Stone 07.07.07 Vertical Epic Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

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

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Churchkey.

Pours a moderate amber color with a nice off white head and a bit of lacing as it makes its way down. The nose is a bit of a mess, but actually works a bit well. Lots of peppery spice along with some ginger. Miscellaneous citrus notes in there as well; not sure of those are from residual hops. Taste is much the same with the ginger and spice combo coming out a bit more than other flavors. Mouthfeel is one of a medium body with pretty good carbonation. It's a bit much, but drinks fairly well as it is quite interesting.

Serving type: on-tap

10-06-2010 19:28:58 | More by Thorpe429

drabmuh

Maryland

3.63/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had the 05, 07 and 07 wine barrel all side by side at Churchkey the other night, and those three were all rather disappointing.

Beer is a little bit of a spice bomb but its probably my favorite vertical epic of the night. Beer is yellow and has a nice head of medium bubbles on it that leaves a little lacing on the glass.

Beer smells like citrus and ginger. OK, this is what you wanted Stone.

Lead off for this beer is a medium to light body, moderate carbonation and ...oh yeah GINGER. Its ginger and coriander I think and that's about it. Its not very sweet, not a lot of malt to hold this one up but its spicy. That's about all. It was OK.

Serving type: on-tap

10-06-2010 14:47:12 | More by drabmuh

SkunkWorks

New York

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

Had on the Total Tap Takeover Tour at Rattle n Hum in NYC. It was served in a flute glass.

Look: greenish, golden with a little haze and a little orange with a thick white head. It left lots of lace behind.

Smell: lots of spice in here along with some grapefruity hops. You can also smell the yeast.

Taste: very hoppy, which surprised me since its been aging for 3 years now. Lemon and orange flavors come out through the hoppiness.

Feel: light in body. Very crisp because the carbonation is pretty high.

Drink: very drinkable. If I didn't want to try everything on the tap list, I would've had a few rounds of this with no problem.

Overall, a good beer worth a try. In my limited experience with Belgians, I'd say this is a decent Belgian Strong Pale Ale.

Serving type: on-tap

10-04-2010 13:00:12 | More by SkunkWorks

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

Arbitrator

California

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

Chilled bottle into a glass. Cellar clearance yadda yadda. I purchased one of these locally and acquired another from tprokop7. Thanks Todd.

A: Pours a clear, glowing orange body with huge, fluffy off-white head that fills the Duvel tulip and threatens to overflow. It takes its sweet time retreating into a moderate collar, but it leaves no sticky lace in its wake.

S: Smells like a saison at first. Orchard fruits like apples, pears, and orange find their way to my nose. They're spiced by a nice blend of cardamom and clove.

T: Banana, apples, pears, orange peel. There's a light bitterness that accentuates the semi-dry flavor of this beer. The finish brings out cardamom, clove, and ginger -- the spice blend reminds me of a pumpkin ale, actually. Pretty tasty.

M: Light-medium bodied; fizzy. Semi-dry with a spicy warming effect.

D: I see some of the earliest reviews of this beer were... unfavorable. It seems the beer has improved since then. I find it drinking quite well, and seeing now that it's intended to be a saison-golden ale hybrid, I think it hits the mark pretty well.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2010 03:43:59 | More by Arbitrator

masterhomebrewer

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Found a stash of bottles recently at a small packy on the outskirts, so I decided to pop one.

A = Really pretty cloudy, rich pale body with an inch-high, fluffy, pure white head that lingers. Looks really nice.

S = Hmmm. Exactly like Vernors Ginger Ale, if you remember that one. Nice, but not what I want in a beer: sweet, spicy (ginger, coriander, nutmeg) and a touch of alcohol.

T = A lot like the smell. Fortunately, the Vernors taste -- very sweet ginger and spice -- though strong, fades fairly quickly, making room for some pleasant hop bitterness and a warming alcohol burn.

M = Really thick and luscious, just as I like my big beers to be. Smooth and warm with prickly carbonation that works in tandem with the soda-pop-like qualities of the beer.

D = There are a lot of good things in this beer, but perhaps a bit overdone in terms of spices. The sweetness and overdone spiciness combine to make only a moderately drinkable beer. One pint and I'm done with it.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2010 23:00:39 | More by masterhomebrewer

brdc

Wisconsin

4.03/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Large capped bottle, poured into a tulip.

Glowing orange, with a lot of floating yeast even though it was standing upright for weeks, and I poured slowly, keeping the bottom in the bottle. The head is disappointing, white, thin, very short lasting, with minimal lacing. It certainly does not look like a belgian.
The aroma, as well as the flavor, is not exactly complex, but very pleasant. Medium bodied, lots of oranges, yeast, cookie, spices.
Good, easy to drink, very far from great.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2010 22:32:20 | More by brdc

JoePat

Kentucky

4.33/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This beer pours a dark golden almost amber color with a kaki head that dissipates pretty quickly but that is expected with the time on this beer.
It smells of citrus zest and ginger but has a lot of complexity to it.
The taste is even more complex with the zest, som earthiness in the background and a ginger bread like flavor.
The mouthfeel is sweet and dry.
This beer is really rich which takes a lot away from the drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2010 22:44:20 | More by JoePat

Hershdawg

California

4.47/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle into VE Glass

A: Pale amber. Small filmy head. Lots of bubbles even though its 3 years old.

S: Sweet. A little leather, grapefruit, cotton candy. overall excellent but hard to describe. Smells wonderful for a 3 year old bottle

T:Wow! Piney hops at the back, Sweet beginnings, a little leather. coriander, sage, thyme. Citrus undertones, supposedly there is ginger but its seems to have fallen out. I wish I had this new.

