Escondido, CA | November 7 -- Stone Brewing Co. has released Stone 11.11.11 Vertical Epic Ale, the penultimate installment of its legendary series. Begun on February 2nd, 2002 (02.02.02), these bottle-conditioned ales have all been Belgian-influenced, but they share little else in common, with each year’s release revealing its own twist and turn in the plotline.
Each beer is unveiled one year, one month and one day from the previous year's edition, with all of them designed to be aged until sometime after 12.12.12, at which point they can all be enjoyed during an epic “vertical” tasting. This year’s recipe starts with a base beer akin to a Belgian amber, and is tweaked with the addition of mild but flavorful Anaheim chilies from New Mexico’s Hatch Valley and cracked cinnamon sticks.
“Stone 11.11.11 Vertical Epic Ale is NOT your typical chili beer!” explains Brewmaster Mitch Steele. “The famous mild green chilies from the Hatch Valley in New Mexico add layers of delicious flavor with a very mild heat component. And the cinnamon doesn’t dominate the beer’s flavor by any means, instead adding a subtly complex spice note that blends amazingly well with the Hatch chilies and the banana esters present from the yeast.”
Stone 11.11.11 Vertical Epic Ale
http://www.stonebrewing.com/epic
Stats: 9.4% abv, 65 IBUs
Availability: Limited 22oz bottles & draft, beginning November 7th
Malts: Pale, Crystal, Munich, CaraBohemian and Special B
Hops: Warrior, Target, Perle and Pacific Jade
Suggested pairings, provided by “Dr.” Bill Sysak
Appetizers: Bacon wrapped dates, foie gras, stuffed mushrooms
Entrées: Butternut squash soup, goulash, pork chops with cinnamon applesauce, mole negro, roasted duck, braised beef cheeks
Cheeses: Aged Gouda, Morbier, Vieux Chimay, Mahón
Desserts: Bananas Foster, crème brûlée, chocolate chip cookies, salted caramels
Cigars: Liga Privada No. 9, Alec Bradley Prensado Gran Toro, Padrón 6000
ABOUT STONE BREWING CO.
Stone Brewing Co. was founded in 1996 by Steve Wagner and Greg Koch in North County San Diego, CA. It is the 14th largest craft brewery in the United States and has been named "All-Time Top Brewery on Planet Earth" by BeerAdvocate magazine - TWICE! A recently announced $26.6M expansion plan (that includes a hotel among other lofty ventures) is underway, as are developments to become the first American craft brewery to open a brewhouse in Europe. Visit stonebrewing.com for more information.
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