Clipper City Heavy Seas Below Decks

Brewed by Clipper City Brewing Co.
Style: Barley Wine
Baltimore, Maryland USA

Clear copper appearance with a large off white head and little lacing. Caramel malt aroma, layered with dark fruit and resinous hops. Fruity, malty, decently hopped taste hides the relatively high abv pretty well. Nicely balanced, full bodied, well carbonated mouthfeel with a dry, lingering finish. This is a beer that I have followed from its infancy, when it was first introduced (in a sixtel) at a local beer dinner, through many 4 packs at home, many local sightings on tap, to this last bottle that has reached the twilight of its underrated life. I think balance, and drinkability, was the key that the brewer was looking for in a style that could go over the top in many directions. It was well constructed, fairly complex and affordable. It exemplified the the oft used phrase "think globally, drink locally". Hugh, I salute you.

THOUGHTS: Smells al ot better than it tastes. Boy, I do love barley wines. I might have to switch my favorite syle from imperial stout to barley wine, because even sub-par ones like this are enjoyable to me. Even if it’s just to smell them. Not the best barley wine. I don’t know if laying this one down for a while would help. I don’t see to much potential here. But also way better when warmer. Orangy and hoppy flavors. Also much better on the second one. After the second I thought that maybe there was some potential there. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a dark, orange red with a small, off-white head that mostly diminished and left fair lacing. The aroma was moderate to heavy caramel malt, orange and either toffee or butterscotch a bit of alcohol and maybe some apple and cherry. The initial flavor was lightly to moderately sweet and moderately bitter, while the finish was moderately sweet heavily bitter and sort of salty. The body was medium to full and dry with fizzy carbonation and a metallic and lightly alcoholic finish.

By far this is the most unenjoyable barleywine I’ve had.Pours a nice copper color , the end.Hard to drink cold had to wait till it warmed.This was medicine like.Kind of hard to get down ur throat.The finish lingered in the back of my throat for too long the alcohol was hidden well.

for a 11% this as pretty good beer. its a punch in the face but its not undrinkable. has allot of the same tastes as a dubblebock. very thick with hints of candy.

Rated 7/11/07. 2006 Vintage. Color can only be described as a reddish-brown with hints of purple. Small white film for a head that leaves behind a micro film of lacing. Aroma is heavily geared towards dark malt, with some dark red fruits and a bit of oak. The alcohol is detectable on the nose. The flavor is very malty, with plenty of brown sugar and dark fruit. The alcohol is obvious, but not excessive. The beer has a thick, sticky mouthfeel, but it goes down pretty smooth. Overall, this is a pretty good beer, but I think it needs some time to chill. I might go back and buy some more to cellar for another year or two to see how it mellows.

The Dan Journal #69. Tasted 1/14/2007. 12oz bottle 2006 vintage. Filtered and lively. Bronze hue with a finger width of ff-white head. Malty nose with hints of toffee. Full bodied and rich. Smooth with a nice vanilla sweetness. Potent burn. Warming. Mild notes of tart red fruits and cocoa. Finish is spicy and peppery hop flavors. Slight citrus note in the finish. Good, but needs to mellow.

Dark red translucent body with a quarter inch of off-white head. Smells like caramel malt with strong hints of alcohol. Tastes sweet, with biscuit and caramel malts playing a strong role. Slightly alcoholic on the finish, as well as having a slight hint of hops. Syrupy and creamy in its thickness. Predictably not as drinkable as many other beers, but more drinkable than some other examples of the style. A pretty solid beer, and a decent barley wine.

bottle from 2006- alcohol is stated as 10%. I agree this is a very underated beer. 2 finger head that disapates to a nice 2 inch film, good lacing. very smooth tasting barley wine