M: Crisp, not to much carbonation bite.

D: Supprisingly good for a 8.4 ABV beer.

If I had the other bottles starting from 2002 I'd would have kept this one but I don't.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2010 01:21:46 | More by Hershdawg

hophead247

California

3.88/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This ale poured a golden color with a big, soapy head that slowy faded away. Some light lacing was left behind. The aroma of the beer was yeast, orange peel, and other spices. The smell seemed to mostly resemble a saison. The flavor was also very close to a saison. It was made up of bread, citrus, and mild spices. The flavor seemed to be thrown off a bit by the different citrus peels that were used during brewing. It started out almost cloyingly sweet, then turned grapefruity bitter, leaving a lasting confusing aftertaste on the tounge. The mouthfeel was medium to full-bodied with a good amount of carbonation. Overall, I thought it was a decent ale. Hopefully the aging process will smooth out some of the rough edges.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2010 01:19:02 | More by hophead247

MisterClean

California

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

On tap at the Grad

A - Poured copper with 2 fingers of white head which dies fast.

S/T - Honey, nectarines, bubblegum, and yeast funk.

M - Supersweet, very malty, full-bodied, and some funk yeast at the end.

D - Very good. Most people thought this beer was hit and miss.

Serving type: on-tap

02-11-2010 06:23:24 | More by MisterClean

DmanGTR

New York

4.2/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From notes

A - crystal clear, rich honey color with very little head. 3.5

S - hint of pear mead, caramel, and amber malt. Bit of alcohol as well. Fruity and light bouquet. 4.0

T - rich grape/raisin flavor with some sour apples. Slight bitterness of hops gets masked by lots of fruitiness and a warm finish. 4.5

M - medium bodied, well carbonated. Crisp and warming. 4.0

D - quite drinkable. I enjoy this thoroughly. 4.0

I was glad MacGregors had this on tap along with the 08 and 09. A cool vertical, even though it's not the same beer each year.

Serving type: on-tap

02-10-2010 14:26:23 | More by DmanGTR

wedgie9

Tennessee

4.4/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pours an orange color with white minimal head. There is some sediment. Primary aromas of ginger and orange peel. Secondary aromas of mango, white peppercorn, apricot, and coriander. Very fruity on the palate. Apricot, peach, orange, and ginger. The aftertaste is dominated by pineapple. The body is medium, but the overall feel is bright, due to the weighty carbonation. The aftertaste is medium length with pineapple and ginger. Overall, this is a really fun beer. Rather complex on every level, and worthy of aging even longer.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2010 05:59:16 | More by wedgie9

Torps

New York

3.98/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into Reidel O series cab glass.

Pours a cloudy, dark amber with red highlights. Massive white head with minimal lacing. Appearance is very appetizing.

Lots of aroma emanating from the head. Honey, apple, peach, spice and yeast. I sensed a bit of piney hops, but couldn't revive the aroma when the head dissipated.

This is very much in the belgian strong ale style. Lots of fruit, citrus though the ABV is very apparent. The carbonation danced feverishly on my tongue.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2009 23:04:46 | More by Torps

atremains

Massachusetts

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

Props to CJBB for this one. Pours a coppery golden (amber) with a beastly head that reduces to a swirling cap. Very cloudy. Smell is a slap of citrus of front with the yeast in the background and spices in the distance. The cardamom and ginger come through first in the taste followed by a cinnamon like sweetness. Apple mixed with all the flavors from the citrus peel as well. Bread-like qualities. The spices prevail in the taste. Mouthfeel is creamy for a belgian strong/ tripel/ saison. This brew has a good blend of flavors but the ginger is a bit too strong for me personally.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2009 00:53:09 | More by atremains

cbutova

Massachusetts

4.15/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Found this one in a cooler at my local store, ON SALE for $7.77!. Poured into my Brooklyn snifter with a glorious two finger head that retains at one finger for a very good amount of time. The head is white and the beer is a nice golden amber. Light belgian-like lacing is left on my snifter as I drink it down. Lacing is the only thing bringing this one down. Smells pretty nice but I can't pick up very heavy notes. What I get is that typical Belgian yest smell, light malts, cirtrus with no hops to speak of. I would like some more strength but this is over two years old. Some sweets and spices also come through. Taste is pretty damn spicy. I get the yeast (belgian, bready), the malts, some citrus, fruits and then the citrus peels and spices. They make for a pretty good balanced belgian taste. I get some pine in the taste too. Ginger is mentioned on the bottle and can easily be picked up. The cardamom is definitely in the nose. The taste is complex but is a bit harsh on the tongue also. The spices could be toned down (they get huge after a bit) a bit but I still think this one tastes pretty damn good. Taste is more like a tripel than a saison to me. Mouthfeel is moderate bodied, medium carbonated and leaves a huge coat of Belgian flavors and spices. A tiny bit less carbs and a bit more creamy smoothness would help here. A bit of alcohol warming works good here. Drinkability is also good, good taste, good price, good gimmick. The spices are a bit much but I enjoyed this beer and it is spot on with style, can't wait to try it again on 12.12.12. It definitely has aged well up to this point.

Update on 02/02/13. Scores 3.5, 3.75, 4.25, 4.0, 4.25.

T- Mostly taste the adjunct additions at this point above caramel oxidation. Big orange peel, ginger is huge, grapefruit and spicy belgian saison like yeast. Apples and grape notes too.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2009 00:39:24 | More by cbutova