Stone 07.07.07 Vertical Epic Ale
In this year’s edition we took our inspiration from two Belgian styles: Saisons and Golden Triples. As such, the Stone 07.07.07 Vertical Epic has a deep, deep golden hue and the flavor is spicy, fruity, complex and refreshing. We used four different malts, and a subtle, yet distinct, blend of Glacier and Crystal hops to get just the right balance. Then, for the complexity, we added in some exotic spices --- including ginger, cardamom, grapefruit peel, lemon peel and orange peel (the latter three acknowledging our Southern California home) --- and a special Belgian yeast strain. All in all this is yet another case of us drawing from classic Belgian influences and cavalierly making it our own...San Diego style!
3.6
788 reviews
Escondido, United States
Community reviews
Copper colored, light haze with some "floaties". Beige head quickly fades to little more than a beige ring at the edge of the glass. Lively effervescence. Sweet scent, like a bag of tropical fruit trail mix mixed with a kids breakfast cereal. Belgian yeast is noticeable, has that "basement" quality I love in Belgians. Still has plenty of flavor with the spices and dried fruit taking center stage. . Alcohol hidden under the layers of fruit, spice and yeast. A hint of oxidation, this one didn’t age as well as his "older brother" the 2004 I had a few weeks ago but still a nice treat.
Hazy amber with no head. Fruity and spicy tones. lt, fruit and spices. Medium to full body with a long bitter sweet finish.
Aroma: Ginger, Cardamom, Mild Orange Zest
Appearance: Amber/Golden Straw Hue, Passes Some Light, White Head Ring, Some Lacing
Taste: Ginger, Mild Orange Zest, Mild Cardamom
Mouthfeel: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Mildly Spicy
On tap at Tribes Alehouse. Hazy amber with a small, quickly disappearing head. Aroma and flavor of ginger, lemon peel, oak, and all spice. Finish is a bit sweeter - candi sugar, banana, and cloves.
Reviewed on 12.12.12
Celebrating the Vertical Epic Series
P: Slightly hazy golden body with active carbonation and nice tight layer of white head.
S: Lots of ginger, bubblegum, fresh grass, steeped green tea, citrus peel, jasmine, cardamom, lavender and stone fruit.
T/M: Floral flavors take the lead, followed by ginger, sweet malt, spices, Belgian yeast, citrus and herbal bitterness. Crisp dry body that has creaminess and finishes with herbal bitterness.
O: Well blended spices, stone fruits and aged nice. A light crisp and spicy beer for those warmer months. This more more like a Tripel in style.
Serving type: bottle
Hazy golden pour, lots of citrus and some yeast notes on the nose. Flavor is citrus peel and candied ginger with notes of honey coming through as well. This one was very drinkable, the abv was very well hidden, and the flavors were well balanced and complex. Delicious. Props to Sloth and StFun for hooking me up with this series!
Had at the BGoA Winter tasting. Pours hazy yellow. Spices. Coriander. I don't like. No head. Yuck.
Thanks to drowland for the awesome share.
Hard to separate age and taste in this one. Murky orange pour. Nose of orange, banana, esters, candy sweetness, yeast. Taste slightly musty and oxidized. Orange and fruit throughout. Dulled sweet alcohol. Unsurprisingly low carbonTion, but not bad mouthfeel considering. Interesting but likely past prime.
Rating #5800! 1/12/13. 22oz bottle thanks to Homer321! Hazed amber orange pour with a small khaki head that cuts to a small ring and laces mildly. Plenty of oxidation in the aroma, that papery aspect that always reminds me personally of a weird mintiness. Also hints of fruitiness, yeast, and very light spice. Oxidized flavor, orange peel, paper, mint, caramel, etc. Glad to try this one, but the age is definitely showing.
22 oz bottle from Evergreen Discount into an over-sized wine glass. Amber and hazy with a small, dissipating head. The aroma is dark fruit, Belgian yeast, more fruity esters (citrus, tropical), caramel malts, herbs, spices and light alcohol. Similar flavor, smooth, complex and sweet. Medium body with a creamy feel, soft carbonation and a lingering finish. This has aged pretty well, probably my favorite of the series.
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
Here’s the second in my vertical, a bomber bought in Bloomington on release, dusty but anticipated. Nose beautiful golden malt with rich, sweet overripe fruit (plums, cherries, red berries, peaches) and the suggestion of a reduced sauce that contains some alcohol -- a polished olfactory glaze. Dark golden with orange and red highlights but ends up much closer to brown than golden, very fizzy soapy head that quickly works its weight off. Sharp taste, sweet but spicy, dries somewhat as it works its way across the tongue, the fruit mentioned above melding with generic yeast before receding and allowing the orange and lemon forward. Cardamom and ginger are very, very light, certainly exhibit no heat, but the spicy influence on the aftertaste is perhaps strongest of all (has light coriander and nutmeg undertones, as well, and they’re next to faint grapefruit rind). Thin but persistent bitterness, faint tang but clean and intentional. Weak malt underdeveloped and really underfocused, and the fullish mouthfeel is ruined by far too aggressive carbonation. I don’t mind the downtick in quality from the previous year’s release, as this is, after all, still quite drinkable, but the recipe clutters the palate and the yeast character here is decidedly inferior.
They were aiming for a Saison/Tripel hybrid and ended up with more of a hoppy imperialized Wit; not much of a difference, I guess, save for the spicy slapdashery.
