Stone 07.07.07 Vertical Epic Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

korguy123

Ontario (Canada)

3.58/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed Christmas Eve from bottle split with my brother (whose birthday is July 7th)

A- Clear rich amber pour with two fingers of soapy eggshell head. Quarter inch cap remains after several minutes and leaves chunky sticky lacing.

S- Cinnamon, cardamom, candy cane, brown sugar, Belgian yeast, grapefruit toffee and alcohol.

T- Ginger, cardamom, brown sugar, alcohol, yeast cinnamon and orange rinds.

M- Medium bodied, excellent carbonation with a slight alcohol warmth.

O- Really didn't know what to expect for a 5 year old beer. I did not like the 08.08.08 so when I cracked this and got my first whiff I was very happy and excited!

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2011 18:36:51 | More by korguy123

chugalug06

Colorado

4.43/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - A Nice soapy, rapidly dissipating white head. Brew is foggy (Chill Hazed?) orange with some nice lt. reds.

S - Very chamomile. Lots of rose hips and peach. Red Delicious Apple. Peppery

T - Toffee, white grape. Awesome! Slightly sour. Toffee apple...

M - Awesome (light) carbonation. Zero heat. Light body.

O - Highly recommended! Awesome brew, plus, it was released on my Birthday. Age has done this brew wonderfully. Can't wait to try my other in another year.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2011 05:28:13 | More by chugalug06

ShanePB

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -21.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Bottle poured at Canal St Brewphoria 9. Served into a 5 ounce sampler.

A: Hazy and cloudy golden orange with a nice sized fluffy, rocky white head. Touches of lacing are left on the glass, and the dissipation although rapid, leaves a moderate cap behind.

S: Peppermint, clove, ginger, cinnamon and very floral aromas. There's really no hop bitterness, the floral component is more pollen-like and peppery in a way. There's a lot going on here, a bit chaotic at times but it certainly will be an interesting beer to try.

T: Whoa, lots of sweet and sugary ginger and peppermint flavors up front. The palate is dominated by these, helped only by some yeast esters and Belgian spice mid-palate. The finish is sweet, cloying and sticky. Eh, this is okay, doesn't show any signs of oxidation but I couldn't drink more than a sample of this. Just a bit over the top with some really weird flavors.

M: Creamy, medium-bodied with light touches of bubbles on the tongue. Again, somewhat sticky in the finish but not a bad feel by any means.

It wasn't necessarily a gross beer but it's nothing I'd want again nor more than a few ounces of. The flavor profile went on a tangent and never came back. Sweet, gingery and minty, kind of odd but I'm glad I was able to sample this one.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2011 17:00:12 | More by ShanePB

UCLABrewN84

California

3.58/5  rDev -6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy honey orange with a fizzy 1 inch tan head that settles to a film on the top of the beer. Small dots of lace slowly drip back down into the remaining beer. Smell is of apple juice/cider, spices, and some yeast aromas. Taste is of apple juice/cider, some wine flavors, spices, citrus zest, and slight yeast flavors. Spice flavors dominate the aftertaste and there is a bit of spiciness that lingers as well. This beer has a pretty good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer with lots of spices that seem to take over in this beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2011 02:11:54 | More by UCLABrewN84

bobhits

Kentucky

2.15/5  rDev -43.6%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2.5

07 epic

I recall this being the worst stone beer ever, but hey now 4 years old, lets give it a shot again. Poured into a stone vertical epic glass.

Pours golden amber with far more carbonation than a 4 year old beer should ever have. A small thin white head forms that doesn't hold or leave lacing.

Fruity esters, pine apple, white grapes, cloves, bananas, and a lot of spices are all meningeal well in this beer. I think there's also some chi tea notes in this one. Still the spicy triple that stone first released, but this has taken on some subtle enhancements.

Fruity white grape juice that's turning to wine with spices scattered about. That's really the best way to describe what's come of this beer. Unlike fresh this beer now definitely is taking on some saison like flavors. A certain hop funk that I didn't notice before seems odd to be here now, but it certainly is here. This beer however is still a bit more a spice bomb than I'd like and the malt is strong enough and powerful enough to keep the funk from being the show case.

This beer tries to drink crisp and clean, but the body and the weight of it are just too dense. I suppose stone had to boost the abv to the 8.4 level for aging, but it doesn't work well here.

I know I need more of the 09 epic because I can see that one aging for YEARS to come, but otherwise the 06, 08, and 10 that I've had were far better fresh (or in the 10's case as good as a bad beer can get). It seems the 07 late in life has started to go the right direction. I'll be interested to see what comes of it on the epic date.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2011 20:22:16 | More by bobhits

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This was my 500th review before I joined BA, This was drank in Feb of 2009. This beer poured out as a nice golden color with a decend white head on top. Not too much lacing but a little bit. The smell of the beer was a little boozy and had some Belgian yeast aromas to it. The taste of the beer was actually giving off a slight peppermint flavor I thought, very interesting. The mouthfeel was still pretty well carbonated and had a medium body to it. Overall this beer was a good one to have for the monumental moment of marking my 500th brew. Glad to have had it.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2011 02:30:13 | More by Knapp85

gregshead

California

2.95/5  rDev -22.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Enjoyed on 8/27/11. Thanks to SDsurfer217 for this beer from his cellar.

