Imperial Eclipse Stout - Heaven Hill Rittenhouse Rye - FiftyFifty Brewing Co.

smakawhat

Maryland

4.48/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the bottle into a snifter glass. BR 1, Vintage 2012.

A simple mahogany color out of the bottle, hits to a dark walnut brown body, with some chestnut hues and maybe some red. Head is about 3-4mm tall and mocha colored, leaving a thin bubbly collar. Not much head, but at least made enough and certainly looks fine. Top manages a nice mocha whispy top all throughout drinking.

Interesting nose. Probably the first Eclipse I had that smells like whiskey. Spicy rye notes mixing with a sharp fruit. Hint of pine and spruce like wood heat. Charring and quite wooden splintery smelling. Hints of chocolate fudge, and sort of a chocolate sprinkles like smell. Sweetness is not very large on this. It's really well done, and one of the few whiskey smelling brews I've had.

Palate brings much of what is hinted on the nose but with a lighter body feel. Hints of pine and spruce wood, and dry finish. Dark black berried fruit in the mid palate, and real sense of whiskey heat and spice. Drying finish with classic charring and roasty malts to go with it.

Overall this is the most whiskey forward, and spicy, and quite enjoyable. It's probably my second favorite right after the EC12 variation

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 19:32:07 | More by smakawhat

pmarlowe

California

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

05-19-2013 23:18:42 | More by pmarlowe

n2185

North Carolina

4.04/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A: Pours black with half a finger of tan head that fades into a sudsy ring with a little lacing.

S: Oak and bourbon dominate at first with vanilla, caramelized sugar, dark fruits, and Port aromas mixed in. Roasted malts with sweet chocolates also come through.

T: Oak and bourbon dominate here as well with semi-sweet chocolate, burnt sugar, caramel, and vanilla. There are some sweeter, Port-like notes mixed in before a boozy finish.

M: Thick body with low carbonation, the alcohol presence keeps it from being smooth and creamy.

O: A good barrel-aged stout overall. It's a little on the boozy and sweet side for my tastes, but still quite good.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 02:04:04 | More by n2185

PolloVagabundo

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

05-17-2013 19:12:17 | More by PolloVagabundo

GRG1313

California

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%

05-14-2013 04:40:15 | More by GRG1313

cp45

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%

05-02-2013 02:17:52 | More by cp45

zachattack555

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

04-28-2013 20:39:00 | More by zachattack555

outoffocus

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

04-26-2013 21:18:16 | More by outoffocus

SPRichard

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%

04-26-2013 20:10:19 | More by SPRichard

ystazi

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%

04-20-2013 03:00:50 | More by ystazi

POTABLE83

New York

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

04-17-2013 11:24:46 | More by POTABLE83

ngeunit1

California

4.44/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Dark black with a touch of brown and a finger of frothy khaki-chocolate head. Fades normal.

S - Chocolate and dark caramel malts, molasses, Bourbon, vanilla, oak, rye, black licorice, dark cocoa, coffee, booze.

T - Sweet chocolate and caramel malts, Bourbon, vanilla, oak, spicy rye, molasses, coffee, black licorice, bitter dark cocoa, touch of dark fruit, and some booze.

M - Full bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth and a bit syrupy with a warming, sweet, and lightly spicy finish.

D - Great barrel aged stout. The rye bourbon comes through really nicely.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 03:21:52 | More by ngeunit1

pigc

Nebraska

4.24/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

2011 Green Wax Bottle #1356. Stout brewed with honey

Served in Darkness snifter.

A - Pours pitch black with a two finger light brown sugar colored head. Tiny bubbly lacing clings to sides of the glass.

S - Sweet bourbon whiskey, brown sugar, dark molasses.

T - Starts out with a spicy rye heat up front followed by a moderate wave of whiskey with a slight hint of honey. Molasses and brown sugar dominate mid palate. Finish is semi-bitter.

M - Full bodied and smooth. Creamy texture.

O - This is my first version of the Eclipse beers. Nice spice from the rye although it may be a bit too much for my liking. Whiskey presence is moderate. Seems to drink bigger than a 9.5% abv beer. Well crafted.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 01:26:41 | More by pigc

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.74/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

650 mL bottle poured into an Eclipse snifter. 2012 bottle.

Appearance - Murky black with transparent edges. Not much of a head. Wispy surface.

Smell - Whiskey smell but nothing like the other treatments. Sharp alcohol aroma. Chocolate.

Taste - Dark chocolate flavor. Whiskey but not a lot of barrel. Chocolatey sweet finish.

Mouthfeel - Slick and creamier than the base beer. Medium carbonation. Sweet and barrel booze finish.

Overall - Rye has nothing on Bourbon. Tasty base beer. Nice whiskey but not quite bourbon.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 00:15:08 | More by Alieniloquium

smchenry75

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

03-26-2013 01:08:28 | More by smchenry75

chrisp450

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -6.3%

03-24-2013 20:54:21 | More by chrisp450

DelicateDelirium

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%

03-21-2013 03:34:31 | More by DelicateDelirium

DruRho

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

03-19-2013 00:31:10 | More by DruRho

DrJoe82

Illinois

5/5  rDev +17.1%

03-16-2013 00:14:59 | More by DrJoe82

AutumnBeerLove

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -6.3%

03-15-2013 17:41:27 | More by AutumnBeerLove

carlitosbronson1

California

3.75/5  rDev -12.2%

03-15-2013 05:08:41 | More by carlitosbronson1

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Certainly the best tasting, smoothest of the half dozen I have had to date in this series. Black, lacey. Coffee but also nicely undercarbonated. Very good drinkability. Bottlefrom Premier split with Liam.A moderate roast characteristic. Well integrated whiskey.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 23:33:50 | More by northyorksammy

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

4.35/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Shared by Sammy - Bottle from Premier Gourmet, 650ml into a tulip. Tasted alongside 4 other variants.

Black with a tan head. Nose has a beautiful bourbon character, light wood, chocolate, a touch of the corny spirit itself and some overripe red apple. Taste has the whiskey up front, good roast and dark chocolate. Sweeter finish, roast and chocolate lingers with a light alcoholic burn.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 22:37:39 | More by liamt07

cdmillard

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

03-13-2013 00:16:43 | More by cdmillard

mendvicdog

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

03-10-2013 16:58:42 | More by mendvicdog