The first time I ever saw these STONE VERTICAL EPIC beers on the shelves was about three years ago, and I knew instantly that there was no way I was going to buy a bottle and hold it for several years. I’ve ignored them ever since, despite my strong respect for the brewer and its beers, until the other day when I read some comment that indicated that this beer can/should be consumed whenever the hell you want it to – and that it’s fantastic to boot. Turns out even STONE BREWING agrees that it doesn’t matter in the slightest – take a look at their FAQ on the series. Thusly given license to ingest, I proceeded to the liquor store and purchased a $5.99 bottle of the VERTICAL EPIC 08-08-08 version.Hey, this is excellent! This version is a light, frothy Belgian tripel, with a higher dose of hops that normal. You might call it a “Belgian IPA” – Beer Advocate does. It’s a very yeast-dominant beer, with an effervescent quality and a sweet, citrus taste. Probably a lot easy to consume & enjoy that I'd have ever expected - somehow I thought this might be some wood-aged monster that would make my eyes water, but it's nothing like that. Mildly bitter and tingling, just the way we like it. Really worth the wait, those two days from my garage to my fridge to my lips. Thanks to the Drunken Polack for letting me steal his photo - I forgot to take one. 8.5/10.
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2 comments:
Nice timing. I just cracked open one of my few remaining bottles the other night with dinner. Almost opened a second as a result. It's aged wonderfully.
Glad you liked it!
I have fallen into the Stone Vertical Epic trap and only missed the first year, and have at least one since 04.04.04 hidden around the house. VE08.08.08 was my favorite by far. This is a great beer, and at the $5.99 price is has to be one of the best bargains around. I have one 08.08.08 left and doubt it will make it to 12.12.12.
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