Heavy Seas - Peg Leg Imperial Stout - Heavy Seas Beer

TappaKeggaBrew

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Very dark brown, with two fingers of large-bubbled head than lingered nicely, with very thin lacing on the glass.

S: Sweet-smelling malt, some vanilla. Also toasty acrylamide. But all rather faint.

T: As the smell suggested, a lot of sweetness in this one, although burnt malts are also strong. There seemed to be light citrus notes (surprising for an imperial stout) before the faint hops bitterness.

M: Noticeable but not unpleasant alcohol. Not much carbonation -- I think it all ended up in the head.

O: Not bad, but not very smooth. I'd have another, but I wouldn't seek it out.

Serving type: on-tap

12-20-2011 03:12:16 | More by TappaKeggaBrew

mikeg67

New Jersey

3.38/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle. Pours dark brown with a thick beige head and a good amount of lacing. Aroma is of bready malt, dark fruit and some chocolate. Medium, creamy body. Toasted, nutty malt, prunes, brown sugar and some chocolate fill the mouth. The finish is bitter-sweet, medium lasting. I find this brew too thing for IS.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2011 14:42:14 | More by mikeg67

WifeEraser78

Pennsylvania

2.88/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

This was a beer that I was hesitant of buying when I talked to an employee at the beer distribution center. But I looked up the rating on Beer Advocate and saw that it was a good rating. (Not that I really focus on ratings for things. Hell, Strange Brew did not get god reviews and that movie is fantastic)
Anyway...

Smell did not have an overpowering feature. I kind of like a distinct feature when I inhale a freshly poured beer.

The pour has the great feature that I love in any beer, which is little head. I can almost pour this beer upside down and get very little head.

The pour sequences into the mouthfeel because any low carbonated beer goes down way too smooth. That means I can pound these down quickly.

In the overall rating, I think that this beer is pretty easy to drink. It comes with a good price tag and it can be a good introduction to a Russian Imperial Stout.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2011 04:07:57 | More by WifeEraser78

whiterabbit

Ohio

3.88/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 120z. bottle Black and "thick" in appearance, not a lot going on as far as smell goes, light nothing really standing out.
First sip as smooth as they come. Lighter than most stout, smooth as silk. I am liking this brew.
Chocolate. Not bitter, but you do taste the alcohol. Again, smoother and lighter than most. Really goes down easy.
This is good./ If you like the heavier, almost able to slice with a knife stout, this is not for you. If you like a very smooth, easy drinking, yet still very satisfying brew, your gonna like this one.

Most Heavy Seas are on the light side, but still retain the flavor. This is no exception. Will back again for more...

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2011 03:34:47 | More by whiterabbit

stckhndlr

Virginia

4.38/5  rDev +20%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A- This looks like motor oil thats about 6 months overdue for a change. Light only gets through around the very very edges. Has a nice one finger tan head that sticks around for a few but not too long.

S- Caramel syrup malty smell. Has hints of coffee and plenty of chocolate.

T- Toasty coffee and chocolate. Love the chocolate malt. Not very bitter. Nice loooong finish.

M- Full body, frothy and a smooth finish going down.

O- I love this one. because the company has focused on the malt rather than the hops it makes this one very drinkable. Have to force yourself to drink it slowly or that 8% can creep up on you. Great beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2011 13:53:09 | More by stckhndlr

Meerkey

Virginia

3.85/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Not much beige head, doesn't stick around very long. Very dark brown, black. Barest hint of lightness at edges.

S: Coffee, dark chocolate, and caramel. Smooth and rich. Very nice.

T: Dark chocolate and coffee grounds. A little bitter, but mostly sweetish and caramel malts.

M: Smooth but not too heavy - maybe a little thin, slight hint of carbonation.

O: Pretty good, but not my favorite stout. Not that interesting, but a pretty solid stout.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2011 01:56:34 | More by Meerkey

haywire77

Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured a pitch black body with dark brown edges and about 1" of khaki brown head with sporadic large bubbles that faded very quickly to a patchy cap.

Lightly roasted sweet malts dominate the smell if dominate is a word I want to use. Plums and raisins maybe and a little boozy smell. Not a heavy scent and rather lackluster for an imperial stout. Not at all unpleasant, however.

