Imperial Eclipse Stout - Evan Williams (23 Year)
FiftyFifty Brewing Co.


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- From:
- FiftyFifty Brewing Co.
- California, United States
- Style:
- American Imperial Stout
- ABV:
- 11.9%
- Score:
- 94
- Avg:
- 4.27 | pDev: 6.56%
- Reviews:
- 12
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jan 29, 2019
- Added:
- Dec 10, 2014
- Wants:
- 11
- Gots:
- 34
SCORE
94
Outstanding
94
Outstanding


Notes:
None
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada
4.12/5 rDev -3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.12/5 rDev -3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Check it out, another Eclipse review where the body of the beer is black and the head is between 1/3 and 1/2" deep and brown in color. Aroma indistinguishable from the regulare Evan Williams, smells like you know, bourbon, charred oak, roasted chocolate malt. So far we're looking at a premium upon premium price for the standard fare result.
Taste, yeah, this is good, the standard things I just mentioned in the nose, charred barrel and roasted malt, dab of chocolate feels trip, bourbon, super light vanilla in the mouth feel, its fun to drink, but is it any different than the normal EW? No. I don't think you can differentiate between this and the normal one. Or really any of the standard bourbon barrel ones. If there was really any way I could venture a guess about this one, its just a little stronger in the nose as to the very same things in the normal version of Evan Williams. Like a hint bigger. I dunno, I just wish they would bring the regular EW and EC barrels back, very solid and reliable for about a decade!
Jan 29, 2019Taste, yeah, this is good, the standard things I just mentioned in the nose, charred barrel and roasted malt, dab of chocolate feels trip, bourbon, super light vanilla in the mouth feel, its fun to drink, but is it any different than the normal EW? No. I don't think you can differentiate between this and the normal one. Or really any of the standard bourbon barrel ones. If there was really any way I could venture a guess about this one, its just a little stronger in the nose as to the very same things in the normal version of Evan Williams. Like a hint bigger. I dunno, I just wish they would bring the regular EW and EC barrels back, very solid and reliable for about a decade!
Reviewed by SHODriver from North Carolina
4.35/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.35/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
A: Poured into a snifter to a black beer topped by a finger of dense tan head that fades quickly to a collar around the edge of the glass leaving minimal lacing.
S: Smells of a lot of oak on the nose with some chocolate and coffee. There's a bit of vanilla and caramel but not much.
T: Taste is oak, dark chocolate and coffee with light caramel and vanilla with hints of nuts. The swallow on this one is more oak, with some more dark chocolate and coffee. Very little vanilla and oak but with the age of the barrel I'm not surprised.
M: This beer is big and thick on the palate with soft carbonation and a drying finish.
O: Overall it's a little too oaky but I'm not surprised. Still very good and an interesting experiment. The flavors and complexity are there but since the barrel was used for so long it doesn't have the same amount of sweet bourbon flavors as other bourbon barrel aged beers.
Jul 31, 2016S: Smells of a lot of oak on the nose with some chocolate and coffee. There's a bit of vanilla and caramel but not much.
T: Taste is oak, dark chocolate and coffee with light caramel and vanilla with hints of nuts. The swallow on this one is more oak, with some more dark chocolate and coffee. Very little vanilla and oak but with the age of the barrel I'm not surprised.
M: This beer is big and thick on the palate with soft carbonation and a drying finish.
O: Overall it's a little too oaky but I'm not surprised. Still very good and an interesting experiment. The flavors and complexity are there but since the barrel was used for so long it doesn't have the same amount of sweet bourbon flavors as other bourbon barrel aged beers.
