Heavy Seas Beer

Clipper City Brewing Company
Industry Alcoholic beverage
Founded 1995
Founder Hugh Sisson
Headquarters Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Products Beer
Production output
 34,000 barrels/year
Owner Hugh Sisson
Website www.hsbeer.com

Heavy Seas Beer is brewed by Clipper City Brewing Company, in Baltimore, Maryland. The brewery was established by Hugh Sisson in 1995. Previously, Sisson operated Maryland's first brewpub, Sisson's.[1] In 2010, the brewery rebranded. While the name of the company remains Clipper City Brewing Company, all of its beer falls under the Heavy Seas brand. Heavy Seas hosts tours on most weekends.[2] It is located at 4615 Hollins Ferry Road, Suite B, in the Halethorpe section of Baltimore.[3] Heavy Seas currently offers a variety of beer styles in approx. 18 states within the United States. Several Heavy Seas beers have been awarded and include the following: Cutlass Amber Lager (a repeat medal winner at the Great American Beer Festival from 2006-2010, bronze medal winner at the 2010 World Beer Cup and silver medal winner at the 2012 World Beer Cup as Heavy Seas Märzen), Powder Monkey Pale Ale (silver medal winner at the 2008 Great American Beer Festival and bronze medal winner at the 2010 World Beer Cup as Heavy Seas Pale Ale), Small Craft Warning Uber Pils (bronze medal winner at the 2004 Great American Beer Festival), Gold Ale (gold medal winner at the 2010 World Beer Cup, bronze medal winner at the 2010 Great American Beer Festival and bronze medal winner at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival as Heavy Seas Gold Ale) and Winter Storm Imperial ESB (gold medal winner at the 2008 World Beer Cup).

History

In 1994, Hugh Sisson left his family-owned and -operated brewpub, Sisson's, to focus on brewing beer at a larger scale. Sisson, who is responsible for the legalization of brewpubs in the state of Maryland, originally targeted Baltimoreans as his main consumer base; he intended to fill the niche left open by the relocation of the National Bohemian brand. Clipper City was named after the clipper ship, which was first constructed in Baltimore.

When the craft brewing industry experienced a contraction in the late '90s,[4] Clipper City resorted to contract brewing to stay afloat financially. In 2003, Clipper City started its Heavy Seas brand—intended for higher gravity beers. The new brand took off; the beers under the Heavy Seas line could sell in more states than could Clipper City beers, limited as they were by insular branding. Due to the steady success of the Heavy Seas brand, Sisson and his crew decided to rebrand Clipper City beers in 2010; the beers under the Clipper City brand now sell as Heavy Seas Gold Ale, Heavy Seas Powder Monkey Pale Ale and Heavy Seas Cutlass Amber Lager.

In 2011, the brewery tacked on 10,000 square foot addition to its 15,000 sq. ft. brewery. Heavy Seas beers sell in 18 states, from Florida to Maine and as far west as Michigan.[1]

Beers

Cannon Crew Offerings

  • Tropi Cannon Citrus IPA, Approx. 7.25% ABV
  • Loose Cannon American Hop³ IPA, Approx. 7.25% ABV
  • Ameri Cannon Pale Ale, Approx. 5.75% ABV
  • Double Cannon Double IPA, Approx. 9.5% ABV

Year Round Offerings

  • Gold Ale, Approx. 4.5% ABV
  • Powder Monkey Pale Ale, Approx. 4.75% ABV
  • Cutlass Amber Lager, Approx. 5.25% ABV
  • Ponder Pils Pilsner, Approx. 5% ABV
  • Peg Leg Imperial Stout, Approx. 8% ABV


Limited Releases - Uncharted Waters

  • Siren Noire Imperial Chocolate Stout (Available in January), Approx. 9.5% ABV
  • Blackbeards Breakfast Imperial Coffee Porter (Available May - June), Approx. 10% ABV
  • Grand Crew Belgian Styled Ale (Extremely Limited), Approx. 8.5% ABV
  • Great'er Pumpkin Bourbon Barrel-aged Pumpkin Ale (Available September/October), Approx. 10% ABV
  • Schnee Boot Bourbon Barrel-Aged Eisbock (Extremely Limited), Approx. 13% ABV

