Hugh Sissons (on right) w/ your
Hugh Sissons, Founder and General Partner of Clipper City Brewing, made a visit to Taco Mac Metropolis on Peachtree Street downtown. With him, he brought a cask of Loose Cannon IPA.
Little bit of back-story – Hugh Sissons founded Baltimore’s first brewpub in 1989 — Sisson’s. It was a bit harder than you would think, as doing so required more than a business license. In 1987, Hugh successfully lobbied the Maryland General Assembly in 1987 to pass legislation allowing him to do so. If that doesn’t impress you enough about his love of craft beer, I’m not quite sure what will.
In 1994, Hugh left his brewpub — Sisson’s to found Clipper City Brewing — which has risen to great popularity more than a decade later. In 1998, Clipper City merged with Oxford Brewing Company — Maryland’s first craft brewing company. In 2003, the Heavy Seas line was added to the Clipper City lineup, representing more bold ales beginning at 7% ABV or higher.
I got to have a great conversation with Hugh about his past, present and future. He was really excited to talk about his new Mutiny Fleet line of ales coming out this fall. First up — Big DIPA. A double IPA with 5 hops, 3 malts. (which if you are reading this now, has come and gone.) Up next for his Mutiny Fleet — Imperial Pumpkin Ale (Due in September.) More on that later. One more interesting fact about the Mutiny Fleet. All the recipes and artwork on the bottles (all 22 oz big bottles,) were done by the brewers. It’s really an at home creation.
The cask was tasty, and it was a great honor and pleasure to meet Hugh Sissons. These events are great opportunities to meet the makers of craft beer, and get more in touch with what is going in your glass.
More pictures are available at the atlantabeermaster.com fan page on facebook, (do a search for “atlantabeermaster.com” on FB.)
Also — Clipper City – www.ccbeer.com
