Imperial Eclipse Stout - Four Roses Bourbon - FiftyFifty Brewing Co.

starrdogg

District of Columbia

4.43/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2010 Vintage. Huge thanks to dyan for giving me this as an extra!

A: Pours a dark brown/black with a pretty substantial tan head. Looks to be pretty carbonated for a big stout. Has some nice medium lacing.

S: Smells fantastic - bourbon, chocolate and a little bit of wood. A lot of bourbon-barrel stouts are overwhelmed by the bourbon in the smell, but this has bourbon as just one component.

T: Bourbon is present in the flavor, but like in the smell, it's just one component and doesn't overwhelm the beer. Beer has some nice dark chocolate and roasty notes as well. It's not too sweet, and has fantastic balance.

M: Mouthfeel is medium-bodied, a bit thinner than most other stouts this size with nice carbonation.

O: This really is a great stout. I love that you can really taste the flavors in the base beer while still getting some bourbon and oak added from the barrels.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2011 21:46:34 | More by starrdogg

CanisMajor

Indiana

4.75/5  rDev +10.2%

05-20-2013 16:19:32 | More by CanisMajor

pmoney

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

05-13-2013 13:41:44 | More by pmoney

drlovemd87

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

05-10-2013 03:19:56 | More by drlovemd87

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.49/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

as expensive as these are, I may unfortunately never get to try them all, so they are a rare treat indeed. this is my third thus far, and easily my favorite. 2011 vintage here, so maybe the age helped it mellow a bit. the pour is dark and thick like the rest of them coffee colored with a sturdy off white head with lots of airy bubbles. the nose indicates a very balanced brew, not overly bourbon heavy, but the oak, charcoal, and vanilla is there, which go expertly with the level of roast on the barley, which is intense but not burnt bitter yet. the honey comes through in the flavor better in this one than either of the others ive had, its sweet and summery, and actually lightens up an otherwise heavy beer. the sweetness of the bourbon also tempers the heft of the malts. very deep and layered flavors here, with the barrel not overtaking things, as is so commonly done (and indeed strived for) these days. I like this whole series for introducing the nuances of different barrel treatments to the same base beer. its an expensive learning tool, but a damn enjoyable one. ive never consumed four roses bourbon, but this beer has me primed to seek out a bottle. if you can buck up for this, and then be patient enough to wait a year, you will be handsomely rewarded!

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 18:38:15 | More by StonedTrippin

zachattack555

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

04-28-2013 20:38:41 | More by zachattack555

vitters03

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

04-28-2013 02:23:33 | More by vitters03

juliusseizure

New York

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

04-15-2013 01:46:24 | More by juliusseizure

ngeunit1

California

4.44/5  rDev +3%
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, black licorice, dark cocoa, coffee, booze.

T - Sweet chocolate and caramel malts, Bourbon, vanilla, oak, molasses, coffee, black licorice, bitter dark cocoa, raisin and other dark fruits, 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 bourbon is very present, but balanced here.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 06:58:26 | More by ngeunit1

wethorseblanket

California

4.26/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

2011 vintage. Bottle #1419.

A: Pours black with a half-inch mocha head which fades to the rim and cap leaving globs and spots of lace.

N: Chocolate marshmallows soaked in bourbon, then roasted with a trace char and sprinkled with vanilla and caramel.

T: Dark cacao, vanilla, roasted oak barrel, char, sweet bourbon, dark fruits.

M: Full body and moderate carbonation. A bit syrupy although rich and creamy.

O: With some age on it, this is drinking really well. Glad to still have 1 left.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 23:57:41 | More by wethorseblanket

IdrinkGas

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

04-06-2013 01:45:04 | More by IdrinkGas

jeonseh

Indiana

3.73/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Bottle as part of Eclipse sampling

A - Dark brown with light chestnut aspects to it. Small off white foam head 3.25

S - Slight bourbon with light vanilla and caramel

T - Dark bitter chocolate, sweet caramel and vanilla. There is a light amount of oak in the finish. Overall, there is a good amount of bitterness in this one. The sweetness from the 4 roses bourbon tries to cut the overall bitterness but cannot.

M - Creamy slightly sticky body with bitterness that makes the finish slightly astringent

O - Decent eclipse with good bourbon sweetness from the 4 Roses that adds a good amount vanilla and caramel to it; however, it can't manage to cut the overall bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 02:39:27 | More by jeonseh

mendvicdog

Maryland

3.5/5  rDev -18.8%

03-10-2013 17:00:05 | More by mendvicdog

duceswild

Maryland

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

03-09-2013 20:56:33 | More by duceswild

Gobzilla

California

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

03-06-2013 05:56:08 | More by Gobzilla

nkeckhar

New York

4.75/5  rDev +10.2%

02-27-2013 19:30:58 | More by nkeckhar

tjmodica

Texas

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

02-27-2013 02:27:21 | More by tjmodica

SPRichard

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

02-25-2013 22:01:50 | More by SPRichard

RobertColianni

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -18.8%

02-25-2013 08:37:59 | More by RobertColianni

rolltide8425

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -7.2%

02-25-2013 02:31:52 | More by rolltide8425

mportnoy

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

02-25-2013 02:14:50 | More by mportnoy

BarrytheBear

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%

01-18-2013 04:51:41 | More by BarrytheBear

BierJager89

California

4.6/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

You can probably still get this beer if you look hard enough. Especially in the SF bay area. Poured from a bomber (22 oz) into a tulip.

A: Coffee Black with a brown head. That's what I love to see.

S: Nose is full of brown sugar, oak, vanilla, caramel (nice bourbon character), coffee and chocolate. Smells great!

T: Taste is more chocolate forward and a bit weak on the bourbon character, though it is very flavorful. It's a bit of a disappointment, because Four Roses makes some excellent bourbon. There is some bourbon character (caramel, vanilla and oak), but more coffee and chocolate, which is nearly as delicious. A touch of alcohol is present, but forgivable.

M: Full bodied and smooth. Would be perfect (in that I love smooth, full bodied beers, especially when they're creamy), but there's a bit of alcohol astringency, which is never pleasant.

O: Try it if you can find it. Perhaps not worth the price tag. I wouldn't buy another bottle, but I do not at all regret buying one. It's roughly the same price as Old Rasputin XIV was, and that beer was damn near perfect. This is not quite as good. Still though, it's one of the best beers I've ever had. As of writing this, it's my number 14 out of more than 600, and one of only 18 beers to which I'd give an A+. If, however, you are faced with trying this or Old Rasputin Anniversary edition for the same price, go with this. You can always get the barrel aged version of rasputin, this is no longer brewed, from what I can tell.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 19:33:51 | More by BierJager89

yourefragile

District of Columbia

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%

01-16-2013 15:38:25 | More by yourefragile

bauermj

Illinois

4/5  rDev -7.2%

01-14-2013 01:52:33 | More by bauermj