This is quite a complex and layered beer. Bold and smooth chocolate malt flavors combine with a Belgian yeast lending tropical fruit/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.
Beer Ratings and Reviews:
[1] Review by fargingbastige6 from Birmingham, AL, USA who has tried this beer once. (2/26/2010 1:00:19 PM)
"Epic... that pretty much sums this up for me. Compliments of jlozier - many thanks, buddy! After a week of debate about whether to cellar it according to the text on the bottle or not and some insight from j., I decided to go for it. At first sip, I could not imagine this being any better in Dec 2012 than it was when I first opened it. This mighty fine elixir pours thickly into a glass with a deep, dark brown color that borders on black. A very slight head, but not dissappointing. Aromas of chocolate, vanilla and licorice abound and are a true delight to the nose. As smooth as silk - ay velvet - on the pallette - wow! The flavor is as equally impressive as the aroma with the same flavors as aromas. A superior beer in every sense of the word."
Aroma:
9/10
Appearance:
9/10
Mouthfeel:
10/10
Flavor:
10/10
Overall:
10/10
Final Rating, by Style:
(4.8)
Sampled: Bottle Sample Size: 22oz @ $0 Unit Cost: $0 per Pint
[2] Review by Phishpond417 from Madison, Wisc, USA who has tried this beer once. (1/25/2010 5:14:58 PM)
"Had this brew in a goblet at Dexter's the other night. Very impressive! Pours an interesting, cloudy rusty red colour with a big beige head. Aroma is a mix of alcohol, licorice, caramel and cinnamon. Taste carries the same flavours, again most noticeably is the hotness on the palate. Really nice beer though."
Aroma:
8/10
Appearance:
9/10
Mouthfeel:
9/10
Flavor:
9/10
Overall:
9/10
Final Rating, by Style:
(4.4)
Sampled: Forced Draught Sample Size: 16oz @ $5 Unit Cost: $5 per Pint
[3] Review by Phil B from Gatineau, Canada who has tried this beer once. (1/3/2010 10:34:25 PM)
"Bottle: Poured a deep black color ale with a large light brown foamy head with good retention and some pretty good lacing. Aroma of chocolate malt with some notes of roasted malt though bitterness is pretty tame. Taste is quite enjoyable with lots of black chocolate notes with a nice touch of roasted malt - not sure I could taste the vanilla or orange notes. Body is about average with great carbonation and no apparent alcohol. Well done though a bit shy of character and I still have to wonder how this is going to improve with time."
Aroma:
8/10
Appearance:
8/10
Mouthfeel:
7/10
Flavor:
7/10
Overall:
8/10
Final Rating, by Style:
(3.8)
Sampled: Bottle
Value of this beer for its style: Not Sure
[4] Review by changeup45 from Orlando, Florida, USA who has tried this beer once. (12/28/2009 2:06:09 PM)
"From Knightly. Roasty aroma with coffee beans, creamy bananas and a little licorice. Looks black in color to me and pours with a thick brown head with pretty good retention. The flavor shows a lot more chocolate than the aroma, which combines with oatmeal, coffee, tree bark, and ripe mild bananas. Very little spice that’s almost nonexistant. Creamy and smooth. The Belgian aspects of this beer are subtle and this definitely tilts strong towards Porter, which I think was a good move by Stone. But with that said the tropical banana adds a nice complexity to the silky Porter flavors. I’m thinking Stone Smoked Porter with a Belgian twist. I am a big fan of what Stone Brewing does but if there’s one line in the past I haven’t been as fond of it’s been the Verticals (what few I’ve had), but I really enjoyed this one. Kudos Stone! Not sure if I can see this one getting any better with age but who cares."
Aroma:
8/10
Appearance:
8/10
Mouthfeel:
8/10
Flavor:
9/10
Overall:
9/10
Final Rating, by Style:
(4.2)
Sampled: Bottle Sample Size: 22oz @ $0 Unit Cost: $0 per Pint
[5] Review by beerguy101 from Newark, CA, USA who has tried this beer once. (12/28/2009 12:27:11 AM)
"Tasted on 12/27/2009. This Belgian Strong Ale pours a very dark brown color from a 22oz bottle. Medium sized beige foamy head, with nice retention and good lacing. The aroma is chocolate, dark fruit and roasty malts. A medium bodied Belgian Strong Ale. The malts are chocolate, fruity, roasted malts and estery. The hops are citrusy and floral. Nice carbonation. Lots of interesting flavors going on here, orange, chocolate, vanilla, a touch of oak, a little banana and clove. Hides the alcohol well. Nice beer. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly bitter and chocolaty. "
Aroma:
9/10
Appearance:
8/10
Mouthfeel:
9/10
Flavor:
8/10
Overall:
9/10
Final Rating, by Style:
(4.3)
Value of this beer for its style: Not Sure Compared to this brewer's other beers: Not Sure
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(4.8)
