Vertical Epic Ale
12.12.12 brewed by Stone Brewing - Escondido, California
The
Vertical Epic Ale series started simply enough in 2001, with Stone
CEO and co-founder Greg Koch suggesting we release a different
Belgian-inspired beer suitable for aging each year on the date when
the day, month and year registered by the same digit. The brewhouse
forged forward with this initiative, producing 11 beers that, unlike
many on the market at the time, were intended to be laid down so
they could be opened when the last of those dates came to pass on
December 12, 2012.
Eleven years later, we’re excited to announce the arrival of Stone
12.12.12 Vertical Epic Ale. It will be time to uncap all 11 of the
Vertical Epic Ale vintages and enjoy them together. Certainly, it
will be a glorious capping to one of the most ambitious brewing
projects ever undertaken, even for those with a few or maybe even
one or two of these widely varied brews. We’re pleased with how each
of them turned out and what we’ve accomplished, but at the same
time, we admit to being a bit sad. This was an incredible series
that we’re bummed to see come to an end, but, we’re going out in a
blaze of beery glory. Enter Stone 12.12.12 Vertical Epic Ale!
Crafted in the style of a traditional Belgian Noël beer, it’s dark,
big and hearty; the type of brew one might have actually expected to
come first in the Vertical Epic series (but our wheat beer held up
very nicely, as attested to in our recent tasting session with
reputable experts, including those hailing from Beer Advocate,
RateBeer and New Brew Thursday). Stone 12.12.12 Vertical Epic Ale
should stand up to aging, but is already a beautiful brew fresh off
the bottling line.
Brewed with cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, clove, orange peel and
rosehips (which turned out to be so sturdy we had to roll over them
with a forklift to pulverize them for the brew), it’s a complex beer
with many layers. The spices come on strong along with a nice bready
malt character. That said, Stone 12.12.12 Vertical Epic Ale is
rather dry on the finish, making it a beer that should do a great
job as the last beer in the rotation at fans’ Vertical Epic
tastings.
Stone Vertical Epic Ale 12.12.12 Stats
Stats: 9.0% ABV, 50 IBUs
Availability: Limited 22-ounce bottles, 3-liter bottles and draft
Hops Bill: Simcoe, Tettnang and Willamette
Spices: Cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, rosehips, sweet orange peel and
just a dash of clove
Stone Brewing Timeline:
• Stone Brewing Co. was founded in 1996 by Greg Koch and Steve
Wagner in San Marcos, CA. (In the spot where our friends at Port
Brewing Company/The Lost Abbey now call home!)
• First keg of Stone Pale Ale sold on July 26, 1996 to Vince
Marsaglia of Pizza Port fame
• Arrogant Bastard Ale unleashed upon the world November 1, 1997
• Moved to our current facility in Escondido, CA, in December 2005
• Opened the adjacent Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens in
November 2006
• Named "All-time Top Brewery on Planet Earth" by BeerAdvocate
magazine in 2008…AND 2009! "The most popular and highest rated
brewery – ever!"
• In December 2009, we published a formal Request For Proposal to
evaluate potential sites for a brewhouse in Europe. We have narrowed
the field from 79 different submitted locations (from nine different
countries!) down to two—Berlin and Bruges—and hope to reach a final
decision soon
• In May 2011, we unveiled huge local expansion plans, including
Stone Company Store – South Park, Stone Farms, Stone Catering, Stone
Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station (Spring 2012), and
Stone Hotel (Early 2013)
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