Why We Picked It: Heavy Seas is a local pioneer in craft brews and always seems to sneak its way into the 24 days of beer. Pounders Pils appeared this summer; Night Swell in the 2019 Holiday edition; and Winter Storn in Holiday 2017.
What Heavy Seas Says About It: We use nearly 3 pounds of Belgian coco nibs per barrel of Siren Niore. This imperial chcocolate stout is not shy—five weeks in bourbon barrels gives this beer its punch, and vanilla beans give it a creamy, soft sweetness. It’s well-rounded body is decidedly chocolatey—but not extraordinarily sweet. Chocolate lovers—have at it.
Style: Stout - Imperial/Double
ABV: 9.5%
IBU: 19
Website: https://www.hsbeer.com/
To Better Know A Brewery: We have a pretty clear sense of purpose, make beers that taste exactly the way they should. Every time. No frills. No fluff. We weren’t created by Baltimore’s original craft brewer to be thought leaders, or to thump our chests, or to see who we could outdo. We started this revolution for one reason only: to make ridiculously good beer without any of the ridiculousness.
No matter how popular craft brewing gets, we believe in the craft of brewing. And to us, making beer that people can drink and actually enjoy is what keeps us cranking.
Where we come from, really good beer doesn’t need to be something it’s not. In fact, it never should be. Turns out, really good beer isn’t tricky after all. It boils down to a simple recipe everybody else seems to have forgotten: make it drinkable, make it approachable, execute to the highest possible standards, and have some fun. That’s not just what matters most—it’s the only thing that matters at all.
Oh no... here we go again. I am keeping an open mind. will return shortly for updates.
ReplyDeleteMad cred of having it on your mind at 2:37. I cracked mine open at 3:48. Report coming soon...
DeleteThanks brother man Shep. I was planning on having it shortly after that post, bet then reality kicked in with unscheduled last minute conference call requests. Emeffers. 😁
ReplyDeleteSo perhaps I cracked mine a bit too early, as I ended up with an urgent meeting at 4. The kind where our president writes "MANDATORY" in all caps. Still, that went almost and smooth as this beer (see what I did there), and now I am sipping the remainder while listening to the new Taylor Swift album. Is it odd to be late 40ish and obsessed with her latest stuff. Duets with HAIM, the National and another with Bon Iver... outstanding. But, I digress.
ReplyDeleteAs for the beer, I must say I really enjoyed this one. Maybe its the coco nibs? Who doesn't love a good nib? However, I found the chocolate was subtle (contrary to the description) and the sweetness was present but balanced against the other flavors. All in all, a balanced and clean stout with the punch of a stout without becoming a booze fest. A solid 4 out of 5 Shake It Offs.
Ok. I cannot tell a lie: this was not that bad. I don't want another one now or ever, but I think Heavy Seas achieved what the set out to.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, kudos to using a quality coco. It starts and ends like a quality "Belgian" chocolate. Then the Bourbon, right there along side it and the vanilla weaves in and out of both for a soothing, calming plush throw on a winter's day next to a roaring fire.
BAM the harsh bitter swirled up from the dark depths of this tranquil dark liquid and grabs you from the jugular and pulls you down deep into the abyss where you feel the pressure pushing to pop your eyes out of your skull. Holding you down for what seems to be an eternity as that harsh aftertaste lingers. A reminder that not all but on (or beer) is smooth.
And that, was the one characteristic that leaves me unimpressed, walking into the dusty sunset drenched and exhausted, never to look back at this tempting but grotesque Siren.
I think I'm going to start writing harlequin novels. Or not.
2.5/5 odysseus's.
DeleteAlso, after reading my post I feel like Ralphie from a Christmas story felt as he wrote his "theme" only to get a C+. Reality is harsh sometimes
I've been nursing this for an hour now, as it warms to room temp it is actually getting smoother, or the 9%+ is settling in.
DeleteI feel like we have pretty similar (aka somewhat “old classics”) beer tastes. I was also pretty surprised by this beer.
DeleteI was wondering if it would drink nicely at room
temp and if some more of the coco would come out even more. Well I just typed saying I would not buy it...now I might have to so I can try it room temperature.
Or you can come over and have the last two swigs out of mine. It's sitting out on the kitchen counter. I'll leave the porch light on. 😁
DeleteLike Theodore .... this is not my typical kind of beer. I generally like beer that tastes like “beer”. I’m a simple minded man really. I always tell people that outside of work I try to make very little decisions and want very few surprises. Folks at work always think I am joking, but I do enough thinking/talking at work that on the weekend I just want my wife to run my life really. She loves to be in charge and run things so it’s a great partnership. People will say what are you doing this weekend and I just say, no idea whatever the wife says.