Just like the nose. Dark fruits and sweet malts with quite a bit of alcohol on the back end. Sweet for an imperial. Not what I was expecting. Refreshing, if a stout could actually be.

Mouthfeel is thin and rather dry with a bit too much carbonation. No viscosity to speak of and the only lingering effect I get is the bubbles on the back of my tongue.

Overall this beer is average to me at best. With other decent imperials in this low price range, I will probably not seek out this brew again. This is not to say that it's a bad beer, just not quite what I was looking for.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2011 20:40:52 | More by haywire77

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Pours black. Not much light getting through. Slight head. Leaves blotches along my glass. Looks pretty thick when poured.

S-Quite a chocolatey nose. Chocolate syrup. Hints of roasted coffee are detectable too. Booze comes off clearly in the nose. Slightly bitter. Pretty generic in the nose but nothing bad.

T-Chocolate syrup and booze mostly. Roasted coffee sneaks in as well. Alcohol is pretty blatant. Run of the mill Imperial Stout flavor. That is not really a bad thing however.

M-Not very thick in the feel. Medium bodied surprisingly. High carbonation for an Imperial Stout. Bland feel, but surprisingly easy to sip for a big beer.

O/D-Generic, but sometimes generic is not a bad thing. I wanted a few stouts to drink during a Sunday full of football. Far from great, but it will get the job done for today. $10 for a 6-pack is decent especially because six of this would get you going pretty good. Overall, solid. Won't complain.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2011 18:29:57 | More by VelvetExtract

KomodoDragon

Virginia

3.25/5  rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Modest cream head atop a rich stout

S - Not much going on. Some earthy smells

T - A dose of caramel and toffee english malts along with some cocoa, hint of roasted flavors and a dull dry finish. Little balance. No hops presence - ok for an english style. While there is pepper spice and evidence of the 8% ABV, this is an imperial by look alone.

M - Creamy smooth, and light carbonation.

O - Easy to drink, but little too appreciate. In a word, mild. Missing more thasn just a leg. Although maybe I'm spoiled by the American versions and the other good brews in this style.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2011 03:03:19 | More by KomodoDragon

russwbeck

Virginia

3.25/5  rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Light brown to black pour with only a small light brown head. A ton of bubbles rush from the bottom of the glass.

S: The aroma is roasty, with hints of chocolate, but very subtle. Very average smell, nothing really stands out.

T: Like the smell, the taste is pretty average. This beer is fighting in a tough crowd though. Roasty, perhaps some slight hops, mixed in with chocolate. Pretty good considering it's relatively cheap. But certainly not on the same level as Old Rasputin or other similarly price RIS'.

MF: Medium to heavy body. Carbonated well. Dry finish. Only hints of booze, the alcohol is masked nicely.

O: Tastey and extremely drinkable. I enjoyed it, but this is nothing special.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2011 01:52:17 | More by russwbeck

weizenbob

Michigan

4.08/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle purchased at Jimmie Garant's in Alpena, MI and poured into a nonic pint glass. Full disclosure; this bottle is a year beyond its "purchase before" date. My impression of this beer is appears a bit more positive than the general consensus so I'm reviewing it anyway. Maybe it's just a beer that begs for some aging. An aggressive pour gives me three fingers of foamy mocha-brown head. Retention is good. Small patches of lacing stick around. This beer is very dark. A tiny amount of ruby can be seen near the bottom of the glass, but there is otherwise no translucence.

The aroma gives off rich Hershey Syrup-like chocolate notes. Malts give off a nice roasty fragrance. Alcohol is forward on the nose, even for a beer containing 8% ABV. It smells good, but there is nothing in the nose that helps this to break away from the imperial stout pack.

Boom! This is one of the most chocolaty stouts I've ever tasted. Forget complexity; this is a cocoa bomb. Roasted malts fill the nose after each swallow. Alcohol is manifest on the tongue, adding a little heat. It appears well-hopped with a bitter finish that does little to overcome the sweet, sticky chocolate. Dark chocolate lingers on the tongue.

This is a full bodied stout, with a nice creamy feel. The carbonation level is moderate and works well with the body. It is sweet to the point of being syrupy, but it is also bitter and alcoholic. I can't say that it's the easiest drinking imperial stout, but the intensely sweet chocolate impression makes it seem like it's going down easily. At a year past fresh, this is indeed a sturdy stout.

