I'm just getting back from a trip to Virginia with my wife and some friends. It was a good time filled with memorable events, but it also gave me the opportunity to try some different beers and pick up some new things that I normally wouldn't get in Delaware. However, today's review has nothing to do with those. Even though the trip was enjoyable, it feels good to be home, and as such I'm relaxing for the evening with another favorite local standby, Clipper City's Loose Cannon. This beer is an IIPA, and one of my favorite offerings from the brewery.
Initially the beer has a grapefruit character mixed with a vinous quality. It's a thick and full hoppy smell if that makes much sense. As it sits it becomes more leafy and open, allowing a bit of bready malt to come though as well. As expected, the hops dominate the nose, so there's not much room for anything else.
The first taste offers a bit of mild citrus flavor, followed by a gripping bitterness as it's swallowed. Although there does seem to be some caramel and bready flavors in there, again it's really the hops that dominate the mouth. It's a pleasantly sharp flavor, but be careful because it will just about ruin your palate if you're going to try anything else in close succession.
The beer is medium bodied, and not very heavily carbonated. I actually prefer this in my beers, although I know others do not. I find that it can distract from the flavors if the beer is highly carbonated. This beer evokes somewhat of a cask feel, perhaps like it would have been on a ship transported from England back when IPAs were first created.
Overall this is another excellent offering from Clipper City. I've been consistently impressed with their Heavy Seas series, in fact I don't think there has been one that I didn't like yet. This is definitely one of the under-appreciated breweries of the East Coast, pick it up for sure if you can.
- Adam
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