Poured an orangish color from the bomber with aromas of light oranges, candi sugar, yeast and some esthers. Flavors follow suit, light banana in the aftertaste this beer held up well due to the age of the bottle.
Pours a clear amber/red with a thin off white head. Aroma is sweet and sligtly spicy...orangey...a bit like grand marnier. Flavor follows suit...very orangey and very reminiscent of grand marnier!...light hoppiness reminds of the inspiring tripel and saison but definitely more sweet and fruity. Mouthfeel is medium and silky with a slightly earthy yet candied orange/grand marnier finish. Surprised at how this held up!
On tap at Lord Hobo - guess they aged a keg of this bad boy - woody, grape, Belgian yeasty nose; dark hue with consistent lacing; body coats tongue with red wine, brown sugar; tannins sit in the back and the flavor lasts. This aged well. Tasty.
22 ounce bottle poured into a brandy snifter. Pours a lighter gold. Semi-hazy. White head of foam. Good retention. Aroma is sweet esters with some fruitier notes coming through. Taste is belgian candi sugar sweetness. Dry finish. Medium carbonation with plenty of body. This one has held up very nicely.
FROM NOTES: July 3. ’12
Poured from a 22 ounce bomber into a stone pint glass.
A: Simple straight-forward nose with apple spice notes, like a cider.
A: Pours an orange color with a 3-fingers head. Dissipates slowly.
T: Follows the nose, for the most part, with apple spice flavors. A mild alcohol burn presents towards the finish.
P: Medium body with heavy carbonation and a little alcohol burn.
O: A spiced apple beer. Not ultra-exciting, but not terrible. Will try again in December ’12.
Maize pour into a tulip, with a fluffy if ephemeral white head. Candied oranges and a bit of spice in the aroma. Flavor gently sweet, again the citrus, pepper, booze, honey. A bit of heat. On the positive side, this has held up just fine for six years -- which was an important criterion for a midpoint of the 12.12.12 series. On the negative side, there’s no great complexity here; ultimately it’s not anything more than another straightforward American tripel. I could drink New Belgium if this was what I was looking for.
Bottle sampled at RBSG. From notes. Orange citrus, lime and belgian yeast with a little caramel. Pretty good .
Extra from Eric way back when. Thanks!
A: Light copper-red color with a thin ring of head. Some sediment floating in the glass.
N: Ginger comes through very clear. Orange is also present. Hints of lavender, peppercorn, some malt and whiskey, and cola.
T: Nicely sweetened with ample citrus flavor. Slight oxidation.
M: Light and well-carbonated.
O: Still very aromatic, and this was actually one of the favorites of the tasting amongst non beer geeks. Definitely would drink this one soon.
Bottle at RBSG. Pours a clear orange, minimal head. Citrus hop aroma, lots of grapefruit, some lemon taste. Not really sure about this, but it wasn’t bad.
Bomber at RBSG. Rich orange/yellow pour. White frothy head. White wine grapes. Spritzy. Awesome.
Bottle. Clear peach colored pour, plenty of carbonation, light lemony hop aroma. Flavor is heavy cardamom and grapefruit with a sweet and and artificial lemon aftertaste.
Pours a hazy orange, smells tropical and pruny. Tastes like pineapple and orange juice. Punchy.
Found a bomber of this at the back of the cellar, realized I had never rated it, and its a strong belgian ale so what the heck. Opened with a lot of carbonation and poured a hazy dark amber with a very generous off white head that settles down to a thin layer. Initial aroma is like a glass of cola that has been left in the fridge overnight, then as things are allowed to breath a bit of apricot and mango peel sneak through, a bit of alcohol and some candied Belgian sugar and yeast. Moderate body and high carbonation, slightly sweet but then becomes quite dry and more biter yet very balanced. Torn on this one - the cola aroma is odd but it reminds me of those cola 5 cent candies that you probably stole from 7/11 when you were in grade 5 (without the smell of fear)..and the rest of the beer is pretty good. Not sure if that is your thing but if so open a bottle now.
Copper reddish orange like color..1/2 finger head..surprisingly active carbonation after many years..aroma of lemon..some citrus from grapefruit peel..honey sweetness..hybrid of a saison and Belgian triple with the triple being dominant..spices come up on palate candied ginger..cinnamon..ok slightly oily mouthfeel..slightly sour lingering on finish with a vinegary presence....probably a bit past its prime..ok..
Served in 10 oz snifter at the 2013 Most Arrogant Bash.
Remarkable orange-amber color; crystal clear with a small but partially durable head. Very little lacing.
The aroma is not promising, with too much suggestion of vinegar. Otherwise, a wild mix of spices over a fruity base. The flavor also has a suggestion of vinegar but, thankfully, this is much more subdued.
M: Still lightly hot, the higher ABV is not well hidden. Low carbonation works well.
O: At 6 years, probably the oldest beer I’ve had, and likely past its prime. Still, interesting, fun and enjoyable, if flawed and slightly challenging.
Bomber to taster (thanks brew3crew). This was a GUSHER! Looks good; a hazy orange with white lacing. Smells tart and floral. Tastes like it smells with a good mouthfeel. Enjoyable.
This is a very good beer but it’s definitely over hyped. Like many of Stone’s beers.
Shared a bottle in 6/13. Pours golden in color, a little tart taste, almost wineish