20th Anniversary Encore Series: 02.02.02 Vertical Epic Ale
Stone Brewing

20th Anniversary Encore Series: 02.02.02 Vertical Epic Ale20th Anniversary Encore Series: 02.02.02 Vertical Epic Ale
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From:
Stone Brewing
 
California, United States
Style:
Witbier
ABV:
7.5%
Score:
86
Avg:
3.84 | pDev: 9.38%
Reviews:
53
Ratings:
165
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 23, 2022
Added:
Aug 19, 2016
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  23
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of EMV
Reviewed by EMV from Pennsylvania

3.94/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a bomber into a Dogfish Head tulip

L: Slightly cloudy medium to pale golden pour with big fluffy white head. Lasts forever... great lacing.

S: Citrus, wheat, and hops plus a bit of spice.

T.F: Grains/wheat up front with a little sweetness. Strong lemongrass, tea, and citrus rind. A bit of yeast... spice/pepper and floral notes. Balanced bitterness. On the lighter end of medium bodied. Aggressively carbonated... sparkling. Bitter citrus finish.

O: Drinks like a Belgian strong golden. Solid flavor and easy drinkability. Held up well in the cellar.
Jan 23, 2022
 
Rated: 2.93 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Aug 13, 2021
Photo of Labeorphile
Reviewed by Labeorphile from Texas

4.03/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Really enjoyed the taste of this beer. It poured with a thin, quickly disappearing head. A nice cloudy color, with not a lot of aroma. But it drank well and tasted good. I was happy.
Aug 06, 2020
 
Rated: 3.99 by Gagnonsux from Texas

Sep 14, 2019
 
Rated: 3.84 by 4ster from Canada (ON)

Jun 18, 2019
 
Rated: 4.04 by TheRealMJB from Pennsylvania

Jun 03, 2019
 
Rated: 3.4 by chiefz1 from New York

Jun 01, 2019
Photo of Sammy
Rated by Sammy from Canada (ON)

3.89/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
pretty good drinker. solid orange finish.belgian banana wit like character.
May 22, 2019
 
Rated: 4.15 by Dreyski from England

Feb 26, 2019
 
Rated: 3.6 by Giggy from Michigan

Feb 08, 2019
Photo of Ciocanelu
Reviewed by Ciocanelu from Romania

3.45/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
On tap. Clear golden color with off-white head. Aroma has lemon notes, yeast esters and wheat sweetness. Taste is sweet and yeasty with hay and floral notes. Medium body with soft carbonation.
Sep 17, 2018
 
Rated: 3.61 by Unclevince from West Virginia

Sep 13, 2018
Photo of ZenAgnostic
Reviewed by ZenAgnostic from Texas

3.43/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
1pt 6 fl oz bottle poured into Duvel tulip. I believe it was priced $8.99 USD, but was on a sale for $5.99 at the grocery store. Well below the $1,200 ebay prices of the original launch. BOTTLE CA 07/22/16 stamped on bottle just below the neck. So it's aged just over 2 years, instead of the 11 that's ultimately recommended. The bottle recommends cellaring at 55F/13C or below)

Appearance - Pours big foamy white head with lots of patchy stick and moderate-low retention. Hazy medium gold body with good carbonation. Swirling doesn't do anything to reinvigorate the head. 3.25

Smell - Noticeable alcohol under a blanket of delicate wheat and orange. 4.5

Taste - The spice from the pepper and orange peel is pronounced and almost immediate, along with a lot of bitter hop rounding out the body. Very powerful and bitter and entirely unlike any other beer in its style in that regard. Getting a lot of dry cardboard that seems to build up as I go on. 3

Mouthfeel - Astringent. Medium bodied. But astringent. Slightly creamy. But mostly astringent. Man, really though. 2.5

Overall - It's quite the interesting journey. I appreciate the history of the bee and its rerelease, as written out on the label.
The beer pleasantly evolves as it warms and maybe dulls your palate to its more offensive characters. 3.5
Sep 12, 2018
Photo of BlackBeerPirate
Reviewed by BlackBeerPirate from Illinois

3.59/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Taste: tangy, semi sweet, coriander spice bread, malty, some hop, warming finish. Perfume herb spice bread nose. Honey color hue, smaller head and delicate lace. Medium body. Tasted decent for being aged some 16 years. 40 IBUs
Aug 15, 2018
Photo of BeerDawgs
Reviewed by BeerDawgs from Georgia

4.31/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A 22oz bottle with a bottled on date of 7.22.16

L - Golden, some clarity, 2 full fingers of head. Gorgeous brew

S - Spices and belgian saison aromas

T - Tasty as heck. Definitely a saison. Bready, spices, belgian candy sugar

F - Medium body and good carbonation

O - I really dig this brew. It's better than the rating. It should go in the regular Stone rotation. Looking forward to more from the vertical series. I aged this one for 2 years
Aug 05, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by anthony-s from New Jersey

Jul 17, 2018
 
Rated: 4.05 by IckyT2012 from Florida

May 20, 2018
Photo of kitch
Reviewed by kitch from Hong Kong

3.89/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
A 22 fl. oz. bomber, bottled on 22nd July 2016. Poured into a Holy Mountain tulip glass.

Appearance: A clear golden colour with a big three finger white head that had decent retention and left lots of nice sticky lacing.

Aroma: Orange peel, clove, banana, coriander, orange creamsicle, Belgian yeast, with some light funk.

Taste: Orange creamsicle, orange peel, clove, banana, coriander, Belgian yeast and a light but spicy pepper finish.

Mouthfeel: Dry, medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

Overall: I enjoyed the first glass and could see how it was ground breaking in 2002, but despite this, a whole bomber by myself might just have been a bit too much.
May 01, 2018
 
Rated: 3.68 by hophugger from Virginia

Mar 20, 2018
Photo of Thankin_Hank
Reviewed by Thankin_Hank from Texas

4.02/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Nice thick creamy head. Golden orange color. Good lacing. Quite tasty with the orange peel and spices. Just a touch of bitterness on the back end. Smooth going down. Enough sweetness to make me want more. A 2016 Rerelease in a 1 pint 6 fluid ounce bottle dated 07/22/16 at BJ’s Brewhouse. A leftover from the beer dinner this month.
Feb 16, 2018
20th Anniversary Encore Series: 02.02.02 Vertical Epic Ale from Stone Brewing
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 165 ratings