Heavy Seas - Holy Sheet (Über Abbey Ale) - Heavy Seas Beer

shanblur

Indiana

3.43/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Purchased locally. No freshness date on bottle. Poured from 22oz bomber into a chalice.

A - Deep amber color color with an off-white head. Leaves sparse lacing.

S - Sweet and malty with caramel and dark fruit aromas.

T - Much like the smell with a strong presence of alcohol.

M - Medium body with a light carbonation.

Certainly a strong ale. Not overly complex but a nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2011 22:34:56 | More by shanblur

SpeedwayJim

New York

3.5/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Shared by schen9303. 12oz. bottle poured into a Darkness snifter.

Pours a .5 finger light brown-gray head with poor retention. Beer is a cloudy brown. Lacing is stringy and spotty with good stick. Nice, but average for the style.

Nose is raisin, brown sugar, and dates with a slight tartness. Moderately aromatic and appropriate but rather plain.

Opens raisin and a touch of sour red fruit. Some brown sugar and dried dates in the middle. Yeasty. More tartness towards the finish with a sharp aftertaste. Oddly nice.

Medium bodied with low carbonation. Oily and filmy in the mouth with some bubbles and liveliness going down. Not really to style.

While this one's completely not to style, the slight tartness and oilyness in the feel works for it. A surprising and enjoyable representation of the BSDA.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2011 02:54:45 | More by SpeedwayJim

sixerofelixir

Ohio

3.7/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz bottle. No date codes that I could see. Poured into a snifter.

Pours a translucent, brownish, ruby-orange. A tan head soon becomes a heavy ring. Smell is peaty, and caramelized malt. Sweet. Taste is balanced well up front with some earthiness and slightly floral hops. More smoky, robust malt. A touch of sourness on the back. Feel is super creamy, but lively at the same time. Great feel. Finishes long and crisp.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2011 17:10:25 | More by sixerofelixir

zaphodchak

Virginia

3.78/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Minimal head, very dark ruby body.

Dark raisin on the nose? Some malt and a bit of booze.

Dark grape in the taste, slightly vinous, malt and hop balance, but with a malty finish.

Thinnish mouthfeel, but not watery.

Overall fine, but unremarkable for a dubbel. Improves as it warms.

Serving type: on-tap

08-08-2011 01:17:41 | More by zaphodchak

cnally

Indiana

4/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I've always thought Clipper City is a massively underrated producer of the finest quality. Shocking that I have never had this beer, of my favorite style, from them.

The appearance is a deep mahogany, mostly opaque but along the edges a little light seeps through the deep amber. An off-tan head remains, and clings just a little to the glass.

A boozy trip in the aroma, firy. Highly bready and filled with a frontal malt nose.

Woody, boozy, bready flavor. Nice balance between that and the deep malts. The belgian malts really deliver a dark fruity flavor. Plum, cherry, a little sherry flavor...nice and complex.

Full mouthfeel. Creamy and full bodied. A little hot.

A pleasing brew and really reliant on Special B malt, I would guess. That mild pungency that arises from the beligian yeast and the fruity malt really makes up for the forward booziness.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2011 02:43:31 | More by cnally

ellindril

Massachusetts

4.15/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This beer took me entirely by surprise.

The look of the beer is a very dark and cloudy amber.

When I poured it into my glass it was very cold (and also possibly quite old) so the carbonation was low. There was little to no lacing.

The mouthfeel of the beer was a little too gritty and hars given the mellowness of rich smell.

The taste struck me. I was expecting something less rich and deep. The rich sweet malt is the first thing that reaches your tongue. After the malt passes rich hints of plum or similar fruit can be detected. This fruity flavor stays with you in the aftertaste with just a hint of bitterness to balance and offset what would otherwise be a cloying sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2011 01:32:45 | More by ellindril

Hopfenpeter

Maryland

3.85/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The beer poured a clear mahogany and rapidly builds a off white bubbly head which dissipates very fast into nothing. No lacing!
The smell is malty sweet and hints dark fruit , honey, caramel and fig. There is also a earthy feel to it like a whiskey barrel wooden undertone.
The taste is pretty much confirming the flavors. Upfront we have the dark fruits and fig, being sweetened in the middle by caramel and brown sugar notes, bitter malty notes adding into balance.
At the end the bitterness mellows again and those earthy wooden whiskey barrel undertones will give the finish.
Interesting brew. Might have to revisit this beer at a different time. Winter for example!

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2011 03:51:52 | More by Hopfenpeter

AgentMunky

Alabama

3.35/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a 22 ounce bottle into a BrewDog cervoise glass. No visible best before date.

