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Imperial Eclipse Stout - Brandy Barrel Blend
FiftyFifty Brewing Co.
- From:
- FiftyFifty Brewing Co.
- California, United States
- Style:
- American Imperial Stout
- ABV:
- 9.5%
- Score:
- 93
- Avg:
- 4.17 | pDev: 8.87%
- Reviews:
- 71
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Apr 02, 2020
- Added:
- Dec 08, 2011
- Wants:
- 59
- Gots:
- 106
Burgandy wax.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Phelps:
Reviewed by Phelps from Arizona
4/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Sent by seeswo in the Blind Beers BIF. Poured from a bomber into a tulip and reviewed blind.
Pours dead black. The head is a dense, fuzzy medium tan that get to about a finger tall before fading to a fleece-like ring.
The nose bends crumbled cocoa with smoke and a smooth, date-like fruitiness. Sweet vanilla notes round out the rougher edges as it warms.
Tangy dark fruits take over the front of the flavor along with subtle anise notes and just a little chocolate. After the swallow, wood smoke rolls in, its bitterness amplified by notes of burnt bread, cocoa and toasted oak. Fairly high alcohol flavor. Little bit of spicy hop bitterness with lingering roast and fruity tang.
Medium-light carbonation rubs the tongue with tiny bubbles inside a soft, velvety body that’s not too heavy, not too light. Alcohol is big enough to numb the tongue and warm my cockles.
Well, hmm. The balance in this version of Eclipse is nice, but the brandy doesn’t impart much. Wish there was a bigger showing from the barrels.
Jan 17, 2012Pours dead black. The head is a dense, fuzzy medium tan that get to about a finger tall before fading to a fleece-like ring.
The nose bends crumbled cocoa with smoke and a smooth, date-like fruitiness. Sweet vanilla notes round out the rougher edges as it warms.
Tangy dark fruits take over the front of the flavor along with subtle anise notes and just a little chocolate. After the swallow, wood smoke rolls in, its bitterness amplified by notes of burnt bread, cocoa and toasted oak. Fairly high alcohol flavor. Little bit of spicy hop bitterness with lingering roast and fruity tang.
Medium-light carbonation rubs the tongue with tiny bubbles inside a soft, velvety body that’s not too heavy, not too light. Alcohol is big enough to numb the tongue and warm my cockles.
Well, hmm. The balance in this version of Eclipse is nice, but the brandy doesn’t impart much. Wish there was a bigger showing from the barrels.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by edthehead from Maryland
4.23/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.23/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Not my favorite of the eclipse series, but still eclipse and better than a lot. Black viscous appearance with little head and little lacing. Rich earthy brandy tones throughout, faint port notes, and barrel. Thick body, mild carbonation, smooth mouthfeel.
Apr 02, 2020Reviewed by SHODriver from North Carolina
4.25/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A: Poured into a snifter to a black beer topped by a dense finger and a half of light tan head which fades slowly to a collar around the edge of the glass with minimal lacing.
S: Smells of strong brandy barrel on the nose with some oak and chocolate with some slight roasted malts
T: Taste is sweet brandy up front followed by some fudgy chocolate, chocolate covered espresso beans, with some roasted malts and slight oxidation. Nice oak and brandy toward the back end as well. On the swallow this beer is more chocolate and brandy with some slight lingering coffee and roasted malts.
M: This beer is definitely full bodied with a creamy and silky feel on the palate. Carbonation is somewhat low but it is definitely adequate while the beer has a drying finish which is consistent with the style and ABV.
O: Overall this is an outstanding beer. The brandy barrel adds some nice flavor dimensions that just aren't there with a bourbon barrel. This one is definitely on the sweeter side but that's to be expected. This one is probably a little bit beyond its prime but it still tastes amazing.
Nov 08, 2018S: Smells of strong brandy barrel on the nose with some oak and chocolate with some slight roasted malts
T: Taste is sweet brandy up front followed by some fudgy chocolate, chocolate covered espresso beans, with some roasted malts and slight oxidation. Nice oak and brandy toward the back end as well. On the swallow this beer is more chocolate and brandy with some slight lingering coffee and roasted malts.
M: This beer is definitely full bodied with a creamy and silky feel on the palate. Carbonation is somewhat low but it is definitely adequate while the beer has a drying finish which is consistent with the style and ABV.
O: Overall this is an outstanding beer. The brandy barrel adds some nice flavor dimensions that just aren't there with a bourbon barrel. This one is definitely on the sweeter side but that's to be expected. This one is probably a little bit beyond its prime but it still tastes amazing.
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada
4.52/5 rDev +8.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.52/5 rDev +8.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Dark brown and black pour, beige head over/around half an inch in depth. Aroma was really unique, the brandy makes for a very different, sweeter, less roasty eclipse, brings out elements of smoke unique to this barrel, but still has the dark chocolate, vanilla and oak impressions.
Taste is smooth, the sweet nose dies off and makes for a dark mild brown sugar vibe, roasted malt comes through harder without bourbon notes to drown them out.
One of those weird things, I am not a fan of Rebel Yell whiskey or brandy in any form, but here, put a beer in those barrels, and the product is definitely greater than the sum of its individual parts. Extremely well done.
Jan 13, 2016Taste is smooth, the sweet nose dies off and makes for a dark mild brown sugar vibe, roasted malt comes through harder without bourbon notes to drown them out.
One of those weird things, I am not a fan of Rebel Yell whiskey or brandy in any form, but here, put a beer in those barrels, and the product is definitely greater than the sum of its individual parts. Extremely well done.
Rated by Rutager from Canada (BC)
4.47/5 rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.47/5 rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
2011 bottle shared by Simon. Cheers man!! Flavours are so well integrated, awesome stuff.
Apr 18, 2015
Imperial Eclipse Stout - Brandy Barrel Blend from FiftyFifty Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
93 out of
100 with
207 ratings
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