Clipper City Heavy Seas Red Sky At Night

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

This saison pours a light gold color from a 12 oz bottle. Small white foamy head. Aroma is banana, cloves, grainy and sweet. A medium bodied saison. Malts are fruity and banana. Touches of barnyard. Lots of banana and clove esters. Light and refreshing. Smooth taste. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and crisp. Aftertaste is slightly sweet. Thanks to the Atlanta crew for sharing this one.

Bottle. More like a hefe. Hazy orange body spices yes, but lots of fruity esters banana, citrus orange, pear. Decent beer but far from a saison.

This bottled brew from a bottle shop marked best before 8/06 poured a medium sized head of foamy finely sized white colored bubbles that was long lasting and left behind a transparent typically carbonated yellow-orange colored body. The pungent aroma was malty and spicy like pepper. The mouth feel was tingly at the start and at the finish. The strange flavor contained notes of malt hops and spices. Not one that I would likely buy again.

Straw-colored pour, lightly active, tiny head. Clearly evident corriander-yeast aroma. Tangy mouthfeel. Sweet and tangy fruit-based flavor with an almost pear-like finish. <<Rerated from draft and after more experience ... this is a yellow-golden brew with a big stark yeasty aroma. Thick and viscous for a Saison ... now that I know it’s 8% ABV (gulp), this fits ... grapey, sweet and alcoholy. Good beer if not a bit over the top for a "saison" >>

Slightly hazy gold color with a small white head and nice lacing. Aroma of yeast, citrus fruits, possibly some banana, and even some coriander? Yeast taste, followed by light fruits, and a nice alcohol burn on the way down.

2004 bottle. Aroma before even pouring gives off a cinnamon and candied apple note, lots of candi sugar, tons of yeast. Light hoppiness to start the flavor, which progresses well in to a sweet candied belgian ale of sorts. Sticky sweetness and a chewy texture thanks to the carapils make this a thick saison. Good medium-full body. There are some grassy/herbal notes on the finish, light lemony and peppery, which seem to provide only a glimpse at the style. The rest of the beer is heavy belgian yeast, candi sugar and strongly sweet pils malt. Some esters on the end, light bubblegum and some clove. Appearance is highly filtered! but. . . but. . .I love it! I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a highly filtered belgian beer this much (ok, I can it was Rodenbach Grand Cru) but anyways, you get the point. For a filtered and clear belgian ale, this is quite stupendous. There is a sharp undercurrent of alcohol notes and the bittering hops are not melded well enough with the rest of the body. It seems most like a saison right on the first couple of flavors that hit the palate and then again on the aftertaste. Regardless, this beer has made me write a lot, I’ve drank it quite quickly too. Whatever the hell it is, it’s damned good, even with all of its crazy out of style characteristics and minor brewing flaws. I think overall, this beer is better than its score inidicates.

Tap at BCTC 2009. Obviously drank for the Saison tick- no denying it. Pours a hazy dull deep gold- light copper with a fluffy sticky off white head- and some lace. Aroma is actually fairly sweet from the start, a bit harsh hay and straw- with sharp toffee and light butterscotch caramel hints, hay phenolic, earth, and a bit harsh. Flavoor is a bit sweet as well- almsot syrupy at times, harsh green phenols, big bready yeast- too much so, and not saison-like enough- just belgiany with too much goiung on, and not dry at all- just harsh and a bit astringent with too much residual sweetness. Meh.

My bottle (12oz), shared with tupalev. Pours a clear yellow-gold with a small diminishing white head. Aroma of wheat, spices and lemon, a little sweet and yeasty -- I’m having a hard time describing this. Flavour’s a little watery, tastes citrusy and yeasty along with wheat, malt and a hint of hops. Average bodied. Not my favourite style and this is a mediocre version of it.