Heavy Seas

NEW RELEASE: Heavy Seas Hang Ten

Hang Ten from Heavy Seas Brewing (Baltimore, MD) has been in 12oz/ 6 pks for quite a while.  After a short break, this German Weizenbock returns as a part of Heavy Seas’s Mutiny Fleet.  The Mutiny Fleet was first launched Continue Reading →

FREE BEER: Heavy Seas

This weeks weekly free beer tasting at Octane Coffee sponsored by Hop City features a few beers from Heavy Seas.  The tasting starts at 5:30 and runs to 7:30 pm.  This is a great opportunity to try a few craft Continue Reading →

NEW RELEASE: Cabernet Aged Below Decks

Another edition of the Mutiny Fleet by Heavy Seas (Baltimore, MD) that has arrived alongside Bourbon Barrel Aged Below Decks Barleywine, is Cabernet Barrel Aged Below Decks.

Below Decks is an English style barleywine released once a year by the brewery. Continue Reading →

Posted in Heavy Seas, New Releases

NEW RELEASE: Heavy Seas Hang Ten

Hang Ten from Heavy Seas Brewing (Baltimore, MD) has been in 12oz/ 6 pks for quite a while.  After a short break, this German Weizenbock returns as a part of Heavy Seas’s Mutiny Fleet.  The Mutiny Fleet was first launched in 2009, and showcases unusual & bigger beers in excess of 8% ABV.  All are bottled conditioned and unfiltered.  Most are vintage dated.  This fleet isn’t exactly a side project or experimental line of beer, but it’s almost always very unique.

Hang Ten is a German weizenbock.  Weizenbocks typically have a complex malt character, while remaining on the high alcohol range.  They are comparable to bocks (especially in strength.) A weizenbock is a stronger version of the unfiltered Weissbier or Hefeweizen.

Taste Expectations: Look for dark fruit flavors – (plum, cherry, Raisins even prunes) followed by a big malt profile – caramel, even some vanilla.  Malt sweetness can make you think brown sugar.

Availability:  22oz Bombers, limited release.  Small batch release – July 2010

Cellerable: Yes, for up to 2 years.  Bottles are Vintage dated 2010.

10% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Heavy Seas, Tastings

FREE BEER: Heavy Seas

This weeks weekly free beer tasting at Octane Coffee sponsored by Hop City features a few beers from Heavy Seas.  The tasting starts at 5:30 and runs to 7:30 pm.  This is a great opportunity to try a few craft beers free of charge without making a financial commitment.

Featured Beers & Taste Expectations –

Smoke on the Water – Smoked Porter, 8% ABV.  Smoked malt gives this beer a smoky flavor.  Look for chocolate and dark roasted malts.

Marzen – Octoberfest, 6% ABV.  Caramel sweet malts. Grains, toasted malts with some sweet and some hop bitter.

Red Sky at Night – Saison, 7.5% ABV.  Wheat malts.  Spicy – rosemary, clove, banana.  Sweet candi sugar.  Some nutty flavor.

Loose Cannon – IPA, 7% ABV.  Delicious IPA offering by Heavy Seas.  Grapefruit and piney hops.  Caramel malt backbone.  A well balanced American IPA.

Octane Coffee – 7/14, 5:30 – 7:30 pm
1009-b Marietta Street Northwest
Atlanta, GA


by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Casks, Heavy Seas

CASK ALERT: Heavy Seas “Loose Cannon”

A Heavy Seas Loose Cannon cask will be tapped at Thinking Man Tavern in Decatur on 6/18.

Heavy Seas Loose Cannon contains more than 3 lbs of hops per barrel and is hopped 3 times.  (Thus the hop cubed in the title.)  First hopping is kettle, second the hop back, and finally — dry hopped.   If you’re a lover of IPA’s this is one tasty cask to try.   What is special about this cask is unknown right now…  Here is the usual ingredients in Loose Cannon –

Hops – Simcoe, Centennial, Palisade, Warrior

Malts – Pale Malt

7.2% ABV

Thinking Man Tavern – 6/18, 5pm
537 West Howard Avenue
Decatur, GA 30030-3110
(404) 370-1717

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Casks, Heavy Seas

CASK ALERT: Heavy Seas “Smoke on the Water”

I had the pleasure of speaking with brewer Kurt Kroll this morning about Heavy Seas’s upcoming release of “Smoke on the Water.”  Smoke is an imperial porter with a touch of smoke.  It debuts on cask tomorrow at Cypress Street for the FIRST TIME on the east coast!!!  According to Heavy Seas, Atlanta will have a taste of this new beer even before Baltimore, Maryland (Heavy Seas home) will.  Feel special yet?  (You better! Start making plans.)

