Beer 106: Heavy Seas Barleywine or Happy Endings

On my way home today I decided to treat myself to a manicure.  My new go to place gets major bonus points because their manicures include a back rub while your nails are drying.  For a back rub fiend like myself, this is major.  So there I sat this afternoon, nails freshly polished, enjoying my back rub when the clasp on my bra pops open.  All I could think is, “Isn’t this how some porn movies start?”  Key piece of information, the manicurist was a dude.  Alas I did not find out if this was the nail salon that provided happy endings.  I just pretended to sneeze and then developed some really bad posture.

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To ease my awkwardness, I’m breaking open a barleywine style ale from Clipper City Brewing Company.  The Heavy Seas Mutiny Fleet Below Decks is from the 2011 mutiny collection.  Beer from this collection is described as among their biggest and boldest beers, brewed in small batches and designed for aging like a fine wine.  Three plus months of aging is all this one got.

Below Decks poured a lovely mahogany color with a tan thin head. A good swirl brought out lots of carbonation and a rich, sweet smell redolent of molasses.  It drank with lightness and was full of flavor.  It is rich and somewhat buttery with hints of dark fruits.  It finishes with some spice and a solid alcohol warmth.  Even more intriguing than the straight up Below Decks is that there are versions aged in cabernet barrels or oak bourbon barrels.  Perhaps the beer gods will smile on me and send one to Wegman’s for me to discover!

So is the Below Deck the right thing to be drinking on such a fine spring day?  Probably not.  But this is a very enjoyable beer and I’ll take it when I can get it.  That day just so happens to be today.

Cheers!