Imperial Eclipse Stout - Evan Williams Bourbon
FiftyFifty Brewing Co.

Imperial Eclipse Stout - Evan Williams BourbonImperial Eclipse Stout - Evan Williams Bourbon
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From:
FiftyFifty Brewing Co.
 
California, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
ABV:
11.9%
Score:
96
Avg:
4.34 | pDev: 7.6%
Reviews:
195
Ratings:
628
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 14, 2021
Added:
Dec 02, 2010
Wants:
  238
Gots:
  285
Our award winning Imperial Stout aged in specially curated oak bourbon barrels from our favorite distilleries. Then, each limited edition batch is identified by the color of the wax top. We always try and have one Eclipse on tap at the Brewery, and our limited release bottles are available until sold out.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by bsuedekum:
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Rated by bsuedekum from Missouri

4/5  rDev -7.8%

Feb 26, 2012
More User Ratings:
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Reviewed by tradershmulie from Connecticut

4.47/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Found this at 50% off - so "reasonably" priced.

2017 bottle - with wax seal.

Pours beautifully - although the head doesn't last long, but that was expected.

Pleasant sweet smell.

Incredibly smooth to drink. Seriously. I imagine the abv is way higher than what is printed on the bottle, and it really hits, in a good way.

Excellent beer - don't know if I would pay full price though!
Feb 14, 2021
 
Rated: 4.17 by Mikexw from New York

Nov 08, 2020
Photo of hopley
Reviewed by hopley from Massachusetts

4.36/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
2013 bottle, drank out of a tulip on 10/26/20. 11.9%

Held up quite well after 7 years and had amazing head retention - quite a handsome beer. Very dark in color. Smell mellow and chocolate. Tasted the same, almost had a milky something to it. It did have a tiny bit of roast. No evidence of bourbon. Feel was somewhat on the thin side.

All in all I think this was somewhat past its prime, but not knowing what it was intended to be, I'll never know. What I do know, is that without the bit of roast and mouthfeel, I almost felt like I was tasting a Tree House stout. This was my first Eclipse so I'm looking forward to trying another one of the Eclipse versions soon, and a fresh version. Cheers!

PostScript - found a 2016 bottle and drank it in 2023, similar ratings. Pretty good. Don’t think I need a fresh bottle at this stage, I’m happy to drink any bottle, at any time.
Oct 27, 2020
Photo of mynie
Reviewed by mynie from Maryland

4.44/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
This is from 2012, black wax. The Evan Williams single. The bottle says 9.5%

Pour is lively for an eight year old stout, but still not overcarbed. Medium fizz, good body, a bit of a head.

Aroma is booze, milk chocolate, and caramel. Quite straightfoward, but excellently balanced, with whiskey sharpness dulled ever so pleasantly by sweet stoutiness.

Tastes very good. Very drinkable. Also very tame. This probably would have been better 3-4 years ago. But even with aging it's still a very commendable and well-balanced beer.

The flavor is surprisingly light. Smooth, but surprisingly light. Age has turned this into chocolate milk. Some sharp vinous nodes at the very tip top of the the pour but after that split second it is pure chocolate throughout the rest of the sip with some ghostly wisps of bourbon appearing on the finish a good second after you've swallowed. Rather straightforward, but still very enoyable.

If, in 2020, I had to price a bottle of the 2012 version of this I'd put it around 40 bucks or so? I know that's a weird and gross way of judging a beer but that's the sad reality of the world we will in. It's very good, but you can find better. It's a neat thing to taste aged, but again you find better.
Aug 19, 2020
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Reviewed by StoutElk_92 from Massachusetts

4.68/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
2016 vintage

Rich, dark, chocolatey, sweet bourbon, oak barrel, brown sugar, mapley molasses, toffee, dark caramel, vanilla, roasted malt, honey, dried fruit, with earthy piney hops
Jun 04, 2020
Photo of StrandsideMB
Reviewed by StrandsideMB from California

