Vertical Epic Ale 02.02.02
Stone Brewing in Escondido, California, United States 🇺🇸
Belgian Style - Strong Ale Series Out of Production|
Score
7.03
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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.
Vertical Epic 02/02/02 was not brewed "to style". Instead, we tried to create something new. It’s triple-ish in nature, with wit character, coriander and orange peel, and has way more hops than either a Belgian triple or a Wit would. Belgian yeast was used. Belgian Strong Ale is the closest category that fits -- Greg Koch, Stone Brewing CEO.
What about Stone Vertical Epic Ale 01.01.01? Well, there are two reasons for its non-existence: (1) We didn't want to participate in the whole overhyped media nonsense of "Millennium this" and "Millennium that," and (2) we didn't think of the Stone Vertical Epic Ale idea until the fall of 2001 (which was already too late for a 01.01.01 version.) Sure, we could wait until the year 3001 to start this series, but we were afraid that with all that time between now and the next millennium, we might forget. Besides, that millennium will probably be overhyped as much as the last one.
Vertical Epic 02/02/02 was not brewed "to style". Instead, we tried to create something new. It’s triple-ish in nature, with wit character, coriander and orange peel, and has way more hops than either a Belgian triple or a Wit would. Belgian yeast was used. Belgian Strong Ale is the closest category that fits -- Greg Koch, Stone Brewing CEO.
What about Stone Vertical Epic Ale 01.01.01? Well, there are two reasons for its non-existence: (1) We didn't want to participate in the whole overhyped media nonsense of "Millennium this" and "Millennium that," and (2) we didn't think of the Stone Vertical Epic Ale idea until the fall of 2001 (which was already too late for a 01.01.01 version.) Sure, we could wait until the year 3001 to start this series, but we were afraid that with all that time between now and the next millennium, we might forget. Besides, that millennium will probably be overhyped as much as the last one.
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7.3/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Draught @ The Jeffrey. Rich golden yellow with off-white foamy head, honey-vanilla aroma, medium carbonation, bitter taste with typical Belgian yeast flavor, somewhat thick body, long bitter finish. Quite potent and bitter like quinine.
Tried
on 03 Oct 2016
at 17:26
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 10
Overall 7.5
From the Encore release the 22oz bottle pours with a clear gold body that supports a white head of foam. The aroma offers up plenty of sweetened wheat, citrus, coriander and banana. The taste comes across the palate with a nice creamy texture as it unloads banana sweetness peppered by shards of spicy coriander and cloves to midway. At midway it becomes a bit more citrus like as the modest wheat note takes on a slight quick bready quality. Into the finish the persistent banana and spiciness are met with a bit of a candy like bubble gum note and a pear flavored cotton candy character. All in all a pretty solid wheat beer that achieves some balance between the sweet notes, spicy notes and citrus.
Tried
from Bottle
on 26 Sep 2016
at 22:23
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
On draft at the brewery. Pours a clear gold with an off white head. Banana aroma. Flavors of citrus and bubblegum. Bitter finish.
Tried
from Draft
on 25 Sep 2016
at 15:27
7.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
Bottle pour sample at Dominion Wine & Beer. Clear yellow with off-white head. Aromas and tastes of herbs, spice, citrus. Medium body with a dry finish. Kind of run of the mill 14 years later with how much craft beer has grown since then.
Tried
from Bottle
on 23 Sep 2016
at 21:34
7.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 4
Overall 9
Bottle. From notes. A very generous BA person shared this with me the other day. Big thanks to you sir! Spicy yeast with a little lemon. Awesome, glad I finally got to try this.
Tried
from Bottle
on 13 Oct 2013
at 22:49
7.1/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
I was fortunate to try this last night at an epic tasting held by my good friend Mike, thanks for the opportunity MrBarleywine! The first in the series pours a slightly hazy deep golden color with an almost non existent off white head that dissipates quickly. The aroma is sweet with caramel and light tropical fruit with a lightly spicy bready yeasty bite to provide a bit of balance. The flavor is sweet like the aroma promised. Sugary and caramel malts with a faded but present spicy peppery yeast bite. Medium body with a moderate level of carbonation and a sweet spicy mouthfeel. This held up better than I expected, but its also a stretch to call this a wit I guess. It has lots of sherry oxidized notes, but it drank pretty good. Probably past its prime, but holding up just the same.
Tried
on 26 Jan 2013
at 18:11
7.1/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Sampled from a bottle. I have at least one witness, it did happen. Well this one poured a slight orange-yellow color, no head when I got to it. Aroma is somewhat like musty orange zest, not too much else. Flavor is mellow and a little sweet, almost creamy light citrus. I’m being a little lenient on this due to the age of the bottle, as it feels well past its prime (despite what the bottle claims), but a lot better than I ever expected this one to ever be.
Tried
from Bottle
on 12 Dec 2012
at 12:15
7.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8
Bottle courtesy of Sk8viking. Pours a hazy orange color with a small longlasting white head. Has a spicy yeasty coriander and orange aroma. Sweetish malty spicy yeasty flavor with some bitter hints. Has a dry spicy coriander finish with some yeasty hints.
Tried
from Bottle
on 14 Mar 2009
at 04:19
6.5/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
(Bottle 65 cl) Courtesy of sk8viking. Pours a hazy golden with a very lively and bubbly off-white head. Aroma of yeast and overripe fruit with a somewhat oxidized sherry touch. Medium body with sweet fruit and sherry notes and a little phenol. Very bubbly carbonation. Quite some bitterness in the finish. 260708
Tried
from Bottle
on 30 Jul 2008
at 15:31
7.8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottled. An unclear golden beer with sediment floating around under a thin white head. The aroma is very sweet with strong notes of fruit - especially peaches and oranges as well as a note of alcohol. The flavor is sweet with dusty notes of hops and strong notes of fruit - especially peaches. The alcohol burns the tongue. Huge thanks Sk8viking for sharing this rare beer.
Tried
from Bottle
on 27 Jul 2008
at 07:33