Imperial Eclipse Stout - Old Fitzgerald - FiftyFifty Brewing Co.

kaseydad

California

3.98/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2012 Vintage

Couldn't wait. Had to partake.

Pours a black ale with a light foamy head. Not as much as the other blends I'm noticing. No lacing to speak of. Almost flat looking. Uh-oh.

The smell did not "pop" like the other variants. The bourbon is not pronounced. Chocolate, leather and vanilla. Light green apple. If you inhale deeply you can get the light nostril bourbon burn.

This is very tame with the booze. It is blended well and not harsh and almost has a chocolate milk taste. Very chocolatey. Again, the bourbon is hiding within the brew. Not sure why it's not pronounced like the other variants. I was hoping for the kick but it never comes. Very drinkable though. Light hops on the swallow.

Overall this needs to be drunk now IMO. The booze is there but I'm not sure for how much longer. As I stated earlier, this is very drinkable now and dare I say...smooth. Maybe my barrel was a little on the weak side though. Dunno.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 03:18:13 | More by kaseydad

tjmodica

Texas

3.8/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

They really nailed the color, black with thin beige lace, the smell on this variety is the let down for me, alcohol, bourbon, and grain. Taste is light dark fruits with hints of bourbon, just as smell lead on, heavy alcohol burn. The Old Fitzgerald is the variety to age.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2013 01:10:28 | More by tjmodica

yamar68

Minnesota

4.08/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

I'm always open to trying out a new Eclipse variant - thanks to Hugonaut13 for this one. 2012 vintage:

Black body with a velvety half finger of khaki carb that produces just as much beading below as it does lacing above.

Assertive sweet whiskey, fudge, honeycomb, cocoa, I don't get a sense of that extreme heat that others have mentioned - it's evident but not overwhelming I don't think.

Chocolate and whiskey dominate the palate... a bit of vanilla and berry. The booze does surface quite a bit on the finish... nothing I can't handle, but it could get toned down a bit.

Glad to try this one on for size - thanks Tom!

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 23:41:52 | More by yamar68

jdobe13

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%

05-20-2013 13:39:08 | More by jdobe13

Pecan

California

4/5  rDev -5.4%

05-16-2013 17:57:54 | More by Pecan

jegross2

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +0.5%

05-11-2013 13:52:08 | More by jegross2

jwat

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%

05-09-2013 00:43:11 | More by jwat

BMart

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%

05-08-2013 18:57:48 | More by BMart

dfhhead25

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%

05-07-2013 03:18:03 | More by dfhhead25

kevindp9

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%

05-04-2013 05:24:23 | More by kevindp9

IPAyForHops

California

4.25/5  rDev +0.5%

05-02-2013 23:54:56 | More by IPAyForHops

BrewStew58

New York

5/5  rDev +18.2%

04-29-2013 17:27:51 | More by BrewStew58

Goobastic

New York

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%

04-28-2013 23:11:50 | More by Goobastic

outoffocus

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%

04-26-2013 21:18:03 | More by outoffocus

CanisMajor

Indiana

4.75/5  rDev +12.3%

04-24-2013 20:19:43 | More by CanisMajor

cp45

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%

04-22-2013 22:34:06 | More by cp45

azdback

Arizona

4/5  rDev -5.4%

04-21-2013 07:14:51 | More by azdback

bsuedekum

Missouri

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%

04-20-2013 02:02:01 | More by bsuedekum

Lucho

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +0.5%

04-18-2013 05:53:51 | More by Lucho

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +2.4%
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, Bourbon, vanilla, oak, black licorice, dark cocoa, coffee, booze.

T - Sweet dark chocolate and caramel malts, Bourbon, vanilla, oak, 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 bourbon is a very smooth.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2013 04:26:09 | More by ngeunit1

CelticAleMan

California

3.75/5  rDev -11.3%

04-15-2013 22:12:49 | More by CelticAleMan

claytong

Vermont

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%

04-14-2013 01:29:50 | More by claytong

Atomicskis5

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +0.5%

04-11-2013 01:33:29 | More by Atomicskis5

enelson

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%

04-09-2013 13:02:12 | More by enelson

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.74/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Usual black and dark brown pour, and very thin off white, beige head on this one, very small ring to it, 1/32" deep.

Aroma yields booze, chocolate, and for the first time ever when checking out an Eclipse beer. . . hops? Hmm. Questioning my nose on this one. At least the usual soggy wood and vanilla are still part of it. Bourbon a little too forward for me on this one, nice, but below average for the Eclipse series.

Plenty of booze and chocolate on the mouthfeel. Again, hopping and carbonation seemed like they were out of whack for what I've come to know Eclipse as. Seems high, the hops and the bubbles took away from a normally smooth experience. A little bit of coconut still, but maybe the barrel was extra wet, this one just is the hottest Eclipse I've ever had.

The sweetness from the whiskey itself doesn't seem to have found a home here, this one is a little bitter and rough in the mouthfeel. I was expecting a smoother, sweeter, less obvious barrel character out of this one, boy was I wrong.

While still enjoyable, it is probably my least favorite Eclipse.

Serving type: on-tap

04-08-2013 16:35:55 | More by Beerandraiderfan