Clipper City Heavy Seas Black Cannon IPA

Baltimore, Maryland's Clipper City Brewing Company has earned a special place in our stomachs. By producing their Heavy Seas line as well as their Mutiny Fleet, they have made mouths and our blood alcohol level happy. Their Small Craft Warning is one of our favorite pilsners and their Cabernet Barrel Aged Below Decks is Mike's favorite Barleywine. However, the only brew in their Heavy Seas line that is just average is their IPA, Loose Cannon. So when we saw the "black IPA" version, Black Cannon, we picked it up hoping they can redeem their subpar brew.

Black Cannon is a dark malt version based our their original Loose Cannon. The black IPA smells of citrus and floral hops and pours dark with a tan head. When the beer begins to head down the consumption vessel you immediately taste the roasted malts in what makes this IPA "black." However, the back end is all citrusy IPA goodness. Given the 7.25% ABV, this ale is light bodied and smooth. The flavors are so well put together that none stand out, which in most cases is a bad thing, but not with this brew.

Many brewers are releasing different versions of their original IPA's to keep consumers interested. By adding a different yeast strain, aging it in oak barrels, using darker malts or adding a special kind of hop, the companies market these versions as special and slightly superior to the original. However, few live up to that claim; i.e. Southern Tier's Oak-Aged Unearthly. Whether or not this a novelty or a market scheme to get you to buy their beer, it worked and it proved to be superior to the original. Heavy Seas, keep messing with your recipes and we'll keep buying them
Oz Scale: 8.0
Mike Scale: 8.2

Quick Sips: August 2010

Here is our first entry of Quick Sips, a super condensed and brief synopsis of some beers that we've had in the last few weeks. This one will include thoughts from the last few months.

• Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA tastes amazing fresh (less than 2 1/2 weeks old)
• Weyerbacher Tiny is incredibly delicious (on our fourth bomber)
• Dogfish Head SahTea isn't as good as last years (not enough cinnamon, clove and ginger spices)
• Southern Tier 2XIPA is amazing (but make sure it is fresh.) Blows away most IPAs.
• Bell's Hopslam wasn't as good as last years. Like most IPA's- Make sure it's fresh.
• Great Lakes Holy Moses was a great choice for a spring beer. Glad to see it back.
• Thirsty Dog has come out with three new crap beers (Barktoberfest, Whippet Wheat and Twisted Kilt) and one decent one (Cerberus)
• Some batches of Founders Devil Dancer taste like a THC producing plant.
• Heavy Seas Below Decks Cabernet Barrel Aged is probably the best fresh barleywine out there.
• Goose Island Green Line Pale Ale (Pub Exclusive) is just plain gross.
• Heavy Seas Smoke on the Water wasn't as generic as it's name. Worth the buy.
• Lagunitas A Little Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale is a refreshing summer IPA.
• Great Divide Brewing has some great beers out there (Colette, 16th Anniversary, Titan, Yeti.) We're excited to try more
• Dark Horse has yet to come out with a beer I thought was above average (Crooked Tree, Sapient Trip, Scotty Karate)
• Great Lakes Lake Erie Monster was great fresh but had a tinge too much alcohol flavor.

Clipper City Heavy Seas Letter of Marque 2010 Rye Porter

Heavy Seas (Clipper City Brewery) has always been a solid brewery. Their beers have yet to let us down and none have ever been just mediocre (in fact, their Small Craft Warning is our favorite imperial pilsner.) Last year, Clipper City did a homebrew competition called Letter of the Marque where the winner got their brew mass produced for a one-time release. Boston Beer Company (Sam Adams) has been doing these competitions for years (Longshot Series) and usually the victors end up producing better beers than many of their in-house lagers and ales. So when we got our sights on a Heavy Seas version, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to consume their Letter of the Marque Rye Porter.

LoM pours a deep amber to an almost black color with a foamy cream head. I has a sweet and citrus smell reminiscent of an IPA. When the rye porter hits the pallet you are left with a unique taste. It has hops and spices of a RyePA but malt overtones of a porter. A medium to full body coats the mouth nicely and and leaves you with a west coast IPA bitterness which is shocking at first but welcomed after the initial sip.

This beer succeeds where Nightstalker by Goose Island failed. It balances rye, malt and hops to create something that is unique and highly drinkable. If we were given this beer without a name or style, we'd swear that it was a black IPA. However, this is our first experience with a rye porter and if given the chance to try others, we'd welcome a glass or two.

Oz Scale: 8.0

Mike Scale: 8.2

Heavy Seas - Holy Sheet (Über Abbey Ale)

Holy sheet! It's been a while since we blogged. After a couple of concerts, we are back. It's been some time but we are ready to get our sheet together and write. With us today is our good friend Jason (who has helped produce wines at a local winery) to help us examine an abbey style ale in his second appearance in our blog. Holy Sheet is a 9% Belgian Abbey style ale by Heavy Seas (Clipper City Brewing) that is only produced in February. Holy sheet, our timing is good.


The first thing you notice from the brew is a sweet, fruity boquet. As Jason puts it, "It smells like Niagra grape jam." The dark burgundy red color hints a darker, stronger abbey ale than we are used to. The taste is almost true maple syrup-like with little to no hop flavor. When the brew finishes, you are hit with an slighty coffee taste then progresses to a foamy, light alcohol ending, slightly tart in flavor.

