Clipper City Heavy Seas Winter Storm (2005+ -- Imperial ESB)

Brewed by Clipper City Brewing Co.
Style: American Strong Ale
Baltimore, Maryland USA

This bottled brew from Indianapolis, IN poured a small sized head of foamy finely sized mostly lasting yellow white colored bubbles that left behind a transparent light brown colored softly carbonated body and a fair lacing. The aroma contained malt hop mild brown malt notes. The crisp mouth feel was strongly tingly from the hops. The flavor contained strong hops under a malt backing.

4/25/08 notes: poured from bottle. Pours with a burnt-orange color and a greenish tan head. Aroma is of hops, grass, malts and fruit. Robust and delicious. Prominent malty flavor with some citrus notes and hops to balance. Sticky mouthfeel with a semi-sweet, well balanced finish. As the style ASA suggests, this beer lacks firm membership to a specific style, which I felt hurts my rating of it, however, perhaps a good comparison beer is Souther Tier’s IPA, just maltier.

dark brown with white head, flavor of strobg caramal malt with a nicely balanced bitter hop aspect. ends of tasting more like a barley wine, I’m not sure that an imperial esb exists

Mild hop aroma. Clear orange color with some floaters and a small tan head. Bitter hops dominate the taste fading slowly in the finish. Creamy palate.

12 oz. bottle into pint glass. Nice transparent honey brown/amber pour with creamy bubbly off-white head with sticky lacing and soft carbonation. Very sweet and fresh earthy hop aroma. Flavor is of a slow starting, but ultimately potent grapefruit and pine hop finish; the alcohol is well hidden. Medium bodied on the palate with a nice bitter drag; soft with the perfect amount of carbonation. Overall: really good. Why have so few people rated this? [RE-RATE] Just as good. Very easy going stuff with good character and no flaws.

Pours a muddy brown with a beige head that leaves a fairly good amount of lacing. Carmely aroma with malts and all that nice stuff. Taste is hoppy, sweet, caramely, with a bitter finish. I got some molasses at the front. Texture is a little syrupy.

Poured a nice head and has a floral, hoppy nose with hints of nutmeg. Flavor is strong and malty, but not too strong to be offensive. A decent complete beer with a fun label to match.

Bottle. Pours deep amber with a beige head. Aroma has toast, caramel and earthy hops. Medium body. The flavor is caramel malt, toasted bread, earthy and citrusy hops. Pretty good.