A: Nice tight head churns slightly before fading. The beer is a clear, if dark, beautiful brown that turns brilliant ruby in direct lighting. Some slight bubbles. Good lacing.

S: Some sweet yeastiness. Akin to whisky wash. Fruit (apples and pears) is noticeable.

T: I've been looking for this one for a while, well before Clipper City changed their name Heavy Seas. I had held off on buying it a couple of times because of the lackluster reviews...it seems they were sadly accurate. A sort of sour/tart fruitiness is the single best part of the beer, and is actually quite nice. Unfortunately, it's the only thing really going on. Aside from that, the beer is almost characterless except for a *slight* yeast and alcohol presence.

M: A bit of puckering from the unripe fruit, some nice carbonation, and an acceptably full body.

O: Disappointing, but not bad. I won't be having any more. I recommend Clipper City's Mutiny Fleet, but not this bottle. Still, I'm determined to enjoy finishing it now that I've opened it. It shouldn't be too much trouble.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2011 03:09:12 | More by AgentMunky

beerprovedwright

Georgia

3.9/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Just an one finger head, not a good start, but the color is nice, rating a 19 on the SRM beer color chart. Clear and lots of micro bubbles. Smell is that of caramel, pineapple, mango, raisins, butterscotch, and malt. The taste is rich and full, with flavors of raisians, mango, pineapple, caramel, toffee, coco, butterscotch, figs, molasses, lime, and malt. Mouthfeel is good with a full body and creaminess. Overall I like this beer, although a little syrupy and a little sweet. Would make a great desert beer, or a welcome to my place offering.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2011 19:03:02 | More by beerprovedwright

robbrandes

Oregon

4.15/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

reviewed from notes.

5oz taster, poured @ northern virginia brewfest.

pours a deep brown, almost hints of purple. lots of dark fruit - raisins, figs, some cloves... nice full body on this one. not sure how the bottle holds up, but the keg was excellent. glad i tried it early in the day!

Serving type: on-tap

07-01-2011 00:49:28 | More by robbrandes

jsanford

Georgia

3.53/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at the Distillery in Savannah, GA as part of Maryland night. As a proud Terrapin, I was happy to be here, enjoying the hell outta some UTZ Crab Chips!

A - Dark brownish-orange with a thin head that recedes to a slight haze and ring.
S - Caramel malt, spicy Belgian yeast, and a touch of sweet bubblegum. Pretty mild nose, can't tell what this is trying to be.
T - OK, a BSDA. Lots of dark malty flavors of caramel & toffee, figs, raisins, and a touch of that 9% ABV.
M - Creamy mouth-feel with a medium-full body and sharp carbonation.
O - Notes say it was pretty good, but I didn't find it to be too memorable. A solid American example of a BSDA.

Serving type: on-tap

06-06-2011 23:27:15 | More by jsanford

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.03/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This beer poured out as a dark reddish brown color. With a decent head on it. The smell was a little citric smelling. Some Belgian yeast aromas too. The the taste was a little strange to me, kinda got a little funky on me. The mouthfeel was ok, overall I would have to try this one again.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2011 22:33:31 | More by Knapp85

bum732

Maryland

1.95/5  rDev -46.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

S: Heavy dark fruits, figs mostly, some rich caramel, spicy alcohol.

L: Cloudy reddish brown, light tan head that dissipates.

T: Dark fruits with some citrus followed by a medium high bitter, slightly lemony component. Mild rich breadiness melds. Quite acrid in the finish, drying slightly with some spiciness. An off compound i can't nail down, almost bleach like.

M: Hot, alcoholic, medium bodied, medium carbonation.

A really terrible beer, aroma was good. But there is a an acrid, bitter component that is very unappealing. Couldn't finish this one and ended up drain pouring it.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2011 01:28:17 | More by bum732

kirkpjr

Alabama

3.08/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Tried this at a tasting @ HiPS. Picked up a growler a couple days later.

Poured into a chalice.

A: Pours a deep amber/brown with ruby highlights. Half finger of head with minimal lacing leaving a small ring around the top of the beer.

S: Dark fruits - raisins & figs - and brown sugar or cinnamon. Also a little green apple.

T: Light dark fruit flavors and sweet malts, with a little bit of molasses. Mildly hot in the finish.

M: A bit short on carbonation for what I was expecting in an Uber Abbey Ale. Feel is somewhat thin as well.

O: Nothing outstanding, but worth a try.

Serving type: growler

05-16-2011 01:26:30 | More by kirkpjr

bucklemyshoe

Georgia

3.73/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz bottle at 48 degrees into a St. Bernardus chalice.

A: It pours a very dark red color with a finger of off-white head that holds very well at first, but then suddenly dies and does not lace well.

