Best FiftyFifty Eclipse Imperial Stout variants?

2012 old Fitz has probably been my favorite so far.

 

Went by my local craft beer store and was able to pick up Java Stout, EC12, and Evan Williams 23. Question: Excited to drink these, is there one that would be better suited for sitting versus drinking sooner?

 

They're all good beers but absolutely NONE are worth the price

 

I've never paid full price for eclipse, with futures depending on the variation 20 to 25 bucks! That's a decent deal. If you don't like the price and live in Cali I highly recommend future purchasing

 

Just drank my '13 Java Coffee last night; I got it via trade, but if I'd paid $30 for it, I'd've been disappointed. Still, I'll probably buy one of the bottles of High West Rye that just showed up at my local shop...

 

The coffee flavor in the java should fade faster than the bourbon taste in the EC13/EW23. It just depends on how coffee forward or bourbon-y you like your stouts.

 

I sure hope you're wrong. Hoppin' Frog BA offerings are very underwhelming. I have a 2011 Four Roses and Brandy Barrel that were part of a larger trade and I certainly hope they are better than HF.

 

Obviously the coffee will fade fast so that should had soon. They're really balanced and there's no heat and not much bourbon so I don't seen aging helping at all.

 

Ive been wanting to try these forever, and when I was at binnys earlier this year they had a bunch of them. I just find it hard to spend 30$ on a bottle, so I havent tried any yet.

 

Agreed. Wish they were not so pricey...

 

I had an EC12 this year and thought it was borderline fantastic. Worth $30? Maybe not, but I thought it was considerably better than the BA Narwhals I paid up to $20 for, since that beer was referenced by someone. I also grabbed a High West Rye, but haven't popped it yet..

 

Had my 2011 Four Roses and Brandy along with a couple others over the course of the past six months. Four Roses was my favorite, but unfortunately the Brandy (which I was most looking forward to) was the least.

I didn't vote since I only picked up the Woodford Reserve variant this year, and if I don't find them much cheaper than the $35 I spent it will be the only one. I've really enjoyed the ones I've had in the past but I've enjoyed other beers much mroe for much less.

 

one that I haven't seen talked about yet is the Buffalo Trace, I've got a bottle of that coming to me and am interested what the consensus is on it?

 

Thanks @SteveD082791 and @BeerMoto for the response, looking like I'll be bringing the Java Stout down to the In Laws for XMas as I really enjoy good coffee BA beers. Second question, anyone else pick up/know about the Evan Williams 23 variant? All I can find online (other then reviews) is that it is one of the more expensive bourbons on market. Any info would be awesome!

 

I picked up a bottle but have not tried it yet. All i know is that theyou have been flying off the shelves over here and probably the hardest to get your hands on of bottles released to stores.

 

Evan williams blue 23 and Java are definitely worth the price tag. Not sure about the rest

 

Just try some Big Bad Baptists and save $18

 

Did not like BBB... At all.

 

yeah ive had BBB a few times and its nowhere near as good as eclipse.


i would love it if they aged some Eclipse in some fireball barrels. im surprised no one has done that yet, considering the popularity of ba stouts with cinnoman