They’ve done it again. Clipper City Brewing Company of Baltimore, Maryland has managed to impress me with another wonderfully executed beer in their Heavy Seas line. You may think of the brewery as Heavy Seas, but they’re really Clipper City and have been since 1995. That’s when they were founded by beer legend Hugh Sisson; I’ve been drinking their beers almost that long. I reviewed Clipper City Winter Reserve back in 1999 and had been drinking their beers a few years before that (at least).  

Anyway, as you doubtless want to know by now, the beer that’s currently tickling my fancy is Heavy Seas Dubbel Cannon Belgian-Style IPA (not to be confused with Heavy Seas Double Cannon IPA. This is one of several variations on Heavy Seas Loose Cannon IPA, is described as a Belgian-style IPA, but isn’t likely like any of the Belgian IPAs you’ve sampled.

Why is that? Most of the “Belgian-IPAs” I’ve come across are really just IPAs fermented with Belgian ale yeast to add some funky character. Heavy Seas Dubbel Cannon IPA does the same thing, but adds some dark malts and uses dubbel ale yeast (do they add a dash of candy sugar?) to really make this beer exciting. I love dubbels almost as much as I do doppelbocks, so you can imagine how wonderful this beer is for me.

Clipper City doesn’t mention Dubbel Cannon on their website, but Taco Mac says the following, which they seem to have quoted from the brewery:

A variation of our "Loose Cannon" IPA, fermented with a Belgian Dubbel yeast culture - tangy hops with a spicy aroma.

Heavy Seas Dubbel Cannon Belgian-Style IPA has an alcohol content of 7.3% by volume according to Taco Mac and is not to be found at Total Wine. Perhaps it is draft only currently? I paid $6.50 for a 20-ounce mug at Taco Mac in Canton.

My mug of Heavy Seas Dubbel Cannon Belgian-Style IPA arrived a ruddy brownish color with a light creamy head and a nose replete with berry fruit and grassy hops.  Sipping reveals sweet rich chocolate nutty malts up front, rock candy, funky yeast, grassy herbal hop aroma and a long dry bitter finish. Smash together a Belgian Dubbel and an English IPA and you will have something close to this AMAZING beer!

If you enjoy this wonderful beer as much as I do, why not let heavy Seas know? You can drop them a line at fred@hsbeer.com and give them your thoughts. By the way that’s Fred Crudder, who used to buy beer for Taco Mac. Where I drank this beer. Small world, eh?

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft



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