Stone 09.09.09 Vertical Epic Ale

Brewed by Stone Brewing Co.
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Escondido, California USA

Bottle (bomber) from Systembolaget. Black with medium beige head. Fruity, caramelly, and sugary with some roasted notes of salmiak and gunpowder. Very little belgian character. Medium bodied and smooth. Dry with bitter and a bit salty finish. Quite mediocre.

Bottle. Seriously bitter beer. Lots of coffee and pine. Huge bitterness in aftertaste.Can’t really see what’s belgian about this strong ale.

(bottle). Black color. Medium tan head. Strong malt aroma with light alcohol. Strong roasted malt flavor. Avg duration. Light alcohol finish with lasting roasted flavor. Slick texture. Soft carbonation.

Bottle. Pours black with a firm and long lasting head of rather big bubbles. Lots of coffe, some rosted malts and pine. A bit to light bodied to carry all the flavours.

Bomber. Pours deep, deep brown, nearly black, with a one-finger tan head that diminishes quickly. Aromas of milk chocolate, vanilla, coffee, some hops, roasty notes, raisins and berries, and a little smoke. Belgian yeast and pepper as it warms. Roasty and smoky flavor, cocoa, caramel, bitter espresso notes, and a bit of oak. A touch of alcohol in the finish. Ah, the slightest hint of orange rind is present in the finish as well. Rich, creamy, and smooth, with medium carbonation. Some spidery lacing is present. I’m not getting much citrus here, however. I would not have pegged this as a Belgian strong ale; it’s more like a porter, or a milk stout. I like this beer very much.

Dark brown, close to black with a small off-white head. Aroma is weak of chocolate, vanilla, subtile esters and a raw ryebreadish note. Flavour starts very sweet with oak character, light chocolate and vanilla with some fruit but ends on a dry very harsh "peel-bitter" note. Mouthfeel is very smooth with a perfect amount of carbonation, the best aspect of this rather unbalanced beer. However it might come together with some age, at the moment it’s both too sweet and too bitter at the same time.

Bottled. Pours out in a hazy dark brown colour with a small off-white head. Sweetish aroma of milky chocolate, anise, oranges and banana. Medium to full-bodied with touches of roasted malts, milky chocolate, Seville oranges, mild banana, licorice and sugar. Long aftertaste of licorice, sugar, mild banana and cocoa-powder. Still not a huge fan of Stones Vertical Ales....

Nose is full of lots of roasted malts accompanied with some banana and slight sweet spice. Perhaps a touch of vanilla sweetness as well. Pours dark brown, almost black, nicely into my thizzle glass with a good amount of fizzy beige foam and sticky lace. The flavor is full of roast that is almost acrid and lasts throughout. Other notes that add a touch of balance are banana, sweet yeasty spice, a hint of smoke, and light vanilla. Very charred and burnt flavors linger, drying the hell out of my palate. Good, but I would have preferred a little smoother drink, this could probably benefit from a little age as the assertive char might get a chance to settle in. Good nonetheless.