Imperial Eclipse Stout - Brandy Barrel Blend - FiftyFifty Brewing Co.

warnerry

Michigan

4.23/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Bottle 2118 into a Duvel tulip. 2011 vintage.

A - Pours a very deep brown/black, though clearly translucent on the pour. A solid one inch of creamy brown head. Pretty good persistence.

S- Lots of fruit in the aroma, with rich chocolate coming in right behind. Booze-soaked (I'm not a brandy drinker, so I can't say whether it is a brandy aroma) raisin is prevalent. A bit vinous. Quite nice.

T - In contrast to the aroma, chocolate is the dominant flavor, followed by the dark fruits, red wine and alcohol.

M - Haven't had an Eclipse in awhile, but this seems to have a thicker mouthfeel than then other variants I've had. Nice and creamy, but still not heavy. A bit dry on the finish.

O - Very enjoyable. The brandy notes seem to bring a very slight harshness to this, but still a nice twist on the barrel aged stout.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 19:32:16 | More by warnerry

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | 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, dark fruits, vanilla, oak, Brandy, black licorice, dark cocoa, coffee, booze.

T - Sweet chocolate and caramel malts, Brandy, vanilla, oak, molasses, coffee, black licorice, bitter dark cocoa, raisin, figs, dates and other dark fruits, and some booze.

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

D - Great barrel aged stout. The brandy barrel is a nice touch and the dark fruits come through a bit more.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 01:44:10 | More by ngeunit1

AgentMunky

Alabama

3.95/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a sampling glass. 2011 vintage. From notes. Reviewed 12 February 2013.

A: Pitch-black with cola edges and a light brownish head.

S: Sweet grapes and strong liquor. Deep and complex.

T/M: Bright and tasty, with a great soft aftertsate. Brandy is evident, grapes, but it's perhaps oversweet.

O: It's okay. Not my favourite. Stick to the whiskey barrels.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 06:44:32 | More by AgentMunky

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

4.15/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2011 vintage from secret Santa Alex M, thanks for the opportunity!
Pours a solid black with a nice sized tan head that slowly dissipates to a cap on top with a moderate amount of lace on the sides. Smells of roast and chocolate with a heavy hit of molasses and dark fruits. Cherries, plums, raisins and a touch of alcohol round out the nose nicely. The flavor is lots of milk chocolate and coffee with a hint of smoke. Subtle supporting flavors of vanilla, dark fruits, tangerines, and a hint of wood. Medium to thick body with a light level of carbonation and a sweet silky mouthfeel. I really enjoyed this eclipse version. The Brandy gives it a much softer barrel treatment than the bourbon barrel I last had.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 22:47:52 | More by johnnnniee

actone2001

California

4.55/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

2011 Bottle #1566, consumed with smoked blue cheese and prosciutto (a perfect pairing for any good BA stout!). Word to the wise, let this one warm up.

A - Typical black stout. Quarter inch tan head, lingers for a little bit, then fades as the beer warms.

S - sweet fig, date, raisin, dark fruits. Definitely some brandy, but in a reserved fashion.

T - Good amount of brandy up front, balanced by dark fruit flavor, slight roast, and then a bit of alcohol heat. Molasses/dark brown sugar provide the sweetness, but the brandy creates a presence which is complimentary to the dark malts. The sweet date flavor is most prominent as it warms.

M - More thick than medium of a mouthfeel. Compliments the big stout perfectly. Silky smooth.

O - Great beer overall! I love the Brandy barrel influence! It's my first fiftyfifty eclipse, and I'm very impressed! It's balanced, big, and has some depth. Can't wait to break out some other eclipses from the cellar!

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 01:14:51 | More by actone2001

bcostner1

Tennessee

4.5/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle #1065. Enjoyed 11/28/12 from a brandy snifter.

A: Deep dark rich brown bordering on black; thick milky-tan head that pours richly and stick around for quite a while.

S: Brandy, raisin bread, roasted dark figs and dates.

