Cutlass (Amber Lager) | Heavy Seas Beer
Brewed by:
Heavy Seas Beer
Maryland, United States
hsbeer.com
Style: Vienna Lager
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 5.40%
Availability: Spring
Notes / Commercial Description:
This malty lager is our most award-winning beer: it took gold, silver, and bronze medals at the Great American Beer Festival from 2006 to 2010. Cutlass Amber has a toasted, biscuity character. The slight sweetness comes from Crystal malt. Vienna malt contributes a remarkable smoothness and Munich malt gives an amber color and delicate aroma. Tettnang hops infuse the beer with a slight earthiness. Formerly named Heavy Seas Märzen, Cutlass Amber is our second best-selling beer. In 2012, Cutlass Amber won a silver medal at the World Beer Cup in the Vienna Lager category.
Added by bubseymour on 04-30-2013
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Ratings: 211 | Reviews: 39
Reviews by JednoPivoProsim:
More User Reviews:
3.94/5 rDev +14.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
I tried this chilled in a mug, bottle purchased at Wegman's enjoy before 4/7/15 - I tried on 4/6 whew!
The color is a very gently hazed amber with thin white head with fine bead and visibly carbonated with streamers of lace. The smell has a mild sweet and nutty malt odor with light caramel quality and slight almond-type fragrance. The feel is medium in body with moderate carbonation level and mild sweetness with slight creamy texture and mostly dry finish with low bitterness.
The taste is what you might expect from a vienna/Marzen or American Amber lager very nice malt presence with toasted acccent and light fruitiness with subtle herbal hop flavor and bready malts carry into the finish with a light spice accent and mild alcohol in taste. Overall I enjoyed this -very nice tasting lager. I think it fits the style well and is easy to quaff. Not an outstanding beer but I think it deserves more credit-very enjoyable.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
I tried this chilled in a mug, bottle purchased at Wegman's enjoy before 4/7/15 - I tried on 4/6 whew!
The color is a very gently hazed amber with thin white head with fine bead and visibly carbonated with streamers of lace. The smell has a mild sweet and nutty malt odor with light caramel quality and slight almond-type fragrance. The feel is medium in body with moderate carbonation level and mild sweetness with slight creamy texture and mostly dry finish with low bitterness.
The taste is what you might expect from a vienna/Marzen or American Amber lager very nice malt presence with toasted acccent and light fruitiness with subtle herbal hop flavor and bready malts carry into the finish with a light spice accent and mild alcohol in taste. Overall I enjoyed this -very nice tasting lager. I think it fits the style well and is easy to quaff. Not an outstanding beer but I think it deserves more credit-very enjoyable.
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3.42/5 rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
A big Thank You to Shroud0fDoom for this brew, my first entry for NBS BIF #1. 12oz bottle with a best by date of 5/2/15. Poured into 10oz goblet. Poured a clean, clear medium light amber color with just a thin cap of off-white head that had low retention and no lace.
The aroma was mostly grain and biscuit, but there was an earthy/grassy undertone. The flavors featured the same basic "beeriness", lots of biscuit, with just enough hops to offer a decent counterpoint.
The body was a step or two on the light side of medium for the style, and had a slightly sweet finish. Drinkability was good, the beer was gone quickly, and I suspect one could slide several of these down in short order. Overall, a solid, if unspectacular, example of the style. Worth trying if you see it.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
A big Thank You to Shroud0fDoom for this brew, my first entry for NBS BIF #1. 12oz bottle with a best by date of 5/2/15. Poured into 10oz goblet. Poured a clean, clear medium light amber color with just a thin cap of off-white head that had low retention and no lace.
The aroma was mostly grain and biscuit, but there was an earthy/grassy undertone. The flavors featured the same basic "beeriness", lots of biscuit, with just enough hops to offer a decent counterpoint.
The body was a step or two on the light side of medium for the style, and had a slightly sweet finish. Drinkability was good, the beer was gone quickly, and I suspect one could slide several of these down in short order. Overall, a solid, if unspectacular, example of the style. Worth trying if you see it.
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3.52/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.1/5 rDev -9.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.66/5 rDev +6.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12 ounce bottle with purchase before date notched on label info.
Pours quite clear, lighter amber, minor head, with larger bubble rising and producing no lace...bleeh look to this one.
Faint malt on the nose
Better tasting then it looks or smells. Moderate malty sweetness with caramel prominent.
Easy drinking sessioner.
A worthy add in to my chicken marinade this morning.
This is a decently well rounded and smooth crowd pleasing type of brew.
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look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12 ounce bottle with purchase before date notched on label info.
Pours quite clear, lighter amber, minor head, with larger bubble rising and producing no lace...bleeh look to this one.
Faint malt on the nose
Better tasting then it looks or smells. Moderate malty sweetness with caramel prominent.
Easy drinking sessioner.
A worthy add in to my chicken marinade this morning.
This is a decently well rounded and smooth crowd pleasing type of brew.
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3.54/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
12 oz bottle served in a pint glass.
A large, creamy tan head with very good retention tops the clear copper body.
Aroma: sweet malts with light floral hops and, surprisingly, a touch of booze.
Flavor: Mildly bitter-sweet. Light spiciness from the hops. Moderate malt load for style.
Feel: smooth medium body with soft, medium carbonation.
