Stone 09.09.09 Vertical Epic Ale

Stone Vertical Epic

Stone 09.09.09 Vertical Epic Ale is the eighth in a series of eleven epic ales from Stone Brewing Company.  The first was released on February 2, 2002, and each subsequent release is one year and one day later.  This year's Vertical Epic Ale will be released on September 9, 2009 (hence the 09.09.09 in the name), and the wait is worth well worth it.

This Vertical Epic Ale is a an amazingly dark opaque beer. When poured into a glass, no light shines through (even when held up to the brightest of lights in a house).  The 09.09.09 Vertical Epic Ale has a good foamy head when poured.  It appears to have good carbonation in the glass- this determined through taste rather than observation (it is impossible to see into such a thick beer).

The beer has a slight yeast smell. There is also a hint of ale, along with the smell of spices and other flavors.  These all blend together with, and mellow the yeast smell.  Yeast is evident in the aroma (usually an acquired taste), but does not overshadow the rest of the smells.  Overall, a very enjoyable (and curious) bouquet. 

The anticipation for this beer is a Belgian yeasty ale taste (based upon the smell).  Although there is a hint of yeast in the initial taste, this soon merges with a roasted (almost burnt) flavor.  This roasted taste is likely from the French oak chips used in the brewing.  The beer has a very thick feel in the mouth, and the flavor itself is very thick and complex. One begins to notice a number of other flavors that hint at their presence, which blends with the yeast and ale taste, but each individual taste does not overpower the rest.  One is left with a very intriguing taste, full of different hints and notes.  Each sip reveals more flavors, and one discerns spices, vanilla, banana, and citrus. These all blend together for a wonderful beer. 

Greg Koch, CEO and Co-Founder of Stone Brewing Co. had this to say about the 09.09.09 Vertical Epic Ale:

There's intentionally no direct unifying theme between the Stone Vertical Epic Ales. Stone 09.09.09 Vertical Epic Ale is openly and admittedly a different beer. It doesn't relate to the other Stone Vertical Epic Ales, other than it’s Belgian-themed and it's in the series. I found the flavor complex in a fairly unique way, but I also invite people to figure out the flavor profile for themselves.

The Brewing Crew of Stone's 09.09.09 Vertical Epic Ale

Stone Brewing Company continues to demonstrate that they are masters of complex beers and tastes, almost easily weaving together diverse flavors to form unique beers.  This beer will be released on September 9, 2009, and Stone also offers a unique opportunity for the homebrewer.  As with all of their Vertical Epic Ales, the recipe is available online. (Please note: the 09.09.09 recipe will be online after this beer is released). Although perhaps complex recipes for a novice brewer, Stone deserves a lot of credit for sharing their experimentation and knowledge with the rest of the brewing world.  Brew it at home, and even enter the Stone Vertical Epic Challenge. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Owen

For more info: Follow Owen on Twitter: twitter.com/lothar97

Stone Brewing Co. also embraces Web 2.0 (including Twitter), and has a number of people Tweeting:

• StoneBrewingCo - The official Stone Brewing Company Twitter account.
• StoneGreg - Greg Koch, CEO and Co-founder
• BistroBeer - Dr. Bill, who chooses the beers served at the Stone Brewing Restaurant
• Stone_Kitchen - Alice Harvey, who works in Stone's restaurant
• StoneStore - The official Stone Company store
• StoneMovies - For those who can travel to the Stone Brewery in Escondido to watch summer outdoor movies.