Imperial Eclipse Stout - Pappy Van Winkle (20 Year)
FiftyFifty Brewing Co.

As stated in other forums... I feel like giving this beer a high rating is like rooting for the Yankees... It makes me feel gross inside. I generally root for underdogs. That said, this is a phenomenal beer. I have been lucky enough to try it twice now through the generosity of OldManWeathers and BigPerm. This last try, Masterhoa was able to swing by with a bottle of Pappy 20 for a side by side. IMO drink the beer first, the pappy favors are much stronger than the beer. The beer has a very nice balance of flavors, barrel has fantastic presence and the heavy handed roasted flavor of the base (Totality) is completely toned down with aging. Anyway, many thanks to the friends that have allowed me to try these wonderful libations!

22oz pink wax, autographed bottle
Bottled 2013

A- pours black in color with a one-finger foamy khaki head that reduces to a ring around the glass

S- huge barrel aromas on the nose, barrel juice, deep soaked sharp oak, with vanilla and coconut. Undertones of caramel, chocolate, slightly nutty, prunes and candy bar nougat

T- as with the nose, bold barrel flavors dominate up front. Plenty of barrel juice, peppery sharp oak, caramel and toasted coconut. Mid-palate gives some dark fruit notes of raisins, figs and prunes, followed by some chocolate notes. The finish is primarily bold oaky bourbon that continues into the linger, along with more dark fruits

M- medium body with moderate-low carbonation leads to a slightly foamy mouthfeel that continues into a boozy, warming finish

O- definitely the most barrel-forward Eclipse variant that I've had, even at 7 years old. As a bourbon drinker, I enjoyed it. But if you're not a straight bourbon drinker, it's probably not for you

Bottle: Poured a pitch-black color stout with a large dark brown foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of sweet chocolate notes with some woody notes and vanilla also noticeable. Taste is a very smooth mix of sweet black chocolate notes with some bourbon, vanilla and woody notes with no rough edge in the aftertaste. Body is full with nice creamy texture and good carbonation with light perceptible alcohol notes. Another solid BA stout from this fine brewery.

 

Jeez what were these like $35 a bottle? My dumb ass bought like 6 of them. Anyways, pours just like every Eclipse ever practically, this is a black and dark brown to the edges kind of stout, with 1/3" brown head on the top. The pappy variants always seem more robust for better and for worse, more barrel, more alcohol heat.

Taste is much more tame than any whiff of alcohol in the nose. Chocolate, oak, bourbon. Basic. Well done. Its amazing how well something like this hides the alcohol in the taste and mouth feel, but then all of a sudden, put it in a cognac barrel and its massively hot. More caramel notes in this one give it a smooth exterior. The pappy one seems to be fudgier than the others too. Pretty good stuff, but damn if the price tag on it isn't some major sticker shock. I prolly would not buy so many if I had to do it again, despite it still being a world class bourbon barrel stout.

2014:Sampled at Boise’s Imperial Stout get together, over 120 bottles to choose from. Going with the flow on this rating. Thanks to Syndicate for sharing! 2018: sampled again, still great, but fell off just a bit. (Bottle #312)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

22oz bottle into snifter.

A: Pours near black with a low bubbly head quickly faded to a faint collar.
S: Vaporous nose, tons of vanilla, touch of bourbon, light caramel. Slightly volatile alcohol.
T: Warming bourbon up front followed by smooth notes of honey sweetness, leather, caramel, and velvety chocolate. Lingering sweetness with lasting milk chocolate and honey flavors in the finish. Rich chocolate and leather in the aftertaste. Pappy is smooth and buttery.
M: Full body, soft and low carb, sweet overall, very mellow and easy to drink despite still have a warming booze presence.
O: Delicious and smooth. Very mellow but still has tons of rich flavors. All the sharp edges are rounded out. Pappy is mellow and creamy.