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The series began as experiments at the brewery with very small batches.  The workers liked it so much that they decided to produce some bigger batches and release what they could.  Clipper City co-founder, Hugh Sisson, said of the project, "We believe in making well crafted beer with quality ingredients and sometimes it’s fun to be creative and try the unexpected". 

Big DIPA is brewed with a triple hopping process and has an earthy aroma.  The beer is 10.6% ABV and 75.5 IBUs.  That means this is a monster beer with monster flavors. Big DIPA is brewed with Centennial and Amarillo hops and American 2-row, crystal, and biscuit hops and it sounds delicious.  

Big DIPA was released at the end of June, so look for it on your high-gravity beverage shelves now.  It should be showing up any time if it'll show up at all.  Clipper City plans on releasing another beer in the Heavy Seas line every month until the end of the year, so keep your eyes peeled.  TheGoodDrink will try to keep you up to date on any releases made by Clipper City this summer.

By the way, the art on the bottle is done by Kurt Krol, one of the people responsible for the recipe.  Kudos to Mr. Krol!

The invention is vaguely defined as a system that “may include more segments principally defining at least one storage region; and one or more regions of substantially thermally sealed connections between at least one of the one or more surface regions of the one or more segments wherein the one or more regions of substantially thermally sealed connections and the one or more segments form an integrally thermally sealed storage region.”

I’m not quite sure what this says, but I’m fairly certain that this is describing the internal workings of a Thermos or cooler.  I’m sure there’s more to it, but come on.  Upon further inspection of the patent, it looks like there are heatsinks and “ultra efficient insulation material” involved as well.

Look at the following wording very closely:

3. The integrally thermally sealed container of claim 1, wherein the container contains one or more heat sink units.

4. The integrally thermally sealed container of claim 1, wherein the container contains no heat sink units.

What?!?  Is it going to have heatsinks or not?  There’s plenty of other confusing and contradictory language in Bill’s patent application, which really makes me think this patent could be used to describe.. well.. anything.

I don’t know about you guys, but my trusty Coleman cooler works just fine for me.  I couldn’t imagine what features (bloat?) could be added to this thing to make me want one and I find it appalling that Bill Gates thinks the people in this country are stupid enough to buy something like this.  But, I’ll play fair, I’ll let Bill send me one of these units to try and cool my beer when they’re released.  I will fairly and objectively review the product and I won’t even charge him for it!

Seattle brewery workers arrested in after-hours caper

By Lewis Kamb
Seattle Times staff reporter

Police describe it as a sad, sudsy caper: The beer bash by brewery workers that got busted.

But plans for a secret drinking fest at a popular SoDo brewery got smashed when police arrested several brewery workers and their friends who’d slipped into the Pyramid Alehouse after-hours early today.

Now, four men and a woman are in the King County Jail, facing burglary charges.

“Apparently, the group had been frequenting some clubs in Pioneer Square last night,” Seattle Police spokeswoman Reneé Witt said today. “After the bars closed, it looks like they went back (to Pyramid) to continue drinking.”

Members of the group, which included at least three current or former alehouse employees, “left a window unlocked intentionally so they could gain entry,” Witt said.

One man in the group was crawling through the window about 2:20 a.m. when a passer-by happened along and spotted him.

That person, in turn, called 911 to report the apparent brewery break-in, noting several other people also were seen filing into the closed brew house across from Safeco Field on First Avenue South.

Officers arrived quickly with a K-9 unit, set up a perimeter around the brewery, and went inside, Witt said.

“They located five individuals, and all were detained without incident,” she said.

Although the beer house — which includes a brewery, restaurant, bar and the company’s corporate headquarters — suffered no damages or losses, at least some of their employees may be looking for work soon. Pyramid officials, who are now helping police with the investigation, will decide how to respond to the matter at a later time, company president Mike Brown said today.

“Once all the information is in, we’ll make an appropriate decision based on the facts,” Brown said.

“Today, 97% of the more than 1,500 U.S. breweries are small and independent craft brewers. American Craft Beer Week, May 11-17, is a time to celebrate everything these breweries contribute to our country and culture, and to also celebrate the diversity of beer styles and brands available today,” stated Julia Herz, a spokesperson for the Brewers Association.

The American brewing community provides over 100,000 jobs to the nation and takes great measures towards being environmentally friendly.  Now that’s something to be proud of!  The American Craft Beer Week gained recognition from the US Congress with House Resolution 753 in its first year and its support base continues to grow.  Show your support by joining the American Craft Beer Week Facebook group and, of course, drinking craft beer!