Rated by kylehay2004 from Illinois
4.13/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.13/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
You must let this warm up. It's just awful cold
Jun 26, 2016Reviewed by Treyliff from West Virginia
4.3/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.3/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
22oz Dark blue wax with sparkles, poured into an oversized wine glass
Bottled in 2014
A- pours a deep black color with a creamy khaki colored head that retains long after the pour, sticking around forever and leaving some lacing behind
S- lots of bourbon aroma up front, with notes of barrel juice, wet oak, caramel & coconut. Dark roasted malt gives aromas of fudge nut brownies, licorice, dark cherry, light ash & a hint of vanilla and toffee
T- bourbon isn't as prevalent up front, as it is with the aroma. Instead it opens with dark cocoa, brownie & caramel, the bourbon kicks in mid-palate, adding some spicy notes, along with toffee, vanilla and burnt marshmallow. The finish brings out notes of licorice, along with lingers of caramel and cocoa
M- medium body with low carbonation leads to a creamy mouthfeel that turns silky into the finish, with just enough carbonation to keep it creamy, alcohol is quite mellow at this point
O- a nice showcase of the barrel treatment that has held up well over a nearly two years
Jun 25, 2016Bottled in 2014
A- pours a deep black color with a creamy khaki colored head that retains long after the pour, sticking around forever and leaving some lacing behind
S- lots of bourbon aroma up front, with notes of barrel juice, wet oak, caramel & coconut. Dark roasted malt gives aromas of fudge nut brownies, licorice, dark cherry, light ash & a hint of vanilla and toffee
T- bourbon isn't as prevalent up front, as it is with the aroma. Instead it opens with dark cocoa, brownie & caramel, the bourbon kicks in mid-palate, adding some spicy notes, along with toffee, vanilla and burnt marshmallow. The finish brings out notes of licorice, along with lingers of caramel and cocoa
M- medium body with low carbonation leads to a creamy mouthfeel that turns silky into the finish, with just enough carbonation to keep it creamy, alcohol is quite mellow at this point
O- a nice showcase of the barrel treatment that has held up well over a nearly two years
Reviewed by stakem from Pennsylvania
3.83/5 rDev -10.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.83/5 rDev -10.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Poured into a matching eclipse snifter, the brew appears black in color with a brown head a finger strong that fades leaving webby lace.
It smells roasty with minerals and earth with a little tangy bourbon element. Wish there was more barrel nuance to the nose on this.
Tastes bitter and charred almost acrid with roast like espresso, bakers cacao and earth. Some mineral element before getting boozy with some sweetness. The barrel is very subtle but provides nuance of raw oak, damp wood and faint caramel/raison.
This is medium in body and modestly carbonated. Its a nice brew but I wouldnt call it my favorite in the eclipse series...in fact, it seems like these newer versions are lacking the depth of barrel flavors and are getting more mineral/metallic/bitter tasting which I dislike.
Jan 06, 2016It smells roasty with minerals and earth with a little tangy bourbon element. Wish there was more barrel nuance to the nose on this.
Tastes bitter and charred almost acrid with roast like espresso, bakers cacao and earth. Some mineral element before getting boozy with some sweetness. The barrel is very subtle but provides nuance of raw oak, damp wood and faint caramel/raison.
This is medium in body and modestly carbonated. Its a nice brew but I wouldnt call it my favorite in the eclipse series...in fact, it seems like these newer versions are lacking the depth of barrel flavors and are getting more mineral/metallic/bitter tasting which I dislike.
Reviewed by pkalix from California
4.43/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.43/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
getting a vinyl/chemical aroma/flavor from this one..... very, very smooth and I love hoe this tastes with a year behind it. even with the funky smell/aroma this is still a great brew. not sure how they do it but this is perpetually/consecutively/always a great brew!
Dec 29, 2015Reviewed by Houser from Pennsylvania
4.33/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.33/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
another solid eclipse from fiddy/fiddy. lots of chocolate and vanilla going on with this one. a little bit of spice, which i assume is from the bourbon barrel, even though ive never had the bourbon. great dessert beer!
Sep 04, 2015
Imperial Eclipse Stout - Evan Williams (23 Year) from FiftyFifty Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
94 out of
100 with
82 ratings
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