FiftyFifty Imperial Eclipse Stout - Heaven Hill Rye Barrel

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

Serve in Snifter

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2010 bomber, #?47.. first number is scratched. Poured deeper brown with a very nice cap of smoked tan head.. looked great in the glass! The aroma picked up sweet honey, vanilla, and ashy malts, with peppery rye and charred oak accents.. it singed the nose hairs a bit, but it wasn’t too hot.. loved it! The flavor opened with tangy whiskey splashed over a hit of oak.. warm honey, molasses, and vanilla-kissed chocolates rolled in behind.. charred ashy malts, vanilla, and rye whiskey dominate the back-end.. fairly sweet finish with an excellent wash of belly-warming, peppery boozage. Medium-plus bodied with just enough carbonation on the palate.. balance was spot-on.. decadent and delicious!

650ml bottle purchased from Beer Craft. 2012 Vintage. Wonderful barrel taste, and well balanced subtle flavors. An excellent cigar beer.

UPDATED: JAN 19, 2012 Big thanks to James for getting this one to me. Dark green wax bottle shared with the Brick Store crew. The pour is dark, dark brown, not quite completely black, with a small mocha head that recedes quickly to a thin collar. The aroma is excellent - rye whiskey makes its presence felt but don’t overwhelm the underlying beer. Those aromas are dark chocolate, roasted malts and hints of dark fruit. Throw in some vanilla, coconut and tobacco. The taste is just sublime, with all kinds of flavors coming together perfectly. There’s chocolate, coffee and dark malts with the rye whiskey complementing. The interesting characteristics in the taste are the tobacco and leather that come through a bit in the finish. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with soft carbonation and not nearly as charred or super-sweet as some other impy stouts. The drinkability is off-the-charts for an impy stout. The barrel character is completely integrated into the well-balanced underlying beer. This is right up there with the Pappy from last year as one of the best BA beers I’ve ever tasted. Gorgeous.

Bottle courtesy of mfielden. Pours a murky pitch black color with thin creamy tan head. Aroma is intoxicating: whiskey, chocolate, toffee, molasses, vanilla, wood, brown sugar, sweet malty goodness. Flavor is even more impressive -- malty and chocolaty with boozy whiskey notes and sweet caramel, toffee, brown sugar notes. Medium to full body with a boozy malt finish. One of the best bottled barrel aged beers we have had-- a true treat.

this was quite the beer. 50 50’s best to date, and that included the worthy EC version of this stout. what puts this one over the top are the aroma and dryer finish. aroma very complex- vanilla, wood, whiskey. the hops still come through a little in the aroma and flavor. sweet tasting but not overly so. less hot and a touch smoother than the EC version. Nice, dry finish adds a level of complexity. This is a local beer that can hang with some of the big boys."

Picked up a bottle while on my recent visit. Just amazingly stunning. I’m so happy that this place exists and it’s on my way to Reno, beacuse it’s now a routine that while on the way, I stop. Hell, sometimes I’ll head over there since it’s a short drive and just enjoy the beer while I’m staying in Reno. Anyways, the beer....

The beer rushes from the bottle a deep, deep black (motor oil) with a nice thick tan head. The liquid coats the glass with a soy sauce like color...caramel brown as it drips down...amazing appearance. Aroma is serious business. Tons and tons of decadent chocolate, mocha, Tootsie Rolls, burnt sugar/molasses, vanilla and of course...whiskey.

Flavor was equally strong, just as decadent and so f’n good. Dark chocolate/mocha goodness, a touch of vanilla and whiskey, molasses and dark fruits, some wood...

Some beers are not worth the glass they are put in while others exceed it and one feels like they are stealing something beautiful from the brewer it’s so damned good. This is one of those times where a $20 bottle seems like Blue Light Special deal because it’s sooo amazing.

2011, bottle #21, location secret so as to be able to find more down the road. Pours onyx with a finger or so of well retained brown head. Nose is chocolate and patent malts, oaky rye whisky, molasses, plum, prune, blackberry, port, cognac. Complex nose. Tastes very smooth, velvety (black velvet if you please), with heavy choc and patent malts, cacao, mollases, plum, prune, blackberry, and a complex finish. Gets a bit hot late, but stays very smooth and silky throughout. This one is very good, and the rye works well with this style.

Waxed bomber pours deep dark brown with almost no head. The aroma is a bit mild tossing up pleasing notes of caramel, molasses, semi sweet whiskey, caramel covered oak, dark roastiness and some chocolate. The taste is rich thick smooth velvety YUM with sweetness running from molasses to caramel to malt to sweet sweet smooth whisky. Those notes are bordered by mild caramel dipped oak. Wonderful rich smooth goodness. The barrel treatment was at just the right level to allow all the yummy beer flavors to compliment and shine on there own.

Bottle (#738 vintage 2010) at Papsø’s - Thanks. Black - brown head. Licorice, fruity, grainy notes, wooden, berries, chocolate, sweetness, wooden, bread, caramel, toffee, light vanilla, whiskey. Nice.

Holy mackarel. Huge thanks to IBrew2or3 for sharing this one- bottle number 1623. Pours red brown with a slight tan head. Nose is whiskey, honey, chocolate, some booze, vanilla, and coffee. Flavor is similar with lots of heaven and whiskey along with vanilla, chocolate, roasted malts, and balance. Medium bodied and very nice.