T: Really awesome. Smooth brandy throughout. Lots of rum/brandy soaked raisins, figs, dates. Toasted rown sugar raisin bread. Some rich caramel. A nice, rich melange of all the above listed elements along with some vanilla, mild wood, and a strong malt backbone. Delicious.

M: Smooth drinker for sure. The brandy/booze is there but not offensively so. Definitely a warming beer that is best enjoyed as a sipper.

Overall, a great brew. Glad I got to try it and I'm looking forward to the other Eclipse varieties that I have waiting.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 01:13:02 | More by bcostner1

inlimbo77

Delaware

4.03/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz, 2011 vintage, bottle # 3091
Mini nonic pint glass (4oz)

A: Pours a deep black color. Completely opaque. Some carbonation because I got a half finger of slightly tan head. Not a ton of lacing. Slight alcohol feet. Lots lacing.

S: Getting lots of that brandy barrel on this one. More than what I have read in other reviews. Lots of dark fruit and candied sugar. Overwhelms the roast.

T: Lots of dark fruit sweetness. Heavy prune. Rum soaked raisin. Then you get that roasted malts. This is completely different then the other variations I have had where it was more vanilla, caramel, oak, etc. Some what dry finish.

M: Medium leading to full.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 15:07:48 | More by inlimbo77

HopHead84

California

2.9/5  rDev -30.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

11/24/2012

2011 vintage into a snifter.

A: Black with an enormous frothy light brown head. Great retention and lots of lacing. Nice looking beer.

S: A lot of Totality and a mellow barrel presence. Anise, licorice, oak, molasses, and a lot of roasted malt. Just a little vanilla and brandy. Pleasant coco notes.

T: Rich dark chocolate with a fair amount of booze and roasted malt. Heavy on the licorice and roasty bitterness. Subtle brandy and dark fruit with a touch of vanilla. Lots of booze and bitterness in the astringent roasted licorice finish. When the beer warms up it begins to taste like Robitussin.

M: Full body with medium carbonation. Sticky mouthfeel with alcohol warming.

Overall: Not a fan of this. The combination of licorice Robitussin and brash alcohol did not make for a pleasant drinking experience. I won't be finishing this bottle.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 05:29:55 | More by HopHead84

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle # 1446, 2011 vintage.

Pours a dark chestnut brown color that appears pitch black in the glass with a one finger beige head that quickly settles into a thick, lasting ring. Spotty lacing left behind.

Roasted, smoked malt aroma with a decent barrel presence that seems to be nicely integrated into the base beer. There's some toasted oak, vanilla and coconut but the spirit/brandy is much tamer here than in the other treatments. Some boozy brandy sweetness but there's room for the strong malt presence to shine. Pretty robust smelling with smokey charcoal along with roasted coffee bean, oatmeal, toast and dark chocolate. Decently balanced but the brandy presence could be a touch stronger for me.

Full bodied with a stronger barrel presence than I anticipated. Sweet brandy and vinous dark fruit notes along with dry, toasted oak and vanilla. Still, it's nicely integrated into the flavors of the base beer and doesn't overpower the roasted dark malt flavors. The oak compliments the robust malt and the brandy sweetness counters hints of burnt toast, espresso, oatmeal and chocolate cake. Really well balanced and the ABV is excellently masked, with little to no heat.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 06:36:48 | More by corby112

Dope

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle 1079, 2011 batch.

A: Very dark brown pour, not quite black. Big billowing dense head, light brown in color. Fades slowly, leaving a pretty heavy coating of lacing behind. Excellent retention.

S: Very fruity, lots and lots of dark fruits. Cherry, grape, and berries (raspberry/blackberries I would say) mainly. Sweet and a bit sharp with some alcohol sting in the nose. Slight metallic twang to boot.

T: Again, very sweet and fruity up front. Loaded with dark fruits to the hilt. Nice chocolate and some chalky char comes through in the middle and into the finish. Sharp alcohol in the finish as well. Lingering dark fruits and honey between sips. Awesome.

M: Not as heavy as you'd think but still plenty full. A touch chalky sometimes.

