Heavy Seas Black Cannon - Heavy Seas Beer

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.81/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75

Poured from bottle into a pint glass

Appearance – The beer pours an almost pitch black color with a small cream colored head. The head has a low level of retention fading to leave very light lacing on the sides of the glass.

Smell - The aroma is of a roasted malt smell mixed with some caramel sweetness. Along with these smells are notes of licorice and a moderately strong aroma of molasses. Being an IPA, it is no surprise, that along with these smells are some nice notes of a pine and earthy hops, which when mixed with the rest, as well as a roasted coffee malt aroma, give a nice roasty but semi-sweet and moderately hoppy smell.

Taste – The taste begins with a roasted malt taste mixed with a small amount of a citrus hop taste. There is a lighter sweetness present upfront that fades as the taste moves on and then returns again at the end. While the nose depicted a much sweeter profile, the taste was not all that sweet, yet was on the drier and roastier side until the very end where it sweetened up to a lighter to medium amount. The grapefruit hop that was present upfront is soon joined and surpassed in strength by a pine hop flavor. Toward the end an earthy flavor and a decently strong coffee flavor comes to the tongue. With some sweeter flavors of a caramel and light molasses flavor coming to the tongue as well, in the end, a lighter hop flavor mixed with a decent roasted coffee and semi-sweet taste is left to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – For a 7.25 % abv brew, the body of the beer is on the slightly thinner side with a carbonation level that is on the lower side as well. The lower carbonation was rather nice for the roasted flavors of the brew as well as the lighter hop flavors as it accentuated both. The thinner body however was not so good and took away from all those nice flavors.

Overall – A tasty and drinkable brew overall, although it was not really all that hoppy tasting as a IBA would be expected to be. It drinks nice and is rather enjoyable, but don’t expect a hop powerhouse here.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 01:27:53 | More by Darkmagus82

PhantasIPA

Delaware

4.54/5  rDev +18.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The appearance of this beer is, well, black! Looks like a porter but tastes like a stout and IPA made malty love and this came out. Poured it from a bottle into a glass and got a small head (1/8 of an inch) and the lacing is average as well.

The smell is really unique; it smells like pine from the hops, coffee and toffee for the malt. Pungent yet smooth...somehow!

Taste is very good as well. First beer I have ever had that tasted quite like this. Hoppy and dark is a hard flavor to create but they did it. The coffee and malt really balance the pine notes of the hops, as opposed to a normal IPA where the citrus notes accent the pine flavored hops.

Mouthfeel is very smooth since is is such a heavy beer. The density and sweetness make it drink like a Guinness but sting a little like a classic IPA. Carbonation is not a factor at all.

Overall this beer is very unique. A dark and sweet and smooth IPA...pretty cool. Worth a try if you want a unique taste that is well balanced and not too strong at 7.25%.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 18:41:50 | More by PhantasIPA

puboflyons

New Hampshire

4.08/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From the 12 fl. oz. bottle with a expiration date clipped on the label for July 2013. Sampled on April 14, 2013.

The pour is very dark to near black with a mocha head that settles but leaves lacing in the wake.

The body is medium but smooth.

The taste has many of the dark lager characteristics I expect including dark malts and moderate bitterness. Actually fairly easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 21:46:53 | More by puboflyons

BeerDawgs

Georgia

3.86/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A 12 oz bottle dated fresh before May '13

A - Pitch black, with some nice lacing on the glass. A cloudy white hue left on the top of the beer

S - Dark malty notes, burnt beans, and chocolate.

T - Rich dark malty notes, chocolate, but sweet undertones. Nice hop aftertaste.

M - High carbonation, oily and slick

O - A good beer, but I think the Avery New World Porter is more tasty for this style.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 02:55:10 | More by BeerDawgs

hackmann

Michigan

3.61/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: black body with a one finger tan head that leaves some lacing on the glass.

Aroma: not big, but I am picking up a hint of pine, a touch of floral, a touch roasted grains, a little coffee note

Flavors: toasted flavors, roasted grains, pine in the mix, a little semi-sweet chocolate,

Mouthfeel: a little wool like on the texture, roasted notes linger,

To the Point: a nice Black IPA; worthy to try

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 19:33:07 | More by hackmann

Flounder57

Massachusetts

3.99/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle was poured into a nonic pint glass.

Appearance: It poured a small mocha head that reduced to a thin layer. It is a pitch black color with no clarity or vision of bubbles coming up through the glass. Spotty lacing as the beer was drank.

Smell: roasted coffee, chocolate, citrus, pine, burnt molasses, and smoke.

Taste: Same as above with some mild hoppy bitterness in the end.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, medium to full bodied, medium carbonation, some tingly bitterness, and an enjoyable dark beer.

