Seven Devils - Olde Hickory Brewery

Lucho

Florida

3.51/5  rDev -12%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: pours a nice dark cherry brown with slight translucentness. with a half finger head light brown that dissipates quickly.

Smell: Bourbon vanilla soaked malts. The sweet vanilla comes out with the nice bourbon.

Taste: kinda a letdown from the nose. There is some vanilla up front with bourbon but there is a aftertaste of bitter maybe almost burnt wood, not very pleasant. There is also alcohol burn towards the end.

Mouthfeel: moderately thick. there is good carbonation on the palate with a smooth taste but there is still the bitter taste that lingers.

Overall: this is an ok beer for the style of a BA scotch ale.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 06:48:36 | More by Lucho

blackie

Virginia

4.29/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Bomber from Bottlemixx into a large Green Man snifter. Heavily malted nose with deep aromas of sweet brown sugars, dates, a deep, oak soaked bourbon, and hints of chocolate. Medium-full body, smooth, with a lower carbonation. Flavors of chocolate covered toffee, brown sugars, and more of that dense bourbon oak. A great beer - deep, complex malt flavors and artfully executed barreling.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 00:22:17 | More by blackie

nUgZ

North Carolina

3.98/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

22 ounce bomber poured into a snifter.

A: Pours a very dark amber color with a half finger head and no lacing.

S: Plentiful dark fruits, caramel, bourbon, and alcohol dominate the nose.

T: Very much like the nose along with some oak and vanilla.

M: Medium bodied with decent carbonation. Could be a little heavier.

O: This is a pretty good example of a Bourbon Barrel Aged Wee Heavy. The Bourbon is definitely apparent, but it's pretty damn enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 21:02:03 | More by nUgZ

JohnnyMc

Ohio

4.31/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Pours out a very nice, deep amber, very dark chestnut color with a tiny off-white head.

The aroma has a lot of butterscotch, toffee, caramel, vanilla, some bourbon and a hint of dark fruit as well as a little bit of oak.

The taste is very much the same as the aroma here. A good amount of butterscotch right up front followed by toffee and caramel notes and then bourbon, vanilla, a hint of dark fruit, but not too much oak. It's definitely on the sweeter side, but it's not cloying and there is some bitterness overall as well.

The body is on the lighter side of medium and the mouthfeel starts off ok, but finishes very thin. There isn't too much alcohol in the aroma or the taste, but you can feel a definite warmth as it goes down. Not bad for 8% though.

This is a really solid example of the style and very, very tasty, however there are a few issues. I wish there was a little bit more dark fruit in the taste and I wish the mouthfeel was thicker. It's not Founders Backwoods Bastard, but it's a great beer anyhow!

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 22:15:06 | More by JohnnyMc

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.11/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to rudzud for sharing.

Light creamy head, foamy fades with light lacing, dark maroon chestnut color.

Nose sweet brown sugar and molasses city, light figs and dates, raisins, chewy caramel, some oak and vanilla, and a bit of bourbon.

Taste smooth rich malts, figs raisin dates etc, brown sugar, molasses, some caramel, light bitterness, some warming booze, nice oak and bourbon, vanilla too. It even brings a light cocoa.

Mouth is med bodied but feels a bit thin for a big beer like this, decent carb.

Overall pretty good, nice sweet malts and sweetener flavors/aromas, some dark fruits, nice vanilla and bourbon oak flavors too, but a bit thin overall and somehow feels like it's missing something, maybe complexity, hard to really put a finger on.

Serving type: growler

02-18-2013 01:45:29 | More by jlindros

Yosefus

North Carolina

4.18/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Served from a 22 oz bomber poured into a Bell's tulip glass.

A - Deep copper and ruby, clear with a small and quickly fading off white head. Appropriate for the style.

S - Vanilla, bourbon, molasses, fig, slight bready quality.

T - Vanilla and bourbon predominate. Little to no hop character, but a fair bit of malty bread taste on the back end.

M - medium-low carbonation with medium mouthfeel, spot on.

