Imperial Eclipse Stout - American Mellow Corn Whiskey - FiftyFifty Brewing Co.

Dope

Massachusetts

3.96/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a very dark brown with a medium-sized dense chocolate milk colored head. Fades somewhat slowly but then hangs around forever. Never fully goes away. 1/4" of foam remains perpetually. Almost perfectly solid wall of lacing too.

S: Hmph, pretty much smells like grain alcohol. Never had corn whiskey but this practically smells like vodka barrels. I get some oaky vanilla character, a bunch of coconut and then just a touch of chocolate. Very strong alcohol, obviously.

T: Hmph (again). Very interesting. Don't really get any real whiskey/bourbon character up front. It's boozy and has some obvious coconut mixing with chocolate and some char. Kinda sweet with a bunch of vanilla that kicks in after the initial taste. Long lingering drying char in the aftertaste with some sweet corn mixed in. Boozy overall with a grain alcohol character throughout, but especially in the finish, contributing to the dryness.

M: Medium bodied and smooth. A little drying from the oak and alcohol in the finish.

O: Very hard beer to score. Never had corn whiskey so I feel like I'm kinda guessing at the taste and smell aspects. I did my best. Very hot right now as this is extremely fresh. Feels a little over the top, even for me - and I am well accustomed to strong, boozy beers. Having said that, it is quite unique (never even heard of a corn whiskey barreled beer before) and quite complex. Despite the harshness it is surprisingly smooth underneath and goes down well. Still, not as flavorful or complex as the other variants I've had so I can't give it that great of a review. It is also noticeably hotter than any other variant I've had. Not sure if that's purely an age thing or a result of extended barrel aging or just the nature of corn whiskey (again, never had it). Worth trying but definitely only once - especially for $30.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 04:43:14 | More by Dope

CanisMajor

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +11.7%

05-20-2013 16:19:10 | More by CanisMajor

GRG1313

California

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%

05-14-2013 04:39:11 | More by GRG1313

bcm75

Illinois

4/5  rDev -0.7%

05-11-2013 00:51:21 | More by bcm75

charlzm

California

3.63/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

Consumed December 16th, 2012 at Beachwood BBQ, Seal Beach, CA.

Beer is virtually black. Almost no head.

Aroma is dominated by corn whiskey (duh) and a sweet molasses note.

Flavor is sweet. Salty, light whiskey flavor up front which segues into a sweet, undifferentiated dark malts at the end which feature the usual suspects: chocolate and coffee. Alcohol heat on the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel is thick with little carbonation.

Very good stout, though not amazing. A bit overpriced for what it is, IMHO.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 19:48:52 | More by charlzm

krl2112

Illinois

2.75/5  rDev -31.8%

04-28-2013 03:17:48 | More by krl2112

outoffocus

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -0.7%

04-26-2013 21:18:40 | More by outoffocus

ystazi

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%

04-20-2013 03:01:20 | More by ystazi

CelticAleMan

California

4/5  rDev -0.7%

04-15-2013 22:12:05 | More by CelticAleMan

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +7.4%
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, Whiskey, vanilla, oak, corn, black licorice, dark cocoa, coffee, booze.

T - Sweet chocolate and caramel malts, Whiskey, vanilla, oak, corn, 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 finsh.

D - Great barrel aged stout. The Whiskey is present but also fairly mellow.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 00:03:53 | More by ngeunit1

claytong

Vermont

4.5/5  rDev +11.7%

04-14-2013 01:35:57 | More by claytong

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.95/5  rDev -2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | 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 - Chocolatey with a sustained bourbon character. Lots of sharp alcohol, maybe even that raw corn whiskey aroma, but I could be making that up because I know it's corn whiskey. Tough to discern.

Taste - Lots of harsh whiskey flavor. Harsh is a harsh term. It's still a nice barrel character. Sustains the corn whiskey character throughout, with just a bit of a sting in the back end. Chocolate, of course.

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

Overall - Interesting barrel character for sure, but not the most impressive.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 02:40:17 | More by Alieniloquium

bsuedekum

Missouri

4/5  rDev -0.7%

03-29-2013 19:54:29 | More by bsuedekum

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev -5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A big nose of corn whiskey. Lacey on black body. Smooth, drinker honeyish, syrupy.Chocolate (really cocoa), some burnt malt. Boozy a bit. Not bad and decent drinkability.Just an average imperial stout overall. Drying, a bit more so than the others I have had in the series.Bottle from Premier split with Liam.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 23:58:34 | More by northyorksammy

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.16/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to JAHMUR for sharing a bottle.

A: Black with crimson highlights under a finger of fine tan froth. Pretty good retention and lacing. Solid.

S: Hugely aromatic, but quite raw whiskey dominates. Booze, fresh oak, molasses, and marshmallow. Some chocolate and dark fruit. Enjoyable.

T: Follows the nose. Sweet malt, candied vanilla, corn whiskey, dates, marshmallow, and warming alcohol on the finish. Quite good.

