Stone Vertical Epic.

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I just broke down and bought my first bottle of this tonight. Gonna save it for a day off... if that ever happens.
 
I just broke down and bought my first bottle of this tonight. Gonna save it for a day off... if that ever happens.

I hear ya. This was my first day away since August 2nd..
Spent the day gathering yeast and brewing.
Back to work tomorrow..... bleh.
 
My question now is this...

Do I bother aging it like they talk about, or just pop this puppy open and enjoy it tonight?
 
they put out a new one each year just like the HBT anniversary beers (8-8-08. 9-9-09, etc). Which year are you drinking? It's beer! You can do whatever you want, however this beer is meant to cellar. It's nice to forget about a couple of bottles for a year or two and then crack them on a nice night! :mug:
 
It's this year's. Just bought it a few days ago and it's been sitting in my fridge. I don't really have anywhere to cellar properly, so I think I might just put it out of it's misery tonight. :D
 
Tripel is my favorite style and I love this beer (the 8-8-8).

I plan to brew the recipe on 9-9-9 if I'm not too druck on barleywine. :drunk:

The 2-2-2 looks good too, I want to do an imperial Wit so I think I'll brew theirs sometime.
 
Look into the Allagash fluxus if you want an Imperial wit. They just put it out this year and it was really top notch.

I still have yet to buy the 08. I will get some soon.
 
I usually buy three. Still haven't cracked my first one. I still have three from last year, but only one from '06. I broke a bottle from that year a while back. :(
 
I drank an 08-08-08 last night. It was very spicy tasting, almost medicinal, or mouthwashy.

I was pretty disappointed.
 
has anyone gotten a chance to try the 9/9/09 yet? I just got a bottle of it and will open it tonight. gonna have to get a few more to cellar.
 
I tried the 9/9/9 a couple days ago. I thought it was OK. Very sweet, with strong vanilla and chocolate flavors and a smokey background. Apparently, there's tangerine peel in there, but I can't taste it really. I've got a couple more bottles. I'll open one up next year and see if it's improved at all.
 
9/9 is a big porter, lots of alcohol coming through when it is cold. As it warms up, the chocolate/vanilla flavors come through more and there's a big oak flavor right through the whole thing.

So yeah, I think it will age really well, but I liked it young. I would buy a few to age for 6 months, a year and then a few years. Just to see the progression. Oh, and it looks nice next to my 03-08 bottles. :)
 
I wish I'd started stockpiling these when I first read about them. I've had the '06 and '07, both at the end of rather complex tasting sessions (read, a little tipsy...and not ready for yet another really big, complex beer). Now I wish I'd just ordered the bottles sealed in order to perhaps accomplish the full vertical tasting in '12.
 
I bought three bottles on Thursday. I'm debating whether or not to open one. I've got one 06' ( I broke one :() and three 07, 08 and 09. I've got a pretty good stash of all the other Stone special releases from the last couple years. I'll probably do a vertical tasting of the barleywine next year or so. I think I'll have 5 years on hand.
 
My friend and I have been collecting since '03. Sadly we have no '02's. I have only tried one or two as soon as I bought it (We buy 2 each every year) and '08 was pretty good right out of the gates.
I look forward to this years offering.
 
9.9.09
I picked up 4 bottles. I have tasted one of them

delicious.
I tried it cold then let it warm up.
When cold, it is a fine porter... give it some heat and it's a different beer.
 
My friend and I have been collecting since '03. Sadly we have no '02's. I have only tried one or two as soon as I bought it (We buy 2 each every year) and '08 was pretty good right out of the gates.
I look forward to this years offering.

I wish I had an 02 as well. That's a tough one.
 
I had a 09 last night. I really liked it. The very first sip tasted like a Saison and a Stout made sweet love. Then that subsided some. I really liked it.
 
this years is outstanding. shared a bomber with a friend last night an wished I didn't after the first sip. I'll have to pick up a few more of these and put some away.
 
I too have plenty of the 06, 07, 08 and soon 09 (Yuri, perhaps we can work something out.....:mug:)

I did not even learn about the VE until 05 and have been cellaring ever since. If you want, Stone posts homebrew recipes for each year on their website. If you can't get your hands on the real thing, you can brew it.....

From what I understand, the early years are nearly impossible to obtain due to their small batch sizes...if you can even afford it (I have heard of over a grand for 1 bottle of the 02).
 
I tried the 9-9-9 over the weekend. I really liked the begian yeast flavor. The vanilla tamed the bitterness in the choclate. No tangerine though. I think the yeast hid it. Overall outstanding.
 
Drinking a 9.9.9 right now, very interesting. Last time I checked the website, they did not have the homebrew recipe up, so I was not sure what to expect. I tasted with 0 preconceptions or expectations. I was initially surprised how dark it is, the bitterness from the black malt combined with the oak fooled me into thinking smoke. I dont get as much Belgian yeast flavor as some others have described, however its there. The Vanilla and chocolate/coffee are also very apparent. Overall a very interesting beer, quite sure it is unlike anything I have ever had.
 
I bought an 8.8.8 last year and didn't like it. I sampled the 9.9.9 at the brewery last weekend and liked it, if I see it in the store I'll pick up a bottle or two.
 
Just had my first 09... I really liked it!

It's kinda' like the sweet-sour, spicy-sweet food thing going on here... seems like a basturd child of a big chewy porter and a Belgian abbey. Strange at first, but by the third quaff, I was in luv :) I need a few more of these for special occasions!
 
Just had my first 09... I really liked it!

It's kinda' like the sweet-sour, spicy-sweet food thing going on here... seems like a basturd child of a big chewy porter and a Belgian abbey. Strange at first, but by the third quaff, I was in luv :) I need a few more of these for special occasions!

Well, they are calling it a Belgian Porter.

I liked it quite a bit. Loved the brown head.
 
I had one last night and while I wasn't particularly fond of it, I can see how age will really make this beer special.

I thought it came through too strong on cloves, which I am guessing is from the yeast strain they used. Either I am quite sensitive to them, or it really was strong, but I didn't get rounded flavors of anything else. The chocolate undertones were nice, but really needs the spice to quiet down a bit for them to come out. Really looking forward to trying my other bottle in a few years.
 
Next's year's Vertical Epic will be the ultimate answer to the ultimate question. Who else is a big enough geek to know why? :D
 
Because there are 10 kinds of people?* :D

Edit: I thought the ultimate answer was 42. :confused:

San Diego Folks!
Where are you getting your 09/09/09? Any chance there might be some left?

I assume there's no way to find any 08's or later?
:(












* Those who read binary and those who don't! :drunk:
 
Because there are 10 kinds of people?* :D

Edit: I thought the ultimate answer was 42. :confused:

San Diego Folks!
Where are you getting your 09/09/09? Any chance there might be some left?

I assume there's no way to find any 08's or later?
:(












* Those who read binary and those who don't! :drunk:

San Diego? Really? And you don't know where to get 9.9.9? Have some lunch while you're there.
[ame]http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Stone+Brewing+Escondido&sll=37.556895,-122.227833&sspn=0.525828,0.987396&ie=UTF8&cd=1&ll=33.127489,-117.097092&spn=0.069436,0.123425&z=13&iwloc=A[/ame]
 
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