O - Very pleasant beer. Nearly as good as Backwoods Bastard, but a bit cheaper and easier to get (in NC). Olde Hickory is far from my favorite brewery, but this beer really surprised me. The bourbon flavor was not overpowering like in their BBL Imperial Stouts. Highly recommend grabbing one. I got a second bomber to age alongside some Backwoods that I'm looking forward to in the fall.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 04:06:01 | More by Yosefus

cardsfan

North Carolina

4.15/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Olde hickory does it again. Not a huge fan of scotch ale's but the addition of the unique olde hickory bourbon barrell really pushes this over. Nice color, good smell and you can certainly taste the scotch at first with it turning over to the bourbon. It is a little too carbonated for me and the mouthful is probably the only thing I was a little disappointed in but overall, a really good beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2013 14:49:50 | More by cardsfan

CBlack85

South Carolina

4.04/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22 oz bottle into a balloon glass

The beer pours a murky amber/brown/mahogany color. An aggressive pour yields a moderate off white head that slowly recedes, leaving behind very little lacing.

The aroma is comprised of oak, vanilla, caramel, chocolate, and a very mild amount of smoked peat. The bourbon presence is mild, but definately present, and the oak shines through quite nicely.

The taste follows the aroma quite closely; lots of oak, vanilla, caramel malt, roastiness, a mild bourbon presence and a mild charred character. Medium bodied and lightly carbonated.

Overall this is a very nice beer, they have done the bourbon barrel character quite nicely; light on the bourbon, heavy on the barrel. The vanilla, and oaky characteristics mingle quite well with the sweetness of the base beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 19:19:38 | More by CBlack85

wedge

North Carolina

4.05/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

@ Ridgewood

Served a dark, foggy brown with a small, short-lived creamy head. Raisin bread, molasses, berries, light bourbon, and a sticky sweet maltiness in the aroma. Bourbon barrel, vanilla, deep chocoloate, and toffee...creamy smooth maltiness, berries, raisins, and rich bread. Very smooth, on the lighter side of medium, oily, yet drying. A nice, malty beverage. Not over-the-top on the bourbon at all...

Serving type: on-tap

02-09-2013 02:41:57 | More by wedge

Wolfpack2005

North Carolina

3.35/5  rDev -16%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.5

Pick this two of these up today. One for now and one to age.

A-Pours dark brown that can be seen through around the edges and when pouring. One finger head that leaves minimal lacing.

S-The bourbon scent is front and center with notes of dark chocolate and carmel sweetness.

T-Again, the bourbon flavor dominates the palate. Then slowly fades into a light sweetness that seems to blend vanilla, oak, and light caramel. A fairly straight forward palate with not much complexity.

M-low to medium carbonation and very thin and light body, especially for the style.

O-One of my favorite breweries, but not one of their best beers. This beer lacks depth and seem to fall flat after the bourbon, the base beer is barely coming through. It could also benefit from more body, seem way too thin. Well see if six months to a year helps this beer. However at the price point ($6.99) it is certainly worth revisiting.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 01:34:54 | More by Wolfpack2005

prototypic

Ohio

3.93/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to kkipple for this one!

Seven Devils pours a dark mahogany brown color. It’s very hazy and is darn near opaque. Backlighting shows some nice garnet and orange-ish highlights though. It’s a nice looking color. Interesting for a Scotch Ale. There isn’t much head to discuss. A few bubbles gathered on the surface, but disappeared very quickly. Lacing was extremely light and spotty.

While it might lack a little in looks, it certainly smells good! It’s very sweet smelling up front. Lots of caramel malt. No doubt about it. Bourbon is noted early on and complements the malt base extremely well. It doesn’t overwhelm the malt base. I like that a lot. Oak and vanilla are secondary, but add quality depth and a good bit of character. Alcohol is somewhat noticeable. At 8% abv, it’s only moderately strong. Smells that way too. I like it.

This is good stuff. The caramel malt base is certainly sweet and very sturdy. If you’re averse to sweet beer, this might be a bit much for you. For what it’s worth, I think the barrel-aging negates a little of the sweet factor and mixes extremely well with the caramel malt. The resulting flavor is very good. I don’t know how long it was in barrels, but it was just the right amount of time. The bourbon flavor is nice and refined, not too strong. Oak, vanilla, and a little alcohol follow. It’s not warm or hot though. Finishes sweet and bourbon-y.