Overall: Pretty solid ABA here. I have enjoyed this before and look forward to more in the future.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 07:26:43 | More by Flounder57

CloudStrife

New York

3.96/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a tulip. May 13 notched on the label.

A: Pours a very dark brown appearing black in the glass with a 2 finger dense light khaki head on top. Head takes its time as it slowly dissipates, leaving splotches of lace on the side.

S: Good blend going on here. First thing that I notice is a rich roasted malt that gives a somewhat chocolate note. The obvious pleasant hops in the background. Dark fruits appear more as it warms up.

T: Upon first sip I get roasted malts that are taken over by a good earthy hop. Real interesting balance, then the finish is even more blurred with a blend of more roasted malts and hop bitterness.

M: Medium body with a decent amount of carbonation. The roasted malts provide a creamy mouthfeel. Hops arent too sticky but do add a nectar like quality.

Overall its a good addition to the heavy seas lineup a nice add on to the Loose Cannon. More complex but it retains the drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 23:55:23 | More by CloudStrife

boilermakerbrew

Indiana

4.1/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Pours a deep, deep brown, almost black color. Small to medium, chocolate brown head. Good retention and good lacing. Tinges of brown and red around the edge of the body in the light.

S- Big, prominent hops profile hits the nose hard. Mostly floral scents with high complexity. Underlying dark malts and a hint of chocolate malt sweetness.

T- Starts with a bang of hops bitterness that quickly transitions into dark malts. In the middle of the drink, chocolate malts become dominant. The blend of slightly sweet chocolate and a moderate hop profile lead to a flavor that is closest to chewing tobacco, with a moderate bite, but some sweetness. Ends with the bite of dark malts and hops.

M- Highly carbonated, but somewhat thick at the same time. Dark malt flavors provide an illusion of thick, creaminess. Slick across the palate with no detectable alcohol.

Overall, a solid, but different black IPA. The chewing tobacco flavor is unique. I like this one, and when I'm in the mood for a black IPA, this is an affordable option.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 02:23:55 | More by boilermakerbrew

BarryMFBurton

Indiana

3.73/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: A shining black with a short fizzy head; little lacing or retention.

S: Pine, earthy grass (like a fresh-cut lawn), and a gingery potpourri scent emanate from this hoppy body. Fair amount of chocolate and biscuit dough in there, as well.

T: A blend of toasted bread, pecan, cocoa, and cola - mostly dark sugars. Earthy hops with tastes of grassy pine give a pretty bitter display, though they remain balanced the whole time. Only slightly roasted on the ends, with a mildly dry, grainy aftertaste.

M: A hefty beer, but with enough carbonation to keep it drinkable. Thicker than most IPAs.

O: A big black ale that I wouldn't mind having another bottle of - simple as that. This is not an overly complex beer, but it is one I definitely enjoyed.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 17:40:58 | More by BarryMFBurton

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

3.4/5  rDev -11%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Consumed 2/14/13

Appearance: Dark brown with some clarity around the edges - small, light tan head - fades quickly to a small cap, small ring, but leaves some decent streaks of lacing regardless

Smell: Roasty, unexpectedly charred, with some nice citrusy hops - heavily roasted malts, with burnt toast and burnt coffee - dry, chocolate malts and some dark chocolate - some grapefruit and dry pine needles

Taste: Burnt and roasty, with some hops - remarkably burnt, with some serious char - burnt coffee, burnt chocolate, chocolate malts in abundance - some dark, dark chocolate - a touch of sweetness, could actually use a bit more to balance the burnt - oily citrus rinds, pine - bitter, but almost entirely due to the burnt bitterness

Mouthfeel: Medium body, on the low side of carbonation, very dry and rough, roasty finish

Overall: Burnt like a flammable cannonball (sounds legit)

This tastes more like a stout than Heavy Seas' imperial stout (Peg Leg). It's very, very burnt. So burnt, in fact, that the hoppiness is overshadowed. This is not a terrible thing, but I think this could use some balance. In its present state, this is good, but not fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 06:09:22 | More by angrybabboon

JohnnyBarman

Ontario (Canada)

3.64/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Single bottle from Premier Gourmet in Buffalo, alongside a few other Heavy Seas offerings. May 2013 BBD.

Poured into a nonic. Dark chestnut back, a small head that survives for quite a while and leaves behind some streaks of lace.

Nose is some particularly potent citrus hops, smoke, brown bread and molasses. Smells great.

Initially, this brew proved to taste a great deal like an overly-bitter, thin stout, which I wasn't a fan of. All I was getting was bitter hops and bitter smokey roasted bread, if that makes any sense. After about 10 minutes of warming, however, I got a few other goodies that helped give the brew a bit more balance, including some chocolate and malty sweetness; however, this was at the expense of the hop bite. Not sure where to categorize this, but I enjoyed it for what it was.

