By Greg B. With the Clipper City beer dinner rapidly approaching, I felt it would be important to entice people to go.  And the best way I could think of doing this was to do a taste review of the beers for the evening!  This article will go through the beers, Gold Ale, Hang Ten, Holy Sheet, Peg Leg Stout, and a Red Sky and show YOU, the reader why YOU should also become a drinker/eater at the beer dinner!

Much thought was given to the menu for this evening, but I wont discuss that at length.  It involved tasting beers and bouncing flavors off each other, thinking of counter flavors, complimenting flavors and what aspects of the beers would be shown off, and which would show off a food, in the best possible way. (beer was tasted in speigelau glassware… review to follow soon!).

Gold Ale – 4.9% abv, Nicely carbonated, very clear brilliant gold hue.  The beer pours with a medium/low head which fades to a thin layer of bubbles, constantly refreshed by the carbonation.  On flavor, there is a nice medium maltiness that stands out on mouthfeel but the beer remains clean and never approaches chewiness.  Medium toasted malts are noticeable in the flavor, but they become a slightly fruity, light hop taste which mirrors the aromas from the beer.  With a very clean and slightly dry finish, this beer is a great way to start a meal!

Hang Ten - 10% abv, Medium carbonation with a bright and slowly fading white head which originates at the pour.  The beer is a beautiful dark amber/brown color and smells incredibly nutty and toasty on the nose.  This is one of my all time favorites from the Heavy Seas lineup, the aroma is absolutely incredibly full of banana and caramel, so take some time to really smell and enjoy this beer!  On the flavor, there is definitely a fruity flavor and it is full bodied for sure.  This is a hefty beer, but one that is great to drink!

Holy Sheet – 9% abv, The ‘Uber abbey ale’, it is a mild version of the stereotypical Belgian abbey ale.  It pours a dark amber color with a slightly reddish tinge to it.  On the nose there are some wonderful dark fruits with some slightly sweeter aromas, possibly caramely or Belgian candi style.  The flavor is fantastic, a nice melody of many of the classic ‘Belgian abbey’ styles of beer.  Dark fruits, Belgian candi flavor, slightly alcohol dryness towards the finish but with a good bit of yeasty flavor, this beer hits all the best aspects of Belgian beers, in a really nice, easy drinking full bodied ale!

Peg Leg - 8% abv, It’s hard for me to say anything better about this beer than anything I’ve already said in previous posts!  The beer pours a nice dark dark brown/black color with a good amount of light tan head.  On the nose there are dark roasted malts exploding after the pour, with some darker fruits evident as well.  To taste, there is a fantastic mouthfeel with an awesome texture and richness that is almost silky which matches nicely with the chocolate and coffee flavors and is enhanced bit a little hint of alcohol.  This is a beer that goes great in almost any circumstance, by itself, with a meal or even dessert!

Red Sky – 7.5% abv,  This is an interesting beer to finish the night with.  As a Belgian farmhouse ale, there are a lot of wild yeast flavors present in the beer, giving it a tart and wild aroma and flavor!  It pours a nice golden color with a good sized white head on top, and smells of spicy yeasty fruity components.  There are many other aromas here, but you have to pour yourself a bottle to really understand what I mean by this!  To taste, the beer is sharp with a nice tart component aided by a peppery flavor as well as a dirty, earthy component, no doubt from some interesting combination of old world style Noble Hops.  This beer will give you something to think about as the evening comes to an end.

Given how many great beers are being featured at this beer dinner, I expect everyone to sign up immediately!  As you can see, the pairings of these beers with the menu for the evening will be a great one, featuring the best aspects of the beer paired with some outstanding food.  Clipper City makes some fantastic brews, many of which are award winning beers, and this will be a great opportunity for you to check them out for yourself, and learn a thing or two about brewing and the brewery!