Stone 04.04.04 Vertical Epic Ale

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 7

Rated in May 2006. Managed to find a bottle of this. Poured out with ample carbonation to bring about a thick white head. The color has a hazy orange-ish hue. I get the aroma of lime and banana mixed with alcohol, interesting. There is a bit of malt aroma hiding out in the back. The taste reminds me of many a Belgium type beer with the spice presence along with the twisted yeast-lime-banana-hop combination. The flavors are just picked from the garden fresh.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

Sampled in February of 2012: This is based on very well aged sample and offers no opinions on how the beer may have been when originally released. A jumbled mix of stale biscuits and a strong mint and thyme spiciness. Watery and oxidized with an awkward finish. Time has not been kind to this release as well as many of the others sampled during this time. ///////////////// Scored this as 76678 during the draft vertical tasting which is quite better than the aged bottle I sampled at a tasting roughly 10 months ago. Once again I do believe that stored bottles of this series have likely not held up nearly as well as the kegs I was able to drink from thus defeating the overall purpose for the brewer's plan to the consumer. This time provided a very assertive amount of lime followed by honey, pine and bread. Very unique at this stage.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Pours a slightly opaque orangish color with a fizzy white head. It has a very strong citrus aroma with sweet malts and alcohol along with it. The taste is sweet malts and floral hops that aren't too bitter. A bit of alcohol warmth in the finish. Reminds me more of a barleywine. This was a very nice beer but I see no reason to save my other one until 2012.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

a strong saison indeed...or an UBER hefe...either way...pretty good stuff here. i wasn't a big belgian fan when i first tried this but it sent me down that road. tasted mellower but possibly better 2 years later - haven't had one since.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 7

Poured a golden color small head not much lacing. Aroma was of light fruits mostly graps and coriander yeast. Flavor was much the same yeast bitter finish to it little sweet. not bad at all.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Poured a golden color, somewhat of a thin head that didn't last long. Aroma of grapes, apples, coriander, yeaste, and some alcohol, considering this thing was two years old. The flavor followed the aroma mostly. Mellow malts, balanced with a light yeasty bitterness, an underlying light sweetness, bready flavors, and alcohol that was noticeable but not "new" sharp. The mouthfeel was moderate with a leathery type feel.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Beer poured golden color with little head or lacing. Aroma was apple fruitiness. Mouthfeel was super smooth. 2 years aging has served it well. The flavor was light fruitiness with cloves and other spices. Some caramel flavor came out as it warmed. Nicely done.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

dark goldenrod with fluffy white head. aroma of bananas, lime, pineapple, bread dough, lemongrass, butterscotch, light raspberry hints, mango, papaya, and unsweetened coconut. Has that amazing west coast creamy mouthfeel going on that I love so much. Flavor is of pineapple, mango, banana, coconut. Light astringency that doesnt bother me too much. Kind of tastes liek all the fruit are in some kind of dough or batter. Very tasty

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Pours with good head, bright orangy colour. Excellent aroma, jam packed with fruity notes, coriander and a bold Belgian yeast musk. Very strong wheat character, certainly an easy beer to get a grip on. Yeast really dominates (stronger still, considering it has aged 2 years) Some more subtle malt in the backbone. Exceptional flavour, long resonance, absolutely no alcohol. Mouthfeel great on the front end of the mouth. Not exactly how I like my wits/tripels/Belgian pale ales (or whatever!), I can see where others might find room to critize. But I rather enjoy this yeast and the Belgian tang it leaves. Certainly not as refreshing as others in the style, to that I think we owe the big hops (ohh Stone, you and your hops!) But I think it works. Who knows what style this fits under - ah cool, they created something original. A tasty ale I was very grateful to try, wish I got to try fresh and hope I'll get to try again! Thanks Dr.Jay!

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 8

...and two more of these to save for prosparity (I promise to come back with the spellcheck later). The first one I tried in passing, this second one was in celebration of finishing my exams. Anticdote: I brought one of these to a homebrew session with a classmate. A guy there *really* liked this and said he wanted to get a few to enjoy as they further improved. Well, three days later I’m grocery shopping and I see him walk around the corner on his way to his GFs cart with at least five of them under his arms. We all got a good laugh. So, pours a nice amber/orange color with a decent head but not much lacing. Scent is definately Belgian; lots of bananas, cloves... but for style, I gotta say it’s just above average. Taste is par for style. Bananas and other fruits, a hint of hops... Damn, I want to rate this better, but I can’t. Maybe I was expecting better, but it’s just ’good.’ The proclaimed lime is hinted at, but no more. It has some complexity, but nothing supurb yet. Palate is full and creamy, certainly. Overall this is good but not great, although it has promise. I have two more of these and I promise to update as these mature.