Clay Pipe Pursuit of Happiness

Formerly brewed at Clay Pipe Brewing Co.
Style: American Strong Ale
Westminster, Maryland USA

Serve in Snifter, Trappist glass

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Wow, really fresh and vivid hops in the nose... the munich malt is certainly noticeable, and the crystal malt of course is there as well. Vibrant and fresh hops up front mixed with chewiness that turns more sweet like maple and brown sugar over the middle and into a sticky sweet finish, with the hops petering out out a quick grassy bite in the finish, leaving a lingering malt syrup coating over the mouth. Interesting, and very drinkable, but nothing spectacular.

Bottle, 2004, shared by ryan. Pours with little to no head, rusty light brown. Light citrus, spice, and raisins in the aroma. Bready, and a little cakey. Slight sweetness and some cinnamon. Lighter to medium body. Not bad.

Bottle, 2004, shared by ryan. Pours clear tawny with a small, fizzy beige head, short retention with light lacing. Aroma is heavy malt (bread, caramel, toasted), average hops (floral, grassy), and average esters (apple/pear) with notes of wood, alcohol, dates, and honey. Flavor is heavy malt (cookie, caramel, toasted), average hops (floral, grassy, citrus), and average esters (apple/pear) with notes of wood, alcohol, dates, and honey. Full body, medium warmth and carbonation, low creaminess with a dry finish.

2004 bottle courtesy of ryan, thank you sir! Murky dep amber color, lots of floaties. Aroma of scotch, caramel, light spice. Taste is very malty, on the sweet side, light spice. Decent.

Bottle. Pours an orange golden body with a white head and light lacing. Sweet with caramel and citrus malt tones. A bit sweet and light honey and citrus, candied sweetness and a light warming. A bit dull with a toasted malt undertone. Alright.

Wow. What a magnificent change from the norm of winter warmers! Pours a hazy particulate suspended burnt amber with fading khaki head. This one forgoes the nutmeg and spices in favor of a honey and citrus hop. Huge underlying caramel backbone lends excellent support. This is superbly well complemented, the hops and the malt, but not blended. Each side shines through. And the alcohol is hidden very well. Nice job guys. I’ll definitely pick this up next year!

bottle, pours light amber with a strong sweet hop nose. Super sweet bread, like sticky buns and light bitterness in the finish

Location: 12 oz bottle from Wine and Beer Westpark, 12/12/09

Aroma: The nose is rather hoppy and fruit, with some orange, apricot, and grapefruit along with toffee and caramel
Appearance: Pours a somewhat clear copper-amber color with a thin white head that leaves a good amount of lace
Flavor: Maltier then the nose, sweet citrus and malts dominate up-front, bitter backing leading to a good balance
Palate: This beer is medium bodied with moderate carbonation, a nice, somewhat sticky mouthfeel, and a long finish
Overall Impression: I live in MD, this beer is from MD, and I bought this one in VA? Well, sometimes it just works out that way. I’m pretty sure this isn’t my first time drinking this one, but I didn’t remember it well enough to know for sure. Smells almost like a nice IPA, doesn’t really seem to have the spice components common in your usual winter warmer brew, but still a nice aroma. Taste is more balance, but still very nice. I can’t say for sure how I would classify this, not really totally a winter warmer or an IPA, but somewhere in between, guess that is how it ended up in the ambiguous: "American Strong Ale." Also, I’m surprised to learn this one is over 8%, as it doesn’t feel that way at all.

Lightly hoppy nose with a bit of spice and malt. Amber color with white head. Like a mildy hopped up amber with a touch of spice. The hops carry all the way through lingering at the end with an earthy/fruity finish. A decent winter warmer, I’d have another.

Bottle: Poured a dark amber with a nice head. The aroma was sweet malts, dark fruit, caramel and a winter spice. The flavor was hoppy, sweet, dark fruit, caramel, toffee, citrus, malts, and orange. Overall, this one surprised me and I’m excited to say it was quite tasty.

12 oz bottle courtesy of Beerlando. Thanks, Bryan! Pours a nice dark orange copper, small whitish head that dies to a film and clings to the corners of the glass, light haze. Aromas are a good mix of caramel, toffee, orange marmalade and candied fruit, a touch of citrusy and floral hop, toasty malts underneath and a touch of maraschino cherry. Initial is medium bodied, toasty and a bit soapy, cereal and decent hoppy floral bitterness. Caramel, toffee, a touch fruity. The bitterness is quite sufficient, the sweetness not out of control. This is fairly well balanced, alcohol not too bad, and if this were a style of my liking, it would be quite nice. Cheers.