Limited Releases

  • The Aplha Effect Hazy IPA (Available in March), Approx. 7% ABV
  • Smooth Ale Summer Ale (Available April - September), Approx. 4.5% ABV
  • Treasure Fest Oktoberfest Lager (Available July - September), Approx. 6% ABV
  • Winter Storm Imperial Extra Special Bitter (ESB) (Available October - December), Approx. 10% ABV

Decommissioned Brews

  • 20 Year Storm Imperial ESB aged in bourbon barrels' Approx. 10% ABV
  • 21 Anniversary Ale Imperial Rye ESB aged in Sagamore Spirit Rye Whiskey barrels, Approx. 10.5% ABV
  • 22 Belgian-style Tripel aged in Sagamore Spirit Rye Whiskey barrels, Approx. 10% ABV
  • Below Decks English-Style Barley Wine, Approx. 12.2% ABV
  • Red Sky at Morning Belgian Style Saison aged in Chardonnay barrels, Approx. 10% ABV
  • Plank IV Belgian-Style Quad, Approx. 10.5% ABV
  • Cross Bone Session IPA, Approx. 4.5% ABV
  • Deep Six Robust English-Style Porter, Approx. 6.8% ABV
  • Small Craft Über Pils, Approx. 7% ABV

[5]

Seasonal Offerings

Name Availability Style ABV%
Black CannonJan–Mar (Retired?)Black IPA7.25
Deep Six[6]Jan–MarRobust English-Style Porter6.8
Double Cannon[7]Apr-JunDouble IPA9.5
Riptide[8]Apr–JunWhite IPA7.25
Red Sky At NightJul–Sep (Retired?)Belgian Style Saison Ale7.5
Winter Storm[9]Oct–Dec"Category 5 Ale" Extra Special/Strong Bitter (ESB)7.5

Uncharted Waters

Heavy Seas' most creative offerings influenced by the addition of wood.

Name Availability Style ABV%
Siren Noire[10]JanuaryImperial Chocolate Stout aged in bourbon barrels9.5
Big DIPAMarch (Retired?)Double IPA aged on oak10.5
Phantom Ship[11]Mar-AprTripel aged in bourbon barrels9.5
Holy SheetMay (Retired?)Uber Abbey Ale aged in brandy barrels9
Blackbeard's Breakfast[12]May–JuneImperial Coffee Porter aged in Bourbon Barrels10
Plank IIIJuly (Retired?)Belgian-style Ale aged on Jamaican Allspice wood8
Red Sky at Morning[13]Jul-AugBelgian Style Saison aged in Chardonnay Barrels10
Great'ER Pumpkin[14]Sep-OctBourbon Barrel-aged Pumpkin Ale10
Yule Tide[15]Dec-JanWeizen Dopplebock aged in Jamaican rum barrels9

Now in Cans

  • Loose CANnon (American IPA), 7.25% ABV

References

  1. 1 2 Ladd, Jenn (2011-10-05). "Ale Blazer - News and Features - Baltimore City Paper". Citypaper.com. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
  2. ↑ "Brewery Tours | Heavy Seas Beer". Hsbeer.com. Archived from the original on 2011-11-14. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
  3. ↑ "Directions To The Brewery | Heavy Seas Beer". Hsbeer.com. Archived from the original on 2011-11-14. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
  4. ↑ "American Craft Brewing Modern History". Brewers Association. 2011-10-10. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
  5. ↑ guthrie, justin. "mr". Heavy Seas pick your poison. Heavy Seas. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  6. ↑ http://www.hsbeer.com/beer/deep-six/
  7. ↑ http://www.hsbeer.com/beer/double-cannon/
  8. ↑ http://www.hsbeer.com/beer/riptide/
  9. ↑ http://www.hsbeer.com/beer/winter-storm/
  10. ↑ http://www.hsbeer.com/beer/siren-noire/
  11. ↑ http://www.hsbeer.com/beer/phantom-ship/
  12. ↑ http://www.hsbeer.com/beer/blackbeards-breakfast/
  13. ↑ http://www.hsbeer.com/beer/red-sky-at-morning/
  14. ↑ http://www.hsbeer.com/beer/greater-pumpkin-ale/
  15. ↑ http://www.hsbeer.com/beer/yule-tide/

Coordinates: 39°13′50″N 76°40′31″W / 39.23056°N 76.67528°W / 39.23056; -76.67528

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