Clipper City Heavy Seas Red Sky At Night

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

Crystal clear, with a small but dense head, which lingers, leaving scant lacing on the glass. Aroma is spicy, fruity with notes of pepper. Fruit is mostly candied citrus, followed closely by some soft clove and white pepper. Flavor is sweet and spicy, with notes of cardamom backed by some phenols. Finish is spicy and peppery. Body is on the low side of medium.

I have had this one several times. I think it’s a strange beer but is one of the better attempts at a Belgian candi sugar ales from US brewers. I think it has an interesting and very drinkable taste and character. I wouldn’t sail the seven seas for it, but I’ll likely buy it again.

Poured fairly dark dirty brass, mostly clear, with a two-fingered white rocky head which slowly faded, leaving some pretty nice lace. Aromas were fruit esters, grass, grain, hops and notes of yeast and alcohol. Flavor was sweet malt, caramelly but not too smoky -- due no doubt to the 2 pils malts and the wheat. There were sweet notes of fresh fruit, diacetyl, and the sugariness of the candi sugar. Equally evident, though, were alcohol, citrus astringency, and a great hop finish. The balance of Magnum and Styrian Golding hops was quite flavorful without being overly bitter. Mouth feel was full and left a nice aftertaste. This is a complex, flavorful, refreshing ale that should please most ale lovers. Something for everyone and nothing bad about it.

Red Sky At Night is a very credible domestic example of this classic Belgian beer style. While it isn’t quite up to snuff with Belgian example such as Saison Dupont, or Saison de Pipiax, I found it to be quite authentic, and and a great tribute to the style that is under done here in the US. Retailing for $6-$7 a six pack, it is also a very good buy, for such a complex and flavorful beer. Red Sky At Night pours to a beautiful, bright, deep golden color, with a bright white head that eventually fades, and a lively carbonation. The nose on this beer is complex and inviting with lots of spicy/earthy yeast aroma, paired with some grassy hop aromatics, some sweet malt, and hints of pepper. The palate is firm on the tongue but the lively carbonation lifts off the malt heft. This beer has got some sweet and crisp malt brawn, with lots of good grassy/herbal hop flavor paired with spicy yeast, and a touch of acidic sourness. Red Sky At Night finishes with more malty/slightly sour flavors up front, then ends with a spicy yeast note that lingers. I really enjoyed this beer, and found it to be a very well done domestic example of saison. There is a lot going on in this beer, it is complex, but with the with the slightly sour, and hoppy edge of this beer, it works well as a summer refresher. This beer would work well with a number of dishes, and could be paired with both hearty and light fare. At 7.5% abv, it would make the perfect beer to relax with after a hard day, and a great beer to sip and enjoy as the sky turns red.

A very subtle flavoring that goes down smooth and refreshing like a nice Irish red; however, be aware that this beer in fact is 8% and will wallop you if you do not respect it.

Golden/yellow body with a bit of amber and green (depending on how you turn the glass) hues. Nice big, thickly bubbled, white head. Smells of caster sugar, apples, citrus, bubble gum esters and faint spices. Taste is big and sweet with pears, apples, sugars and clove. A very well crafted beer, taste is refined and wholeheartedly good. Aftertaste is a crisp, sweet and powerful; this is exactly what this style should be.

On cask at the ’04 Old Dominion Brewing Festival. Bit hazy yellow. Nose funky and quite yeasty, somewhat sweet. Sugary and spicy, good yeasts, good flowery character.

Golden color(tiny bit of haze), creamy white head. Cotton candy, pear and coriander for aroma. Flavor is lightly spiced fuzzy fruits and bready. Medium bodied, soft carbonation, spicy, fruity, sweet finish. Another nice effort in the Heavy Seas line. Doppelbock and Imperial Stout on deck...I think. Either way...I’m looking forward to the next release.