ReplyDeleteShe tells me what to do and when and I (generally) blindly do it. She will tell me ok pack XYZ by 9 am so we can go on a hike. So I do, we get in the car and she tells me where to drive and I drive. It’s perfect.
Along with my preference to shut my brain down I also don’t want surprises. My beers of choice go along with that.
I love trying new things don’t get my wrong, last night we ate a bunch of fried crickets my daughter wanted to try. However I feel like I have had enough beers in my life to know what I will like and if I want to reach into my fridge at home I want a solid, maybe a little light, easily drinkable beer. Something mindless, easy going, and a known commodity.
This beer 100% hits all the markers of what I do NOT like. If I want something that high in alcohol I will break open some wine if I want something strong aged in barrels I will drink a nice whiskey.
All that said.... I must say I was pleasantly surprised by this beer. It was very well balanced for how much crap they did to it. Will I ever buy it, no, did I finish it pretty quickly for a 9% beer...yep!
3.5 out of 5 pleasantly surprised. (And I 3.5 is probably why higher then I ever would have thought i would be rating a beer of this style).
Where my IPAs at?! Just kidding. This one just didn't appeal to me. Least favorite so far.
ReplyDeleteThey are coming but not as many as I would like
DeleteUsually not my go-to style (or brewery for that matter) but this was tasty. The chocolate and vanilla really do help make it fairly smooth for the ABV.
ReplyDeleteI like stouts and love peg leg from this brewery but this one was too strong for my taste. 2/4
ReplyDeleteA little too strong for me. Also a slight taste of... soy sauce? Am I just saying that because of how it looks? Anyway, a slightly below average stout for me.
ReplyDeleteDidn’t quite finish this one. Bourbon taste was a bit strong
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I am inspired by the picture of Angelina Jolie on the label, or if it's the 9.5 ABV talking, but this is a manly beer that makes me feel manly and like I should do manly things. I mean, there's a skull and crossbones, bourbon, beer as dark as the Baltimore harbor, and barrels. And you know, barrels are wooden and have round metal things that are sometimes rusty, and they are big and heavy and I think that is kind of manly. So yes, the beer makes me want to do manly things, like fix a car, or learn how to fix a car. Or maybe cut down a tree, or or at least get one that is already cut down - but, get it at the Home Depot for maximum manliness, and buy a new saw or a wrench or something. Or, you know, listen to the new Taylor Swift album. Oh wait. That one has been taken.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, though, I did not think I was going to like this one, but I sorta did. I have had some really terrible wines and beers that are soaked in bourbon barrels or sprayed with bourbon or whatever that's about. BUT, this one has a nice warm flavor to me, and the flavors bend nicely together. I am not sure I would more than one of these, but I could see having a draft on a cold night. So 3/5 Chuck Norris's from me.
That is the most manly thing I've done in while actually. Maybe I'll listen while walking around Home Depot tomorrow.
DeleteGlorious. Well done, Heavy Seas. I love Bourbon, and I love stouts, but I don't always enjoy them together. This one hit the right notes, and it had so many complex flavors and the aroma was nice and sweet. Very good for this style and what I think that they were going for. This may sound strange but it almost tastes like a Trappist beer with the sweetness and complexity, but with more roasted flavor. Excellent beer.
ReplyDeleteI came in with zero expectations. Heavy Seas is in my Duclaw category of Baltimore breweries I try and avoid. I blame Piratz for that. Anyway, any beer that is aged in any bourbon barrel is also usually a no go. But this was lovely. Smelled sweeter than it was, the bourbon was mild and the alcohol was subtle yet effective. I must say I enjoyed it and would have had another if one had been present. My only objection is that Jay mentioned it tasted like soy sauce and I had a hard time getting rid of that thought. 4 out of 5 Edward Teachs.
ReplyDeleteI was actually surprised the ABV was not higher on this. The bourbon came through real hard which I love. I had one of those moments where I had not gotten up in awhile during its consumption and when I got up nearly tripped over my own two feet. I like Heavy Seas already but this made me feel even better about them.
ReplyDeleteGreg -- I definitely enjoyed this one, though not as much as the next day's (Dragon Milk). This one was very subtle on the chocolate, almost too subtle, but the roasty backbone of this stout worked for me, and then bourbon-y sweetness kicks in and I was left in a very pleasant space after each sip. No real vanilla or oakiness from the barrel aging that I could detect, but what remained was an enjoyable quaff.
ReplyDeleteI love barrel-aged beers and I have loved this one before. This year, I feel like I'm not getting much bourbon or oak out of it.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that some detected more bourbon than me.