Stone 05.05.05 Vertical Epic Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

ddarden

Alabama

4.08/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This was a one year anniversary tasting of the 05-05-05. I had this last year on the 4th and remember thinking this beer needed some time to meld a little. After one year of aging, this beer was much better. It poured a very dark ebony with a little light getting through. Very nice head that lasted. The smell was classic of a Belgian Strong Ale - yeast, plums, candi sugar, sweet malt, and alcohol. The taste was close to the smell except with a little bit of hop bite. Although most of the hop flavor had mellowed and the beer was more complex than a year ago. The alcohol was very well hidden and had a medium mouthfeel. The drinkability was good. I have a few more of these in the cellar and will make a tradition of my 4th of July beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2006 19:29:49 | More by ddarden

SpdKilz

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -11.6%

05-21-2013 02:19:34 | More by SpdKilz

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -17.9%

05-13-2013 22:26:48 | More by mikeincharleston

koopa

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +1%

05-12-2013 02:32:51 | More by koopa

fsck

Washington

4.5/5  rDev +13.6%

05-11-2013 10:00:28 | More by fsck

jmccraney

Washington

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

05-09-2013 03:27:59 | More by jmccraney

cadaugherty

Illinois

2/5  rDev -49.5%

05-07-2013 23:14:11 | More by cadaugherty

TheBeerAlmanac

Kentucky

4/5  rDev +1%

04-29-2013 01:44:12 | More by TheBeerAlmanac

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

(Served in a teku)
Drank on 3/31/13
A- This beer pours a hazy light walnut brown body with a bubbly light tan head and a strong carbonation that pops to the surface.

S- The hint of sherry and wet old wood has a light sweet malt note and a butter hint in the finish. Some soft cellar notes come through as it grows.

T- The nice soft malt flavor has note of toffee and a cherry stone note with a sugar flavor that is not really sweet. There are some dark ester notes with a sherry quality growing as it opens. There is a dry wood and slightly pungent herbal note in the finish. It also has a hint of brine as it that takes on an iodine hint but it fades and a tart hint shows up.

M- This beer has a medium mouthfeel with no alcohol heat noticed and a tight fizz that slows over time. There is a slight slippery texture aswell.

O- This has nice yeast and malt characteristics with a bitterness that fades in the finish and some nice biere de garde cellar characteristics that are tasty but a bit hard to describe.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 16:25:27 | More by rhoadsrage

mdaschaf

Washington

3.63/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Had on tap at Brouwers on 12/12/12. Review from notes.

A: Burgundy/brown color with a small off-white head that reduces to a thin ring. Minimal lacing.

S: Chocolate, caramel, and some bread. Reminds me of a dubbel, sort of estery and phenolic.

T: Not as nice as the nose, some banana, chocolate, clove, and butterscotch. A little bit of raisin and dark fruit as well.

M: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

O: One of the better "older" vintages.

Serving type: on-tap

04-08-2013 22:58:31 | More by mdaschaf

heresy22

California

4.5/5  rDev +13.6%

04-07-2013 18:47:49 | More by heresy22

robbrandes

Oregon

3.5/5  rDev -11.6%

04-03-2013 06:04:30 | More by robbrandes

DruRho

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%

03-18-2013 23:56:44 | More by DruRho

chippo33

Vermont

2.5/5  rDev -36.9%

03-13-2013 23:14:45 | More by chippo33

sweemzander

Illinois

3.03/5  rDev -23.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

22oz. bottle poured into a taster. Thanks to Chris for sharing!

(A)- Pours a murky and dark mahogany color. Minimal tan froth and lacing.

(S)- Again, plenty of oxidized leather and prune in this. Subtle bits of cocoa on the backend.

(T)- Like the smell, plenty of raisin/prune with leathered oxidation. Distinct yeasty bitter cocoa shows as it warms.

(M)- A mellow carbonation level. All together kind of muddled together with obvious oxidation.

(O)- Like the 03 & 04, this one is definitely showing its age.

Original review from Jan, 2011:

(A)- Pours a very dark brown, almost black color. Produced some off-white to tan colored foam that dissipated quickly.

(S)- Very rich. Lots of raisin and prune aromas. Very rich actually. Hints at plums as it warmed up.

(T)- Similar to the smell. A big burst of cocoa up front that blends into the raisin and prune/plum aspect from the smell. Very rich, but restrained at the same time.

