Stone 08.08.08 Vertical Epic Ale

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

found this at Bev Mo (beverages and more) and then was fortunate to make it to the brewery and enjoyed it there also. another great one from Stone!

Wonderful bitter after taste, with Belgian yeast tastes upfront. Solid body and head. Gold color. Stone could enter the Belgian segment if they would brew this on a regular basis!

22 oz bottle generously given to me by csbosox. Pour is a slightly hazed yellow golden with a one inch white head. Sporadic carbonation bubbles lift to the surface. Falling head leaves behind nice lacing. Aroma of fresh resin hops, floral aspects, lemon grass, and some interesting sweet Belgian yeastiness. I also get some faint nuttiness, peanut shells almost. Interesting nose. Taste is pretty sharply bitter initially, with the resin hop, and some orange peel sweetness. I get the same nuttiness mid-palate, and this follows through to a dry and dusty finish. As it warms, I get more rock candy Belgian yeastiness out of it. Some black pepper spiciness too. The palate is medium to thin, pretty slick. There isn’t a lot of sweetness in this beer, yet something was quite cloying in the finish. It’s almost a metallic grassiness (I know, I know, it doesn’t make sense to me either). Overall, this was a creative, interesting beer that was well made. Thanks for bringing this one back for me Chris.

Bottle. Wonderful beer! Pours a hazy blond with aromas of citrus and grapefruit. Heavy hop smell that equates to heaven. Taste lasts long and the perfect amount of bitter.

Sub par for stone. Pours a hazy blonde with a good frothy head. Aroma is all hops, with a tiny touh of yeast. It tastes like a 2/3 stone ipa mixed with 1/3 duvel, not a bad thing at all. It’s just not a great blend for me.

Bottled. Brilliant yellow-gold color with fizzy carbonation and a developing rocky white head. Sweet malty aroma with a sappy, hoppy bite. Ginger spice and a bit of grapefruit citrus follow. Flavor leans sweet with some clove and mango tones above the malty tripel base, finishing crisp and bitter. Tastes pretty good fresh, not sure what this will be like in a few years. Reminds me of Signature Ale.

Pours a transparent bright golden with a wispy-lacing froth of clingy white head. Aroma of rich, sweet biscuity pale Belgian malts and light fruity esters with a good clove spice. Body starts with a good sweet doughy malted wheat and caramel flavor balanced with resiny piny hops and mild citric grapefruit. Finishes slightly warming and crisp. Should age fairly well and smooth out a bit.

Bomber - Poured golden amber in color with a medium whitish head. Slight lacing on the glass. Aroma is spicy with plenty of bready Belgian yeasts... clove/banana and citrus hops. Flavor is rich with bready yeast, clove/banana, spices and resinous hops. Medium bitter in the finish, which was short and clean. Really good...