Clipper City Heavy Seas Big DIPA

Brewed by Clipper City Brewing Co.
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Baltimore, Maryland USA

Bottle at Papsø’s - Thanks to CaptainCougar. Clear amber - white head. Nice hoppy, toasted, berries, caramel, sweetness, sweet malty, light alcoholic, sharpness, earthy, light mould, wood - forrest. Very nice.

Steady and thick off-white head; two-fingers thick. Clear with a neutral amber color. Good ring lace. Earthy and hoppy nose. Overall, well-balanced aroma. Pine and citrus notes. The taste has more alcohol warmth than I expected based on the smell. Great hop as a counterbalance. Borderline extreme. The body is as I expected. With the alcohol level, I couldn’t have many of them, but I am enjoying this one.

22oz from Sturgyks in Minneapolis. Yar! This pirate’s a little like the dread pirate Roberts from "Princess Bride". Devilish, charming and duplicitous...but half hearted and ultimately less than it claims. The colour and appearance in the glass look fine, copper with thin lacing. The aroma is assertive and complex. But on tasting this IIPA packs less of a punch that expected. The roasted malt jumps out before the hops take over...it’s almost as if they are two different components that aren’t really directly linked. The hops also don’t linger as long as some other top IIPA’s. But I am nitpicking somewhat. The palate is very good and the malt is very enjoyable, even though the hops seem less than expected. So it’s a very good IIPA but not a top notch one. No mutiny here but this is Captain Jack Sparrow, not Black Beard.

Sharp hop aroma. Clear orange color with a large white head. Sharp bitterness in the beginning with a sweet finish. alcohol burn in the end.

Pours a copper amber with a one finger sandstone head. The nose is resinous, citrusy, mango, some phenolic notes, mild alcohol, and sweet malty/caramelly notes. Flavor is three but no that distinctive. Sweet malt character with some citrus rind bitterness. Not much complexity.

WOW! This beer packed a lot of complex flavor into 22 oz bottle. Poured an orangey brownish color with creamy colored head. Could definitely smell the hops among other things. First couple of sips were very thick and creamy almost a stout feel across the tongue but very smooth. Caramel, citrus, mild spicy flavors popped out as the beer went down. Veyr impressive beer!

22 oz bottle. Misty pale brown with a patchy off-white haze. Nose is orange, pineapple and caramel. Almost full body with a slight tingle. Taste is candied orange peel, honey and pine. Spicy finish with subdued bitterness. Surprised this was over 10%.

22oz bomber poured into a tulip. Pours a deep, clear amber with a small soapy beige head that recedes to a small collar and leaves no lacing. The aroma is heavy on astringent citrus hops with lots of oranges and grapefruits. A big sugary sweetness is also present as well as some caramel. The taste is more of the same with a large sweet citrus presence up front that gives way to a sugary sweet malt backbone and a finish that is only slightly bitter. There’s a sticky sweetness that lingers for a while after each sip. The mouthfeel is medium bodied but still seems almost syrupy with the sweetness dominating. This is a big, sweet DIPA that doesn’t really deliver the hop profile that I was expecting. The sweet malts are the main feature in this one with the only hops being of the sweet citrus variety - this all limits the drinkability a tad.