Not as strong an offering as the Loose Cannon, but still an interesting brew, particularly for the nose.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 02:16:06 | More by JohnnyBarman

Anker13

District of Columbia

3.53/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2/10/13 Heavy Seas | Black Cannon | 12oz Bottle

Appearance- deep brown almost black, creamy tan head, no light getting through

Aroma- Hoppiness is upfront, the citrus notes were unexpected, slight earthiness, very little malt character, grapefruity

Mouthfeel- moderate CO2, thin, a little astringency

Taste- Lacking in malt character, roasty/dark notes are barely perceivable on the finish. I don’t really know how to describe this beer… Primarily an earthy hop beer?

Residual- Lingering earthy hoppiness, slight drying

Overall- Doesn’t leave much an impression for me. Was hoping for a maltier beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 01:56:05 | More by Anker13

Titans77

Maryland

4.18/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Bottled in February. Very fresh...

A - Nothing out of the ordinary here. Pitch black like a stout or a porter. Tan head that vanished quickly. Some lacing and no alcohol legs.

S - Citrus hops with roasted malt background. Nothing too spectacular.

T - Big citrus and grapefruit hops followed by the roasted malt with coffee background. It blends perfectly and does the style justice.

M - It reminds me of drinking a hopped porter. Very smooth and medium bodied with a semi-dry finish.

O - One of my favorite local beers. It deserves higher praise.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 22:28:21 | More by Titans77

mscudder

Georgia

3.25/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served into a pint.

A - Pours an anticipated opaque black hue with a good sized tan head. Fair retention with some lacing left behind.

S - Dark roasted malts and some citrus hops. Both mild and could be much more robust.

T - Light roasted malts with some hops to follow. Feels as if the tastes are competing a bit, cancelling each other out to some extent. Both flavors can be detected, although I strongly prefer the Loose Cannon.

M - Slightly chewy big-light body. Wish it were more full, for the fair carbonation leaves something to be had.

O - Drinkable and something that falls short of the Loose Cannon in almost every category. Lacking the complexity and boldness I enjoy in this style.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 04:07:38 | More by mscudder

nUgZ

North Carolina

3.4/5  rDev -11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle poured into a snifter.

A: Pours a very dark brown/black color with a half finger head and light lacing.

S: I'm getting some hops, light roasted malts, and an almost watery scent.

T: Pretty bland for a Black IPA. Very much like the smell.

M: Medium bodied with decent carbonation.

O: Meh...not one I'd buy again. I guess my standards are just too high for Black IPA's.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 00:12:38 | More by nUgZ

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

3.63/5  rDev -5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

12 oz bottle into a Samuel Smith pint glass.

A: Pours a ultra-dark red color with a good opacity. The head is kind of dinky - a half finger light khaki color. It doesn't even retain what little it has well, but tries to leave whatever lacing it can down the side of the glass.

S: Features a good mix of citrusy hops and bready dark malts. It seems to feature a good deal of Centennial and Cascade. Upon further whiffs, a bit of chocolate and coffee come through. The aroma is respectable but meek.

T: Not much in the way of hops come through on the flavor, or maybe it's just that well balanced? Whatever the case here, the hop profile is perhaps integrated too well into the brew's dark malts - coming off as just a well-hopped stout instead of a black ale. Hazelnut, chocolate, and subtle citrusy hops initiate the flavors, before finishing with coffee, faint cream, and roasted barley. Grapefruit tones come through more expressively on exhales. I'd have to say Centennial hops were a good choice here - they give just enough of a hop bite and a balancing bitterness without killing the profile with acid and soapiness.

M: Dry, dry, dry. There is just enough sweetness on the finish to neutralize some of the dryness after a few sips, but this will still cause the very back of the palate to be parched, even while the front has a bit of a syrupy linger. The medium-heavy body makes this more of a sipper than a chugger.

O: This works MUCH better if you go into this expecting a well-hopped stout instead of a proper black ale. When looked at as the former, it's really damn good. I'd buy it again, that's for sure.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 22:33:28 | More by ThisWangsChung

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.13/5  rDev -18.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This beer poured out as a deep brown color with a light tan colored head on top. The lacing is decent as well as the retention. The smell of the beer is hoppy and also gives off some molasses-like aromas. The taste of the beer is kind of bland... there isn't a big hop punch and I think the dark malts mute the "IPA" essence that this should have. The mouthfeel is good, it's lighter than expected, not much depth here. Overall this beer is average for the style I feel.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 00:11:52 | More by Knapp85

rodlavers

Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served in a Founders glass. The beer pours a deep, deep ruby, almost unnoticeably, but is mostly very dark brown, if not black. Hints of red, definitely. Nice and fluffy light tan head, maybe about two fingers; tons of retention. Smell is great. Mostly sweet caramel and malt, with some coffee in the background. Smells much better than it tastes -- coffee and hops, but not great. Somewhat bitter aftertaste, coffee lingers. I might prefer this more if it had more texture, but this is too thin and watery. Overall, I find this beer rather unique; I don't hate it, but I am glad I only have two bottles. Best description could be "very thin coffee stout with bitter hops...smells great"

cheers

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 05:01:53 | More by rodlavers

