Tasting Notes: Opening Day Edition - Loose Cannon Hop3 Ale

Brewery: Clipper City Brewery
Style: IPA
ABV: 7.25%

(Rained out last night, the Orioles play a double header this afternoon against the Texas Rangers. It would have been cool if this beer was a Double IPA but hey, what are you gonna do? This is the 9th inning of sort as this is the last installment of the series of beers from Clipper City from Baltimore.)

It pours a crystal clear copper. Vibrant color in the body with a thin ivory head. Lots of citrusy hops in the nose.

Taste is dominated by hops, herbal and citrusy. Strident bitterness, orange rind and grapefruit. There's a nice bready malt to support the hops. Lightly sticky, nary a hint of alcohol with lingering bitterness in the finish. It's very nice.

Clipper City Brewing

Tasting Notes: Opening Day Edition - Clipper City Peg Leg Imperial Stout

Brewery: Clipper City Brewing
Style: Imperial Stout
ABV: 8.0%

(The Orioles continue their improbable run to open the season, now at 6-1 and still leading the AL East. Here's the third installment of this series from Baltimore's own Clipper City brewing.)

It pours deep black but you can pick up a hint of mahogany highlight every so often. In the nose, bitter hops, almost smell like noble hops...(Fuggles and Goldings actually, British style...) Some roasty aromas from the malt

First impressions are that it seems bit overcarbonated in the mouth. Very creamy and sweetish, almost like an imperial milk stout! Tasting lots of that herbal hop character in the flavor. Quite hoppy for an Imperial Stout. But it's yummy.

It's bottle conditioned so the last two bottles go into my cellar. Maybe I'll break one out when the O's reach the World Series in October. Nah, who am I kidding...

Clipper City Brewing

Tasting Notes: Opening Day Edition - Clipper City Small Craft Warning

Brewery: Clipper City Brewery
Style: Imperial Pilsner
ABV: 7.25%


(Oriole update: The O's are 5-1, they sit atop the AL East and have a 4-0 lead over the Texas Rangers as I type. Sweet victories and sweet beer!)

Part two of a four part series dedicated to the beginning of the baseball season, my Baltimore Orioles and Baltimore's own Clipper City brewery. Next up to bat is Small Craft Warning, a beer I would call an Imperial Pilsner but they describe as an Uber Pils.


As you can see, it pours a luminous pale coppery gold with a billowy snow white head. It leaves big thick lacing down the sides of the pilsner glass. Nose is sweet pilsner malt and noble hops.

Lots of noble hops in the mouth. The website mentions amarillo but all I'm getting is the saaz and tettanger. Otherwise, the body is quite sweet and the mouthfeel is sticky but it's not cloying.


Another good one. More Clipper City to come tomorrow.



Let's go O's!





Clipper City Brewing

Tasting Notes: Opening Day Edition - Clipper City Winter Storm

Brewer: Clipper City Brewing
Style: Imperial ESB
ABV: 7.5%

I should have thought of this last week but I guess various other commitments would've made this impossible last week...

Seeing that the baseball season kicked off last week and that I am a die hard Baltimore Orioles fan (and that the O's started an impressive and unexpectedly great 4-1 this week) I thought I would highlight some beers straight out of Baltimore.

We are lucky enough here in Atlanta to be able to get Clipper City beers (straight out of Baltimore!), at least the Heavy Seas Series (a line of beers that could best be described as "extreme"). I picked up a 12-pack sampler and will be making my way through them in tribute to the upstart Orioles this week.

First up is Winter Storm, described as an Imperial ESB. It's still pretty rainy and cold down here in northeast Georgia so these beers are going to hit the spot.

Pours an orangey (black and orangey?) copper with a thin but persistent ivory head. Some light lacing.

Lots of big citrusy hops in the nose buoyed by bready malt aromas.

The first sips reveal big hops but this beer is not just a hops delivery vehicle. Although it does that quite well. It's strangely balanced with the sweet and considerable bready malt profile. Bitter herbal and citrusy hops dominate the finish and aftertaste. Their website says they use American and English hops and I believe it. Not sure I've ever tasted this combination of hops working in such balance before.

Hell of a good start! I'd never tried this one before but tomorrow I'll be revisiting an old friend...

Clipper City Brewing