Review – Stone 08.08.08 Vertical Epic Ale
This is my third year in experiencing the Stone Vertical Epic Ale. The 06.06.06 was a nice, dark Belgian strong ale, and last year’s 07.07.07 was a beautiful hybrid of a Saison and Belgian Golden Ale mixed with spices and citrus. I was fortunate enough to find a few bottles of Stone 08.08.08 Vertical Epic Ale at Whole Foods Market Arroyo in Pasadena, CA, before the 8th of August.
Stone 08.08.08 Vertical Epic Ale – 22 oz bottle poured into a New Belgium beer glass. 8.6% abv.
Appearance: Poured with a tight, sudsy head. Rich golden color with active carbonation. After the fluffy head subsided, I was left with a thick white line at the top of my glass. This brew is very translucent, and even the brown bottle is see through.
Aroma: The first thing I noticed was that I was able to smell the beer from a far. Up close, I get whiffs of coriander, cloves, grapefruit, honey, and turbinado sugar. There is also that Belgian yeast aroma one finds with this style of beer, however it did not over power the other aromas found.
Taste: Tastes like a traditional Belgian golden ale at first, however the anticipated sour twang in the finish was replaced by mildly bitter hops. The hops bring the spice this year, rather than last years spices that were added. I found a small amount of tropical fruit after puckering my mouth, dried pineapple and perhaps mango. There is a bit of breadiness, but a very dry crusty bread, not like a slice of sourdough. Also of note, this brew is not “boozie” or warm from alcohol.
Mouthfeel: Crisp, clean and refreshing. All of the appealing flavor is left in your mouth, but doesn’t coat your mouth in a syrupy fashion.
Overall: I am amazed by this offering. From afar, you would anticipate this being a typical Golden Belgian ale with the characteristics that come with it. It is hard to believe this is an 8.6% abv. beer, as it is crisp, refreshing, and ultra clear. Hops are what Stone is known for, and they used their trademark well in this instance. They don’t blow your head off, but after a sip and a smile, you know how they arrived at such a remarkable ale made in the style of Belgian beer. I will do my best to hold on to at least one, so I can try it after 12.12.12 !
TheFullPint.com encourages you to write about your favorite beer. Submit your review to us by email, MySpace, or The Full Pint Dot Com Forum.