Lots of hiss comes out of this one despite it being released 3_ years ago. Impressive

A: Pours an orange color w/ 3 fingers of head. Very foamy, big bubbles dissipate slowly.

S: Apple spice smell. Ciderish smell. Pretty simple

T: Spices and apple. A liff bit of boozy/heat taste in there as well

M: Tons of carb. Little bit of heat/burn feel

O: A spiced apple beer. Very blah. Not horrible just really plain.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2011 07:14:36 | More by gregshead

FARGO619

California

4.5/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

EPIC bottle share with some good people. This one was okay, but I'm only rating this beer as I went into it with an open mind. I'm not into Belgian style beers, but love Stone. Maybe with age it'll get better, but here we go.

A-Light in color with with head. Went down quick. Not too much carbination.

S-Ginger and citrus notes. Hint of sweetness.

T-Spicy in the tongue that dissipates quickly leaving a ginger flavor behind. The hops are still very present, especially for a 3 year old beer.

M-It went down okay. The citrus and spice with mild ginger taste.

D-I have two more that will try as the years go by.

Serving type: bottle/22oz.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2011 13:30:46 | More by FARGO619

trappistlover

Arizona

3.58/5  rDev -6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

(22oz bottle from AJ’s Via Linda). Pours hazy organge-yellow or apricot color with moderate white head. Decent carbonation. Aroma is ginger, orange, lemon, spices, and rock candy. Taste is sweet with a slight sour twang. Light hops on the end. Thin to medium bodied. Slick texture and smooth, alcohol warming finish. Not bad at all and it held up better than I expected.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2011 04:27:31 | More by trappistlover

gpogo

California

3.6/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Golden red body with a thin white head that stuck around as a foam cap and ring.

A- Dark fruity aroma, but at the same time with significant spice and ginger.

T- Very sweet body. Finishes spicy. Quite a lot of ginger flavor.

M- Medium body with low carbonation. Slightly warming beer.

D- Enjoyable beer, but quite a bit of ginger.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2011 06:59:57 | More by gpogo

birchstick

Missouri

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

Part of a '06 - '10 vertical

Pours a golden bronze with a 1/2 finger head. The nose is very sweet with sweet grains and a bit of mint / herbal tone. It's taste was similar, sweet grain malt was dominant with a nice herbal sweetness too it as well. Fruity yeast added to the mix as well. The smooth bodied ale had low amounts of carbonation. This was really good and very interesting. One of the more unique beers I have had, especially for the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2011 04:39:01 | More by birchstick

harrymel

Washington

3.73/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured during a 06-10 VE tasting.
Poured to NB globe.

A: golden, autumnal with little bubbles. Excellent clarity. Can agitate a transient head. No lacing.

S: Wow, complex beer here. Dominated by ginger, there can also be lemon peel, oak, mint, cardamom, other spice flavors. Very, very complex. Sweet. Further, the characteristics change and interweave as temp changes and beer breathes. So complex.

T: Ginger, and again, complex. The spices in here almost taste like a mulled compilation. The yeast finally makes an appearence here with bananas, belgo yeastiness. Would like to try again, warmed.

M: medium body with lower carbonation. Leaves mouth dry.

D: This beer is a sipper for sure. I wouldnt be able to drink more than an 8 oz pour of this one. Definitely the most complex of the group.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2011 18:09:27 | More by harrymel

DeanMoriarty

California

4.43/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

07/07/07 Vintage Vertical Epic

Had this out of a snifter at Holiday Wine Cellar's special event for San Diego Beer Week 2010: "Stone Vintage Archives & Decadent Chocolate Pairings" hosted by Dr. Bill Sysack of Stone Brewing. Paired with North Park's Eclipse Chocolat - White Lemon Ginger Truffle.

A: Pours a light amber/golden hue with an off-white fluffy head, leaving tons of lacing from start to finish.

S: Sweet and herbal, faint hop, ginger, earthy and medicinal - very unique and pleasant.

T: Sweet and spicy maltiness, good bitter hop, citrus zest and a bit of booze on the back end.

M: Medium-bodied but definitely more on the lighter side of medium-bodied, dry and smooth with a good amount of carbonation that works well with the style.

D: This is one of my favorite Vertical Epics - such an easy and enjoyable drinker. I had the great pleasure of drinking this one out of an oak barrel last year at the Blind Lady. Just amazing!