Overall: a rather run-of-the-mill craft amber.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
12 oz bottle served in a pint glass.
A large, creamy tan head with very good retention tops the clear copper body.
Aroma: sweet malts with light floral hops and, surprisingly, a touch of booze.
Flavor: Mildly bitter-sweet. Light spiciness from the hops. Moderate malt load for style.
Feel: smooth medium body with soft, medium carbonation.
Overall: a rather run-of-the-mill craft amber.
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3.78/5 rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.29/5 rDev -4.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
12 oz bottle, poured into a pint glass
Appearance: Pours a golden color with an eighth of a finger of white head that quickly dissolved into a thin lacing of foam that gripped the sides of the glass and formed wispy clouds that collected in the center of the top of the beer.
Aroma: Not much in the aroma department at all. I got faint notes of malt, some honey, straw and clover.
Taste: Very reminiscent of a German-style lager. Malty, yet hoppy. Sweet, yet slightly bitter. Good floral flavors of clover, yeast, crystalized sugar, honey suckle.
Mouthfeel: Medium-light, but with some good and with an ABV of 5.4%, there is no presence of alcohol on the palate.
Overall: This is a very, very solid lager. Great session beer, full of flavor, nicely balanced and extremely drinkable. I’ll certainly get this beer again.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
12 oz bottle, poured into a pint glass
Appearance: Pours a golden color with an eighth of a finger of white head that quickly dissolved into a thin lacing of foam that gripped the sides of the glass and formed wispy clouds that collected in the center of the top of the beer.
Aroma: Not much in the aroma department at all. I got faint notes of malt, some honey, straw and clover.
Taste: Very reminiscent of a German-style lager. Malty, yet hoppy. Sweet, yet slightly bitter. Good floral flavors of clover, yeast, crystalized sugar, honey suckle.
Mouthfeel: Medium-light, but with some good and with an ABV of 5.4%, there is no presence of alcohol on the palate.
Overall: This is a very, very solid lager. Great session beer, full of flavor, nicely balanced and extremely drinkable. I’ll certainly get this beer again.
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3.68/5 rDev +7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Fairly non-descript pour. Looks like a stardard issue lager with some reddish hues to the regular golden color. Very clear, no haze. Head is bright white, a finger thick and has moderate retention.
It's got a yeasty, bready smell with just a splash of citrus. Not much of a hop nose.
Very flavorful for a lager. Very malty, though with so many different malts it's hard to distinguish each one. Earthy, Noble hops in a lasting finish.
It's smooth and slightly sweet. In mid-sip the hops take over and lay down a savory feel. Fairly crisp, dryish finish.
Not bad, easy to drink, lowish alcohol, mostly a non-aggressive sessiony kind of beer that would go with any occasion.
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look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Fairly non-descript pour. Looks like a stardard issue lager with some reddish hues to the regular golden color. Very clear, no haze. Head is bright white, a finger thick and has moderate retention.
It's got a yeasty, bready smell with just a splash of citrus. Not much of a hop nose.
Very flavorful for a lager. Very malty, though with so many different malts it's hard to distinguish each one. Earthy, Noble hops in a lasting finish.
It's smooth and slightly sweet. In mid-sip the hops take over and lay down a savory feel. Fairly crisp, dryish finish.
Not bad, easy to drink, lowish alcohol, mostly a non-aggressive sessiony kind of beer that would go with any occasion.
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3.5/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.32/5 rDev -3.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.95/5 rDev +14.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
In all honesty, I'm not really a lager fan, but this is a pretty decent beer. The glass presentation is the first thing that captures your attention, with a cloudy sunshine egg-yolk color topped by an inch or so of white foam. The nose has a crisp clean lager scent with a slight sweetness to it. Similarly, the taste showcases a nice upfront sweetness that transitions into a slight bitter finish. A full and creamy mouthfeel + a pleasant level of carbonation accentuates the overall experience. Really well done and for me, an actual lager that I'd consider creating a little space, whether to offer to others or have occasionally myself.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
In all honesty, I'm not really a lager fan, but this is a pretty decent beer. The glass presentation is the first thing that captures your attention, with a cloudy sunshine egg-yolk color topped by an inch or so of white foam. The nose has a crisp clean lager scent with a slight sweetness to it. Similarly, the taste showcases a nice upfront sweetness that transitions into a slight bitter finish. A full and creamy mouthfeel + a pleasant level of carbonation accentuates the overall experience. Really well done and for me, an actual lager that I'd consider creating a little space, whether to offer to others or have occasionally myself.
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Cutlass (Amber Lager) from Heavy Seas Beer
3.44
out of 5
based on 211 ratings.
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
Poured from a 12 fl oz bottle into a pint glass. For brewery fresh taste, purchase before FEB 14.
Appearance: Pours a thin light amber body with a thin off white head.
Smell: Very faint caramel malt accented by very faint noble hop aroma.
Taste: Bready, toasty, caramel malt flavor. Slight hops for balance. Not bad, but not noteworthy either.
Mouthfeel: A little thin with little to no carbonation. Pretty watery.
Overall: I would love to support this local brewery, but beyond Loose Cannon and maybe Small Craft Warning (Imperial Pils), most beers are underwhelming. The draft versions around town (especially what I have had at OPACY) have all been much, much better than the bottled versions.
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