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Stone 09.09.09 Vertical Epic Ale 3.72 407

Stone 09.09.09 Vertical Epic Ale

Percentile
96
overall

bottled
common

on tap
common

Broad Distribution
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RatingsAverageScoreSeasonalABVStyle PctlServe in
4073.73/5.03.72/5.0Special8.5%89.4Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler
Commercial Description:
This is quite a complex and layered beer. Bold and smooth chocolate malt flavors combine with a Belgian yeast lending tropical fruit/banana flavors and hints of spiciness, all complemented by citrus notes from an addition of tangerine peel. Rich vanilla beans add a nice counter to the chocolate malt - actually enhancing the chocolatiness. The finish is smooth, with additional traces of vanilla and toasted characters from French Oak. The goal for this edition of the Stone Vertical Epic Ale series is to be reminiscent of artisanal chocolates accentuated with orange.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 Rockinout (946), Kent, Ohio, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/517/20
Dec 10, 2009  
Dark reddish brown color, lots of earthy cocoa in this. Full mouthfeel with a nicely bitter chocolate finish.


 gsteph (266), knoxville, Tennessee, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/57/104/516/20
Dec 10, 2009  
Pours a dark, mahogany brown. Very opaque. Head is one-finger, pillowy, and pudding like with a cappucino color. Roasty nose, an earthy like chocolate, coffee, and charred carbon shot up front.....the very last thing I smell...bananas and cloves. Very miniscule and very elusive. I would say this is about one rung below an imperial porter on nose alone. Flavor is more like a porter than anything. A predominantly semi-sweet chocolate concoction, then the charred oak, followed by scant undertones of the tangerine peels that are an obvious addition to the overall bitterness on the end. It is creamy and smooth..no doubt a feature enhanced by the vanilla. Medium thick body that finishes smooth but with an unavoidable ashen characteristic. I can see the similarities between this and chocolate covered orange jelly sticks. I think they got what they were after. I wouldn’t say it’s a Belgian Strong...maybe an B+ American Porter.


 drseusszb200 (218), Florida, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/58/104/517/20
Dec 9, 2009  
tried at beer tasting at the ice house but poured dar with a small head that faded quicly. smell is coffee chocolate alcohol and slight freitiness. taste is very about the same and very good with a nice aftertaste.


mastabass666 (96), California, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/105/515/20
Dec 8, 2009  
citrus zest is initial element, followed by solid porter backbone, and vanilla bean in the finish. not picking up the belgian yeast. overall, very nice and complex.


 Marsiblursi (1659), Göteborg, Sweden
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/57/104/514/20
Dec 7, 2009  
(Bottle) Pours dark brown, almost black in the glass. Light brown head. The aroma is smooth with lots of creamy yeast, caramel/chocolate malt and fruity esters. Oranges, banana and mango. Mild spicy undertones of vanilla - both from the oak and the spices. Hints of (wood) tannins. Tones of caramel and (brown) sugar alongside a mild coconut note from the oak remind me of coconut milk. A whisper of black malt provides the nose with coffee. Roasted nuts. Laid back malt, the yeast is mild yet fairly complex but the hops (grassy/herbal and resinous) are maybe a bit too raw fore my liking. Almost no phenols = I like. The flavour is light sweet, medium bitter, and light acidic. Tones of chocolate, coffee, dark bread, citrus, light fruits, wood,earth, resin and subtle spices. Hops are high alpha but typical European in style. The mouthfeel is smooth, soft and round. The finish is to citric and alpha-aggressive. Medium to full bodied. I am not always a big fan of Stone, but the aroma is fantastic, as well as the malt recipe.


 ekstedt (2456), Göteborg, Sweden
3.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/104/56/104/512/20
Dec 6, 2009  
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.


 hirigalzkar (601), Stockholm, Sweden
3.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/103/514/20
Dec 5, 2009  
Bottle. Seriously bitter beer. Lots of coffee and pine. Huge bitterness in aftertaste.Can’t really see what’s belgian about this strong ale.



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