Imperial Eclipse Stout - Vanilla-Coffee Barrel Blend
FiftyFifty Brewing Co.

Imperial Eclipse Stout - Vanilla-Coffee Barrel BlendImperial Eclipse Stout - Vanilla-Coffee Barrel Blend
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From:
FiftyFifty Brewing Co.
 
California, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
ABV:
11.9%
Score:
95
Avg:
4.33 | pDev: 5.77%
Reviews:
18
Ratings:
70
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Mar 30, 2020
Added:
Jun 02, 2014
Wants:
  22
Gots:
  13
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by rlee1390:
Photo of rlee1390
Reviewed by rlee1390 from Indiana

4.28/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4
The coffee and the vanilla go together perfectly. The balanced between the two flavors is phenomenal. The oak, roasted malt, and chocolate do not really come through but the coffee and vanilla go together perfectly.
Dec 28, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of macrosmatic
Reviewed by macrosmatic from Florida

3.96/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Thanks to eyebereej for sending this one to me! 2014 bottle, I'm gathering Bottle Run 1 from the handwriting on the label. 22 oz. bottle crowned in light sparkly purple wax. Poured into a Smog City tulip, and consumed 11/23/19.

I cannot grasp FiftyFifty's ongoing plan of keeping the various barrels and treatment so obfuscated. I don't feel like I should need to consult an online key or decoder ring or tome of the occult to figure out what I'm about to drink. That said...because of this strange approach from the brewery I tend to go into these completely blind as to what to expect, so it makes re-reading my tasting notes interesting when I discover what was supposed to be there.

A: Thick wax - a pain to get through. A mild "pop" when finally undone. Pours an opaque very dark brown, with a surprisingly high amount of visible carbonation for style. Forms a half-finger of tan head with good retention.

S: Nice dark chocolate, bourbon, and oak. Roasted malts, vanilla and caramel. A mix of coffee and tobacco with the roasted malts on the back end. Some dry oak also.

T: Chocolate and roasted malts, whiskey (or bourbon), and oak. More coffee than I got on the nose, plus some vanilla and vanilla wafers. Lesser notes of caramel and dark fruit. Dry oak, bourbon, and mocha-chocolate-coffee at and after the swallow.

M: Body is lean and mean – maybe a little thinner than other Eclipse variants I’ve had, but not watery. I think it fits the flavors though. Average carbonation sensation – not too much like the appearance suggested. The alcohol flavors are obvious but not too much for the beer to handle.

O: Nice flavors, and a nice barrel balance. I do think the body needs to be just a bit more substantial here – I think it’s thin enough to detract, especially without more of the roasty and tobacco flavors to make it come off more European-like execution. But the barrel character is spot on, and nice mesh of complex flavors. Of note - I assumed that the coffee and vanilla (and chocolate, etc.) flavors were all only from the beer and barrel itself. I don't know that finding out there was coffee and vanilla used as adjuncts / add-junks changes my mind about anything score-wise. But it was an interesting discovery.
Mar 30, 2020
 
Rated: 4.5 by dafla67 from Pennsylvania

May 01, 2019
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

4.59/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
I don't buy the Eclipse blends in bottle (or really any Eclipse in bottle anymore now that comparable quality ones are at the grocery store for half the price), but I always drink them at the Eclipse party.

Pours the usual black with 1/3" brown head. The coffee wins out olfactory wise over the vanilla, but its still present. Strangely, the coffee is just as strong in the blend as it is in the regulare coffee version. Or now they do Mocha? Or is it Mocha and a coffee one? I dunno, when you charge $25-30 a bottle my interest kinda falls off.

Taste is delicious. Like look, I can hate on the price point all day, but still acknowledge that this shit bumps. Man its so easy to drink and good. I could easily see on a weekend or vacation day just being like "you know what, F it, screw my morning coffee, lets get this day started, RIGHT, . . . lets pop a vanilla coffee Eclipse and partaaaaay. The vanilla bean and massive coffee character make the bourbon take a back seat, but still let it in the door. This is possibly the best Eclipse beer ever.
Jan 29, 2019
 
Rated: 4.43 by Bilco from Pennsylvania

Jun 13, 2016
Photo of scottfrie
Reviewed by scottfrie from California

4.28/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
22oz bottle into snifter. 2014 release.

