Stone Vertical Epic 09.09.09
I’m a big fan of what Stone Brewing is doing with their Vertical Epic series. There are only two problems with it.
Firstly, I only just heard about it in 2007 so have missed out on a majority of the beers released. Secondly, trying to keep at least one bottle from each year until 12.12.12 is going to be hell on me. If I’ve proven anything with my meager cellar it’s that I don’t have the requisite patience to let beers sit for an extended period of time.
That said, I was able to pick up a couple of this years release a few weeks ago and have so far only cracked open one of them — so far. The 09.09.09 is a big departure from the last couple of years, going for a Belgian inspired porter this time around instead of something of a lighter fare.
Appearance
The 09.09.09 pours a near black with a large, dark tan head that faded slowly.
Aroma
The nose offers up lightly roasted malt, orange peel, chocolate and a subtle yeastiness. Smells damned good.
Taste
This porter tastes just about as great as it smells. There’s the sweet, roasted malt mixed with a bitter chocolate presence. The orange in the nose isn’t quite as apparent in the taste, but it’s there along with a welcome vanilla note. There’s also a nice roasted coffee in the finish that’s a little bitter and dry. The Belgian yeast in the beer makes for an interesting complexity and depth.
Overall
Belgian inspired stouts and porters have been sort of hit or miss for me in the past, but Stone may have gotten me over the hump with their latest Vertical Epic release. This brew is is tasty for sure and I can’t wait to see how it progresses with some age.
Rating:3.5/5