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2010 03:35:30 | More by DeanMoriarty

Vdubb86

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev +1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a mug

This beer pours a cloudy orange color with crap suspended within the beer itself. The smell isn't actually as bad as I had thought that it might be. The aroma is mainly of a mixture of sour and the typical belgian yeast characters (banana, clove, etc.). The flavor, while not nearly as sour as the nose had lead to believe, tasted like a mixture of belgian flavors and pumpkin spices. It was an odd marriage that only kinda worked. Oddly enough I must say that I really didn't pick up any distinct saison or tripel flavors, just generic sour and generic banana. It was a decent beer, but glad I didn't try for the entire vertical, due to the fact that my experience with these has been less than exciting.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2010 07:25:59 | More by Vdubb86

beerthulhu

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

from notes:

A: Pours a clear golden orange color. Labeled as a "Golden triple/saison" hybrid at 8.4%.

S: Big lemon peel on nose with some fruitiness and lots of ginger.

T: Flavor is sour oranges and apples, caramel malt, citrus, and ginger spicing. Palate is dry and full of ripe fruit and dry floral hops. There is some sweet candi sugar and dried apricot hints as well.

M: The texture is slick and slippery on the tongue.

D: Overall a decent brew that would of probably come off better with aging and without the label or comparison to the authentic Belgian styles golden triple and sasion.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2010 23:30:38 | More by beerthulhu

Duhast500

Massachusetts

4.3/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from 1pt. 6oz. bottle into a Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Tulip glass.

The color is cloudy orange/amber with two and half fingers of foamy white head and some slight lacing.

The smell is a good Belgian type aroma, something like a triple would be. It also has a nice spicy aroma that smells a bit like fruit flavored candy like sweet tarts.

The taste has a nice citrus kick at first with some nice Saison spice flavor. There is a nice grainy flavor that is keeping the flavor well formed.

The texture of this beer is pretty interesting and seems to lay on your tongue for just the right amount of time. It is smooth and very well balanced. This beer goes down well and is refreshing with a slight bite.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2010 03:11:31 | More by Duhast500

cjacobsen

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 22 oz bottle into a wine glass (wasn't my choice of glass but was just happy enough to try this beer)

It poured somewhat greenish to golden with a white head on it.

The smell was of citrus and spice notes.

The taste was heavy on the ginger right up front with the citrus notes of lemon and orange coming through. Quite far from the original tasting when the 07.07.07 was fresh because the original tasting were very hot on the alcohol and fresh spices.

The feel of it on the palette was nipping at your tongue because of the different citrus peels used. It was in true saison form but stepped up a bit with the spices.

This beer was refreshing and screams summer. Tasty and a nice relaxer.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2010 00:55:24 | More by cjacobsen

srandycarter

California

3.03/5  rDev -20.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Pretty copper, somewhat murky, tonds of thick near white head. Lots of cling lace.

S - Spicy. Belgian yeast and spice are about all I get.

T - Like when you use too much salt, there is no way home. Too much spice in this beer. Overpowering.

M - See taste, balance can't be achieved for me on this one.

D - See Taste and Mouthfeel, and obviously, not sessionable for me.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2010 03:16:03 | More by srandycarter

ZX6Chris

California

3.95/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Shared at a tasting with my friend Armand. Unfortunately 07-09 were my least favorites.

A-Peach colored, great almost white head, tight bubbles great lacing.

S-Ginger, cardamom, citrusy.

T-Spicy in the tongue that dissipates quickly leaving a ginger flavor behind. The hops are still very present, especially for a 3 year old beer.

M-Great, unfortunately that's the only note I took.

D-Too fresh for me, I liked the others because the hops had faded and let the malts shine through, this hasn't happened yet on this one. Maybe I'll try it in another year and see where it's at.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2010 01:44:20 | More by ZX6Chris

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a Sloeber tulip glass.

Big thanks to GoGriz for this bottle!

Another directive from V-to-the-Dubb. It pours a very slightly hazy orange amber topped by a finger or so of white foam. The nose comprises rye bread, orange zest, Belgian yeast, coriander, and lemon pulp. The taste is heavy on the citrus, with large amounts of orange zest and coriander; the usual Belgian spiciness must have diminished over time, consisting now of only pepper, rye, nutmeg, and cardamom, all kinda light but blending together nicely. The body is a very light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a nearly crisp finish. Overall, I'd say this brew has held up pretty well over the course of three years, and now stands as a more complex (and clearer) wit. Good stuff, no matter what you call it...I just wish I had been able to try it in '07.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2010 04:33:20 | More by TMoney2591

Phelps

Arizona

4.08/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Looks: auburn. Colors of lacquered oak and light copper blend beautifully in a nearly-clear liquid. A one-finger head of silky gray quickly fizzes out to a sturdy ring and some filmy residue. Lace grips the walls in horizontal layers of sheen. Not bad for having lain dormant for three years.