The Mutiny Fleet is a lot like a side project series for Heavy Seas Brewing.  Actually its more a like a showcase – a spotlight where brewers can show off.  Kurt Kroll designed this recipe; Smoke on the Water is his baby.  In addition, Kurt is the artistic talent behind the Mutiny Fleet labels.  (Personal interjection: Kurt, they are badass.)  Smoke is first and foremost a porter.  It was brewed at lower gravity in order to dry it out a bit on back end, giving the beer a bit more porter character.  The smoke is subtle.  Intentionally being a touch, not a flavor blast.  Smoked rauch malt was used for this recipe – no liquid malt.

Ingredients –

Hops – German Noble hop strains.  No aroma hops used

Malts – Smoked Rauch Malts from Germany

Availability –  22 oz bomber bottles (being bottled at Heavy Seas  today)  Draft offerings, but unspecified.  Cask

8% ABV

Again, this beer debuts tomorrow on gravity cask at Cypress Street, part of Beer Geek Tuesday

Cypress Street, 7pm
Ste E125, 817 West Peachtree Street
Atlanta, GA 30308
(404) 815-9243
Twitter: @CypressStreet

Special thanks to Kurt Kroll, and Kelly at Heavy Seas for their time!!!

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Heavy Seas, New Releases

NEW RELEASE: Cabernet Aged Below Decks

Another edition of the Mutiny Fleet by Heavy Seas (Baltimore, MD) that has arrived alongside Bourbon Barrel Aged Below Decks Barleywine, is Cabernet Barrel Aged Below Decks.

Below Decks is an English style barleywine released once a year by the brewery.  Heavy Seas took the Below Decks and aged it in two different barrels.  You saw there earlier post about bourbon oak barrels.  This version of course is aged in cabernet oak.  This is the first release of this wine barrel aged barleywine.

Taste Expectations — Wine grape, Oak, fruit, caramel, and vanilla.  Some sweet flavors are expressed in the taste.  Some tannin style flavor from the wine is also expressed.

Availability — 22oz Bombers, and draft offerings.  Small batch, seasonally.  This is the inaugural release.

10% ABV

5/28 — Both editions in stock at Hop City.

5/28 – Both in stock at Green’s

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Heavy Seas, New Releases

NEW RELEASE: Heavy Seas Bourbon Below Decks

Part of the Mutiny Fleet by Heavy Seas (Baltimore, MD) comes Bourbon Barrel Aged Below Decks Barleywine.

Below Decks is an English style barleywine released once a year by the brewery.  Let me tell you it ages beautifully.  The barrel aged version is the seasonal Below Decks aged in bourbon oak barrels.  This too I’m sure will age wonderfully.  This is the first release of  this bourbon barleywine.

Taste Expectations – Oak, caramel, and vanilla.  Some sweet flavors in this beer.  The alcohol is high as it is a barleywine, but in no way overwhelms..

Availability – 22oz Bombers, and draft offerings.  Small batch, seasonally.  This is the inaugural release.

10% ABV

5/26 – In Stock at Green’s

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Heavy Seas, Meet the Brewer

Meet the Brewer – Hugh Sisson, Heavy Seas

This Thursday – May 13th meet brewer/founder Hugh Sisson of Heavy Seas Brewing at The Porter Beer Bar.   Hugh will be on hand from 6pm-9pm to meet beer drinkers and talk about Heavy Seas brews.   Those in attendance drinking Heavy Seas get to go home with a pint glass as nice parting gift. ( While supplies last of course.)

Here’s your Hugh Sisson cheat sheet –

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.  Since then, the Clipper City line has been brought over to the Heavy Seas line for brand uniformity.

Event Details:

The Porter – 5/13, 6-9pm
1156 Euclid Avenue, Atlanta GA 30307
404.223.0393

More info on Heavy Seas beers & History – www.hsbeer.com

by Reid Ramsay