Stone 09.09.09 Vertical Epic Ale (Red Wine Barrel Aged)

Brewed by Stone Brewing Co.
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Escondido, California USA

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

send corrections   |   shelftag   |   edit barcodes   |   add pic

Moderately roasty-woody, barley-wine-esque with a boozy edge. Boozy aroma. Deep brown in color. Notes: Aces and Ales Winter Beer Fest ’13

On tap @ 38 Degrees Alehouse. Black color. Beige head, long lasting. Good lace. Aroma’s: red wine, bitter chocolate, raisins, roasted. Flavor: medium sweet, roasted, bitter chocolate, red wine. Medium bodied. Finishes bitter.

Tap at Freshcraft - this is an example of red wine barrel aging done right - nose has a lot of dark fruit, light vanillins, moderate spicy oak, mild tannins - creamy texture - light body for the strength - warming flavor - just the right amount of oak and wine to balance the sweet dark.fruit, and the wood adds anice earthiness - very tasty.

Pour on tap at Falling Rock’s Vertical Epic event, dark blackish red pour with tan head, aroma has notes of wine, dark chocolate, toffee, bready, biscuit malts as well with a touch of red grape, hints of tannic oak as well, really nice. Taste is the best of the event, nice dark chocolate, coffee, red grape, hints of red fruit, touch of wine and oak, finishing fairly tart, slightly roasted, slightly sweet. Tasty.

UPDATED: JAN 5, 2013 Very dark brown...if I didn’t know any better I would have thought this was a belgian style stout from the nose. Interesting red wine and barrel elements on this nose, along with some dark roast malt and some baking spices. Hint of wine tannins up front but this is mostly just a big dark roast malty stoutish beer with bitter coffee like finish. Interesting. Red wine was very subtle and probably wouldn’t have put my finger on it without knowing. Would have been fun and more informative to try side by side with original.

Draft at Jerry’s Stone Event . Black with scant brown head / Dense, inky nose of dark fruit, molasses, fruit bread, and touch of whiskey / Medium to full body, a touch watery, inky and chewy, minimal carbonation, with good balance and some bitterness on the finish / Flavors of dark roast coffee, bittersweet chocolate, caramel, vanilla, and oak / Not as complex as expected. My speculation is that it will not be improving past this point.

Draft to snifter at Dutch’s. Looks good; bkack with tan lacing. Smells and tastes solid; sweet malt with some red wine notes. Average on the palate. Solid, but not spectacular.

On tap. Pours a very dark brown color. Good light brown head, leaves decent lace. Red wine and wet wood in the nose, and big dark fruit. Bigger body, smooth and creamy texture, light carbonation. Red grape skins, earthy hops, and a very big spice taste. Light bit of smoke. Roasted malts, bit of licorice, coffee. Complex, interesting, and smooth, but there’s a lingering light spice bite in the finish that I’m not big on.

Draft at Dutch’s. Pours dark brown with medium sized khaki head. The aroma is roasted malts with chocolate, very mild red wine notes, dark fruits and light wood. The flavor is roasted malts and dark chocolate. There is some red wine character, but it us mild. Woody notes with mild earthy bitterness. With warming the red wine grows.

On tap at KnB. Pours reddish brown. Nose and taste are complex wine, chocolate, dark fruits. Medium mouthfeel. Complex and interesting but not great.