the middle, there are some big, sweet, yeast/ester flavors which dominate. Some more bitter piney hop flavors come in later, which are followed by an unfortunate, dry, ethanolic finish. This had great potential given the aroma, but this just seems like a cluttered mess. I have a feeling that age will confuse things even more. I enjoyed this more the first couple times I had it when I was drunk.

Slightly cloudy orange, rocky white head. Fruity, slightly smoky aroma, with a touch of stone (lowercase "s"). Starts fairly sweet, ends fairly dry.Very drinkable, with some nice yeasty, fruity notes and nicely bitter finish.

Bottle. Clear golden pour supporting a tall white head. Fruity, yeasty aroma. Crisp flavor with apples, a touch of caramel and spice. Very restrained hop profile for a Stone. Mildly sweet but dry finish that warms slightly at the end. Not a traditional Stone and a significant departure from the most recent Verticals but I really enjoyed it.

22oz bottle: pours golden brown with slow fading white head, could pass for bud light but because its a belgian strong ale ill let it slide. aroma only a hint of malt not much going on here, flavor not bad has the classic belgian taste but is a little lighter almost like westmallie triple. good beer but could use work.

A Belgian Ale that tastes like something else entirely. Very golden. It swishes around in the glass with strands of white head floating in circles. Very aromatic. Lots of sweet here. I don’t feel the high ABV at all. I get a nice sticky taste that lingers. Probably should have bought two bottles.

Smells a bit like bubble gum. Supposedly has a bunch of hops in it, but I don’t really taste them that much. I guess I’m not sure what a hoppy trippel would taste like. Interesting beer, but seems awfully similar to last year’s VE. Would like to see something a little different next year.

Bottle from Discount Liquors. Pours a clear golden with a thin white head (I was expecting a tall fluffy one). Nose has lots of that belgian yeast with caramel, bread, dough, candi sugar. Spritzy carbonation banana, citrus, caramel flavors, belgian yeast, with some alcohol, spice, and hops coming over. The booze lingers as long as the grassy hops do, becoming a little much. The heat resonates in the throat as well tasting somewhat syruppy. But it has been awhile since I’ve had a belgian beer, and so I’m enjoying the carbonation and belgian yeasts.

Wow was I pleasantly surprised by this one! Not only is the Belgian golden base great, but I love the addition of extra hops. It rounds out what is normally a bit too sweet of a style for me. Pours a classic gold color, though the head is smaller than most true Belgians. The aroma is more hops than golden ale - it smells more like an IPA. The flavor brings spices (cardamom and cloves), mild citrus fruits and a great bitterness from the hops. Finishes dry and clean, while still retaining a strong flavor. Very nice!