Holy Sheet is an abbey ale, with an American micro brew twist. Using something new on an old standard,... kind of like drinking Falco's 'Rock Me Amadeus.' The flavors don't quite unite harmoniously and it seems to be lacking for this style of beer. This is a brew that you'd have to be in the mood for.... and we were in the mood for love. Enter, Hopslam!

Oz Scale: 6.6
Mike Scale: 6.8
Jason Scale 6.6

Oi! Here Comes Chanukah... Beers

Disclaimer: No Jewish jokes. We promise. We are big fans of the Jews: The potato pancakes, the killing of Jesus, clay toys and Spaceballs. What is not to love? Let's celebrate! We know we are a little early but 'tis the season for holidays (and winter seasonals.)

This is the third of our holiday blind beer tastings. However, today we are doing things a little different. Rather than just a third of a beer, we are feeling a little saucy. Eight full beers. God jul us all. C'mon, on paper Judas f'ing ruled.

With us once again is our good friend Nick to keep us from cheating. The main rule for this tasting stated that there should be no Christmas ales considering this is Chanukah. However, since Christmas happens to fall on one of the days of Chanukah this year, we have just one Xmas brew. The choices of the day were: Abita Christmas Ale, Avery Old Jubulation Ale, Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout, Heavy Seas Winter Storm, Michelob Winter Cask Ale (Their first of our knowledge to not have a twist top,) Samual Adams Winter Lager, Stoudts Winter Ale and Weyerbacher Winter Ale.

First Candle: Unfiltered, possibly bottle fermented. Well balanced taste with slightly more hops than malt. Nice copper color, pours easily down the throat but finishes weak compared to the taste. Could work as a yearly IPA.

Oz Scale: 8.4
Mike Scale: 8.5
Nick Scale: 9.0

Second Candle: Dark in color, slightly tart in taste. Surprisingly chugable. An accessible brew. Nothing above average but not terrible.

Oz Scale: 5.8
Mike Scale: 5.4
Nick Scale: 5.3


Third Candle: This is a brew that promises but does not deliver. It is hoppy, sweet and has no balance. What are we supposed to be drinking? "It creates flustrations deep down inside of me." says Oz. This is a bisexual brew, it dabbles into the extremes but doesn't make any decision either way. "It is like a chick who says she is into bondage," Nick adds, "but only uses scarves."

Oz Scale: 5.7
Mike Scale: 5.6
Nick Scale: 5.0

Forth Candle: Rich and full bodied, similar to a porter without the full malty bite. More drinkable than most stouts with a complex, rich delectable taste.

Oz Scale: 8.5
Mike Scale: 8.1
Nick Scale: 8.3

Fifth Candle: See video post:

Oz Scale: 5.4
Mike Scale: 5.4
Nick Scale 5.7

Sixth Candle: Dark, robust, lavishes on your tongue. Satisfying finish that surprisingly lingers for more.

Oz Scale: 7.9
Mike Scale:8.1
Nick Scale: 8.4

Seventh Candle: This is a safe beer. Average color and taste. The drinkability is there but it was probably because of the gaps between brews. "Naps are great!" adds Mike. The other two puked in various places.

Oz Scale: 5.3
Mike Scale: 5.5
Nick Scale: 5.0

Eighth Candle: Slightly dark. Once again, a safe beer. Above average taste that gets mad props for its high drinkability. Afterall, this is our eighth beer.

Oz Scale: 5.5
Mike Scale: 5.6
Nick Scale: 6.7

The actual brews:
1: Heavy Seas Winter Storm (averaged 8.6)
2: Weyerbacher Winter Ale (averaged 5.5)
3: Avery Old Jubulation Ale (averaged 5.4)
4: Stoudts Winter Ale (averaged 8.3)
5: Michelob Winter Cask Ale (averaged 5.5)
6: Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout (averaged 8.1)
7: Abita Christmas Ale (averaged 5.3)
8: Sam Adams Winter Ale (averaged 5.9)

This brings our winter season ranking to this:

20: Breckenridge Christmas Ale (averaged 4.6)
19: Flying Dog K-9 Cruiser Winter Ale (averaged 5.0)
18: Abita Christmas Ale (averaged 5.27)
17: Thirsty Dog 12 Dogs of Christmas Ale (averaged 5.33)
16: Avery Old Jubulation Ale (averaged 5.4)
15: Michelob Winter Cask Ale (averaged 5.5)
14: Weyerbacher Winter Ale (averaged 5.53)
13: Sam Adams Winter Ale (averaged 5.9)
12: Blue Moon Full Moon (Average 6.3)
11: Summit Winter Ale (Averaged 6.7)
10: Corsendonk Christmas Ale (Averaged 7.2)
9: Magic Hat Roxy Rolles (Average 7.3)
8: Troegs Mad Elf Ale (Averaged 7.8)
7: Bell's Christmas Ale (Averaged 8.0)
6: Great Lakes Christmas Ale (Averaged 8.07)
5: Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout (averaged 8.13)
4: Stoudts Winter Ale (averaged 8.3)
3: Rogue Santa's Private Reserve (Averaged 8.57)
2: Heavey Seas Winter Storm (averaged 8.63)

and the winner thus far:

1: Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale (Averaged 8.8)