4.59/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
2014 version aged in oak barrels with a green waxed cap on a 1 pint bottle. Pours a dark Black coffee, with a 1 finger khaki brown head and the consistency of used motor oil. Smell is of bourbon, honey, alcohol, sugary molasses and black currants. Taste is smooth, with little bit of a fizzy bite. Sweet honey and molasses up front, with black licorice and burnt sugar in the middle, followed by a little leathery tannin, then a warm to hot bourbony burn on the back end, that does not overwhelm. A very smooth beer for 11.9 % alcohol. I’d say if I ever came across it again I’d buy another bottle if the price was not cost prohibitive. Definitely a good-great barrel aged imperial stout.
May 05, 2020
 
Rated: 4.5 by bigpoppa67 from Wisconsin

Feb 08, 2020
Photo of kitch
Reviewed by kitch from Hong Kong

3.88/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
A 22 fl. oz. waxed bomber, 2016 vintage. Poured into a snifter glass.

Appearance: Dark dark brown to black in colour with a one and a half finger tanned head that had decent retention and left some nice lacing.

Aroma: Roasty, chocolate, toffee, coffee, bourbon, vanilla with a hint of licorice.

Taste: Moderately sweet, bourbon, fruit cake, raisin, fig, light roast, chocolate, molasses, honey, licorice.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.

Overall: Not enough roastiness as it was overpowered by the sweetness and bourbon. Body was also lighter than I prefer my Imperial Stouts to be.
Aug 30, 2019
 
Rated: 4.41 by Budlum from Maryland

Jul 20, 2019
Photo of mschrei
Reviewed by mschrei from Illinois

4.6/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
Maybe the best I’ve had of theirs so far. 2017 vintage, think I have it the right amount of age. Great looking, healthy foam and lacing. Smell is perfect amount of oak and booze. Taste is on target-boozy but not too hot, base comes through as well. It’s not oily nor is it heavy, and it’s an excellent sipper. All around phenomenal and the first one I’ve had of the series where I didn’t feel like I overpaid. Going to have to try some Evan Williams after this.
Jul 15, 2019
 
Rated: 4.25 by Dutchcraftbeergeek from Netherlands

Jul 10, 2019
 
Rated: 4.5 by dafla67 from Pennsylvania

May 01, 2019
 
Rated: 4.5 by shigg85 from Japan

Apr 30, 2019
 
Rated: 4.46 by sweetbrew82 from California

Apr 19, 2019
Photo of jlindros
Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2010 vintage, been holding this for a while

Pours practically no head, a little dark colored small fizzy head and lacing, inky pitch black beer no light, and long legs

Nose plenty of the base beer, thick fudgey chocolate, cocoa, some roasted malt and coffee notes, baking spices and licorice as well as cookie dough and a touch nutty, caramel, thick vanilla barrel notes, light bourbon, soft aged malt and a little winey chocolate,

Taste rich thick layers of chocolate, dark chocolate cocoa, fudge, caramel, a little cookie dough and baking spices, mild vanilla and some barrel notes, also a bit of bourbon but not a ton, rich intense malts, then medium bitterness from roast and mild earthy spicy hops, a hint of coconut barrel notes, mild fluffy vanilla nougat candy bar, with fair amount of sweetness, light aged dark malt character, light alcohol flavor, sticky sweet finish and a little intense fudge

Mouth is fuller bod, rich creamy almost chewy, some warming tingly alcohol but not much, light but good enough carb for the style

Overall def aged, lost some of the barrel but thankfully not oxidized, and has that aged malt character which is nice
Apr 07, 2019
 
Rated: 4.63 by sohearn from Alabama

Mar 17, 2019
 
Rated: 4.35 by thoglund from New York

Mar 15, 2019
 
Rated: 4.48 by FLBeerGuy from Florida

Jan 20, 2019
 
Rated: 4.73 by ummswimmin from New Jersey

Jan 13, 2019
Imperial Eclipse Stout - Evan Williams Bourbon from FiftyFifty Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 96 out of 100 with 628 ratings