They're calling this year's beast an "Ale Brewed with Anaheim Chilies and Cinnamon" -- 9.4% ABV
Appearance: Dark chestnut or cherry wood color. Pours a nice, full head with decent retention that leaves net-like lacing around the sides of the glass.
Smell: It smells almost like a blonde wit! It's very yeast-forward, with clove, ester, and perhaps a trace of the cinnamon that they brewed with. I don't get chile in the aroma at all.
Taste: There's a nice malt backbone, but it's not sweet at all and the forward tastes are all spice. The cinnamon is there, clove as well, and alcohol at the end. There are some nice dark fruit characteristics as well. I still am not getting the chilies in the taste; however on the back of the bottle they claim that the Anaheim chile doesn't really generate heat, but just provides "rich flavor." Unfortunately, without knowing specifically what an Anaheim chile tastes like, I don't really think I can pick it out from the flavor line-up here, and there isn't really anything unusual jumping out on the palate that I might attribute to the chile either.
Mouthfeel: Surprisingly light-bodied given the flavor profile -- the carbonation seems to pick it up a bit.
Overall: This is a solid beer, and probably my favorite of the Vertical Epics I've tried. I can't say overall that I'm too excited about it compared to some other favorites, but I have to give Stone credit where it's due that they took some pretty seemingly discordant flavors and the result is a nicely balanced and complex brew. Wish I got more of the chilies though!
Since I've already gone ahead and done it once, I might as well go ahead and add the .5's into the regular ratings rotation.
3.5/5
Appearance: Dark chestnut or cherry wood color. Pours a nice, full head with decent retention that leaves net-like lacing around the sides of the glass.
Smell: It smells almost like a blonde wit! It's very yeast-forward, with clove, ester, and perhaps a trace of the cinnamon that they brewed with. I don't get chile in the aroma at all.
Taste: There's a nice malt backbone, but it's not sweet at all and the forward tastes are all spice. The cinnamon is there, clove as well, and alcohol at the end. There are some nice dark fruit characteristics as well. I still am not getting the chilies in the taste; however on the back of the bottle they claim that the Anaheim chile doesn't really generate heat, but just provides "rich flavor." Unfortunately, without knowing specifically what an Anaheim chile tastes like, I don't really think I can pick it out from the flavor line-up here, and there isn't really anything unusual jumping out on the palate that I might attribute to the chile either.
Mouthfeel: Surprisingly light-bodied given the flavor profile -- the carbonation seems to pick it up a bit.
Overall: This is a solid beer, and probably my favorite of the Vertical Epics I've tried. I can't say overall that I'm too excited about it compared to some other favorites, but I have to give Stone credit where it's due that they took some pretty seemingly discordant flavors and the result is a nicely balanced and complex brew. Wish I got more of the chilies though!
Since I've already gone ahead and done it once, I might as well go ahead and add the .5's into the regular ratings rotation.
3.5/5
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