Heavy Seas Peg Leg Imperial Stout Beer Review

Heavy Seas Peg Leg Imperial Stout

Review Date 10/22/2005 Last Updated 12/18/2016

Try? Re-buy?

Just yesterday, I was out beer shopping, always a fun event for me. Whatever your favorite hobby is, just think about how excited you get when you’re involved in it, and you’ll have an idea what I’m talking about. My beloved Barbara sometimes thinks I’m crazy because of the time I spend beer hunting. But I know I’m sane. At least I think so.

Anyway, while perusing the aisles yesterday I saw a few six-packs from the Heavy Seas line of ales from Baltimore’s Clipper City brewery. This is a line of bigger and bolder brews meant for the serious beer connoisseur. Here’s what they say about the line:

Our Heavy Seas line represents our highest expression of the brewer's art. Each beer is naturally bottle conditioned, intentionally leaving a small amount of live yeast in the package to naturally carbonate the beer. In addition, bottle conditioning adds subtle complexity and allows the beers to evolve over time (within reason), not unlike fine wine. We proudly present our Heavy Seas beers for the true beer afficiniado (sic). As of now, all of these beers are limited release seaonals (sic). Remember, it's Heavy Seas that separate the men from the boys!

So, you know I bought some. I actually picked up the Peg Leg Imperial Stout, because I’m in a stout funk right now and I’ve been drinking lots of imperials. Imperial stouts are like stouts on steroids. They’re bigger and bolder than ordinary stouts, with more alcohol and flavor.

Peg Leg imperial stout is about 8% alcohol by volume. It’s made with chocolate, black barley, Crystal and pale malts and Fuggles and Styrian Golding hops. As usual, I was excited about trying a new beer. But when I poured the liquid into my glass, I was immediately concerned.

That’s because Peg Leg Imperial Stout pours to a sort of light black color (can that be?). It can for beer. As I decanted the liquid into the glass from the bottle, I could see it turning brown as light passed through. This was the same once I held my glass up to the light.

Now, an imperial stout should really be opaque in color, allowing little if any light to pass through. That wasn’t the case here, and that means the body is likely thinner than it should be (it was). A small tan head formed on a gentle pour, and I got a little licorice in the nose.

I got some chocolate and licorice in the palate, but I found the body thin and lacking in the roasted barley character I want in the style. The finish is a little warming with alcohol and a touch of grassy hops. A little raisin peeks through too, but overall I was underwhelmed by Peg Leg. I will drink the rest of my bottles, but at $8 a six-pack, I doubt I would buy it again.

Very disappointing for the style.

Try a Victory Storm King or a Brooklyn Black Chocolate instead.

Update 12/18/2016: It's been 11 years now since I took any notes on Heavy Seas Peg Leg Imperial Stout, so when I saw it on tap at Taco Mac I figured I would give it another try. I've seen it in bottles many times, but as I hadn't enjoyed it last time around the thought never occurred to buy it.

I'm glad I gave it a second chance.

From the website:

This full-bodied imperial stout pours an opaque mahogany color with a tan head. Its smell is dominated by notes of roasted coffee beans, with a slight hint of chocolate, but Simcoe and Fuggles hops add complexity to the aroma. The roasted barley is detectable in the taste, and this complements the bitterness from the Warrior hops - balancing out the sweetness from the load of malts used in brewing Peg Leg. A creamy mouthfeel makes this a smooth, utterly drinkable beer.

Ingredients from the website:

Hops: UK Target, Cascade, UK Fuggle, UK Kent Goldings

Malts: 2-Row Malt, Munich Malt, Roasted Barley, Chocolate Malt, Amber Malt, 3 different types of Crystal Malt

Heavy Seas Peg Leg Imperial Stout still has an alcohol content of 8% by volume with 50 IBUs. I paid $6.50 for a 20-ounce mug and it runs $9.99 a six-pack in bottles.

My mug was much better than I remembered, jet black in color with a creamy tan head and a little roast in the nose. Taking a sip, the beer has a medium body with notes of chocolate, coffee, chicory, and grassy hops in the long dry roasty finish. Warming alcohol at the last, too.

I've always loved Heavy Seas beers and I'm happy this one is so much improved. I've changed it from not a rebuy to a rebuy, and from 2 to 3.5 stars. The next time I see it in bottles, I won't be passing it by.

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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