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

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

Pours a dark, slightly hazy golden amber/chestnut brown color with a thin fizzy yellow head that quickly fades. Not much in the way of lacing. Bland aroma with some slightly roasted malt notes, subtle hops and sweet alcohol. Nicely balanced medium body with some caramel malt and hazelnut countering a bitter earthy hop presence. The hop bitterness is pretty tame and not too overpowering but lasts throughout. The ABV is pretty well masked with only some slight alcohol warmth.

It’s nice to have a winter seasonal that strays away from the more traditional bocks and heavily spiced beers. This IPA pours a dark copper with some red highlights and a creamy, lasting eggshell head. Strong citrus aroma with some grapefruit and pine as well as a whiff of malt. Lower end of the medium body spectrum, but there is some active carbonation. More hops in the taste, very bittering all the way to the finish. Not as agressive as I would expect from a 2IPA, but I think it’s held together nicely. This one really needs to be warmed to get the malt to kick in and balance it. Alcohol is hidden well. Not really a double in my book, but still pretty good.

Pours hazy orange amber with a thin off-white head. Aroma is outdated hops and caramel. Taste is slightly off, bottle is definitely past date. Medium body, funky finish, need to rerate.

12oz bottle. Pours a deep, clear copper with russet and orange highlights. It pours up a smallish, light tan head that fades quickly into a very thin ring - but it leaves lots of lace on the glass. The aroma is thick - a pleasant combination of chewy, caramel malts and resiny, earthy, fruity hops. The flavor starts bittersweet with delectable malts - lots of caramel, some biscuit, and a touch of chocolate. The hops provide a nice background of subtle, flowery bitterness - but the front of the palate says this beer is more malt forward. The are tasty, fruity, English esters in there that strengthen towards mid-palate (and as the beer warms). The middle of the tongue finds more fruit and esters in the overall malt flavor, and a firm bitterness makes itself present. The finish is full of biscuits and dark toast along with some notes of caramel and English hops. The mouthfeel is quite nice - medium-full in body with a moderate level of carbonation. Overall, this is a pretty darn good beer.

This beer was dark orange, and decent looking. Smelled like nothing and tasted weird. I guess I don’t understand the point of an imperial ESB, why not just make a good ESB? Why does everything have to be "Imperial"? It tasted alcoholic and sweet. This beer was not my bag. Serving type: bottle Reviewed on: 09-05-2007 16:09:00

Pours a nice crisp dark copper with a very thin though long lasting off white head. Aroma is lots of caramel, toffee, toast, grain, floral and citrus hops, a touch of pine and alcohol. A fine start to the beer. Flavor is sweet malt, a little toast, alcohol, a little tangy fruit, maple leaf. Finish is pretty uneventfull, sort of fruity, burnt sugar and slight bitterness, the beer kind of fades with very little change in flavor or depth. Palate is thin and oily then dry. I am not sure I have ever had anything billed as an Impy ESB, but this stuff is confusing, sort of a highly hopped Barleywine Light. I think it would go fantastically with a greasy pulled pork sandwich or 3 though.

Bottle. Pours with a frothy root beer head, and a thick reddish brown color. Lots of hops on the nose, quite tangy, like a zinger. The taste is full of malt and quite bitter, with a decent bitter finish. Fairly straightforward flavor with the alcohol showing. I’m not usually a fan of bitter/malty beers, but this one is fairly pleasant [many such beers leave too long abitter, dry finish in my mouth to enjoy]. This is nice but not really my favorite style. I can see the grapefruit and melon notes some are detecting, but not the other subtleties. And it is somewhat sweet, especially once you let it warm up a bit.

Pours out a ruby amber color forming very little head. Aroma of malts, hops with a nice pine flavor. A very typical American Strong Ale. Clipper City produces another great beer product. Good beer folks!