O: Awesome barrel aged stout. I've had the rittenhouse rye version too and that one was completely different while still being excellent. I did find the rittenhouse rye one slightly better but not enough to justify the leap down to 4.0. Regardless, this one is sweeter and very fruity. Great brandy flavor and aroma goes well with a chocolatey/roasty stout. Well balanced and delicious.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 06:56:10 | More by Dope

sitarist

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Another blind review via the "blind bif 7." While reviewing 2b. last night the power went out. From my candle lit notes...

Pours deep brown, opaque, 1/4" of tan head falls to a ring with a tiny island just a couple spots of lacing.

I'm expecting a big burbon aroma, instead Im greeted with a well balanced scent of chocolate, vanilla, raisins, with a clean alcohol aroma. Port? Whatever it is, I like it.

Flavors fall in line with its aroma. Its flavors are delicately balanced. Coco, & vanilla start it off with some fruit in the middle, bitter-sweet chocolate, faint hints of anise, & port at the end.

Medium body, and lightly carbonated...works well with its flavor. Creamy to dry, an easy drinking imp.stout.

A well crafted beer that is intriguing, yet easy to drink. There is a wicked storm outside, and the power is out, but I do not have a care in the world.

Im guessing its an Imp. Stout. I do not think it has anything in common with 2a. other than being a stout.

Wrong...its a Fifty Fifty - Eclipse(bottle#1090, year 2011) with dark red wax, which I believe is the Brady Barrel Blend version. Quite different, and much more complete than the Grand Cru Blend. I cant believe how different the two blends are, though they started out as the same.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2012 00:40:50 | More by sitarist

billab914

Virginia

4.43/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2011 vintage poured into my CBS snifter. Pitch black in color with a thin tan head scattered across the top and sticking to the sides of the glass. Good lacing as I drank it and a nice looking beer overall.

The aroma blends the chocolate and roasted malts with the dark fruits of the brandy barrel. They compliment each other very well. Some alcohol is noticeable, but not too bad. I really liked the rich dark fruits the brandy barrel added.

The taste shows more of the brandy barrel up front with some really nice notes or dark fruit and red wine to it. The finish is where more of the chocolate and and roasted malts come out. The chocolate in the finish particularly stands out. Again, it really comes together well.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied for the style with carbonation being average. Overall, I thought it was a great beer. The brandy barrel complimented the beer better than any other brandy barrel beer I've had. The rich dark fruits and chocolate went together perfectly. Very rich and bold, but also smooth and balanced for the style. Great beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 01:04:01 | More by billab914

NorCalYeti

California

4.33/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

really enjoyed this beer over the grand cru which i sampled recently. the beer was soft in the mouth and had a nicely balanced hop/malt taste. long warming finish. a hop bite in the swallow for sure. beer had tropical flavors along with a toasted element and chocolate in the finish. apricots come to mind. the beer tasted sweet up front but that component backed off after a while. my thought was this could be a digestif and could be paired with a gelatinous dessert, a ciger, and/or chocolate. felt like the beer had high gravity and felt weighty on the palate, a sipper.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2012 05:29:05 | More by NorCalYeti

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.23/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Split a bottle of this with Paul yesterday.

The beer is dark brown, nearing black. Half inch of dense beige head. Looks like all of the other Eclipse stouts.

The aroma brings oak, booze, chocolate, roast. Smells nice.

The flavor is a small step up from the aroma. I would probably award aroma and taste each a 4.25 if possible. Nice balance of flavors, with a gentle sweetness imparted by the brandy barrel. Subtle notes of vanilla.

Medium bodied and easy drinking. A touch of heat in the finish. Well done.

Overall, another solid stout from FiftyFifty. I have enjoyed all of the beers in this series so far.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 16:56:28 | More by Huhzubendah

SpeedwayJim

New York

4/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to ipa247 for this one. 2011 vintage. Bottle #488. Shared with schen9303. Poured into a Cigar City snifter

Pours 1 finger, dense, light mocha head with moderate retention. Beer is dense, opaque black. Lacing is thick, stringy, with nice stick. Oily legs.

