FiftyFifty Imperial Eclipse Stout - Hiram Walker / Christian Bros. Brandy Barrel

Formerly brewed at FiftyFifty Brewing Co.
Style: Imperial Stout
Truckee, California USA

Serve in Snifter

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dark caramel with mocha head. bitter roasted chocolate mixed with sweet notes. I think Brandy beers are generally my favorite BA treatment. This version seems pretty tame for brandy but still a solid beer. Just a little heat as it warms up in the glass.

2011 bomber (Burgandy wax), #773 from The Davis Beer Shoppe in Davis, CA. Poured into a DeMolen snifter. Pours very black with a large creamy/frothy tan head. Aromas of chocolate and brandy. Full bodied. Flavor is very chocolate, followed by a vinosity which clarifies into brandy. Then oak is noticeable. So the flavors tend to follow one another. Not a trace of heat. Very smooth. Damn it’s good.

Ap. pours a dark brown with no head and a micro pin stripe. Aro. Sweet brandy and chocolate.

Taste. Dark chocolate, brandy soaked cake, cherry.

Mouth. Full thick modest carb.

Overall: The Brandy sweetness worked with with the very roasty base beer.

UPDATED: JAN 4, 2012 Bottle number 1818 from gotmos. This was a nice surprise that Boris gave me shortly after NYE. Pours with a small head. My nose is bombarded by aroma particles hitting my nostrils hard with chocolates and mineral. Not overwhelming intense but a nice aroma. Flavor is well fermented just enough residual sugar to accent the cocoa that has a mix of strong beer without being overwhelming. This beer is actually pretty sweet but in the "I like and it’s not bad" domain. The flavor is so amazing. There is a nice bItterness that comes along for the ride. Again mix of good flavors without just strong flavors. This is after 4 solid hours of all kinds of alcohol. Not sure what that means.

Had many of the eclipse series together. This is the 2010 Vintage. Pours thick black with brown edges and a small bit of thin tan head. The nose has hints of smoke, a little meaty, notes of vegetables with light roasted malts and some fig and plum fruits in behind. The flavor is roasted malts, slightly vegital, sweet in back with lots of sugar. Medium body, a little thin in back, smooth feel and low carb. Off malts, overly sweet, smallest amount of barrel presence, weakest of all.

2011 bottle number 1585 thanks to billshmeinke. I am fairly certain that this also uses Christian Brother’s brandy and therefore should not be a new entry. Anyway. Black pour with a particularly large tan head that lasts. Aromas are big and fruity with wood, fudge, vinous notes, cola and vanillin. Flavors are nutty, toasty, roast, raisins, chocolate and cheap brandy (not quite E&J, but not too far off). Surprisingly lively carbonation, fuller bodied, and creamy. Not particularly warming.

Bottle… Fantômepalooza 2011… This beer rocks!… Pours dark brown with a small, bubbly, khaki head. The bouquet presents milk chocolate and black cherries layered upon vinous, woody funkiness. Full-bodied with a lightly creamy mouthfeel and laid-back carbonation. The flavor offers deeply roasted malts and dark chocolate intermingled with a nice brandy nuance. Finishes singed and bittersweet. Big-time thanks to richiesd for shipping this bottle from way out west!

Bottle shared at the big Hair of the Dog PreSale Tasting... Poured deep, black with a thin head. Thick and boozy, some licorice spice to it, bitter-sweet molasses, dark chocolate, and charred grains. Pretty awesome.

Pour dark brown black big brown tan head with good lace. Aroma honey, oak, wood, vanilla, chocolate, roast, caramel, light soy sauce, brandy. Taste oaky, brandy, wood, chocolate, hints of booze, roast, caramel, vanilla, dark fruits. MF full rich silky cream body light carb. Overall quite sweet and a ibt boozy but very good and barrel appears nicely.

Bottle @ chriso. Rating #8400. Pours a black color with a small tan head. Has a roasted malty chocoalte aroma with woody hints. Roasted malty chocolate flavor with some weak hints of oak. Has a roasted malty chocolate finish.