Imperial Eclipse Stout - Bernheim Wheat Whiskey
FiftyFifty Brewing Co.

Imperial Eclipse Stout - Bernheim Wheat WhiskeyImperial Eclipse Stout - Bernheim Wheat Whiskey
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From:
FiftyFifty Brewing Co.
 
California, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
ABV:
9.5%
Score:
92
Avg:
4.14 | pDev: 7.97%
Reviews:
39
Ratings:
130
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Dec 27, 2018
Added:
Dec 07, 2012
Wants:
  16
Gots:
  43
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Mike:
Photo of Mike
Rated by Mike from New Hampshire

4.4/5  rDev +6.3%

Oct 20, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

4.18/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
When was the last/only year they made this? 2012? Either way, pour a black color similar to every other Eclipse ever made, all that Totality base looks the same regardless of what barrel you put it in. 1/3" brown head on top of a hearty stout black. Aroma was you know, whiskey, nothing in terms of the sour wheat mash reveals itself. Just smells like whiskey barreled Eclipse. All the dark chocolate and dark oak notes as usual.

Taste might have leaned a little sweeter, similar to some of the green way rye barrels they used in other years. Other than that it is pretty much par for the course of being relatively easy to drink, smooth, powerful, but not a sludgy territory where you need to Chicago pour everything. 5 oz at a time of this isn't a challenge at all, its very appropriate on a cold December evening (best time for Eclipse). I think this is a good Eclipse to get people started on as its one of the least bitter and strong ones out there.
Dec 27, 2018
Photo of SHODriver
Reviewed by SHODriver from North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%
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 half finger of tan head which fades quickly to a collar around the edge of the glass with minimal lacing
S: Surprisingly muted on the nose but smells of caramel chews, chocolate, oak, slight coffee and roasted malts
T: Taste is chocolate and caramel forward with some slightly dusty oak. Nice dark roasted coffee and roasted malts with more milk chocolate along with some light vanilla. Maple like notes and frosting at times as well. The finish on this beer is more caramel, milk chocolate, light coffee, roasted malts and a touch of oak.
M: This beer is lighter in body than the 2011 version but still creamy and silky on the palate. Carbonation is low but adequate for the style while the beer has a drying finish.
O: Overall this one is definitely on the sweeter side. Bernheim is a wheat whiskey which makes it lack some of the more robust flavor notes others may provide in favor of a smooth and sweet profile. Still a nice beer with some nice dessert like complexity. This could probably pass as an attempt at a pastry stout which makes it an interesting beer.
Nov 15, 2018
 
Rated: 4.29 by REVZEB from Illinois

Oct 17, 2017
 
Rated: 4.23 by rab53 from Washington

Apr 29, 2017
Photo of Chcshammonde
Reviewed by Chcshammonde from California

3.74/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Cracked this open yesterday at Ale Arsenal in San Carlos, CA. Apparently a 4 year old bottle? Anyhow - this unfortunately was the worst eclipse I've had. Look was standard, very dark cola appearance. Nose was pretty nice, understated oak, really really faint whiskey, dark chocolate, caramel, some coconut notes. Taste: Jeez, this was waaaay waaaay too sweet! The sweetness was overpowering and I struggled to finish my glass. My co-workers couldn't finish theirs due to this. Also, no barrel presence. Maybe extremely faint, but you shouldn't have to look that hard for a barrel presence in a $30 bottle. Dark fruit, sweet chocolate candy, caramel, sweet coconut. Overall taste wasn't bad or anything, it's just that there was nothing to offset the sweetness. No oak, no char, no whiskey, no bitterness, no nothing. Just like pouring brown sugar down your throat. Feel: Fairly thin, but generally that's what's expected of eclipse. Overall: happy to try, but for sure a big letdown. Here's hoping that my '15 High West Bourbon eclipse is much better!
Jul 16, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by calcnerd from Pennsylvania

Jun 03, 2016
 
Rated: 4.13 by MLDucky from Texas

Feb 09, 2016
 
Rated: 4.25 by kylehay2004 from Illinois

Feb 05, 2016
Photo of stakem
Reviewed by stakem from Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
This bottle is 3 years old at the time of opening. Poured into a matching eclipse snifter. Its black in color with a mocha head.

Smells sweet with chocolate, mild vanilla, caramel and coconut. A faint mineral element and char then boozy bourbon.

Tastes bitter with char and coffee earthiness. Mild fruity alcohol tingle. Some layers of sweetness and caramelized sugars to contrast the earthy char.

Medium in body with modest carbonation. Nice stuff, very easy to approach and goes down a little too easy in comparison to other eclipse varetals.
Jan 06, 2016
 
Rated: 4.14 by jeff1973 from California

Dec 30, 2015
 
Rated: 4.23 by vrbulldog22 from Ohio

Nov 08, 2015
Photo of DoubleSimcoe
Reviewed by DoubleSimcoe from Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
2012 Eclipse Bernheim, bottle purchased at Bainbridge Street Barrel House in Philadelphia for thirty dollars and consumed on August 23 2015.

As with most Eclipse beers, the painfully thin mouthfeel ruins it for me. When I drink a big, expensive, vintage beer like this, I expect a big boozy body and outrageousness. Drinkability is high, but there is no excuse for the weak profile.

The nose is spectacular, though, with intense barrel notes, wood and that sharp-and-sweet, bready aroma of the wheat. Better as it warms up, honey aromas, age.

Too bad the rest of the beer refuses to follow that beautiful nose.
Aug 24, 2015
Photo of boilermakerbrew
Reviewed by boilermakerbrew from Indiana

4.06/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Beer hits the glass thick and very dark as expected. A very small head of medium brown color forms, but is really more of a bubbly film on top of the beer. Lacing is minimal from this tiny head. The smell of this beer is dark and spicy. The barrel is really the prominent flavor on the nose and is mostly sweet vanilla and peppery oak. The influence of the whiskey being wheated is present in a less aggressive spice than a normal bourbon would have in the scent.

When the beer hits the tongue the dark barrel and booze flavors translate directly to the taste. The sweet and dark malts of the base stout quickly fade into the barrel notes that match the scent almost dead-on. The whiskey flavors are a little softer than in the scent, but still very prominent. The drink is very smooth on the whole and doesn't really have an alcohol burn, but there is a boozy component to the flavor.

Overall, this beer would stand up to the more acclaimed BA stouts very well. THe barrel is prominent without being overpowering and the wheat whiskey flavor differentiates itself from bourbon barrel aged stouts of similar quality.
Jun 12, 2015
 
Rated: 4.53 by jgeddis from New Jersey

May 23, 2015
Photo of Axnjxn
Reviewed by Axnjxn from North Carolina

4.36/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
impressive beer. consumed 4-12-15. smell of bourbon and chocolate. taste is smooth. booze has mellowed out quite a lot and i get a marshmallowey flavor. age has done this wonders. quite thick as far as eclipses go too. worth seeking out.
Apr 12, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by SocalKicks from California

Feb 26, 2015
 
Rated: 4.14 by wethorseblanket from California

Feb 11, 2015
 
Rated: 4.38 by Rothobinide from California

Jan 18, 2015
Photo of Ohiovania
Reviewed by Ohiovania from Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
I was really impressed by this one and had low expectations based on the reviews. I think this one really did well with age. Very little, if any, alcohol smell or burn in the taste. I've only had elijah craig 12 year fresh, and this, and the bernheim blew it out of the water.
Jan 11, 2015
Imperial Eclipse Stout - Bernheim Wheat Whiskey from FiftyFifty Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 92 out of 100 with 130 ratings