Imperial Eclipse Stout - Elijah Craig (12 Year)
FiftyFifty Brewing Co.
- From:
- FiftyFifty Brewing Co.
- California, United States
- Style:
- American Imperial Stout
Ranked #80 - ABV:
- 11.9%
- Score:
- 99
Ranked #240 - Avg:
- 4.46 | pDev: 7.4%
- Reviews:
- 331
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 12, 2025
- Added:
- Dec 29, 2009
- Wants:
- 841
- Gots:
- 745
SCORE
99
World-Class
99
World-Class
Imperial Stout aged 200 days in an Elijah Craig bourbon barrel.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Bhubbard34 from Pennsylvania
4.53/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.53/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Pours jet black with tan head. Smells of burnt brown sugar and molasses. Tastes initially of sweet molasses and quickly transitions to heavy bourbon barrel. Slight alcohol burn on the finish. Nicely balanced, barrel forward stout. Only knock is it’s slightly thin, but thoroughly enjoyed this
Mar 12, 2025
Reviewed by tradershmulie from Connecticut
3.91/5 rDev -12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.91/5 rDev -12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Picked a few of these up at 1/2 price. Opening a 2015 Purple Wax (Elijah Craig)
Good pour. Deep brown color, nice fizzy head that shrinks, but still stays around for a while.
Really no smell. Maybe metallic even.
Smooth, easy drinking. No hint of ABV. A bit sweet, no bitterness at all. Maybe slight notes of honey.
A good beer, but nothing too special. Would never pay full price.
Jan 01, 2024Good pour. Deep brown color, nice fizzy head that shrinks, but still stays around for a while.
Really no smell. Maybe metallic even.
Smooth, easy drinking. No hint of ABV. A bit sweet, no bitterness at all. Maybe slight notes of honey.
A good beer, but nothing too special. Would never pay full price.
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho
3.91/5 rDev -12.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.91/5 rDev -12.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Bottle 2018 Imperisl Stout share. Hard to judge a good pour when you've had so many. Roasty , boozy aroma. Taste follows with more warm bourbon notes, slick stout flavors underneath. Solid BBA RIS.
Nov 29, 2023
Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts
4.23/5 rDev -5.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
4.23/5 rDev -5.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
2016 vintage
Pours a dark brown fizzy head covering, lower retention, little lacing, dark basically black color, decent legs
Nose thick fudgey dark chocolate, chocolate cookie dough, baking spices, light roast, vanilla barrel and some sweet bourbon but not a lot, little smooth alcohol, little biscuity wafer cookie
Taste thick fudge and some roasted malt, chewy creamy chocolate ganache, bitter roast and spicy hop notes, smooth alcohol into bitter spices, light vanilla oak and barrel spice with some sweet bourbon juice but not a ton, little caramel and nougat, and little toasted wafer cookie, moderate spicy hops and spicy roast on the semi sweet finish
Mouth is full bod, rich chewy thick, med carb, light warming smooth alcohol
Overall nice beer but not a ton of barrel
Dec 05, 2021Pours a dark brown fizzy head covering, lower retention, little lacing, dark basically black color, decent legs
Nose thick fudgey dark chocolate, chocolate cookie dough, baking spices, light roast, vanilla barrel and some sweet bourbon but not a lot, little smooth alcohol, little biscuity wafer cookie
Taste thick fudge and some roasted malt, chewy creamy chocolate ganache, bitter roast and spicy hop notes, smooth alcohol into bitter spices, light vanilla oak and barrel spice with some sweet bourbon juice but not a ton, little caramel and nougat, and little toasted wafer cookie, moderate spicy hops and spicy roast on the semi sweet finish
Mouth is full bod, rich chewy thick, med carb, light warming smooth alcohol
Overall nice beer but not a ton of barrel
Reviewed by Sludgeman from District of Columbia
4.21/5 rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4
4.21/5 rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4
Purchased at Church Key. A 22 oz bottle capped and waxed (purple), 11.9% ABV. Brewed with honey and aged in oak barrels. Bottle Run #2/2014. Poured into a small-stemmed tulip.
This beer was past its prime before I purchased it from Church Key. And they probably realized it as well. The carbonation on the palate was lacking and there was no viscosity to compensate. Spirits were not excessive but no depth, no complexity, not a good mouthfeel. This is one of those “what could have been beer.” 4.0
A – Pours black with a one-finger rocky brown head. Thin consistency, no viscosity in the pour. Decent carbonation. Some lacing and some minor legging. 4.0
S – Aromas of brown sugar, spirits, vanilla, and some spiciness with roasted maltiness in the background. The roastiness is secondary and almost hidden by the other aromas. 4.75
T – Roasted malts with some burnt malt bitterness. A good amount of spirits with a strong oak flavor. Very faint sweetness up front that fades very quickly. Also, dark fruits – raisin, dates, and prunes. 4.25
MF – Medium body with a semi-dry finish. Starts faintly sweet but ending with burnt malt bitterness. A flat mouthfeel. 3.25
Jul 25, 2021This beer was past its prime before I purchased it from Church Key. And they probably realized it as well. The carbonation on the palate was lacking and there was no viscosity to compensate. Spirits were not excessive but no depth, no complexity, not a good mouthfeel. This is one of those “what could have been beer.” 4.0
A – Pours black with a one-finger rocky brown head. Thin consistency, no viscosity in the pour. Decent carbonation. Some lacing and some minor legging. 4.0
S – Aromas of brown sugar, spirits, vanilla, and some spiciness with roasted maltiness in the background. The roastiness is secondary and almost hidden by the other aromas. 4.75
T – Roasted malts with some burnt malt bitterness. A good amount of spirits with a strong oak flavor. Very faint sweetness up front that fades very quickly. Also, dark fruits – raisin, dates, and prunes. 4.25
MF – Medium body with a semi-dry finish. Starts faintly sweet but ending with burnt malt bitterness. A flat mouthfeel. 3.25
Rated by jb_4226 from Texas
4.95/5 rDev +11%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
4.95/5 rDev +11%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Fantastic!
Jul 02, 2021
Reviewed by JohnnyHopps from Indiana
4.49/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.49/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Appearance - The beer poured jet black, it was the color of oil.
Smell - Bourbon came through in the nose, it was sweet.
Taste - I have had this before, but this version had eight years on it. Initially, I noticed sweet rich chocolate. Light booze, was coupled with sweet honey overtones but continued into the finish.
Mouthfeel - With low carbonation, the beer was smooth and sweet.
Overall - I am not sure how this will be fresh, but it was excellent after eight years.
Jun 28, 2021Smell - Bourbon came through in the nose, it was sweet.
Taste - I have had this before, but this version had eight years on it. Initially, I noticed sweet rich chocolate. Light booze, was coupled with sweet honey overtones but continued into the finish.
Mouthfeel - With low carbonation, the beer was smooth and sweet.
Overall - I am not sure how this will be fresh, but it was excellent after eight years.
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