FiftyFifty Imperial Eclipse Stout - Elijah Craig 12 Year Barrel

Brewed by FiftyFifty Brewing Co.
Style: Imperial Stout
Truckee, California USA

Serve in Snifter

send corrections   |   shelftag   |   edit barcodes   |   update pic

Sample from 2011 and 2012 vintages at the 5th Annual Coldest Day of the Year Stout Tasting on 01/26/2013: Pours dark brown with a medium thin beige head that diminishes steadily to a film. Patchy lacing on the glass. Aroma of bourbon, vanilla and chocolate. Full-bodied with flavors of oaky vanilla, bourbon and dark chocolate. The finish is burnt malt and bourbon. Good overall.

Split a 22oz bottle of the 2012 or 2011 (Purple?) vintage three ways. This poured a dark black color, with a dark tan head. Aroma was sweet and roasted notes - barrel, booze. Bourbon character, vanilla, some barrel in there. Very nice, subtle, subdued flavors, very smooth drinking - vanilla, chocolates, no harsh notes around the edges here.

UPDATED: DEC 26, 2009 Draft @ FiftyFifty, 2009 Elijah Craig version. Pours a very dark, chocolate-brown color; medium-brown head (thin) with attractive fine-bubbled lacing. Pleasantly oily, charred malts and dark chocolate in the aroma; tempered alcohol, warming, lots of dried dark fruits; I don’t see much difference from previous renditions. Dense, oily, full mouthfeel: lots of pepper, dark chocolate, and dried dark fruits; some lovely oily and inkiness; relaxed carbonation; just enough bite to this - a solid vintage of an excellent beer. Medium finish: dark fruits, chocolate, nicely toasty, hidden alcohol at the end. 8.4.8.5.16=4.1

22oz bottle. Pours a very dark, chocolate-brown color; minimal light; medium tan head with fine-bubbled lacing; solid pour. Lots of milk and dark chocolate, roasted / toasty malts, and a very soft, vanilla-laden bourbon / woody character in the nose; very nice, soft bourbon-aged imperial stout nose; some spicy, toasty graham cracker notes. Full mouthfeel: loads of dense, generous milk chocolate, roasted / burnt malts, and nougat upfront; roasted coffee, dense, chewy milk chocolate, and plenty of vanilla-tinged, chewy soft bourbon presence; really pleasant, soft bourbon presence with some buttery vanilla and sweet brown sugar; excellent barrel character; soft edges. Slightest show of warmth. Excellent, oily presence in the mouth. Lengthy finish: oily milk and dark chocolate, roasted malts, coffee, and warming alcohol; toasty malts and coffee at the far end. 8.4.9.4.16=4.1

22 oz bottle, 2011. Dark brown with spotty bubbles and lacy rings. Nose is bourbon, dark chocolate, peppery oak and molasses. Body is substantial and hot but not pushing it in either case. Delicate prickly carb lightens and lingers. Taste like the nose with the mellow bourbon set off beautifully against the rich chocolate and molasses. Hints of coconut and raisin. Delish.

UPDATED: APR 29, 2010 Waxed bomber, courtesy of kiefdog, pours deep dark brown with almost no head. The aroma is a bit mild with notes of caramel, molasses, fairly strong levels of bourbony booze, some oak, dark roastiness and some chocolate. The taste is rich thick smooth velvety YUM with sweetness running from molasses to caramel to malts. The barrel notes do a good job cover up most of the base beer goodnesss. I get firm assertive bourbon and a bit of oak from midway and into the finish. Less barrel time would have been nice.

22oz bottle, #2504, pours a lightly viscous, opaque black with some clumpy beige head. Nose is coconut, vanilla, brown sugar, cake icing, chocolate, caramel. Flavor is sweet, brown sugar, malty, coconut, chocolate, cake icing, caramel, a little wood. Lots of vanilla. Full bodied, sweet, very smooth finish. Nice.

Bottle 65cl. @ Papsoes blindtasting. [ Bottle #6. ]
Clear dark black brown color with a small to average, frothy, good lacing, mostly diminishing, light beige head. Aroma is heavy malty, roasted, burnt, coconuts, light to heavy chocolate - coffee, light to moderate hoppy, moderate alcohol - bourbon. Flavor is heavy sweet and bitter with a long duration, vanilla, bourbon, alcohol warm finish. Body is medium to full, texture is oily - creamy and sticky, carbonation is soft, finish feel is moderate alcoholic. [20100327]

Poured from a 22 ounce bomber, thanks to Doug. Lots going on here. The aroma has hot alcohol notes, toffee, bourbon. The flavor is burnt sugar, honey, vanilla, chocolate, bourbon. Am amazing RIS, one of my favorites. Nice dry finish.

Bomber graciously shared by BigSound. Cheers, Henri! Pours a wonderful stout brown with a tan head. Nose is bourbon, sweet molasses, brown sugar, wood, vanilla, rum-soaked raisins, and some milk chocolate. Flavor is similar with very sweet, very chocolate and molasses flavors throughout. This one is balanced more toward the barrel, but still really nice as the stout dances back with notes of chocolate and cafe con leche. Very enjoyable.

2009 vintage, purple wax, Elijah Craig (note: man these entries are confusing). Bottle number 880. Thanks to Eric for this beauty. Pours a totally viscous black with a small white head. The aroma is huge bourbon, rich, woody and intense. The flavor is awesome; vanilla, bourbon, huge kick of barrel here, some dark roasted flavor and fruit. This is all about a great barrel treatment. Wonderful.