Stone 12.12.12 Vertical Epic Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

UCLABrewN84

California

3.18/5  rDev -19.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Thanks to mrbubbler for sharing this one at his "end of the world" tasting.

Pours an almost opaque super dark brown with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, spices, herbs, and floral aromas. Taste is much the same with a weird spice bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is an average beer that isn't done very well in terms of the spices that come through in the flavor.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 04:07:53 | More by UCLABrewN84

cobra8u

Ohio

4.89/5  rDev +24.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Its like Great Lakes Xmas Ale on Steroids...Nice lacing...to bad I am drinking this at Memorial Day...oh well. Reminds me of the Xmas season. Definitely has the appearance of a stout although the head is somewhat darker. The head btw hangs in there, I served in a Warsteiner Mug and could not see light through. This Beer definitely stood up to the appearance a beer should have served in that mug.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 01:09:26 | More by cobra8u

pisano

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +1.5%

05-23-2013 13:43:27 | More by pisano

firecrack0r

California

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%

05-22-2013 22:50:49 | More by firecrack0r

IPeteA91

Texas

4/5  rDev +1.5%

05-22-2013 05:28:16 | More by IPeteA91

Phillyz

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1.5%

05-21-2013 23:30:30 | More by Phillyz

Rogorama

Indiana

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

05-21-2013 13:47:27 | More by Rogorama

Kmat10

Alberta (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +7.9%

05-20-2013 04:42:52 | More by Kmat10

DrewskiWhit

Indiana

3.5/5  rDev -11.2%

05-20-2013 02:34:22 | More by DrewskiWhit

Justin_Brown

California

4.25/5  rDev +7.9%

05-20-2013 02:31:14 | More by Justin_Brown

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -11.2%

05-19-2013 23:10:58 | More by justintcoons

IP-EH

California

3.5/5  rDev -11.2%

05-19-2013 22:08:24 | More by IP-EH

olafphysics

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -11.2%

05-19-2013 01:15:07 | More by olafphysics

alanv

California

4/5  rDev +1.5%

05-18-2013 21:39:53 | More by alanv

jbarletto

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +7.9%

05-18-2013 21:18:09 | More by jbarletto

InfernoBoss

California

4/5  rDev +1.5%

05-18-2013 08:12:46 | More by InfernoBoss

zillo043068

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -11.2%

05-18-2013 03:17:46 | More by zillo043068

TonyTalon

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

05-18-2013 02:35:16 | More by TonyTalon

Kuaff

Alaska

4.54/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into a snifter.

This ale is as dark as a stout. I can see a tiny bit of transparity around the edges of my glass, but it's pretty much opaque black. The head is small (maybe around a half an inch), but it is made of fine (what I like to call "high-quality"), light brown foam.

It smells like the spices which are described on the bottle. I definitely get a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. There is also a bit of dark fruit, molasses, and a gingerbread scent. A wonderful aroma.

The taste is much like the smell, but even more complex to me. The spices and gingerbread character are prominent (I LOVE the spiciness), reminding me of Christmas cookies and dark fruit cake, but there is also a noticeable combination of tartness and bitterness which I'm inclined to attribute to the orange peel this ale was brewed with. The after-taste has the unmistakable roastiness of a stout, and there may also be a little of the breadiness I expcet to find in a Belgian strong dark ale, but it kind of hides underneath all the other flavors. This beer also has that signature Stone-esque bitterness, which counter-balances the sweet Christmas cookie traits. Sublime.

The mouthfeel is thick and substantial, with lively carbonation. This consistency does an excellent job of supporting the myriad flavors and deep dimensions of this beer.

This is an excellent ale, no doubt about it. And so unique as well. It may be categorized on this site as a Belgian strong dark ale, but it's so much more than that... Certainly a must-try-beer if you can find it. Expertly-crafted, distinctive, throughly enjoyable, and unforgetable.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 00:49:34 | More by Kuaff

HinghamRick

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +7.9%

05-17-2013 15:14:00 | More by HinghamRick

crowsoup

California

4/5  rDev +1.5%

05-17-2013 15:04:44 | More by crowsoup

ElizabethEleanor

Texas

4.75/5  rDev +20.6%

05-17-2013 03:05:40 | More by ElizabethEleanor

ajtorres311

Florida

2.5/5  rDev -36.5%

05-16-2013 17:45:30 | More by ajtorres311

Beer4Baltimore

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +7.9%

05-15-2013 22:48:00 | More by Beer4Baltimore

Zbeetleman

California

2.75/5  rDev -30.2%

05-15-2013 03:02:04 | More by Zbeetleman