---

The Two-Schlitz Scale (see my profile for an explanation)
I give two Schlitz for year-old Peg Leg

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2011 14:50:51 | More by weizenbob

Crossmd

Virginia

3.63/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured at 55 degrees into a dogfish head

Pours a opaque black-brown with no head.

Smells of some dry, powered cocoa, and a hint of ground coffee.

Tastes of a smooth, relatively generic chocolate tasting with a hint of coffee. Not much else here outside of that, unfortunately. Lightly effervescent mouthfeel with

Overall, relatively generic- not stellar, but a good offering and relatively inexpensive. Worth picking up, but many not necessarily revisiting.

84.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2011 01:12:42 | More by Crossmd

littlelorib

Virginia

4.2/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Very dark, almost black, with a head of about 1" which slowly dissipated leaving lacing on the glass and the surface of the beer. Floral smell quickly giving way to cinnamon and malt. Taste started off malty with chocolate and coffee following. Nice amount of carbonation with a bit of alcohol peeking through. Nice mouth feel showing substance and warmth.

Overall, it knocked my socks off. First stout that i've tried that i've liked. Definitely becoming a regular at my house.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2011 22:54:34 | More by littlelorib

Casey10

Maine

3.95/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A nice stout that I really didin't look at until I started to look at any beer that I could try that I had before.

That being said gald I did while this is no rasputin not a bad beer at all. A nice chocolate taste with a bit of coffee. The beer looks nices and overall given the price at least worth a try.

A really nice stout and a great beer for the money.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2011 22:08:08 | More by Casey10

pzrhsau

District of Columbia

4.05/5  rDev +11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Nice dark chocolate color with a slight coffee colored head.
S: Roasted dark malt, coffee beans, and alcohol giving it a decent twang to the aroma.
T: Very good rich roasted malt aroma with a huge presence of alcohol. Very warming and filling. Slight hop aftertaste. Great interpretation.
M/O: Good bodied stout. Very strong and warming.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2011 00:27:15 | More by pzrhsau

yankeej13

Florida

4.13/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoy Clipper City so when they bring a new product of theirs into my liquor store always love trying it.

A- Dark as night with a very thin lace of a brownish foam. Little to no carbonation.

S- Has a nice bold coffee flavor smell with a back up of chocolate.

T- The taste is exactly bold as the smell. Fantastic coffe smell. It has a really sweet chocolate finish.

M- Good drinkability, really smooth flavor and a nice sweet finish.

Overall- Really impressed with this beer. CC did a great job, will def be buying it again. Cheers

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2011 02:43:52 | More by yankeej13

soju6

Missouri

3.5/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a virtual black color with a nice head that fades to lacing.

S: Aroma of chocolate, some coffee and spice.

T: Taste of bittersweet chocolate, some coffee and a bit of spice. Mild bitterness and a sticky malt finish.

F: Medium body, smooth and creamy.

O: Nice stout, but doesn't really seem too imperial

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2011 00:48:34 | More by soju6

jayhawk73

Maryland

3.4/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a jet black w/ little head on the beer. Minimal carbonation or lacing on this beer. Definitely mediocre for the style. Nose is that of chocolate, some fruit, hops, and coffee. I could really use more malt on this beer- it really needs it. Taste is slightly better, but it doesn't have the full, velvety taste of the best RIS brews. Mouthfeel is a little flat, and somewhat dry. Overall, this was a disappointment- it doesn't live up to the other beers I've had from Clipper City. Probably won't look for this again.

Serving type: on-tap

09-07-2011 16:39:59 | More by jayhawk73

nickthetick

Maryland

4.35/5  rDev +19.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A: pours an opaque black into a DFH signature glass and when held up to the light the skinnier parts of the glass give off some ruby tints. There is a solid finger of dark tan head that dissipates slowly and leaves a bit of lacing.

S: the first thing to hit the nose is a wallop of cinnamon and sweet chocolate. Some beautiful smoke and dark chocolate with a nice coffee and caramel note.

T: wonderful dark chocolate bitter/sweet right off the bat. Nice medium roast coffee and more sweet chocolate with some spicy under notes. There are some great dark fruits; figs, dates and prunes.

MF: a good heavy body, slight effervescence keeps it a tad viscous and smooth.