Nose is chocolate, fudge, sweet soy sauce, molasses, booze, and very subtle roasted malt in the back. Nicely aromatic but good balance too.

Opens sweet soy sauce, prunes, chocolate, and cocoa powder. Brandy presence emerges a bit towards the middle and sweetens this one even further. Fudge and roasted malt at the end give this a slight bitterness. Finishes sweet with some molasses and more cocoa in the aftertaste. Solid.

Medium body with light carbonation. Oily and warm in the mouth and warm going down. Moderately smooth with a hot finish and sticky, lingering aftertaste. Great body.

As far as the 50/50 Imperial Eclipse series, this is rather middle of the road. Still, that makes it a far-above-average imperial stout and definitely not one to miss out on!

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 23:20:19 | More by SpeedwayJim

popery

California

4.28/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle #1379, 2011. It's quite black, only showing brown when fairly thin. Small head, beige. The aroma has dark chocolate, molasses, vanilla, roast and a sweet brandy note. The taste is sweet and rich. It's nice big stout and packs a lot of flavor. The barrel flavor is relatively mild and blends into the roast, molasses and dark chocolate. There's some roast-bitterness to tone down the sweetness. Very tasty stuff. Mouthfeel is smooth and thick. It's a heavy beer, full of flavor. I'm a big fan of Eclipse. This isn't up to the Christian Brothers brandy version, but all of the Eclipses are quite good. My only real criticisms of this beer is that it could use more barrel flavor and a bit more depth. However, they're minor complaints, and I quite enjoyed the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2012 06:37:00 | More by popery

Treebs

Illinois

3.65/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2011 vintage, bottle # 3138. Burgundy wax. 22 oz. bottle served in a Firestone Walker tulip.

A: Pours a dark black body with dark brown edges. A one finger height of tan head forms on the pour and slowly recedes to a thin cap. Sticky sheets of lace down the glass.

S: Sweet brandy on the nose with nice unsweetened chocolate. Toasted grains. Raw oak and some subtle dark fruits.

T: The taste is much more oaky than nose. The brandy is there, but seems a little disjointed from the base beer. The finish is sweeter with some chocolate and roasted malts, but it seems like the beer is in two parts.

M: Medium bodied with a slight chew. The alcohol is slightly overbearing, even at 9.5%. Not really well hidden. The finish is a little astringent.

O: The taste was a little disjointed and the alcohol was a little too prevalent. Not the best of the Eclipse series. Would pass over this in the future.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2012 00:33:57 | More by Treebs

Wasatch

Utah

4.4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks goes out to dsgolovin for throwing this bottle in as an extra.

2011 Vintage
Burgandy Wax
Bottle Nr. 3080
22oz. Bomber

Poured into a chalice a very nice dark brown color, very nice carbonation, with a very nice one-finger thick cream dark tan head, lots of sticky lacing, but disappear to some oil slicks. The nose is big on malts, sweet, picking up slight brandy notes, lots of chocolate/toffee, vanilla. The taste is very nice malty, sweet, some vanilla, tons of chocolate/toffee notes, and a very nice touch of brandy that makes it pretty interesting. Medium body, ABV hidden pretty well, but definitely a sipper. This is my first FiftyFifty brew, and enjoying it very much. Thanks David!

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2012 19:37:42 | More by Wasatch

mattsander

Alberta (Canada)

4.05/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Deepest brown with a surprisingly tenacious crema-colored head.

S: A lot of alcohol, some oak, cocoa, medicinal-brandy vibe. Definitely less barrel character than the bourbon versions of Eclipse. The alcohol retracts from greatness here, I'll save my next bottle for a couple years.

T: Very nicely balanced chocolatey malt, fruitiness from the brandy, and warm boozy honey. It's very nice, but it feels more like the base beer than something that's been in a barrel for a year.

M: For me Eclipse has the ideal mouthfeel for a strong stout. Honey keeps this rich yet drinkable.

