Heavy Seas - The Big DIPA

From Joe Drinks Dinner and Stuff

Re-formulation. Now aged on oak spirals!!

Heavy Seas is going through yet another re-branding.

Okay. After having Heady Topper the other day I'll just go ahead and call bull-shit on this beer.

Weirdly bitter. Very malty and sweet. The oak is definitely there. And it just adds a completely undesirably element to the beer. Do not buy again.

Heavy Seas - Siren Noire 2013

From Joe Drinks Dinner and Stuff

These dudes go through rebrandings like its nobody's business. "Previously" reviewed here (non-barrel aged but under the same name; confusing)

I wasn't too enthused about this before, but the barrel aging helps it a little. The powdery fake chocolate taste is a little more subtle. There's hints of the barrel aging there, slight vanilla & bourbon taste. Much better than before, but still not fantastic.

Heavy Seas - Letter of Marque 2012 - Tripel Wit Style

From Joe Drinks Dinner and Stuff

Definitely tastes like a tripel with wit spicing. I'd pass.

Heavy Seas - Plank II

From Joe Drinks Dinner and Stuff

Very much like a dopplebock. Enjoyable.

Heavy Seas - Siren Noire

From Joe Drinks Dinner and Stuff

A chocolate stout with some amusing bottle art. It tastes mostly of powdered baking chocolate. Eh, I'd pass. The Great Divide Chocolate Yeti and the Southern Tier Chocolate Stout (or Mokah) are much more pleasant.

Heavy Seas - Winter Storm

From Joe Drinks Dinner and Stuff

This was pleasant. A hint of caramel, mild bitterness. Unoffensive.

Heavy Seas - Davy Jones Lager (Imperial Cream Ale)

From Joe Drinks Dinner and Stuff

I have a hard time understanding how something can be both a lager and an ale at the same time. Something to do with using ale yeast but at low temperatures.

This was really mediocre. Would not recommend or buy again.

Heavy Seas - 2011 Letter of Marque

From Joe Drinks Dinner and Stuff

This was surprisingly good. Like, "I would buy another bottle" good. A solid dubbel.

Bonus Mandy Thoughts
Just the right amount of belgian-y.

Heavy Seas Plank I

From Joe Drinks Dinner and Stuff

This was pretty enjoyable. It didn't have a typical wood-aged flavor. A slight roasted, burnt molasses flavor to it. I'd drink it again.



Bonus Mandy Thoughts:
I don't like the smell. And I don't like the taste.

Heavy Seas Black Cannon

From Joe Drinks Dinner and Stuff

This beer met expectations. I'd drink it again. I think I like it better than the cans of Back in Black that I had.

Heavy Seas Hang Ten

From Joe Drinks Dinner and Stuff

Lesson from this beer: If I am about the buy a weizenbock, if it is not named "Aventinus", put it down and instead buy an Aventinus.

It was enjoyable, but its fairly alcoholic, which overpowers most of the fruity esters that are present.

Heavy Seas Dubbel Cannon

From Joe Drinks Dinner and Stuff

Well this was a little underwhelming. When it says "Belgian IPA" on the bottle, I expect it to be a least slight bitter. I don't know. I mean, I guess its "slightly" bitter, but its really not what I'm looking for.

The "dubbel" part of the name is probably accurate. Its a dubbel with a floral hoppiness to it. I think I'd stick to the Loose Cannon and Black Cannon instead of this. Or just buy the best "Belgian IPA" I've had, Raging Bitch.

Heavy Seas Below Deck Barleywine

After having two of the barrel aged versions (one good, one not so good) I finally have the "normal" version.

I have to say its not that impressive. Both the Brooklyn and Victory offerings were much more enjoyable. Fairly thin, slightly sweet without a lot else.

Heavy Seas Thank You, Thank You Very Much (Anniversary Ale)

A heavy note of grapefruit dominates the initial taste. Not particularly sweet.

Not bad, not great.

Heavy Seas - The Greater Pumpkin

Hmm. This was very boozy. I couldn't really tell it was a pumpkin beer. It was just sweet sweet sweet. Not very good.

Heavy Seas Prosit

Not very malty. Pretty boozy. The Avery was a lot better.

Heavy Seas - The Great Pumpkin

Not too shabby. I had my other pumpkin beer of the season a while ago so my comparison might be a little off. Its neither too sweet, nor too thin, nor too overly spiced. I think it tastes more alcoholic than most pumpkin beers, and maybe a little too much for me. Its certainly leagues better than the historically bad Shipyard pumpkin ale that is still seared into my memory.

Bonus Mandy Thoughts:
It smells fruity. Oo, it smells like a candle. It does not taste like a fruit or candle. Well, I don't really eat pumpkin things, so I can't say whether it tastes like pumpkin or not. Ooo oo. Maybe a pumpkin candle? I think I like my pumpkin beer with more spice. My thoughts on this pumpkin beer are going to be much longer than your thoughts [accurate].

Heavy Seas Loose Cannon

Bought in place of Two Hearted Ale. I actually brought a six pack of this for Jeff and I in the past year or so. I believe its the go-to brew in the Richardson household now.

A nice east coast style IPA. Not overly bitter. Pretty good.

Bonus in the picture is an appearance of Leah's hippo toy.

Heavy Seas - Below Decks (Bourbon Barrel)

This beer went on a tropical vacation.

I thought this was actually rather plain. Slight vanilla/woodiness from the aging. Not too sweet which I was worried about. It just doesn't stick out in my mind and I think the cabernet barrel aging of this was a lot better.

Heavy Seas - Red Sky At Night

Another from the sampler pack:

This is a lot sweeter than most saisons I've had. The alcohol is noticeable too. Also has a strong banana taste. I don't really like it all that much...