O: a great, easy to find, affordable and some brilliant undertones mixed with a well balanced core style.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2011 03:51:11 | More by nickthetick

ElmerBruisery

Maryland

3.3/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle poured into a snifter

Light brown fizzy head that quickly rises and falls even faster leaving  no lacing nor cap. Right now it actually looks just like a glass of Coke. Dark dark brown almost black.

Nose consists of black licorice, mild notes of coffee, dark chocolate and dark fruity yeast.

Taste very similar to nose with licorice, coffee, and dark dried fruit. 

Body is light for a RIS. Fizzy carbonation. On a good note the 8% Abv is well hidden. The body is just very weak for the style.

Overall it's a good drinkable beer, but doesn't seem to be a RIS. Too weak all around for an imperial stout.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2011 22:16:23 | More by ElmerBruisery

Guden

Maryland

4.22/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A- Deep black with a solid one finger brown head. No lacing but still looks beautiful.

S- Bourbon and coffee with a bit of burnt toast. It's a nice blend with the alcohol showing through in a good way.

T- Similar to the nose, coffee and toast, but the bourbon alcohol character gives way to a licorice component which I really enjoy. A bit of bitterness on the tail end add up to a great beer.

M- A bit thinner than I would like in my stouts and missing the creaminess or carbonation levels I expect but still a bit of chewy character and the flavors do fill the mouth well.

D- Intense flavors and high alcohol (both in terms of the taste and the effects) keep this one from being a super easy drinker but it sure is tasty and will bring me back again. Once again Heavy Seas comes through, not sure why they don't get more credit for their great beers from top to bottom.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2011 18:44:02 | More by Guden

McNealc31

Ohio

2.95/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

he color is right on, but the head doesn't compare to most others of the style. Very smooth. Might be the lightest bodied imperial stout I've had. There's a hint of coffee, bittersweet chocolate, and some dark fruit. Late bitterness from the hops.

It's not bad, but it's just not doing anything for me. Very tame and I wanted something more audacious

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2011 01:44:13 | More by McNealc31

ONUMello

Ohio

2.93/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass.
A: Jet black, but next to no head whatsoever.
S: Some coffee and also that wet after-rain smell.
T: Coffee and toffee, not really picking up much else.
M: Medium-bodied, somewhat viscous. Average for the style.
O: In general I enjoy Clipper City's beer, especially the Loose Cannon. In general I enjoy imperial stouts. But this one just isn't doing it for me. Nothing bad about it, just very average.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2011 04:54:26 | More by ONUMello

nickfl

Florida

3.68/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours with half a finger of medium brown foam on top of an opaque black body with amber highlights. The head settles fairly quickly and leaves light lace.

S - Light chocolate notes with a big caramel backbone and some spicy red apple yeast notes.

T - Dark sugar notes of molasses and burnt caramel. Some cinnamon and red apple comes out in the middle. Smoky chocolate in the finish with more molasses and moderate bitterness.

M - A moderately thick body, average carbonation, and a relatively dry finish.

D - This one is a bit lacking in dark malt character for the style. It has a good dose of dark sugary complexity but only hint of chocolate and smoke with no real roast character. This leaves it a bit cloying despite the reasonably dry finish.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2011 03:42:58 | More by nickfl

jondeelee

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Peg Leg begins with a good Imperial Stout aroma, heavy with malts and smelling of coffee, toffee, peat, dark chocolate, and caramelized brown sugar. The coffee aroma is lighter than on many Imperial Stouts, and the beer lacks the thick ash scent that is typical of the style.

On the tongue, the initial flavors are coffee, ash (which is present in the taste, strangely), caramelized sugars, and darker fruit esters, such as fig and black cherry. Chocolate malts come through strongly in the second half of the mouthful, and last well into the aftertaste. The beer has a strong alcohol buzz (8% ABV) which does tickle the soft palate. Mouthfeel is medium (which I found thin for an Imperial Stout), and carbonation is medium.

Overall, this is a decent stout, but the flavors are lighter that would be expected for an Imperial. Still, the flavors are present in good quantities, and are finely nuanced; they simply lack the extra punch of a good Imperial. But because of this, the beer is a little more drinkable to newcomers, and so makes good introductory fare.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2011 02:50:38 | More by jondeelee