Red Sky at Night

Tuesday when I was out and about flogging Nora (the beer) at Baltimore's Max's Taphouse, I ran into Clipper City Brewing's head hawker Hugh Sisson. He was running the rounds in Bawlamer, proferring pre-release samples of his newest elixer, Red Sky at Night.

Wow, man! Think of a cross between a saison (the style designation with which Red Sky at Night is tagged) and a spicy strong Belgian golden/amber. It's hot 'n spicy, citrusy, yeastly appropriate, aromatic, and drier than you'd might expect from a big beer.

I believe it's 8.25% abv, hopped with Magnum and Styrian Goldings, and bottle-conditioned. The grist is Pilsner malt, Cara-pils, wheat (malt?), and candi sucre.

It's the third in the Heavy Seas line, joining Winter Storm "Category 5" Ale IPA2 and spring's Small Craft Warning Über Pils. As are its mates, Red Sky at Night is wrapped in a great graphics package - think Ralph Steadman without the fear and loathing.

Congratulations are in order for Hugh, Scott, and the whole gang out in Lansdowne. As Balto-beer scribe Sandy Mitchell would say, "Run, don't walk!" to your local beer emporium for RSaN. It should have begun to arrive in better beer stores Friday.

Hugh promises draft soon.