A: Pours very dark brown, near black, with a couple fingers of very dense and velvety mocha colored head that faded into a wispy and splashy film made up of large bubbles.
S: Smells exactly as advertised: coffee and vanilla. I’d say the coffee dominates with rich and roasted scents, but the vanilla is easily noticeable with a sweet whole bean smell. I get hints of toast, chocolate, and leather as well.
T: Follows the nose with flavors of black coffee, dark chocolate, roast, a touch of leather, and obviously vanilla. The finish is bitter from a blend of dark chocolate and black coffee flavors, and the aftertaste has lingering notes of roast, sweet vanilla, and a hint of tobacco leaf and caramel.
M: Thick body, chewy full mouthfeel, sweet up front and bitter in the finish, full and thick carbonation. Thicker than many of the variants from previous years.
O: The perfect blend of coffee, vanilla, and base flavors. The vanilla is not cloying and the coffee isn’t overbearing. Straightforward and delicious.
Apr 05, 2016
 
Rated: 4.72 by DVMin98 from North Carolina

Feb 21, 2016
 
Rated: 4.46 by Kurmaraja from California

Jan 17, 2016
 
Rated: 4.28 by IrishColonial from Texas

Jan 03, 2016
 
Rated: 4.08 by largadeer from California

Dec 20, 2015
 
Rated: 4.18 by EnthusedAboutBeer from New Jersey

Oct 19, 2015
 
Rated: 4.52 by Mike from New Hampshire

Sep 24, 2015
 
Rated: 4.44 by earljones199 from New Hampshire

Sep 24, 2015
 
Rated: 4.53 by Mikeypnh from New Hampshire

Sep 24, 2015
Photo of Dan_Inreallife
Reviewed by Dan_Inreallife from Colorado

4.52/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
A: Pours a rich, inky black with a short but full khaki head. Pour appears thinner than expected given the ABV and adjuncts. Head is dense but fades quickly into a thick collar and tan film, similar to a freshly pulled shot of espresso. Lacing a is sticky and coats the glass with intricate fingers.
S: All the vanilla, freshly split Madagascar vanilla beans and seeds. Sweet with hints of milk chocolate.
T: Lots of layers and depth to the flavor: roasted barley/freshly ground espresso, vanilla bean, baker's chocolate, charred oak/barrel, Bourbon element is subtle on the finish. Zero alcohol presence, some residual sugar, but not cloyingly sweet by any means.
M: Could use just a bit more body, mouth feel is slightly thin for what it is. Carbonation is right on point, the beer does a good job of coating the palate without being syrupy, but again, some chewiness for this style is desired.
O: Easily the best Eclipse I have had to date. Balance, depth, overall flavor, nuance.
Sep 03, 2015
 
Rated: 4.5 by PA-Michigander from Pennsylvania

Aug 02, 2015
Photo of Jeffo
Reviewed by Jeffo from Netherlands

4.04/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Got this one from ScottO a while back. Cheers man!

From a bomber into a snifter
BR 1
Vintage: 2014

APPEARANCE: Pours a clear dark brown and yields a three finger, medium looking, creamy tan head with very good retention. Clear black body with lower levels of carbonation. Head slowly fades to a good full cap and leaves lots of good lacing down the glass. A ring and slight wisp remain until the end leaving lots of nice lacing as the glass empties. Good looking though slightly lighter for the style.

SMELL: Nice coffee, sweet cream, vanilla, milk chocolate, oak, bourbon, coconut and butterscotch on the nose. Cacao powder as well. Really nice, balanced and bold aromas. Lovely.

TASTE: Not quite as impressive as the nose had led on, but still nice. Coffee, sweet cream and vanilla up front. Flavorful enough, with some bitter coffee and chocolate at the swallow. A bold and lingering finish of bitter espresso, dark chocolate, vanilla, sweet cream, coconut, bourbon and oak. Sweet milk chocolate as well. Really nice stuff though the nose is perhaps a touch more impressive.

PALATE: Medium body and medium levels of carbonation. Semi-creamy on the palate, goes down fine and finishes a bit mouth-coating. Some heat lingers.

OVERALL: Really good stuff all around. Nose is perhaps more impressive than the palate, but it's impressive and enjoyable non-the-less. The look could be a bit blacker, but that's really the only minor complaint worth noting. These Eclipses have really improved over the last couple years and this is good evidence of it. Recommended.
Jul 05, 2015
 
Rated: 4.51 by billab914 from Virginia

May 22, 2015
 
Rated: 4.5 by siege06nd from Virginia

May 22, 2015
 
Rated: 4.34 by blacknyellow20 from Ohio

May 10, 2015
Imperial Eclipse Stout - Vanilla-Coffee Barrel Blend from FiftyFifty Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 95 out of 100 with 70 ratings