Clipper City Heavy Seas Winter Storm (2005+ -- Imperial ESB)

Brewed by Clipper City Brewing Co.
Style: American Strong Ale
Baltimore, Maryland USA

12oz bottle. Pours a deep, clear copper with russet and orange highlights. It pours up a smallish, light tan head that fades quickly into a very thin ring - but it leaves lots of lace on the glass. The aroma is thick - a pleasant combination of chewy, caramel malts and resiny, earthy, fruity hops. The flavor starts bittersweet with delectable malts - lots of caramel, some biscuit, and a touch of chocolate. The hops provide a nice background of subtle, flowery bitterness - but the front of the palate says this beer is more malt forward. The are tasty, fruity, English esters in there that strengthen towards mid-palate (and as the beer warms). The middle of the tongue finds more fruit and esters in the overall malt flavor, and a firm bitterness makes itself present. The finish is full of biscuits and dark toast along with some notes of caramel and English hops. The mouthfeel is quite nice - medium-full in body with a moderate level of carbonation. Overall, this is a pretty darn good beer.

12 oz bottle from mcbackus; Nose of flowery hops and caramel with some dark fruit and sweet citrus thrown in; (almost barleywineish) Hazy tarnished copper colorwith a medium straw head; flavor has hop bitterness, toffee, and light sweet fruitiness; finish is nmildly bitter.

Pours auburn with a thin white head. Great lacing. Aroma of dark, dried fruit and floral and mild citrus hops. Rather bitter. Citrus, pine, perfume is accompanied by dark fruits. I did not find this as sweet as many others, but did get some caramel malt hanging around. Lingering hops coat the palate. Medium to high carb. Nice mouthfeel. Lots of hops.

Bottle. Pours a gorgeous opaque amber with thin, diminishing head and little lacing. Aroma is sweet, hoppy, with pears and ripe oranges. Some slight caramel. Flavor is bright, sweet hops. Feeling of caramel is prevalent throughout the mouth, with an acidic citrus bite at the end. Warm, sweet, drinkable.

Winter Storm is a good balance. I bought it in a variety pack and thought it was a nice winter ale

12oz bottle pours clear copper with nice white head. The aroma has notes of medium roasted malts, sweeter malts, a mild pulse of grapefruit hops and faint caramel. The taste begins sweet with malts that slowly turn more and more roasty as the taste moves forward. The grapefruit hop note noted in the nose begins a bit timid but grows to become nearly tepid in hop bitterness as the finish approaches. This beer leaves behind mostly pine and grapefruit hop bitterness along with some crystal malt roastiness lingering into the after taste.

sweet amber aroma, hops stay on tongue, sweet but not sickly so, alcohol not real prevalent, nice option

Pours a gold to amber color with not much head. The aroma is overpowering, with a very fruity scent. Sweet, with a lot of hops evident in the taste. one of my favorites