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

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

Name: Heavy Seas Winter Storm
Date: 12/03/2005
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Strong Ale fest, 2005

clear amber, faint sweet spiced aroma, dry malt flavor, touch of spicy hops, nice bitterness,
-------- /> Name: Heavy Seas Winter Storm
Date: 12/12/2006
Mode: draft
Source: taco mac

fine tan head with lots of lace, draft aroma and flavor follows last years bottle, some nice caramel sweetness to balance the light spices, a biscuit character comes out with warmth to give it a nice spice cake essence, bitter finish is very light

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 13/20
Rating: 3.4/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **+/4

Fall 2008: Golden amber. The aroma is earthy with lots of caramelly malt and abundant earthy, woody hops. Sweet, with earthy nuances, lots of earthy, slightly lemony bitterness. Drinks easy, but has intensity, too. Chocolate malt emerges in the finish.

Spring 2006: Orangey-brown colour. The aroma shows earth, chocolate, a little bit of crystal malt and bright orangey hops. The flavour is robust with those orangey hops meeting strong toasty notes with light chocolate in the background. Hefty bitterness and a blast of alcohol round things out. 7-3-7-3-14 = 3.4

(12oz bottle, best by 4/06) Medium beige head topped by crystal clear copper body. Aroma is moderately sweet, floral, pine, caramel. The beer bursts with flavor-- moderately sweet, pine, grapefruit, melon, caramel, some floral, some alcohol warming. Smooth medium-full body. While at first it is very enjoyable, the sweetness does overwhelm somewhat by the end of the bottle, detracting somewhat from the experience.

(Bottle) Pours a clear amber body with a large beige head. Aroma of toasted malt, grapefruit, pine, and a hint of peppermint. Flavor of malt, toffee, and mild hops.

12oz bottle. Poured a deeper orangish / copper color with an averaged sized off white head. Lots of suspended particles. Aromas of caramel, toasted grains, and citrus. Tastes of caramel, toffee, and citrus.

12 oz bottle-pours a foamy light tan head that laces and copper color. Aroma is nice citrus-grapefruit and orange/pine hops, secondary medium malt. Taste is some alcohol, citrus-grapefruit and orange, metallic/herbal/pine hops, some tannins bitterness, secondary medium malt, some roasty. Slightly slick mouth fee. Taste doesn’t meet my expectations from the aroma, the (English) hops didn’t seem to quite stay ‘balanced’ on the jump to imperial ESB.

Bottle... Hazy, orange ale with a small, frothy, off-white head. Floral aroma with huge pine and toffee and ultra light cocoa. Malty and citrusy flavor. Lightly sweet up front, followed by moderate bitterness and earthiness. Full-bodied with lively carbonation. Lengthy, bitter, piney finish. Tongue numbing and soul warming! Definitely a different beer than last year’s Imperial IPA... not as complex, but definitely enjoyable!

Pours a transparent dark copper orange with a thin, nicely-lacing white head. Fresh citrusy, and mildly grassy English hoppy aroma has a nice caramel malty presence. Starts sweet, fresh and piney with hop resin and lots of crystal malt. Finishes crisp and full in flavor. A well-balanced brew that is practically a double IPA.