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

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

Another solid brew from CC. Crisp and floral, a lively golden-hued ESB. It’s closer in many ways to a hoppy golden ale than even an impy ESB. Sweet with abundant malts, this is an enjoyable beer I’ll happily sample again.

poured dark amber, very thin head. smell is overwhelming of hops, but taste is slightly more on the malt side with some sweetness. i personally think it tastes like dogfish 90 minute. not a bad brew from clipper city

From bottle : Very clear amber pour with finger of white head. Very pine hoppy aroma and a hoppy and some maltyness taste. Semi-bitter, but very smooth and enjoyable.

Blah...An imperial ESB? This was too sweet to be called that. Aroma of malt and a tad of grassy hops. Pour was a medium gold with no head. Taste was very sweet with little carbonation. Sugar and sweet malt in the front with just a bit of hops in the aftertaste...not enough to balance this out.

Bottle. Pine hops and caramel malt aroma. Dark amber color with large tan head and nice lacing. Moderate piney hops flavor - light caramel malt. Nice hoppy beer - basically what I’d expect an "Imperial ESB" to taste like - a malty I2PA.

12 ounce bottle in pint glass. Reddish amber color with lasting light brown head and lace. Hoppy yeasty winey aroma. Mild malty caramel flavor with well-balanced hop finish, both bitter and flavorful. Lingering hop flavor. Medium body and carbonation. Pretty darn excellent. Too bad its not available year round. Could be a regular.

Pours dark reddish amber with a mostly receding light tan head. Aroma of fruity, resinous hops, citrus, toffee, and alcohol. Taste is sweet, hoppy and resinous with citric, piney, and toffee notes. Mouthfeel is full bodied and resinous with lush carbonation. Nice to see some English hops in an ASA.

Fresh Winter 2007 batch. Clear, dark reddish-amber body with crimson highlights. A minimal, cream colored head quickly dissipates to a thin, wispy film with a small, foamy edge. Random dots of lace cover the glass. The aroma shows resinous, piney hops over a toasted caramel malt base. Grapefruit is also present, though a bit muted. The flavor is comprised of a very smooth, toasty caramel base, with resinous and citrus hops, and just a touch of chocolate malts. The hops are really fresh tasting and considerably potent. Really well balanced. Medium-light bodied and very smooth, almost creamy. Pretty nice brew! I can see this one going down hill pretty quickly, so its definitely best consumed as fresh as possible.