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05.05.05 Vertical Epic Ale
Stone Brewing
Beer Geek Stats
| Print Shelf Talker
- From:
- Stone Brewing
- California, United States
- Style:
- Belgian Dark Strong Ale
- ABV:
- 8.5%
- Score:
- 88
- Avg:
- 3.91 | pDev: 12.53%
- Reviews:
- 217
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Mar 25, 2017
- Added:
- May 06, 2005
- Wants:
- 102
- Gots:
- 58
SCORE
88
Very Good
88
Very Good
Notes:
A new Vertical Epic will be released every year, with the goal being to collect them all and have a Vertical Epic tasting once the final Epic is released on 12/12/12. Each new Stone Vertical Epic Ale will be release one YEAR, one MONTH and one DAY apart. This time around, we used no spices in the brewing of this beer. If you've tasted the beer before reading this, that may surprise you. The special Belgian yeast we used adds a distinctively spicy aroma and flavor. Roastiness, clove, hops, fruitiness, and those other great and funky phenols abound in the nose. What's in the flavor? You certainly get some dark roasted malts and alcohol overtones. What else? Hints of earthiness, chocolate/cocoa, hop spiciness, maybe even anise, and ... the incredible variety of complexities from the classic brewing ingredients of barley malt, hops, yeast and water, when applied with an artistic brewer's talent never ceases to amaze.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by DavoleBomb from Pennsylvania
3.52/5 rDev -10%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.52/5 rDev -10%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Had this sometime at the end of 2012, as part of a 03.03.03 - 12.12.12 tasting. I had meant to enter these a while ago while they were fresh and add a few extra details, but that didn't happen. Review from notes. Anyway, here we go.
3.0 A: Moderately hazed semi-dried blood color. Short head that falls quickly.
3.5 S: Strong, musty "old beer" smell. Caramel, toasty, raisin. Pepper and clove spiciness. Cocoa powder, anise, and light roastiness. Overall, pretty decent - held up well.
3.5 T: Big toastiness, light roast, caramel, chocolate. Anise, pepper, clove. Tastes like a well aged beer that was pretty good fresh.
4.0 M: Medium body. Good spritzy carbonation. This is pretty damn good. Very impressed.
3.5 D: Easily my favorite so far. Not bad at all.
Jan 18, 20153.0 A: Moderately hazed semi-dried blood color. Short head that falls quickly.
3.5 S: Strong, musty "old beer" smell. Caramel, toasty, raisin. Pepper and clove spiciness. Cocoa powder, anise, and light roastiness. Overall, pretty decent - held up well.
3.5 T: Big toastiness, light roast, caramel, chocolate. Anise, pepper, clove. Tastes like a well aged beer that was pretty good fresh.
4.0 M: Medium body. Good spritzy carbonation. This is pretty damn good. Very impressed.
3.5 D: Easily my favorite so far. Not bad at all.
Reviewed by UCLABrewN84 from California
3.53/5 rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.53/5 rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
On tap at the Stone Company Store in Pasadena, CA.
Pours a hazy dark orange-red with a foamy khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, dark fruit, and grape juice aromas. Taste is much the same with malt, dark fruit, and fruit juice flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of earth bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer with nice fruity characteristics that are holding up surprisingly well for being over 9 years old at this point.
Serving type: on tap.
Sep 27, 2014Pours a hazy dark orange-red with a foamy khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, dark fruit, and grape juice aromas. Taste is much the same with malt, dark fruit, and fruit juice flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of earth bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer with nice fruity characteristics that are holding up surprisingly well for being over 9 years old at this point.
Serving type: on tap.
Reviewed by chinchill from South Carolina
3.98/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.98/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
At 2014 Most Arrogant Bar Bash (Barleys in Greenvillle,SC)
Pours black and opaque, with a good head.
This slr shows obvious barrel aging effects, including a smooth feel and well blended flavors. It's warm with an estery finish and aftertaste; otherwise the high ABV is well hidden. Flavors include vanilla, toffee, dried fruit and light spicing. Semi-dry finish.
Mar 06, 2014Pours black and opaque, with a good head.
This slr shows obvious barrel aging effects, including a smooth feel and well blended flavors. It's warm with an estery finish and aftertaste; otherwise the high ABV is well hidden. Flavors include vanilla, toffee, dried fruit and light spicing. Semi-dry finish.
Reviewed by scootny from New York
3.79/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Very dark brown liquid. Light khaki head. Nice lacing.
Nose has malt and chocolate with a heavy fruit component. Figs and dates with Belgian yeast. Caramel and faint alcohol.
Taste is like a hybrid Belgian stout/dubbel. Chocolate and coffee followed by a heavy fig and plum fruitiness. Some malt and grains. Molasses and alcohol. Finish is dry and earthy with a lingering light tannic sourness.
Feel is thick and viscous, well carbonated.
Pretty good stuff. I like the mocha rubble/stout thing
Feb 03, 2014Nose has malt and chocolate with a heavy fruit component. Figs and dates with Belgian yeast. Caramel and faint alcohol.
Taste is like a hybrid Belgian stout/dubbel. Chocolate and coffee followed by a heavy fig and plum fruitiness. Some malt and grains. Molasses and alcohol. Finish is dry and earthy with a lingering light tannic sourness.
Feel is thick and viscous, well carbonated.
Pretty good stuff. I like the mocha rubble/stout thing
Reviewed by blindtiger24 from Colorado
3.72/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
3.72/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4oz draft pour into a tulip glass.
A: Claret colored, splotchy head.
S: Rum raisin smell that signals a boozy flavor.
T: Gingerbread and raisin flavor.
M: Sweet, boozy, warming mouthfeel that is creamy.
O: Raisin flavors and smells are not the most enticing. Nice mouthfeel and appearance.
Jan 22, 2014A: Claret colored, splotchy head.
S: Rum raisin smell that signals a boozy flavor.
T: Gingerbread and raisin flavor.
M: Sweet, boozy, warming mouthfeel that is creamy.
O: Raisin flavors and smells are not the most enticing. Nice mouthfeel and appearance.
Reviewed by KYGunner from Kentucky
3.93/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.93/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Eight year old Five poured like a flat Coca Cola as the color was definitely that of Coke but the head failed to rise significantly.
The aroma held wine or port like qualities with a lot of fermented dark fruit and a meaty savory scent.
The flavor is fantastic as it holds strong toffee notes, peanut brittle, caramel malt, dry port wine and buckwheat.
The feel is smooth, a little full and surprisingly crisp.
This was a really interesting ride from normal Strong Dark Ales and really ran the opposite way of expectation. Aging did this Ale very well.
Dec 14, 2013The aroma held wine or port like qualities with a lot of fermented dark fruit and a meaty savory scent.
The flavor is fantastic as it holds strong toffee notes, peanut brittle, caramel malt, dry port wine and buckwheat.
The feel is smooth, a little full and surprisingly crisp.
This was a really interesting ride from normal Strong Dark Ales and really ran the opposite way of expectation. Aging did this Ale very well.
05.05.05 Vertical Epic Ale from Stone Brewing
Beer rating:
88 out of
100 with
318 ratings
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