Seven Devils has a light-medium body. It feels a bit thin. Given the wealth of malt, that’s a little surprising. Needs a bit more body though. Carbonation is light and soft. It’s easy drinking stuff. Definitely tasty.

I’ve had a few beers from Olde Hickory Brewery, and they’ve all been rather impressive. Seven Devils continues the trend. It’s not perfect. It might be a tad too sweet, and it could use more body. It’s good beer nevertheless. I’m enjoying it. Thanks, Dan!

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 03:54:42 | More by prototypic

brentk56

North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a coffee color with a fairly modest head; the retention was not strong though it did leave a few dots behind

Smell: Lovely melding of the Bourbon and caramel/oak/vanilla elements

Taste: The Bourbon makes the first impression with its sweet vanilla undertones that buttress the caramel malt flavors through mid-palate; a bit of a sour tingle appears in the middle and lingers into the finish adding an overripe fruit dimension; the oak also appears, particularly in the aftertaste

Mouthfeel: Full-boded with low to moderate carbonation

Overall: While the concept of barrel aging a Wee Heavy is a good one, I was hoping to get a little more peat in the flavor profile instead of the fruity character; still, quite a good beer and a little cellaring has allowed the flavors to come into balance

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 17:51:17 | More by brentk56

rodkin

Missouri

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a dark place, so couldn't really make out the coloring super well. Seemed like a dark caramel ruby kind of color. Small head that dissipates almost completely, not much by the way of lacing.

Smell was really, really big. Lots of barrel characteristics. Caramel, vanilla, big on butterscotch. Hint of alcohol.

Taste is like the smell. Especially big on the butterscotch, particularly in the finish. A hint of chocolate too. Really big on flavor, but a little one-dimensional.

Mouthfeel is nice. Decently carbonated, medium body.

This was really nice. Sweet but not cloying, quite flavorful. Glad I got to try it.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 05:45:53 | More by rodkin

FosterJM

California

3.98/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1408th Review on BA
Bottle to Woodshop Snifter
22oz

Best by 02/13
Birthday present from GuruDel (Thanks Vince)

App- Looks like a darker whiskey or bourbon in the glass. Add in the small fizzy tan/khaki head it looks okay. Just falls to a still river looking brown/caramel gold.

Smell- Lots of bourbon, lots of malts. Not the most layered of beers but the sweet vanilla and caramel bourbon do great things. Missing a small Scotch ale note with the complexity but has a good brown sugar to the vanilla to compliment it all together.

Taste- Its a very cordial like beer. Very creamy, malty and smooth. Bourbon takes over and really brings it to a one layer note but all in all its a very flavorful, prickly beer. The ABV is well hidden and has a small malty pepper note.

Mouth- A small medium body with a low carbonation level. A bit of the burn and char of the bourbon remain.

Drink- Nicely done. Needs a bit more of the scotch ale to come out, but WTH. It only hit 95 in So. Cal today. Seemed fitting. I would like another.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 04:17:48 | More by FosterJM

maximum12

Minnesota

3.93/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to killer trader nc41 for sending me a box full of Olde Hickory goodness that I'm working through bottle by bottle. Gotta love a brewery that makes good beer that largely flies under the radar. 22 oz. bottle split with my wife. Best by 2/13 marked on the label.

Pour is surprisingly dark, brown, little light penetration. Smell is also suprising, and lighter than expected. A nice meld of bourbon, vanilla, & sweet malts. Lovely.

Seven Devils has been licked repeatedly by a big tub of bourbon. Bourbon notes leap off the brew, but they're linked up nicely with the sweet malts. There's a bitterness right smack in the middle, too, that's slightly distracting. Improves as it warms; the bourbon is really nice, & that's what sticks around afterwards. Weirdly appealing & I can't seem to quit picking up the glass.

Quite nice. A very good beer that doesn't quite crack the glass ceiling of elite barrel aged beers, nor Wee Heavy brews, but lovely nonetheless. Definitely worth a go.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2012 04:33:07 | More by maximum12

avalon07

South Carolina

4.33/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a dark brown color and a cloudy consistency. There was a small amount of foamy head that lasted a fair amount of time. Not much lacing.

