Highland Seven Sisters Abbey Style Ale - Highland Brewing

GeoCait

Tennessee

4/5  rDev +8.4%

11-21-2012 01:52:11 | More by GeoCait

baklo

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%

04-21-2013 12:36:21 | More by baklo

ecmoon3

South Carolina

3/5  rDev -18.7%

04-10-2013 19:59:21 | More by ecmoon3

adam_e

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev +1.6%

11-19-2012 21:08:30 | More by adam_e

slowdaddy

Alabama

4/5  rDev +8.4%

08-21-2012 06:25:36 | More by slowdaddy

Jadjunk

Georgia

3.25/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I know that this is last year's spring/summer seasonal, but I was surprised to hear that a few cases of this "retired" beer appeared in Athens two weeks ago and were selling fast. I picked up what may be the last six pack of Highland's Seven Sisters Abbey Style Ale seen in Georgia. I hope that time didn't have a major impact on the quality of this beer, which is clocking in at about a year old (No bottle date, but this was last produced in late spring 2011).

(Appearance) Beer pours a fizzy quality light tan that fizzles away quickly, leaving patchy surface cover with tons of carbonation bubbles at the edges. Lacing is thin and splotchy and lasts a short while on the sides of the glass. Color is a very hazy mahogany brown, suggestive of tons of yeast in suspension. Carbonation is extremely busy and active, one of the most fizzy looking beers I've seen in a long while. Overall the appearance isn't bad, but the head quality tanked severely if it was ever good to begin with. 3

(Smell) Caramel malts, dark belgian candied sugars, dark fruits (mostly raisins, some dates), a pinch of spice and a mild alcohol presence makes up the nose of this brew. A sweet toffee and oak aroma comes through in subtle notes. Aroma is pleasant, reminds me of some milder brown ales in character but does have a significant bready complexion brought on by the yeast. Potency is medium. Overall an appealing aroma. 3.5

(Taste) The Caramel and Belgian sugars carry over in full, but the fruits (and most of the spice) is lost at this stage. Complexity is limited; there probably should be a little more to the flavor than what is picked up, and the body falls a little short as a result. Yeast is discernible in small traces but doesn't play a big role in the flavor, letting the malt flavors take the front seat. My best comparison is raisin bread, alas not a very flavorful loaf. Overall, it's an enjoyable enough interpretation of a Belgian Dubbel, but falls short in flavor diversity and complexity, which leaves it a very average brew if not a highly drinkable one. 3

(Mouthfeel) Texture is a mild chewy and creamy texture, a notch thinner than I had anticipated. Carbonation is low in the mouth, despite what the eyes see which is a relief to know that the subtle flavors of the beer aren't overshadowed by a barrage of airy bubbles. Alcohol presence is low, body is medium. Overall it's a decent pairing with the taste but the body needs to be improved a bit. 3.5

(Overall) I tend to find Dubbels generally unimpressive if they boast mild and "drinkable" profiles in lieu of bold and enthusiastic flavors. This is a pretty good light drinker, not too filling and with a mild (enough) ABV, so I could see myself having more than one of these in a session, but I am not likely to buy it again even if seeing it returning to store shelves in the near future. It just doesn't have anything memorable for me, which is a bummer for any beer, especially Belgian-style ales. If you enjoy light-drinking Belgian styles, consider this your ideal Belgian-styled "lawn-mowing beer". 3.5

Highland Brewing's
Seven Sisters Abbey Style Ale
3.25/5.00

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2012 02:32:33 | More by Jadjunk

danoeltico

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +8.4%

02-02-2012 23:48:10 | More by danoeltico

Mantooth

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%

01-27-2012 14:53:25 | More by Mantooth

Lantern

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%

12-27-2011 12:28:53 | More by Lantern

jak

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +8.4%

12-11-2011 23:43:20 | More by jak

nmann08

Maryland

4/5  rDev +8.4%

12-05-2011 00:40:37 | More by nmann08

iamsolidsnake

Georgia

4/5  rDev +8.4%

11-20-2011 01:15:09 | More by iamsolidsnake

UncleWesticles

South Carolina

4/5  rDev +8.4%

11-16-2011 15:48:58 | More by UncleWesticles

TEAMHOLT

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +8.4%

11-14-2011 17:13:06 | More by TEAMHOLT

readbaron

Illinois

3.3/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Deep, clear crisp amber with a bit of off white foam that quickly fades into a ring. A tiny bit of lacing.

Smell is the best part of this beer - bready malts, with caramel and burnt sugar.

Taste is good. Bready and cereal malts are prevalent, and surprisingly there's a lot of black tea in the finish. Not as sweet as I'd imagined it would be.

Mouthfeel is pretty good - medium bodied and creamy. Nicely carbonated.

Overall, a tasty and easy drinking beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2011 03:31:51 | More by readbaron

mntlover

Tennessee

3.58/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Want to thank merlin48 for this bottle.

Pours a hazy burnt orange color with smaller tan head that falls to a ring with some sparse lace.

Aroma is malty raisin bread, banana good dose of clove. Kind of dubbel meats a wheat brew.

Taste like aroma also half dubbel and half wheat. Malty bread like with fruits some raisins mingle with bananas and good dose of spice in the finish cloves and light peppery notes.

