Yesterday, being Thanksgiving, was for most Americans hopefully a day of rest, relaxation, and joyful gluttony. For some, dessert was overridden by the necessity to hit the stores in search of spectacular deals as Black Friday kicked off even earlier this year. But if you happened to find yourself wanting for a frothy digestive after the big meal last night and were left with nothing in the fridge, you may have found yourself in a bit of a bind. Area craft beer havens were closed for the day, leaving beer lovers like me hitting places like The Pizza Joint for an after-dinner pint.
Luckily today is a day dedicated to shopping, and that includes finding great deals on beer. I've got a couple of suggestions for you, and I'll dish them out today.
The first is a big beer from Escondido, CA that will test the limits of your palate without putting pressure on the wallet, leaving plenty of room for that big screen TV to pair with your quaff.
Every year since 2002, Stone Brewing Company has been releasing a beer one year, one month and one day after the previous year's, beginning on the second of February that year with 02.02.02 Vertical Epic Ale. The Vertical Epic series is so named because these beers are meant to be cellared for an "epic" vertical tasting on or after the final beer's release on 12 December, 2012 (the culmination will be called 12.12.12 Vertical Epic Ale, quite naturally). Each bottle-conditioned beer is a different style with a Belgian twist, pumped up in alcohol volume to withstand aging, and the brewery even releases a homebrew recipe for each so that the tinkerers amongst us can try our hand at creating our own.
If you're an Augusta-area native and don't actively engage in beer trading, then sadly any bottles in your cellar will only date back to 09.09.09, as the Augusta market has only (to my knowledge, at least) been seeing the Vertical Epic series on shelves since the 2009 release. But each year since then, the area has seen a limited release of the limited series, and this year is no different.
Stone's 11.11.11 Vertical Epic Ale is described on the front label simply as “Ale Brewed with Anaheim Chilies and Cinnamon,” while the back label goes on to note that those chilies hail from the Hatch Valley of New Mexico and that the cinnamon utilized is in the form of whole sticks. Warrior, Target, Perle and Pacific Jade hops are used to achieve 65 IBUs, and the brew is fermented with a Flanders Golden Ale yeast strain to reach an alcohol by volume of 9.4%. The combination is… well, continue reading to find out.
You can find 11.11.11 Vertical Epic Ale at North Augusta Wine and Beverage, across the river in North Augusta, just down the road from Wal-Mart on Knox Avenue. 22-ounce bottles sell for $6.99, so pick up one for tasting now and more to put in the cellar for your own epic tasting when the final beer in the series is released next December.
Review
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale
Alcohol content: 9.4% ABV
Package type: 22-ounce brown glass bottle
Serving vessel: Tulip glass
Serving temperature: ~40 degrees F
Rating: B+ (3.83/5)
Pours a clear, dark amber-mahogany hue with a pillowy topping of beige foam that settles slowly to a thick crown, leaving behind beautiful rings of stained glass-like lacing on the walls of the glass as it drains away.
The nose is a one-two punch of cinnamon and what is reminiscent of chipotle peppers, and would lead me to believe that chipotles were the culprit here, though I know that Anaheim chilies are at work here rather than smoked jalepenos. Underneath is a faint whiff of clove, though the dominant aromas seem to overwhelm it. On a new pour, herbaceous hop notes emerge before being taken over as well.
Medium-bodied and mildly-to-moderately effervescent; the overwhelming palatial impression is chaotic and exciting. Spiciness is key here, with notes of cinnamon, chilies, clove, hops, nutmeg, basil -- a virtual plethora of spicy notes is apparent and it all melds with a warming alcoholic heat and sweet caramel and toast to suggest a beer aged on chilies which, while not exactly the case, isn't that far off either, and the impression is a lasting one. This is one hellish flavor combination, and in this case that's a good thing.
The overall impression is chilie-infused Belgian IPA, and the drinkability is perhaps even greater than a regular example of said style. This isn't the first time I've enjoyed a chile beer this good, but it is the first commercial example and it's probably a good thing that Stone decided to insert this in the Vertical Epic line-up so near to the end, as this is a beer best enjoyed fresh. A touch of age might show a more muted spiciness and perhaps a more balanced earthy character from the malt and hops, but there is no reason not to enjoy this bad boy right here and now.
Comments