Imperial Eclipse Stout - Brewmaster’s Grand Cru Blend 2012
FiftyFifty Brewing Co.

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From:
FiftyFifty Brewing Co.
 
California, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
ABV:
9.5%
Score:
92
Avg:
4.19 | pDev: 7.88%
Reviews:
14
Ratings:
58
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 28, 2019
Added:
Dec 07, 2012
Wants:
  7
Gots:
  12
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by jadeal:
Photo of jadeal
Rated by jadeal from Tennessee

4/5  rDev -4.5%

Apr 27, 2013
More User Ratings:
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

4.13/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
I think this was the grand cru from the year after the grand cru was a party bottle? PVW/Coffee/Grand Cru/Iced? Can't remember.

Anyways, much like every other Eclipse, this pours black with a brown head on the top, 1/4". Sometimes I think its not so much that these age nicely as they were just less thick and carbonated back then. Aroma is the standard bourbon, oak and roasted malt trilogy they roll with and its just as nice as it was on day 1 it seems.

Taste is an easy going blend of bourbon barrel beers, nice soft carbonation, non excessive body, still really appreciate what they did with these "thinner" Eclipse beers back in the day. I like easy drinking barrel aged stouts with a significant barrel character, no sludge amounts of two row going into this one. Hints of chocolate from the malt all over this one. Slight ever mild vanilla presence. The mild dark fruit aspect doesn't come across as bitter, just complimentary. They do a real good job on the grand crus every year and this one was no exception, drank well fresh, drinks even better still to this day.
Jan 28, 2019
Photo of SHODriver
Reviewed by SHODriver from North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A: Poured into a snifter to a deep black beer topped by a dense half finger of light tan head which fades quickly to a collar around the edge of the glass with minimal lacing
S: Smells of intense oak and chocolate, slight vanilla with some hints of fruitiness with cocoa powder and slight espresso
T: Taste is lots of bitter dark chocolate with some oak and espresso. Nice roasted malt backbone with some light caramel and vanilla notes along with a slight fruity characteristic. On the finish this one is another smack of oaky bourbon barrel with some cocoa powder, coffee and roasted malts with some slight lingering vanilla.
M: Like all Eclipses this one is smooth and silky on the palate with a full body. Carbonation is on the low end but the beer does not come across as being flat while the beer has a drying finish.
O: Overall this one is real nice. It tastes similar to 2011 with the big oak notes but it's just a little bit different due to barrel availability for the blend. It doesn't taste excessively aged either which is pretty impressive but it's worth drinking now if you still have this laying around.
Nov 20, 2018
 
Rated: 4.25 by leroybrown10 from Missouri

Oct 09, 2016
 
Rated: 4.3 by greenspointexas from Texas

Jun 17, 2015
 
Rated: 4.14 by ricoslim from Florida

Apr 25, 2015
 
Rated: 4.23 by pmangold from Florida

Apr 24, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by PhatAtUT from Texas

Mar 14, 2015
 
Rated: 4.5 by nathanmiller from New York

Feb 28, 2015
 
Rated: 4.06 by Dicers from California

Feb 23, 2015
 
Rated: 4.38 by Rothobinide from California

Jan 18, 2015
 
Rated: 4.8 by Vincev27 from California

Nov 20, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by spycow from Illinois

Oct 25, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by kevindp9 from Arizona

Mar 22, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by dfhhead25 from Pennsylvania

Feb 26, 2014
Photo of BierJager89
Reviewed by BierJager89 from California

4.47/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
A: Back, like all other eclipses, with a mocha head.

S: Sweet, more Brady forward, some bourbon vanilla character, sweet candied fruits, oak and alcohol in the nose.

T: Vanilla forward with sweet chocolate, coffee, some candied fruits an rummy alcohol.

M: Full bodied and creamy smooth.

O: This is about the median eclipse from the 2012 batch, in terms of it's overall appeal. They're all excellent, but not all are so good as the four roses (may have been 2011), EC eclipses (also might have been 2011), Rittenhouse or the GHS blend. Definitely worth a try, but 30 bucks? Im not so sure. During beer week in SF I was lucky enough to try the whole lot of them in an epic vertical. $12 for the whole thing. Thats about a tenth the price of buying all the bottles. Look for something like that if you live in CA, around your town's beer week.
Jan 18, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by zestar from California

Jan 05, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by -NESTO- from New Jersey

Jan 02, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by dannyhead from Florida

Dec 31, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by POTABLE83 from New York

Dec 26, 2013
Imperial Eclipse Stout - Brewmaster’s Grand Cru Blend 2012 from FiftyFifty Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 92 out of 100 with 58 ratings