Smells: mildly spicy with a bit of clove and pink peppercorns. Heavy pear aroma, with the subtlest tart kick in the back. I also get brown sugar, coriander and a tiny bit of sweet banana candy.

Tastes: like the nose, it's led mostly by the flavors of sweet pears, apples and banana, while a delicate tart splash kicks in before a mildly drying finish. The bottle says Stone brewed this one with peels of lemon, grapefruit and orange, but only the orange seems noticeable now, and only after some searching for it. As it warms, the citrus flavors emerge a bit more, blending beautifully with spicy cardamom and ginger. At moments I get mixes of alcohol and spices that reminds of gin. It's interesting.

Feels: peppery. A bubbly medium carbonation tickles the tongue while the medium-bodied brew slides silkily across the palate. Alcohol is noticeable as a distinctive warming in my chest plate.

Drinks: pretty damn well for a three-year-old beer. Having gotten into the Vertical Epic game late, I've missed out on several of these beers in their prime. But my loss is their gain; the 07 has complexity and depth now that likely wasn't present before. It just might be my favorite epic so far.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2010 06:42:41 | More by Phelps

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

3.18/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Beer review from BA Mag Sep 2007.

Like past VE releases, this one is another strong Belgian-style ale; but this year's twist is that it's a Saison/Tripel hybrid, brewed with four malts, Glacier and Crystal hops, and spiced with ginger, cardamom, grapefruit peel, lemon peel and orange peel.

Deep golden, with rich, bright amber hues, topped with a healthy-looking creamy white foam head that laces and sticks well. Smells like a fruit cup, with a powdery, slightly metallic background note, soft floral bouquet and some distinct cardamom. Creamy on the palate, smooth and medium-bodied, rounded, but a bit plain due to a thin carbonation edge. Up front there's a nice ginger zing and a smack of citrus. Kind of sweet, with some toasty and bready malt notes, a hint of caramel and a light fruity ester that sits on a somewhat tamed cardamom base. Some gummy notes in the middle. Spicy, peppery alcohol bite and warmth. Finish is really dry with a bready and earthy linger.

A most interesting combination of two very distinct styles--but not the strongest out of the series. Though the cardamom was probably used gingerly (sorry about that), it just doesn't work for us--cardamom is pretty damn aggressive. Removing it and allowing the nuances from the Belgian yeast to shine would have worked better; which, in turn, would have given the ginger and citrus more of a presence. It's also lacking the light-bodied effervescence and dryness found with both styles. Aging could prove beneficial.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2010 00:18:21 | More by BeerAdvocate

chaz01

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Good sized (4-5 ounce) pour at a Stone Vertical Tasting Event sponsored by Belmont Party Supplies on 5/12/2010, served in a very cool Stone Vertical Epic tasting glass.

A: Medium amber color, a bit cloudy with a nice foamy white head.

S: Anise, licorice and pepper, very spicy in the aroma.

T: Heavy ginger flavor with a citrus fruity notes. Lots of spiciness, which I'm guessing is the cardamom, but the ginger dominates the flavor.

M: Medium bodied with good carbonation. Picking up the orange peel and citrus flavors in the finish.

D: Very spicy beer, reminds me of the 04.04.04. Still less than 2 years old, but holding up well with time.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2010 17:59:02 | More by chaz01

vacax

California

3.5/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

07.07.07 was the first of the Vertical Epic series I tasted and I did not really care for it. I have had the red wine barrel, and it was not very good either. So coming up on three years later here it goes again. This one pours dark orange, bit of suspended sediment, not too big of a hard though some decent lace on the sides. In the aroma the ginger comes through wonderfully with a bit of cardamom, honey, and spicy clovelike notes. The flavor is ripe with ginger, candi sugar, brown sugar, and a spicy orange and cookielike malt finish. The flavor has plenty of ginger, with some Belgian sugar, then cardamom and lots of bready cookie malts on the finish. The spices have finally came out on this beer instead of being dominated by the Belgian yeast and it has improved. Medium to full body with matching carbonation, still doesn't quite feel natural even if it is bottle conditioned. This one has slowly improved, but it still isn't too much of a drinker for me.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2010 00:33:19 | More by vacax

mactrail

California

3.8/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Winey ale full of Belgian flavors.

Rich with malt and funky with yeasty flavors. Hops are not the feature but taste buds slowly awaken to the bitter edge. Very sweet with plain sugar taste. Maybe it's the color but it makes me think of golden raisins. All the flavorings make for an indecipherable fruit salad, but it's pleasing, like a good fruitcake.

I think this is one of the most "liqueur" tasting beers I have had. The sweetness mixed with the intensity of the Belgian flavors makes this good for a short pour in a big chalice to take it all in.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2010 04:33:08 | More by mactrail