Heavy Seas Beer
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Brewing |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Founder | Hugh Sisson |
| Headquarters | Halethorpe, Baltimore County , United States |
Area served | United States (18 states) |
Key people | Hugh Sisson (Founder) |
| Products | Beer (Heavy Seas brand) |
Heavy Seas Beer is produced by Clipper City Brewing Company, situated in Baltimore, Maryland. Established in 1995 by Hugh Sisson, who had previously run Maryland’s pioneering brewpub, Sisson's, the brewery underwent a rebranding in 2010. Despite maintaining the Clipper City Brewing Company corporate name, all beer offerings are promoted under the Heavy Seas label. The brewery operates at 4615 Hollins Ferry Road, Suite B, in Halethorpe within Baltimore County and provides tours on most weekends.
Heavy Seas offers a diverse range of beer styles distributed across roughly 18 U.S. states. Among its distinguished award-winning brews are Cutlass Amber Lager, recognized with several medals at the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup; Powder Monkey Pale Ale, which has earned silver and bronze awards at prominent competitions; Small Craft Warning Uber Pils; Gold Ale, recipient of gold and bronze honors at international events; and Winter Storm Imperial ESB, awarded gold at the 2008 World Beer Cup. The brewery produces close to 34,000 barrels annually.
History
In 1994, Hugh Sisson departed from his family-operated brewpub, Sisson's, to increase beer production on a larger scale. As an instrumental advocate for legalizing brewpubs in Maryland, he focused on Baltimore’s market to fill the void left after National Bohemian relocated. The name Clipper City was chosen to honor Baltimore’s historical clipper ships.
During the craft brewing downturn of the late 1990s, Clipper City sustained operations through contract brewing arrangements. The Heavy Seas brand was introduced in 2003 with an emphasis on stronger beers. This new line rapidly expanded into more states than Clipper City's original products, leading to a 2010 rebranding where Clipper City beers were renamed as Heavy Seas Gold Ale, Powder Monkey Pale Ale, and Cutlass Amber Lager.
To accommodate increasing demand, the brewery expanded its facilities by 10,000 square feet in 2011. Currently, Heavy Seas beers are available in 18 states.
In November 2019, Heavy Seas commemorated its 24 years of Baltimore-based craft brewing with the launch of its 24th Anniversary Ale, a Quadruple India Pale Ale.