Stone Vertical Epic

[chazwicke]

I am visiting San Diego this week and had the opportunity to visit several Brewpubs and to drink a number of the famous Stone Brewing beers on tap right here in the bar at the Marriott. I purchased two 22oz bottles of their Stone Vertical Epic Ale. the second in the vertical series. This was released 3/03/03. The last was 2/02/02 and the next will be 4/04/04 and so on until 12/12/12. the beer is supposedly highly spiced and hopped and is meant to be cellared till sometime after 2012. They have used coriander and alligater pepper as well as some unmalted wheat and dark roasted wheat. A blend of Belgian and American ale yeast was used. I can't tell you how it tastes as I will be cellaring both bottle. Has anyone tried this beer yet?

[Richard English]

Quote "...This was released 3/03/03. The last was 2/02/02 and the next will be 4/04/04 and so on until 12/12/12..."

Leaving aside entirely the question of the beer and its keeping properties, can I say how hugely impressed I am by the decision of the brewery's publicist to avoid the inevitable confusion that otherwise occurs over dates by ensuring that the month and the day designator are the same on each date.

Which means that, regardless of whether you use the US date style (month, day, year) or the style used by the rest of the world (day, month, year), the interpretation of the date is the same.

In the UK we avoid confusion by using an abbreviation for the month (07 Dec 2003) but this brewery's solution is just so elegant...!

[hopjack13]

yes i've had it many time's i am a stone junky all the way, my fav is the arrogant bastard ale, i had half a case put away but im down to only four , i traded two off . it's good brew i can't say anything bad about it. i do like the ruination and ab (thats arrogant bastard not the other ab) much better as i think most here would know im not one for spiced or flavored beer. i tasted two bottles with my wife, jotted down some notes, flavor , apperance, mouth feel, aroma that kind of stuff and it will be interesting to see how they will match up in ten years. i have a couple of fullers vintage 2000 put away as well and i tried one yesterday....not bad...not bad at all i liked it better then the 03. i hear 1999 is the best year so im going to try to get ahold of that next. if you're ever wondering about a beer you can go to www.ratebeer.com i found this site to be quite helpful at deciding what beers to purchase.
cheers