(M)- A decent carbonation level that might start showing decline from aging. Smooth, yet rich as well with alot of dark fruits and cocoa.

(D)- An interesting beer considering the style and age on this. Smooth and rich with still some life left in it. If stored ideally for the next two years, this should still be solid for the vertical in 2012.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 15:53:25 | More by sweemzander

spycow

Illinois

2.75/5  rDev -30.6%

03-09-2013 22:55:17 | More by spycow

MasterSki

Illinois

2.91/5  rDev -26.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75

Don't even remember where I got this one - probably Discount Liquor or something. Served in a tulip.

A - Tan-brown foam settles to a thick collar, wisps, and minimal lacing. Dark and hazy amber-brown body.

S - Just a vague sweetness, with perhaps a touch of chocolate amid the fruity oxidation and caramel flavors.

T - The taste is worse - there's a note of dishwater and cardboard among the standard 'old beer' caramel, honey, and fruitiness combo. I don't get any of the advertised flavors from the bottle - it's all just very muddled.

M - Chewy texture, lower carbonation, smooth, medium body, and no alcohol.

D - Boring. The taste is kind of unpleasant and the rest of the beer is just old and faded. Probably my least favorite so far.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 04:11:29 | More by MasterSki

bca115

California

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%

03-04-2013 21:53:57 | More by bca115

drummermattie02

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%

02-19-2013 03:55:05 | More by drummermattie02

MaseFace

Kentucky

4/5  rDev +1%

02-16-2013 18:31:07 | More by MaseFace

Treebs

Illinois

2.55/5  rDev -35.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

22 oz. bottle served in a CCB snifter.

A: Pours a dark plum color with some ruby highlights around the edges. An offwhite head forms on the pour and recedes to a thin ring. Some splotchy lace is left down the glass.

S: Grainy malt bills, some light rice cake with some wet paper. This one did not age all that well.

T: More of the same. A ton of cardboard, rice cake, and a little cocoa. Sweet cereal malts. The oxidation has really taken this one over.

M: Medium bodied with a medium carbonation level. Wet paper finish.

O: All the bottles had been stored the same so I don't know this was a product of a poorly sealed cap, or the beer wasn't strong enough from the onset to hold onto an semblance of the original flavor profile.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2013 02:19:28 | More by Treebs

dbfp210

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%

02-08-2013 02:15:27 | More by dbfp210

DRTBrewster

4/5  rDev +1%

02-07-2013 22:40:03 | More by DRTBrewster

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

4.11/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I was fortunate to try this last night at an epic tasting held by my good friend Mike, thanks for the opportunity MrBarleywine!
Pours a slightly hazy ruby brown color with a smallish off white head that dissipates fairly quickly. The aroma is sweet caramel, chocolate, and light sugar with a bit of ashy, roasty, bubblegum, and molasses. Lightly spicy notes provide a balance to the sweetness and roast. The flavor follows the aroma quite well. Sweet and sugary with caramel, chocolate, and cocoa with hints of spice, fruit and gingerbread. Medium body with a moderate level of carbonation and a sweet mouthfeel. We are starting to get a bit darker and this one is right up my alley. This is a nice beer that has held up well, I enjoyed it.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 02:39:12 | More by johnnnniee

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I admit I was a bit shocked to see this one among a Vertical Epic line-up at Stone Soup '13, as this is one of the most rare of the batch, so thanks to whomever brought it to share. Of course I never had this one before, so I have no basis for comparison, but it was definitely enjoyable, and I'd say it held up well, and was actually probably my favorite of the VE series (of the few that I've had).

Dark amber-brown pour with a small tan head that mostly receded, leaving some lacing on the glass; a few floaties in there. Aroma was malt-driven, notes of bready yeast, cocoa, dark fruits, maybe a touch of oxidation detectable, but nothing significant. Whoever cellared this did it right, because I didn't really get any off-flavors at all, which was nice, considering reports from some other reviews. Dark malts, sweet dark sugars, rum raisin, cocoa, roasted chestnuts, slight earthiness that might have been a hop contribution, but otherwise, any hop presence that might have existed was pretty much undetectable to me. Medium body, slick mouthfeel, lower carbonation. A nice treat.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 22:56:06 | More by Rifugium