Mission
We have a pretty clear sense of purpose, make beers that taste exactly the way they should. Every time. No frills. No fluff. We weren’t created by Baltimore’s original craft brewer to be thought leaders, or to thump our chests, or to see who we could outdo. We started this revolution for one reason only: to make ridiculously good beer without any of the ridiculousness.
No matter how popular craft brewing gets, we believe in the craft of brewing. And to us, making beer that people can drink and actually enjoy is what keeps us cranking.
Where we come from, really good beer doesn’t need to be something it’s not. In fact, it never should be. Turns out, really good beer isn’t tricky after all. It boils down to a simple recipe everybody else seems to have forgotten: make it drinkable, make it approachable, execute to the highest possible standards, and have some fun. That’s not just what matters most—it’s the only thing that matters at all.
No matter how popular craft brewing gets, we believe in the craft of brewing. And to us, making beer that people can drink and actually enjoy is what keeps us cranking.
Where we come from, really good beer doesn’t need to be something it’s not. In fact, it never should be. Turns out, really good beer isn’t tricky after all. It boils down to a simple recipe everybody else seems to have forgotten: make it drinkable, make it approachable, execute to the highest possible standards, and have some fun. That’s not just what matters most—it’s the only thing that matters at all.
Our Story
It was 1982, when it first crossed Hugh Sisson’s mind. At the time, he was running the only craft beer bar in Baltimore with his father. He couldn’t help but wonder if he could make his own beer, or if it was even possible. It was the question that would alter his life forever.
In 1986, Hugh started to take his passion project seriously. On a whim, in the Fall of 1986, Hugh met with Senator George Della in hopes of introducing a bill that would legalize brewpubs in Baltimore City. As fate would have it, the bill passed on the first attempt a year later. After years being in the brewpub business, Sisson wanted to shift his focus singularly on his own beer. A year after he left Sisson’s Brewpub, Hugh started brewing in 1995 as Clipper City Brewing Company. |
In 2003, Clipper City introduced the Heavy Seas line of beers. They were bold beers meant to challenge the average beer drinker
—high alcohol with incredible flavor. Introduced in 2004, Loose Cannon IPA became the fan favorite and ultimately the flagship beer of Heavy Seas. In 2010, the great success of the Heavy Seas line of beers was the deciding factor in adopting the name Heavy Seas for the brewery. Two years later, Chris Leonard joined as Brew Master, and the expansion of the brewhouse went underway. Fun favorites like TropiCannon and award-winners like Blackbeard’s Breakfast paved the way for newer, riskier beers. With the introduction of the 15 bbl brewhouse, Heavy Seas can take the risks that got us here today, creating beers we’ve never tried before while also testing small batches of beer to meet the unparalleled quality we’re known for. Be fearless: because our risks are what brought us here today. Be bold: because staying in line with the norms never moved us forward. Be independent: we've done it our way since 1995. |