A very nice stout, though for me this wasn't near the level of the Elijah Craig, Rittenhouse, or Buffalo trace. Will definitely be laying down my remaining bottle for a year or two to taste this minus the strong alcohol aroma.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 01:31:56 | More by mattsander

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4.55/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

2011 Vintage. #1710. Poured in to CBS snifter.

A - Poured dark brown, settled black. As it poured there was a brown/red glow in the beer that is reminiscent of brandy. Half a finger of light brown head formed and quickly receded to a thin layer.

S - Brandy, oak and a touch of vanilla up front. Sweet roasted malts and molasses provide sweetness and roasted coffee, dark chocolate and char balance out the nose. The brandy is not dominant bit is noticeable.

T - Brandy up front with oak, sweet vanilla and cocoa. A fairly prominent overall sweetness is present and is balanced by a nice hop profile, warming alcohol and bitter coffee and cocoa. The finish is full of roast, char, dark chocolate, molasses and more coffee. Remarkably balanced. All of the flavours come through with no one flavour dominating the palate.

M - Full body, creamy and smooth. Light carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2012 20:42:43 | More by TheSevenDuffs

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

4.88/5  rDev +17%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours jet black with a light chocolate brown head. In the aroma, oaky and a sweet brandy/ bourbon like alcohol. In the taste, sweet roast, alcohol of cognac and bourbon. Quite smooth and a medium to bigger bodied mouthfeel, with a small dry brandy like alcohol aftertaste. WOW! what a nice sipper, big alcohol heat on this one.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2012 20:14:43 | More by OWSLEY069

cps98

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Brandy Barrel Aged version with the Burgandy wax. Got this one in a trade with ShanePB, thanks man it was super tasty now I want to try and score the other variations of this. Enjoyed this past weekend with a couple friends enjoying the great outdoors.
Pours a deep black with a nice creamy mocha colored head. Fantastic lacing on the glass, the beer just clung to the sides of the glass when swirled around. Smells of coffee, oak light hints of dark berries, figs maybe some plums were all intermingled. It was a really nice full bodied smooth beer. Carbonation was fantastic. It was a little more mellow in the taste department compared to other BA stouts I’ve had (not overy complex). Light hints of coffee and chocolate along with oak and a little alcohol were all present on the tongue. I was hoping for more brandy. This beer was a really good mellow BA variation and I believe all who were tasting wish we had more. I hope I get the chance to try the other variants at some point!

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 14:29:35 | More by cps98

beerhan

Ohio

3.9/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

Big thanks to kecarl7 for the set

A-Perfect jet black pour with a 1 finger mocha head. Very viscious and thick.

S-Lots of chocolate and molasses with some coffee and a hint of alcohol in the finish.

T-muddy dark chocolate and coffee. It tasted very nice but was lacking in complexity. Very little brandy shines through except for the end.

M-Super crisp and smooth, mild carbonation and very drinkable.

O-A little disappointed by this one but I do hope the other variations are better. This beer was delicious but just did not live up to the expectations. The brandy was too subtle and it just lacked a burn from the barrel.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2012 16:02:28 | More by beerhan

jethrodium

California

3/5  rDev -28.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

650 ml bottle. 2011 version. Pours a dark brown with a small tan chocolate head that has good retention and leaves a good amount of lacing on the glass. The aroma is big brandy, some plum, light oak, a hint of marshmallow, and a quite boozy. The taste is sweet with brandy, marshmallow, some light roastiness, a bit of oak, and a lot of alcohol. The finish has a decent bitterness and is quite astringent. Medium body. Low carbonation. This was quite disappointing. It was very boozy and the flavors did not come together all that well. The astringency also took away from the beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2012 08:14:41 | More by jethrodium

UCLABrewN84

California

3.98/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle I shared at jmgrub’s tasting.

2011 vintage. Bottle # 1502.

Pours an opaque black with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to an oily film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, cocoa, cinnamon, and alcohol. Taste is the same with a medium roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good Eclipse treatment but I am not getting any real brandy aromas or flavors from it.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2012 00:37:57 | More by UCLABrewN84