Vertical Epic Ale 06.06.06
Stone Brewing in Escondido, California, United States 🇺🇸
Belgian Style - Quadrupel / Dark Strong Series Out of Production|
Score
7.33
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In this year’s edition, you’ll notice a deep, rich aroma of toasty malts, anise, Belgian yeast spiciness, and a hint of cedar. The toasty, dark and roasty malt flavors combine with a soft palate - courtesy of specialty dark wheat and barley malts. The body is fairly light for a beer with such a high gravity. There is a pleasant, lingering bitterness, so you know it’s part of the Stone family. This ale was brewed with a specialty Belgian yeast that we’re really liking here at Stone...it’s the same one we used for brewing the Stone 03.03.03 Vertical Epic Ale. And as with the Stone 05.05.05 Vertical Epic Ale, all the spicy, deep, and wonderfully funky aromas and flavor characteristics in this beer come as a result of nothing more than malt, hops, water and yeast!
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6.9/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
22 oz. bottle, sent from St. Fun (thanks a lot, Josh), pours a deep dark brown with a small beige head. Aroma of dark fruits, toffee and toasted nuts Flavour brings out similar notes of caramel malts, dark fruits and toasted nuts. Medium-bodied with a little bit thinner a body due to age most likely. Good stuff, but a little past its prime.
Tried
from Bottle
on 21 Mar 2013
at 23:39
5.2/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 5
Bottle shared by Tim, thanks! Pours a clear deep amber with a tan head that starts and remains at the edges. Aroma has a bit of soy sauce with dark musty grains. Flavor has dark grain and musty roasted malt with a hint of soy sauce.
Tried
from Bottle
on 09 Mar 2013
at 18:38
6.4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Bottle sample at a Vertical Epic tasting at Mastikim. Thanks beerandbeyond. Brown-colored. Aroma of chocolate, a bit of plums and raisins notes and a bit of alcohol. Sweetish flavor with chocolate, a bit of cocoa, some dark fruits and a bit of spiciness in a drier finish. Medium-bodied. Decent.
Tried
from Bottle
on 07 Feb 2013
at 02:45
8.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
I was fortunate to try this last night at an epic tasting held by my good friend Mike, thanks for the opportunity MrBarleywine! Pours a slightly hazy deep garnet color with a smallish off white head that dissipates fairly quickly. The aroma is sweet caramel, chocolate, roast and cinnamon with a light woody aroma.The flavor follows the aroma quite well. Sweet and sugary with caramel, chocolate, and cocoa with hints of spice and fruit. The finish is fairly dry, but leaves a long lingering chocolate and roast bite on the palette. Medium to light body with a moderate level of carbonation and a sweet mouthfeel. I liked this one quite a bit.
Tried
on 26 Jan 2013
at 18:57
8.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 8
Purchased at Binny’s in Chicago, IL, enjoyed at home while watching playoff football on a lazy winter weekend. Very happy that Stone released a variety of these. Appearance is a dark brown / ruby red with a rich, slightly off white head. Aroma of dark fruit, prune, biscuit, red wine, a bit of sugar, and molasses. Taste is full bodied, really more of a wine than a Belgian ale, with a plentiful amount of prune flavor and molasses. It’s very low carbonation, but again very heavy. Unless I stumble upon other varieties of this, thoroughly enjoyed this series.
Tried
on 05 Jan 2013
at 14:26
7.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 2
Overall 7.5
Creamed leather with prune accents. Cloudy garnet, medium yellow head. Drinks a little hot, lighter body. More pruny on the palate, but leathery to.
Tried
on 04 Jan 2013
at 17:56
4.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 4
Texture 2
Overall 3
I write this review for all of the Stone Vertical Epics from 333 -999 but the numerical ratings of each are different. I pen this review reflecting on my tremendous respect for Horny Devil James – the supplier of these brews, Justin Lithy – the ratebeerian who supplied the locale, Ben london101 – for his VE comments and Beerman6686 Dan - for the interesting insights. Prior to this RB Pittsburgh December 2012 Post Apocalyptic Beer Tasting, I could have cared less for some happy BS vertical beers. However, James and Justin, by providing carefully guided beer experiences, adjusted the stereo typical stigma that I held about such beers, and there numerical family. After I saw James immediately pour a bottle of 333 down the drain, after we all had a sample was not only breathtaking, but it I had to pinch myself to make sure it wasn’t a dream. I was cautiously thinking to myself, without speaking out loud, in all my cheapness, that I would have drank that whole bottle, if it was one of my singular tasking sessions. Perhaps I would have got sick, who knows. Well, for the ratings, they all were rather old, musty and tasted about the same, except the 777. The triple 3 was a dark, flat, old, rude, coors cardboard and bitter; fer sure. The 444 had a somewhat volatile spicy smell and looked like pale lager. Of course, it come across rather old too. The 555 was a dark beer. It had some decent co2 for a change. Bitter initially, then mellowed. However, I found more it acceptable than most IPA. The devil #666 was just that. Dark pour with a decent head. Smell is a little tart, pretty good olfactory. Some co2 on the palate. Not as bad as the first 3 VEs. 777 was the best of the bunch, again a darker ale. Smell is acceptable. Really strong taste but did not have many of those negative old beer thing attributes. Lots of CO2 which makes this more fun – IMHO the best of the bunch fer sure. I thought it was because it was the newest, but modified my impression after having the 888 & 999. With the 888 pour is pale yellah. It must be a strong ale & the medicinal bitterness is quite high. Finish is back of throat bitter bite that goes on for quite a while. And lastly the 999. Seems much older in personality that the 444-888. Actually, I get the impressions of an old barley wine on the nose. Strong & rude. A little over the top fer sure. Does not hide alky what so ever. Not the best VE I’ve ever head, heheh. There – you have it; VE ratings from a VE newbee.
Tried
from Bottle
on 23 Dec 2012
at 07:23
7.8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8
Draft @ Lord Hobo, on 12/15/12. We got to enjoy the left over Stone from the 12/12/12 event. Color is black with a lasting tan head that laced slightly. Everything about this brew reminds me of a fine Belgian stout. Excellent flavors of Roasted malt, roasted coffee, bitter-sweet chocolate and a heavy amount of chocolate. The yeast gives it a slight fruit note underneath al the malt. Light, subdued wood notes.Slightly drying texture. Medium body with medium sweetness. After 6 years, the ABV is completely hidden giving this some dangerous drinkability. (If I wasn’t having other vertical’s I would have order another) This was delightful and aged wonderfully.
Tried
from Draft
on 16 Dec 2012
at 11:23
6.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
24th November 2010
Hazy dark brown - amber beer. Short lived tan head. Semi soft palate. Smooth malt with a little coca cola and a sublte pinch of spice. Finishes semi dry. Simple but drinkable.
Hazy dark brown - amber beer. Short lived tan head. Semi soft palate. Smooth malt with a little coca cola and a sublte pinch of spice. Finishes semi dry. Simple but drinkable.
Tried
on 30 Jul 2012
at 09:54
6.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6
Bottle @ Dan’s house, courtesy of steve_0. Thanks a bunch, Steve. Clear, dark brown appearance with a tiny, light brown head. Tangy, candy sugar, dark fruity, toasty caramel aroma. Rich, caramel, candy sugar, some cardboard, a bit papery, dark fruity flavor with fairly flat carbonation. Not all bad for the age but there is some age notes to it. Held up pretty decently.
Tried
from Bottle
on 23 May 2012
at 20:28