Imperial Eclipse Stout - Apple-Brandy
FiftyFifty Brewing Co.

 

2017 bottling

Appearance: Pours fudge colored with a khaki film that quickly fades to a collar; leggy with a drizzle of spots

Smell: Chocolate and dried fruits with the Apple Brandy barrel adding a sweeter element

Taste: The Apple Brandy flavors bring an apple spice cake aspect to the front end; fig and date flavors join, along with the chocolate; a touch of oak, in the middle, but the overall profile is sweet

Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with low to moderate carbonation

Overall: I would like to see a bigger mouthfeel and a more complex flavor profile; the Apple Brandy flavors are nice but this is missing the big Imperial Stout body as well as the roast and chocolate

 

 

10th release edition, 2016/12/16
Pours a smaller fizzy foamy tan head with med-lower retention, little lacing, decent legs, jet black color

Nose plenty of dark roasted malts, dark chocolate, cocoa, a bit of roasted coffee, fudge, a little caramel and nougat, a touch of touch dark fruits and apple brandy like, some char notes, milk chocolate, vanilla oak

Taste brings more sweet malt, plenty of dark chocolate, cocoa, fudge, etc, with more caramel, nougat, a little marshmallow, cocoa powder, light bitter roast, coffee, some dark fruits and a touch of apple brandy, vanilla barrel notes, but not a ton of brandy or barrel in general, mild sweet finish, some bitter roast and coffee grounds

Mouth is fuller bod, creamy foamy med carb, very light warming alcohol

Overall decent, wish the barrel came through more

 

 

 

2016 vintage

Pours dark with a dense creamy tan cappuccino like foam head. Smells like sweet apple brandy, baked apples, chocolate, smoky roasted malts, coffee, molasses, dark toffee, caramel, vanilla, honey, oak, some dark fruits, with earthy piney hops. Tastes real nice and balanced with rich apple brandy, oak barrel, honey, vanilla, chocolate, coffee, caramel, dark toffee, molasses, some dark fruit, baked apples, with earthy piney hops. Feels medium fuller bodied, creamy and thick with moderate smooth carbonation. Overall a real nice apple brandy barrel aged imperial stout with honey.

 

2019 Eclipse. Nice looking new label.

Pours a translucent brown with a finger of medium brown head.

Nose is bright, sweet barrel presence. Mild fruit notes. Getting some cinnamon and malt. But mostly the barrel dominates. Not overbearing but dominant. Nice scents coming out of this brew.

Taste follows the nose. Bright, sweet barrel notes. Oak is strong as well. Initial sweetness followed by a hint of tart fruit. Malt blossoms out much more. Smoky roasty quality. Coffee like. A mild sweetness persists throughout. Not too heavy or sticky.

Mouthfeel is a little thin for an Imperial Stout. Smooth, mild carbonation, very drinkable, but the thin medium body is a little disappointing.

Overall a smooth, mellow brew. Apple brandy bringing a different barrel profile than the typical bourbon. Quite enjoyable.

Bottle: Poured a pitch-black color stout with a large brown foamy head with good retention and some light lacing. Aroma of black cholate notes with sweet barrel-aged notes is enticing. Taste is a mix of sweet black chocolate notes with some apple brandy notes, light woody notes with a sweet finish. Body is about average with good carbonation and faint warming alcohol notes. Enjoyable but not one of my favorite from this series.

Had a 16oz crowler can filled at Park Towne Beverage in Royersford.

So smooth, considering the Style, the ABV, and the barrel aging. Far more Apple than Brandy

 

Sampling a cellar temp 22 oz bottle (2017 vintage) as part of a trade with @Mikeoxlong. thanks man!
Pouring the beer into my snifter, the beer pours a pitch black color with no light passing through even when held up to the lights. A thin but dense and creamy beige head foams up and remains as a sturdy surface layer throughout the sampling.
Aroma is a little boozy right off the pour with a mix of brown sugar and some dark chocolate. I also get a bit of fruity note, apples possibly but also maybe more of something like a pear. Interesting fruit character,but difficult to place. There is definitely some booze and a bit of dry toothpick wooden note in the background, but generally the nose is sweet. Hops not present on the aroma.
First sip reveals a velvety smooth texture, surprising how soft it is on my palate! Very fine carbonation that is a little tingly and the swallow makes for a slight stickiness that coats as it glides down my gullet. A little bit of warming booze after the swallow too.
Flavor is generally sweet with chocolate, brown sugar and some apple flavors mixing together. I also get a little bit of booze and brandy sweetness here. The apple notes are definitely more green apple, like a granny smith and not sweeter like gala variety. Again, I dont find any hop character on this beer.

The beer is very enjoyable in flavor, but the physical traits caught me off guard a bit with just how smooth this beer is. Very nice Imp Stout. Would buy up any additional bottles I found of this one @mikeoxlong!!

 

 

 

 

On tap at the brewery in Truckee. I could not finish a 4oz sample this was so bad. Flavor was like terrible brandy, smoke, just a muddled mix of garbage. How did this not get dumped? I feel bad for anyone who bought bottles.