S: An extremely strong aroma of bourbon, malt, and a little hops.

T: Like the smell, the taste is very powerful, with a big shot of bourbon, malt, caramel, and a little bit of hops in the finish. Complex and tasty. Definitely not a flavor for the faint of heart.

M: An average amount of carbonation with a silky smooth finish. Medium-bodied.

O: A big, bold, forceful, enjoyable beer. Drinkable, but definitely only one per session.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2012 13:08:00 | More by avalon07

rudzud

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes, received in a trade. Shared with bpk59 and poured into a Duvel tulip.

A - Pours a near clearish mahogany hue with a half a finger of off white head that leaves a very, very thin halo and blanket. Somewhat underwhelming.

S - Mostly malts and caramel on this one that leads to BIG bourbon notes and nice wood/oak notes. Slight vanilla. Lots of bourbon.

T - More of those caramel malts and sweetness with some light vanilla. Strong bourbon too but this is just a bit too sweet for my liking.

M - Thinnish but whats there is nice and velvety. Its relatively booze but thats somewhat to be expected.

O - Overall this isnt a bad beer I just feel like it needs a year or two of cellaring to really break through. Lots of booze and bourbon needs to mellow out before being really enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 18:43:37 | More by rudzud

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle poured into snifter - thanks to carolinakevin

Pours an hazed caramel brown color with a beige head resting on top. Retains pretty well before leaving a few patches of lacing behind on the glass.

Oaky and boozy in the nose with bourbon and vanilla. Hints of smoke and burnt sugar with a touch of leather. Dark malts with warmth and a light bit of chocolate sweetness.

Fairly sweet up front with some hints of burnt sugar and caramel. The booze slices through with plenty of oaky barrel character and vanilla. Touches of leather and tannins with some faint sweetness. Rich malts with a touch of smoke. Finishes with peat and bourbon.

Fuller medium body, decent carbonation, sticky and chewy on the palate. A nice barrel aged beer, although the bourbon itself took over most of the flavor.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2012 01:01:35 | More by xnicknj

mikereaser

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

pours a pitch black with very little foam to speak of. There is just a little bit of lacing left on the glass. The aroma is mainly oak, vanilla and the bourbon from the barrel. The flavor follows suit. Bourbon is the main characteristic but not over bearing at all. The vanilla and oak round this one out. The flavor is overall sweet with some caramel in there as well. It does seem a bit thin bodied and the carbonation is lacking a bit, but overall this is a nice beer to drink.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2012 03:30:39 | More by mikereaser

VaTechHopHead

California

3.6/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Rich brown in color with a thin off-white head. Slightly hazy but just barely. Not much lacing and leaves the side of the glass pretty clean.

S - Light bourbon/soft vanilla notes at the beginning then a rich grain aroma comes through. Some fermentable sugar in the background.

T - A thin bourbon flavor kicks things off and then a light molasses and butterscotch flavor find the palate. Soft vanilla and just a hint of char from the barrels in the taste as well. Aftertaste vanishes quickly but is semi-sweet and toffee-like.

M/O - Body is a little thin IMO but carbonated nicely. Lightly acidic from the bourbon but soft of the palate. Flavors not too complex and quick fading aftertaste. Honestly, I wouldn't have guessed this was a wee heavy if I hadn't read the bottle label. Was a little too thin in body for me and the flavors weren't too robust. Still a good beer and for $5/bomber or less it's priced right.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2012 21:04:36 | More by VaTechHopHead

argock

Virginia

4.3/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22oz brown bomber into a Duvel tulip. Best by Feb 2013 freshness date hand-marked on side of label. Purchased at Peabody's Wine and Beer Merchants (Boone, NC) for $6.99.

A: Deep chestnut brown with short 1/2-finger light beige head with decent retention to a short cap and a few trailing spots of lace.

S: The oak, vanilla, and bourbon aromas dominate but there is a good dose of residual dark malt and dark fruit sweetness of dates and raisins in there too. The alcohol character of the whiskey is pretty noticeable.