M: Creamy medium body. Lively and substantial. Wonderful.

O: Good, but not as great as several other Eclipse variants I've had. I passed on buying a bottle for myself based on my tepid feelings about Corn Whiskey, so I'm really glad I got to try it. It turns out that I wouldn't have been disappointed had I pulled the trigger, but it's certainly not good enough for me to contemplate seeking out for a second sample.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 23:39:24 | More by woosterbill

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

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

Black with a tan head. Nose of corny bourbon, vanilla, sweet and sugary and quite distinct from the other variants sampled that evening. Flavourful bourbon on the palate, vanilla, brown sugar, light coconut and sweet corny bourbon moreso towards the late palate.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 22:43:28 | More by liamt07

mendvicdog

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -6.9%

03-10-2013 16:54:08 | More by mendvicdog

oline73

Maryland

4/5  rDev -0.7%

03-10-2013 05:50:20 | More by oline73

duceswild

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -6.9%

03-09-2013 20:48:22 | More by duceswild

smokeypeat

Maryland

4/5  rDev -0.7%

03-09-2013 17:17:51 | More by smokeypeat

Beerontwowheels

Maryland

4/5  rDev -0.7%

03-09-2013 14:55:51 | More by Beerontwowheels

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

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

Shared by myself and one of my bestest friends in tout de monde, chez Paul. The beer looks like an Eclipse stout. If you're not sure what I'm ranting about, consult any one of my other completely useless reviews of Eclipse beers.

Mellow corn? Are you for serious right now? Don't be trifling B.

I'm not sure what Sasquatch or pilgrims have to do with this beer, but I gotta say I'm not exactly feeling like this beer resembles anything Midwesterners slather in margarine and feast upon as if they were ground rodents.

Smooth and runny feel, like a sexy silky brunette goddess in clear heels perched in a moonlit motel window as she realizes she has to take a huge, runny dump.

I can't wait to drink the next Eclipse beer, which will almost certainly be crazy similar to this one. Hellz yeah.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 03:29:13 | More by Huhzubendah

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

3.65/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

2012 vintage shared with some friends.
Pours a solid black with a decent sized tan head that slowly dissipates. The aroma is roasty, chocolate, caramel, spices and coffee wrapped in a subtle but evident barrel treatment of vanilla, lots of ethanol and sweet bourbon whiskey. The flavor starts off sweet and malty with lots of roast, brown sugar, and chocolate. The barrel notes rush in with vanilla, whiskey, light wood to remind us that this is no ordinary stout. Lingering roasty alcohol lasts long after every sip. Thick body with a light level of carbonation and a sweet almost syrupy creamy mouthfeel. Mellow corn whiskey huh? We finished our tasting with this one. The corn whiskey has a huge presence in this beer, I would have preferred it a bit softer or mellowed.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 01:17:05 | More by johnnnniee

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.91/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Looks like an imperial stout, dark brown and black, this one seemed of an infantile amount lighter than the others. Usual wood and roast aroma, this one didn't impart nearly as much chocolate as say, EC20 does. Booziness came out a little more. Probably my least favorite aroma of any Eclipse beer.

Taste was a litte boozier than the others, beer seemed a little thinner. Vanilla and caramel notes. Roast was there, a little bitter. A sweetness that surpasses even the Rittenhouse version, which up to this point, was the sweetest of Eclipse beers IMHO. I don't get as much smoke/charred character on this one as the other Eclipse beers. Mouthfeel remains warm, not as much absorbtion of the alcohol. The roast and the chocolate are still there, but they remain in the background as the corn barrel seems to be driving this one. Carbonation is mild, allows for a creamier, smoother experience, but you just can't get passed the bitterness and heat without as prominent of flavors underlying it. You start to get adjusted to it a few ounces in. Still a very good beer, but given its massive rarity and whatnot, I think there are several better options of Eclipse to look into instead.

Serving type: on-tap

03-05-2013 21:16:29 | More by Beerandraiderfan

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.2/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

surprised this one doesn't have more allegiance on here. lovely stuff really, every bit as good as the elijah craig versions. the pour is inky black, motor oil in color but not that thick. looks the same as the others, with a patch tan head. the nose is sweeter from the honey like usual, but there is a different sweetness too, more pronounced, from the corn whiskey I can only assume, that isn't present in the others ive had. there is also that familiar toffee and licorice complex, nice. the flavor is awesome, vanilla and clover honey and a weird booze profile. woody and rich, tobacco notes in the finish and some bitter burnt barley to go with that sweetness from the honey. complex and gorgeous. alcohol seems stronger in this one, a little more burn, and maybe a little thinner too. carbonation is very relaxed, but the mouthfeel is still creamy and full bodied. this would make a fine dessert for any meal, and is absolutely a bottle to share at this price and this richness. possibly my favorite version of eclipse yet!

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 20:47:11 | More by StonedTrippin