Vertical Epic Ale 09.09.09
Stone Brewing in Escondido, California, United States 🇺🇸
Belgian Style - Quadrupel / Dark Strong Series Out of Production|
Score
7.36
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This is quite a complex and layered beer. Bold and smooth chocolate malt flavors combine with a Belgian yeast lending tropical fruit and 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.
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7.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7
Bottled. Very dark brown, minimal head. Aroma of raspberry and chocolate. Drier and slimmer than anticipated wit notes of marzipan. Red berries comes to dominate coffee and chocolate with vanilla on a distance. Marked cocoa bitterness. The best Vertical Epic I can remember!
Tried
from Bottle
on 26 Dec 2009
at 01:20
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
22 fl oz bottle. POurs dark brown with a thick, creamy and chocolate brown head. Aroma is roasted, light fruity and vague yeasty spiced. Solid roasted and breadish malt flavoured, dry liqourice note and mild hardroasted acidity from the malt. Minor to vague metallic note. Lingering roasted and mild fruity finish. Solid roasted brew.
Tried
from Bottle
on 22 Dec 2009
at 04:15
8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottle, 8.9%. Good creamy and slightly roasted aroma. Almost black colour. Red shine. Good creamy stable light brown head. The flavour is nicely roasted. A little sweet, good creamy note. Some oak, hint of vanilla. Viscous mouthfeel, nicely smooth. Low carboation, but good. Very nice.
Tried
from Bottle
on 22 Dec 2009
at 04:12
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Bottled:
Colour is dark brown, almost black. Head is large and thick. Aroma is smoke, Belgian yeast and chocolate. Flavour is dark, bitter chocolate, vanilla and smoke. Long bitter finish with grapefruity notes.
Colour is dark brown, almost black. Head is large and thick. Aroma is smoke, Belgian yeast and chocolate. Flavour is dark, bitter chocolate, vanilla and smoke. Long bitter finish with grapefruity notes.
Tried
from Bottle
on 18 Dec 2009
at 10:48
7/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Bottle. Seriously bitter beer. Lots of coffee and pine. Huge bitterness in aftertaste.Can’t really see what’s belgian about this strong ale.
Tried
from Bottle
on 05 Dec 2009
at 06:55
7.4/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Bottle. Pours black with a firm and long lasting head of rather big bubbles. Lots of coffe, some rosted malts and pine. A bit to light bodied to carry all the flavours.
Tried
from Bottle
on 04 Dec 2009
at 15:57
8.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Called a Belgian porter at the pub. Draught. Poured dark brown with medium white head. Much lacing. Complex aroma, citrus, malt, chocolate. Vanilla and chocolate notes in the malt flavour. Finish hard to describe, every sip was different. Stone is back on their track. This is a winner!
Tried
on 30 Nov 2009
at 15:31
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
22oz bottle-pours a big rich brown head that laces and black color. Aroma is roasty-dark malt, orange peel, spice/wood hops. Some chocolate as it warms. Taste is chocolate/roasty-dark malt/bready, orange peel, spice/wood/earthy hops. Thanks JWC for sharing.
Tried
from Bottle
on 29 Nov 2009
at 13:00
8.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 9
I expected this to taste like a coffee/chocolate porter or like their smoked porter when I first saw it. Upon first taste however, this tasted like a Terry’s chocolate orange. I loved it, a really nice combination that wasnt leaving you wondering why they put these two tastes together, i dont know how it works it just does.
Tried
on 17 Nov 2009
at 17:38
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Deep brown body with reddish highlights, thin tan head. Nose with oak and vanilla, with banana notes increasing with warming. Sharp, fruity body, with dark fruits, chocolate, clove, banana, and prickly alcohol. Somewhat astringent. Interesting beer, reminds me of Bell’s Hell Hath no Fury with oak and less roastiness. Very good.
Tried
on 10 Nov 2009
at 19:12