Stone 04.04.04 Vertical Epic Ale

Formerly brewed at Stone Brewing Co.
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Escondido, California USA

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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Darker than night, but with a very strong warm scent like fresh banana bread. Sweet, bitter, fizzy.

Possibly one of my all-time favorites. A beautiful golden-colored ale with an aroma of bread and citrus, like walking through a lime orchard about 30 yards from an open window, through which wafts the aroma of fresh-baked bread. The mouth feel is mellow, malty and pleasantly yeasty, with a faint flavor of lime from the Kaffir that gradually increases in intensity, peaks at a pleasant, not overpowering level, then fades right behind the malt. I am fortunate to have a small liquor store nearby that has a stash that it seems only I know about....

Very good ale. Very young. I’m going to buy another bottle and put her in the fridge for the next ten years...Right. Still another nice product from a great beer producing company and town. They’re taking a stab at gimmicks now which isn’t necessarrily uncool just...I don’ see beer drinkers waiting a decade to pop open a brew.

UPDATED: JUL 8, 2005 bottled: was at a local bar this weekend when the bartender pulled this out...he knew i would bite. pours golden brown with a large white head. nose of citrus fruit and bananas. mouth nice medium bodied feel. more of the wheat bubblegum flavors pushing up and some crystal malt character, buttery and warm and ending with citrus. rminds me of an american triple. the 8.5 slips away without a peep. some yeast mustiness. this was the last beer of the night, so i couldnt appreciate it as much as i could/should. when the bill arrived....$25 f’n dollars. i know areas i can get blown for that. now i gotta try it again, when im sober to see what really was going on. rerate: 1 year later(6/05) i popped this open the other night with my father in law who is a huge wine buff. he was seriously impressed by this beer. with the initial pour the nose is largely lime wheat characters as the beer warms you get a most intest lavender flower killer nose. the body is quite perfect with a small warmth of alchohol that tickles the belly. rich round robust flavors. one of the most unique beers i’ve had, just wish i had more. this has matured magnificiently.

Just had a bottle at the Norfolk Taphouse, what a find! Pours a slightly hazy orange color, small almost non-existent white head. A little bit of sediment at the bottom of the bottle. Aroma was a little citrus hops (almost lime). The flavor was utterly amazing. Did I detect some coconut? It sure seemed like it. A little bit of a malt and grass kick to it as well. Extremely smooth beverage, and the alcohol presence was almost non-existent. If I ever find this beer again (or if I get the pleasure of grabbing a bottle at some point) I’d love to see how it ages in 4 or so more years.

UPDATED: DEC 16, 2011 Pours a beautiful golden color, with a small white head. The aroma is breathtaking! Sweet cherries, loads of lemon, and lime zest, sweet fruity candi sugar, and just an overall abundance of sweet fruity esters, just amazing! I could stick my nose in this all day! The flavor is awesome! more of those great fruits! apricots, lemons, limes, cherries, bananas. A great sweet cherry finish. Holy hell this is outstanding. Its like fruit cup in a glass. This has aged VERY well. simply perfect!

UPDATED: OCT 16, 2010 Enjoyed at Smallbar in Chicago, IL one day after finishing the Chicago Marathon. I feel like I stumbled upon One-Eyed Willie’s treasure chest from the Goonies, its like drinking in a time machine. Aroma like candy, possibly Belgian candi in there mixed with a stong barley wine odor. Appearance like gold with a thin head. Taste of caramel, slightly sweet, very smooth, tastes like it was aged in oak barrels. Great malt flavor, a hint of fruit in the back as well. Freaking incredible.

Started our vertical with the 04. Lot’s of yeast. Kind of like a Fat Tire mated with a port. Backgrounds of citrus, but it reminds me much more of an aged wine than a beer.

Golden color, with decent head and carbonation. Aroma is Belgiany and fresh. Quite a unique aroma and flavor, possibly due to the lime leaves but hard to pin down. One of the best beers I’ve ever had, and considering it’s so young and should age nicely, this could develop into a truly amazing beer.

Hazy pale golden yellow color, finger high, tight foamy white cap, resides to an ever present skim and the lacing sticks in moderate stringy patches. Aroma is quite nice with a dried pepper toastiness over the base of lively citrus of lemon and lime skins. Strong and pleasingly persistant nose on this one. Complexingly layered flavors within every sip, quite a nice brigade of dried pepper and clove spice, maybe a pinch of salt too, make for a pleasing finish. The forefront is built up of a solid mild citrus fruit salad of lemon and lime zest mixed with some banana underneath. Feel is about medium bodied with a firm carbonation thats not overly biting, which I like, most triples have either too much ot not enough. This is just about right, a bit more creamy feel and body and it would be terrific for me. I really enjoyed the finish on this, spicy of pepper and citrus zest thats drying yet the body remains wet and firm. And has just enough alcoholic/ethanolic kick to keep you in check. Nicely done. All in all, this is one well put together, spicy little Abbey Triple. A bit out of the realm for Stone, but bless their hearts for being such pioneers of trying new dimensions in the brewing universe. Hmmm....no matter how hard I try, I just can’t be as wordy as their back labels, always a fun read!