Clipper City Heavy Seas Below Decks

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

Bottle. Pours a fairly light amber hue for this style which allows me to see many small floaties dispersed throughout the brew. I tried to stir them up a little, but they didn’t really move. It kind of reminded me of a gel candle. . .anyway, I’m not really expecting anything monumental from Clipper City. I do enjoy their brews as solid, clean, session-type drinks though. The nose on this is quite pleasing, it’s pretty much straight up English style barley wine aromas of bourbon, caramel, a few vinous notes. This is actually more robust than I was anticipating. It delivers a medium-heavy coat on my palate and is rich of dry, pruny flavors. It’s not too sweet, which can be a problem occasionally in this style. The finish is fairly quick for a barley wine, but suggests toasted brown sugar and a slight hint of banana. There’s one strange taste that’s slightly medicinal, like the sweetness in Nyquil, but it doesn’t ruin the beer. The hops are nearly non-existant and the alcohol is buried, this is just about the malts. I was content with this offering, given my expectations of a simple, but well rounded ale.

Below the Decks? --- Almost as good as On the Desk!.... nice quickly dissipating head; smells like vanilla, taste like carmel -- overtones reminiscant of cherries, yet salty in the finish. A drink that stays with you, but not something you could have everyday.

2006 Bottle. Dark red color. Foamy off white head. Aroma of candy sugar. Very slight aroma of cherries as well. Very sweet. Small bitterness in the distance on the palate.

Crystal red pour with dusty white head. Aroma is almost non-existant, just a touch of sweetness. Flavor is much the same, weak except for some slight sweetness and some alcohol. A watery BW?

The deep red body is topped by a large and lasting cream-colored head. The aroma is candied fruits, alcohol and a touch of phenols. Kind of fruitcake like actually. The flavor has a candy sweetness that is a little offputting.

Ruby brown, decent off-white ead. Nose is brown sugar, some fusels, a bit of piney hops and some fruit. Flavor is malt, alcohol, some hop. Not at all distinctive.

Red, small head. Malty aroma, hints of lemon, pepper. More big malt in the flavor, bitter but no hop flavor. Raisin, caramel, all that jazz. Not bad, but I wish I hadn’t bought a 4 pack. I may let it age a few years.

Hazy dark amber with a fairly large head, average lacing. Aroma is wood, caramel, some darker fruits and alcohol. Pretty bland even for an English style BW. However, it really started to come alive when I had a steak with szechuan peppercorns on it. 6/4/6/3/11 before, 6/4/7/3/13 after.