12.12.12 Vertical Epic Ale
Stone Brewing

 

Opened and tried this bottle January 14, 2025.
Super black with a tan head. Nose is dark candy and sweet. Cinnamon also comes out on nose.
Taste is slightly sweet like a dark chocolate, dark candy. Very dry beer. Still get some bitterness on back.

Cracked 1 of the 2 bombers I have left of this. Poured into my goblet glass, this beer pours a very dark brown, almost black color that's not interested in letting in any light whatsoever. Something about the appearance really reminds me of a cup of coffee. Has a light brown, silky looking head that's about an inch thick when first poured. Settles pretty quickly to a very thick ring lining the inside of the glass, some nice cluster swirls of film layer surface foam, and pretty good lacing. Some roasted, bready malts and molasses notes that gives way to some plum, raisins, and a hint of figs. Also some bittersweet dark chocolate and coffee notes. An extremely similar flavor profile, with the aforementioned roasted, bready malts and molasses notes that's followed by some dark fruit notes of plum, raisin, and fig. This is followed by an allspice note. Rounded out w/ a bit of earthy hop bitterness. I'm surprised and at the same time not surprised at how pronounced this is in this beer after 8 + years. Because after all, this is Stone. The 9% SVB is well masked here indeed. Has a slightly crisp, mostly smooth, slightly oily and chewy, medium to full bodied mouthfeel with minimal carbonation. Has a dry finish, and pretty much all the aforementioned flavors stick around for awhile in the aftertaste.

Eric

Poured from a bomber into a Dogfish Head tulip

L: Cloudy dark, dark brown pour... nearly black with a finger of fizzy off-white head. Great lacing.

S: Cinnamon and roast. Spicy... grains and dark fruit.

T.F: Semi-sweet and roasty. Earth and spice. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and tea. Molassas with a bit of yeast character. Plum and fig... dark chocolate. Medium to light bodied.... smooth carbonation. Lingering spice at the finish.

O: A decent spiced beer... and whether a byproduct of age or design the spice wasn't overwhelming but played pretty nicely with the underlying Belgian Dark. A nice change of pace beer on a night when I wanted something a little different.

 

Just had an 11.11.11 and I hate to say it, but it was better than this. This one's simply bland. No character. Not bad for 7.5 years old but it doesn't stack up particularly well against the Vertical Epic 11 or any number of similarly aged beers I've been drinking during the pandemic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cellared for over five years, a malfunctioning beverage cooler put this on deck. Aged very nicley, would have been perfect a few months ago as it's certainly a winter warmer!

 

 

 

22 oz bottle. Repeated in July 2018 - probably a bit better at this later date, with reduced and mellowed spicing.
Poured very dark brown looking opaque and essentially black in the glass. The tan head is modest sized but has good retention.
Aroma: complex; more spicy than fruity with hints cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and clove.
Flavor: spicy but with reasonable balance for a spiced ale, and a good mix of spices and a solid note of dark chocolate. Exact rating about 4.15.

Overall: as much an American Strong Winter Ale as Belgian Strong Dark Ale.