Mojo

Alabama

4.13/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a nice offering. It pours up an opaque black, nice medium tan head, good retention, and lots of lacing. Smell is hops, roasted malt, and coffee. Mouthfeel is nice and strong. Taste is maybe some fruit and malt on the front giving way to a assertive, powerful, and pleasing bitterness with a coffee, dark chocolate, hops flavor at the finish. Better enjoyed slowly than guzzled, this is a nice offering which I would drink again!!!

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2012 03:20:18 | More by Mojo

ghengisflan

4.3/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Appropriately enough, Black Cannon pours completely black with about half an inch of medium brown head. Holding it up to the light reveals a hint of red at the edges; it's still pitch black.

Aroma: Hops definitely dominate the aroma; they're maybe stronger in the smell than they are in the taste of the beer.

Taste: A great balance between dark, roasted malts and a good range of hop flavors. It's brighter and sweeter to start and darker and bitter to finish.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and rich but crisp. It's exactly what I would ask for in a beer that balances roasted malts and strong hop.

Overall: A great beer, one I like to savor slowly: one of my all-time favorites.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 02:05:16 | More by ghengisflan

Ryan011235

Ohio

3.45/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On tap in a pint glass at King's Table on 5/6/12

Dark brown color; not much light gets through. The head is massive and took a long time to settle. One thumb of foam win the glass with an extra finger's worth domed over the top. The head thins, but holds consistently. A decent amount of clumpy lace catches eventually.

The aroma isn't too bad at all - piney green hops with zesty citric accents. The hops stand out some, but the malts have a good bit of dry roast, dark grains and a hint of cocoa.

Roast is the prominent flavor with pine hop bitterness blended in toward the middle and finish. maybe a ghost note of coffee or bitter chocolate. It's very dry throughout. All this dry roast works for me.

The body is well within medium territory. Carbonation starts off smooth with a slight agitation; regardless, full allotment of the bubbles. Resinous.

This isn't quite in line with what I like in CDAs, but it has some good qualities in terms of roastiness. I'd like more potent hops. Overall, it's not bad, but I'm not going to go looking for it.

Serving type: on-tap

09-06-2012 06:03:28 | More by Ryan011235

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a decent black ipa. A bit too tangy at times. But it pulls some nice hoppy tones on the body I'd expect for the style. Consistent flavor delivery. This is a pretty nice beer. Probably one of the better from this brewery, straight off of memory.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 03:58:34 | More by RblWthACoz

BeerCon5

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a very dark amber color with maybe one finger of off-white foamy head.

The scent is of dark roasted malt, some notes of piney hops.

The taste is also of prominant roasted malt with moderately bitter citrus and piney hops.

Full body, very smooth and crisp, moderate carbonation.

This was a pretty decent beer, nothing outstanding but an overall solid beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 16:10:50 | More by BeerCon5

IronLover

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Black in color with brownish hues on the edges of the glass. Poured with a thin beige foam that slowly reduced to a soapy cap leaving sheets of wet lacings on the glass. Citrus hop and roasted malt aromas upfront with a hint of pine hops in the back. On the thicker side of medium bodied with a rich smooth feel. Dark roasted malt flavors up front competing with pine hop bitterness. Dark flavors intensify thru the middle introducing a more burnt malt characteristic. Hop flavors allow a flash of citrus hop characteristic toward the end. Finishes with roasted malt and coffee flavors with pine and citrus hop bitterness beneath. I would characterize this as a malt forward black IPA.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 23:02:40 | More by IronLover

raznug

Ohio

4.18/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: This beer pours as black as a stout in color which is hard to believe out of an IPA, it is topped with ¾” of tannish head that hangs around quite a while.
Smell: The blend of roasted malt and hops makes me think that this should be quite a delicious beer; both the aromas blend well together to make a tasty smelling brew.
Taste: The taste isn’t quite as well blended as the smell but it isn’t far off from being spot on for this style of beer. I would like the hops to be in the forefront of the flavor but to no avail the roasted notes dominate just a little too much for me to give it a perfect score.
Mouthfeel: The is mouthfeel of this beer is just like a IPA but it is hard on the eyes seeing a black beer and your palate is expecting a thick and oily feel to it and it is blasted with a medium bodied beer that flows quite nicely in and around the mouth. This is a great representation of this style of beer even though this tends to be the new and up coming style so many lack the flavor of the dark malts, but this is one that is better than most probably one of the best representations of the style I have drank.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2012 11:03:49 | More by raznug