T: The flavor is also barrel-dominated with big, bold vanilla and bourbon that couples well with the gooey caramel and date flavors. The oak is more subdued but comes through more in the finish and with warming. The alcohol is very well-disguised with only a light singing of the nostrils to let you know it's there. A very good barrel aged ale. I am glad there is no smoky flavor in there to detract or clash with the sweetness or barrel-based flavors.

M: I think there is plenty of residual sugar in this to give a medium-full body and good coating feel. I don't thin Backwoods Bastard feels all that more full-bodied than this. This has a bit more residual sweetness but still, it is pretty dry overall. I wonder how the feel will go after a year or two in the cellar.

O: I definitely wish now that I had bought more than 2 bottles of this beauty. The barrel-aging is very smooth yet leaves now doubt as to who is in charge. I think a Scotch Ale was a good choice as the caramel and nougat types of flavors are a natural accompaniment to the vanilla and oak combo. Great job Olde Hickory on this brew.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2012 03:10:00 | More by argock

beer2day

North Carolina

4.2/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours dark, earthy brown with light covering of dark cream head. No retention and very light lace.

Caramel, vanilla, oaked bourbon, and lots of peat in the nose. Well done and complex. Molasses coming in. Getting pretty sweet.

Very sweet flavor. Even more caramel malt and vanilla. Bourbon is thick and flavorful. Tannins coming in toward the end, with tea and peat flavors.

Medium body for the style. Slightly rich and creamy.

Glad I got two of these when I had the chance.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2012 00:41:42 | More by beer2day

Onenote81

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle split and shared at a tasting this last weekend. Thanks for bringing this one, Jacob!

This pours a cloudy rusty amber with a creamy beige head on top. The nose bursts with vanilla, oak, booze, toffee. Really sweet aroma which invites me in. Moderate heft to this one. Ample carbonation, yet creamy and palate-coating. The bourbon is the main player here. Huge wallops of vanilla, creamy toffee, caramel. This is sweet and could be a great dessert beer. It is a little one-dimensional, where the barrels really took this one over. This might as well be a Bourbon Barrel-Aged [any style], as I really can't find any of the Scotch Ale characteristics. I'd like a little more balance, where the base beer pulls through a bit more, but still a treat of a beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2012 12:26:27 | More by Onenote81

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22 oz bomber into a couple of oversized snifters. Big thanks go to Barscream for sharing this.

Pours a ruddy brown in the glass, with a thin covering of light mocha head. This retains with mostly some frothy edges which leave back a robust looking cascade of spotty lacing that clings to the sides. The aroma smells of caramel, fruit, light peat, vanilla, and barrel. This is pretty straight forward with the flavors and is actually blended together rather well in the nose.

The taste is caramelized sugars, vanilla sweetness, a touch of dark fruit, and some gentle smokiness that trails a bit. Alcohol adds a little extra spice and sweetness to this while the barrel lends the profile burnt woody edges that linger in the finish. The mouthfeel is fuller bodied, with some sharpness on the tongue that gives to a smoother feel as this works itself around in the corners of the mouth. There is some light bourbon warmth to this but the alcohol is thankfully relegated to the flavors. For 8%, I would have expected this to have a little more presence in the mouth, as the oak thins this out maybe a tad too much.

This had the misfortune of following Dark Horizon in our Olde Hickory tasting but still managed to hold its own with a decent amount of well integrated flavors that kept this interesting to drink. For the price, this seems like a no-brainer to try if you see it on the shelves.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2012 17:08:58 | More by Kegatron

Homebrew35

Connecticut

4.05/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours with a half finger of an off white creamy head. Dark mahagoney colored body.

Smells like a burbon barrel aged scotch ale should smell. Big vanilla, Carmel and toffee, oak and some light coffee notes.

Taste is big rich and sweet. Big vanilla, oak and sweet toffee and Carmel. Not too much peat is to be found which is a plus for me. Some alcohol is felt and tasted.

Medium full bodied. Quite a bit of lingering sweetness. A bit more bitterness would help the balance.

Overall this is a good, big flavored and sweet beer. A sipper for the most part. Give this a bit more bitterness and/or dry it out and this could be very good.

Thanks tommy for the beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2012 21:21:48 | More by Homebrew35