Mouthfeel is medium with lightly peppy carbonation.

Overall little confused not really a dubblel or a dunkel little bit of both.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2011 01:43:12 | More by mntlover

mactrail

California

3.75/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Rich brown ale with a tart finish.

Quite a lovely beer in the chalice with orange-mahoghany color and enough head Roasted malt dominates with a little sugary taste. I'd call it raisin bread. Malty with some acid notes. Hops are not much in evidence. Aftertaste is more of toast and just a hint of bitter burnt caramel. Every sip renews the tart fruitiness, like guava juice.

I was happy to find a six of these in the supermarket coming into Asheville late at night. High on drinkability. If it's not a classic Dubbel, it's a tasty brew of the sort we should have more of. Boston Beer, take note.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2011 04:20:53 | More by mactrail

trappistlover

Arizona

3.2/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

(12oz bottle courtesy of ewright. Thanks Eric!!). Pours a crystal clear deep copper with 2 finger off-white head. Lots of carbonation bubbles as I would have suspected from the pour. The beer looks nice, but as a dubbel, I would have expected ample yeast to be present in the pour. Aroma has dried apricot, some caramel, and papaya. Taste is sweet, but its malty moreso than the nose would indicate. The fruit does begin to reappear a bit on the finish. Thin to medium bodied with a slick texture. I seem to be able to detect some alcohol with a slight burn on the tongue. This is a decent enough beer, but not very good as a dubbel.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2011 03:37:42 | More by trappistlover

hooliganlife

Missouri

3.6/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

spring 2010 bottling

pours a burnt copper leaving a light amount of head. very light retention.

tons of banana and funk. hint of clove and spice.

very similar to the nose, this is very funky and full of banana. strong belgian yeast flavor. nice sweetness through out. a hint of candied dark fruit.

a bit light for a dubbel. mild to moderate carbonation.

not bad, but not something i would openly seek out often.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2011 01:35:04 | More by hooliganlife

cjgator3

Florida

3.4/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle

A- Poured into a chalice. Pours a dark reddish brown color with an off-white head.

S- The aroma is sweet malts, dark fruits, some spices and Belgian yeast.

T- The taste like the aroma is dark fruits and some spices with some yeast in the finish. 

M- The mouthfeel is between light and medium bodied with a good amount of carbonation.

O- Overall, this is a decent Dubbel but there are plenty of better beers within this style to purchase again.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2011 04:08:50 | More by cjgator3

legatovibrato24

Virginia

3.45/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Amber hues appear from the pour, with a short lived head developing. A touch of roast and toast shining through more bold scents of banana, clove and hints of spice. Nowhere near the spice level of Allagash white, however it is still detectable.

Flavors range from roasty malt with slight spice, to some sips supplying savory fruit notes with brown sugars. The spice tends to come through in the finish and aftertaste, not so much on the peppercorn end of the scale, but more on the earthy, herbal green leaf side of things.

The feel is thin in the mouth, and the carbonation present but not overwhelming. This is a good beer, however it is not genre defining or defying. A worthy representative of a Dubbel style ale, but not a star.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2011 02:17:47 | More by legatovibrato24

dnolan36

Virginia

4.1/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Recommended by an employee at Total Wine. Picked up at the bargain price of $3.99 a 6-pack.

Nice golden yellow color with a slight haze. Nice white head with lovely lacing.

Very floral and malty at first with some fruit notes to follow such as banana.

The taste is similar to the nose with a light malty taste with a hint of banana and other fruits. The carbonation is more around the middle of the road.

I find this beer to be very drinkable. I could easily drink a few of these on a nice summer day.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2011 00:47:29 | More by dnolan36

beergod1

Ohio

3.35/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours an amber color with a thin head. Aroma of caramel, malt breadiness . Taste has some spiciness to it - along with some roasted malts, earthy/grassy/floral notes - finishing with some clove. Pretty light in appearance for a dubbel. Not bad, but so many other Dubbels out there that are better.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2011 22:56:17 | More by beergod1

sulldaddy

Connecticut

4.2/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Sampled this brew at cellar temp poured into a snifter. The beer is a slightly hazy copper hue with fluffy white head of 1 cm on a gentle pour.
Aroma is fruity with apricots and white grapes and some general fruit sweetness. No hops or booze detected here.
First sip reveals an average body with gentle yet tingly carbonation.
Smooth texture aids with making this beer highly drinkable and it flows down my gullet pretty easily.
Flavor is sweet malt with some fruit just as the nose advertises. I get some caramel and general sugar hits with apricots and again white grape. A bit of green apple pokes in but doesnt make the beer tart, just a little contrast to the sweet grapes.
The booze is hidden and this beer drinks fast. I enjoy the flavors and well mixed overall beer. Glad I got to try this one and I would pick up another bottle if given the chance.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2011 03:19:39 | More by sulldaddy

DarthGreybier

Florida

2.73/5  rDev -26%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

poured into a pint glass appears a clear auburn color with lots of bubbles that disappear too quickly cameo head no lacing.
malty sugary aroma like you just put it in.
taste is little less than expected but in line with the style though not as intense as most.light on the tongue.with an acidicfinish.I am a big fan of belgian ales including abbey varieties but this ale was not one I would recomend.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2011 03:21:59 | More by DarthGreybier