Clipper City Heavy Seas Loose Cannon Hop3

Brewed by Clipper City Brewing Co.
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Baltimore, Maryland USA

A very nice IPA! It combines a nice med-light body and refreshing drinkability with a full hop blast. Primarily the hops seem resiny, with some citrus in there somewhere. Some bready malts. Flavor is intensely resiny and tingly. Medium bitter finish, clean caramelly malts. Nothing amazing here, just a good hoppy ale. Appealing amber color with fluffy head.

Pours a translucent amber-orange under a dense half-inch durable white head. Leaves thick rings of lacing along the sides of the snifter. Intense, rich hop aromas fill the nose. Like walking through a pine forest. Initially a huge blast of crushed fresh pine needles, followed by aromas of grapefruit rind, apple and Juicy Fruit gum. Mouthfeel is complemented by a solid fine carbonation and a smooth creaminess. The taste is not as bitter as one would expect considering all the hop aroma. A nice balance of sweet honey/caramel malt is noticed along with a moderate bitter flavor of pine, orange, pepper and grapefruit from the hops. A pleasant, well balanced bitter-sweet finish The aroma of this IPA alone makes it worth a try. Well done!!

Copper color with a small white head. Strong floral hop aroma, almost smells like a flower shop. Sweet hoppy grapefruit flavor. Very drinkable.

Excellent beer to have as #1300, great IPA, very enjoyable, deep copper color with a nice & soft off-white head, very floral nose with lots of hops & spices, full-bodied, smooth & dangerously drinkable, lots of hops in the flavors but balanced very nicely with a strong malty backbone, subtle notes of peach & grapefruit, lots of dry citrusy notes in the finish, a little bit of alcohol in the aftertaste as well, can’t wait to enjoy another one, and hopefully another 1300!

Bottle. Pours copper amber in color with a small, lively pure white head. The aroma is very floral and phenolic, almost giving you the ability to taste the hops by smelling. This beer is a true hop head’s delite. It has a citrusy start and a floral finish. A really good IPA.

Sampled at the Pizza Port 9th Strong Ale Festival, at the "ratebeer" table, thanks to whomever brought this. Hops were nicely under control here, nice fruity malt character is balanced by floral hops. I hardly ever pass up a DUIPA, this was a very good one.

Some rate from memory. Some from notes. Some from who knows where. Notes here and far closer to frontal labotomy than bottle in front of me which makes me quite sad as I enjoyed this one a lot. Have had mixed experience with Clipper City and glad to have a couple that surpassed the previous lot. This one in particular was very well balanced which, having as much bitterness as it does is saying this is a job well done. Here’s to more in this vein.

Cask: I was very impressed with this beer. Very nice-looking, dark yellow-orange body with a lush head. Very fresh, crisp hops in flavor/aroma. Great overall balance. I’d like to have this beer available around here, but I think I’d prefer it on cask rather than with more carbonation. Nice.