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

Wow, I expected this to be a run-of-the-mill winter ale. What I got was one of the best beers I’ve quaffed all year. The pour was deep copper with a 2-finger off-white head. The aroma is bready caramel malts, huge resiny hops, honeydew, tangerine, and spices. The flavor was caramel malty with gigantic hops and some mid-palate brown sugary citrus, including grapefruit, tangerine, and pineapple. Very complex, dense palate. This one is absolutely delicious. You need this!

Poured coppery chestnut brown, creamy tan head with staying power and nice lace. Aromas of alcohol, herbal hops, malt and metal. Wonderful full-bodied taste, heavy on malt and hops, with alcohol showing through. Great mouthfeel. Reminded me why they make IPAs.

Sampled this at the Great Decatur Beer Tasting Festival. Imperial ESB, what a great concept! Medium amber in color. Malt aromas. Rich bitter finish. Great house beer that needs to be casked!!

Pours reddish-orange with a bitter orange zest aroma, serious hops are apparent. Wow, wet, refreshing hops. a mouthful of bitterness. ESB in this bottle means Extremely Severe Bitter! Nice warming burn all the way down. Slight sweet malt taste with notes of caramel and a wee bit heavy. Clipper City hits the mark again.

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.

Actually smells a bit like the ocean at first, before settling into an oaky, malty aroma. Hop, malt, alcohol and nut flavor. Clean hop aftertaste also reminds me of the sea (probably just me), with a slight alcohol kick. Lacing is present. Excellent hop flavor which intensifies a bit as you finish. A real nice find.

Pours a dark brown with amber highlight. The head is about a 1/4 inch in height, an fades quickly to a thin cap and ring, leaving behind a nice webbing of lace. Smell; very nice spicy and citric hops are very dominant, but this also has a nice biscuity malt aroma in the background. Taste; citric and floral hops are upfront, but do not come off as overpowering. The toasted/biscuity malts do a very good job of balancing out the hop bitterness. Very nice, this is a beer that is good to savor, but would also be good to have a few of in a night. Mouthfeel/Drinkability; mouthfeel is medium bodied with a moderate carbonation, and a great drinkability. If this were available near me, I would make it a regular in the beer fridge for the winter months.

Clear copper appearance with a large tan head and very good lacing. Floral hop aroma along with some pine in the background. Spiciness more prominant in the cask conditioned version, but still noticable when served from the bottle. Earthy, bitter, affably hopped flavors take a turn to the sweeter side as it nears the finish. Well balanced, medium-to-full bodied, decently carbonated mouthfeel. Enjoyable, well crafted, interesting take on the style.