S: Sweet figs dominate with grape peel, clove spice, and a little banana flavor.

T: Sweet berries, figs, dates, some clove spice, and some dry graininess in the finish.

M: The body is medium-thick with average carbonation and a little stickiness in the finish.

O: This is better than the typical bastardized American attempt at a Dubbel. It fortunately avoids the artificial-tasting fruit flavors of some of the other American version of abbey ales.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2011 04:09:21 | More by bucklemyshoe

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.33/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured a deep dark brown, big thick brown creamy head faded quickly leaving a thin 1/2 inch clingy lacey gooey head that stuck till the bottom of the glass. The smell was classic belgian, sweet, dark cherries, but hints of caramel, even maybe chocolate, very full and nice bouguet. Maybe even a sherry or bourbon smell as well. Taste was wonderful, dark fruity flavors right up front, apricots, bananas, cherry, a bit of a bready taste and a nice dry finish. The feel was so much lighter tehn I though basedd on appearence, and that is a good thing in this case. Not thick at all, very nice light and lively consistency, nice carboination, dances around in the mouth, beautiful.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2011 04:26:57 | More by mikesgroove

CuttDeez

Virginia

2.88/5  rDev -20.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bomber poured into a Snifter

A - A deep dark brown body that has nice notes of deep red amber when in the light. A large white head that mellows to a half finger head with some stick.
S - The Aroma is nice as it renders good carmalized sugars and malt, mixed with good yeast and a plethora of deep dark fruits. A complex yet nicely balanced nose.
T & M - What happened to the nose is my first thought. The beer just doesnt have any pop. There is fruit there but light, sugars there but light - The tastes are all blah. The good thing is the ABV is well hidden.

O - Let me start by saying I love heavy seas and love the Mutiny fleet so I was excited about this beer. Then I was unimpressed and underwhelmed by this brew. I was sad but I will not be turned away from the great mutiny fleet!

-Cheers

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2011 01:36:03 | More by CuttDeez

wahhmaster

Virginia

4.43/5  rDev +22%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle into a Brooklyn snifter.

Appearance: Pours a deep brown color with ruby hues. Has a large, frothy head that dissipates down to a nice cap quickly and leaves some spotty lacing.

Smell: Smells strongly of candy malts and dark fruits. Has a bit of floweriness to it as well.

Taste: Fruity and slightly bitter up front. Devleops a sweet, fruity, and malty finish. Has only the slightest booziness at the end; there's really no way you'd know that this is a 9% ABV beer without checking the bottle.

Mouthfeel: A little light-bodied for a Belgian but still very pleasing.

Overall: A superbly done Belgian beer. Fruity, flowery, and malty. It is also extraordinarily drinkable for a Belgian beer. The alcohol is effectively masked by the flavors and it has a lighter-than-average body. In a word, delicious...

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2011 17:17:54 | More by wahhmaster

ktrillionaire

Florida

2.45/5  rDev -32.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

A - This beer pours a somewhat translucent cola-brown hue; it is capped with a thin tan head that exists briefly and then recedes to a collar.

S - The nose is a mix of spicy notes from yeast, nutty impressions and dark fruitiness, especially dates.

T - There is a strong metallic taste in this beer that I do not like whatsoever. The off-flavor is disconcerting to the point that while I can detect some of the same nice elements I found in the nose, I cannot suffer this offense for more than a few mouthfuls.

M - It's not the feel's fault.

O - The beer is mostly a moderate-to-middling offering, except for the terrible taste. Why bother?

Serving type: on-tap

04-16-2011 20:42:59 | More by ktrillionaire

drabmuh

Maryland

3.58/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at a local bar.

Beer is darker than I expected, copper to brown clear, thin head, no lacing, low carbonation.

Beer smells like malt and a little alcohol. Some yeasty breadiness to it.

Beer is thick and sweet up front, mildly dry on the finish, overall it is easy drinking, a little hot on the front but it fills out in the midpalate with some yeast character. Eh, I'd have it again I suppose.

Serving type: on-tap

04-15-2011 21:02:19 | More by drabmuh

cindyjeffsmith

Georgia

3.55/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

appearance: Copper with a big fat creamy head on the pour that recedes no almost nothing. Thin lacing.
smell: Malts and fruit with a sour and sweet balance.
taste: Mellow. Tasty though simpler than i would have expected. Slight bitter aftertaste.
overall: A nice brew though nothing outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2011 00:00:07 | More by cindyjeffsmith

KomodoDragon

Virginia

3.23/5  rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Bought a big bottle of this big ale.

A - Pours a deep hazy amber with ample head that quicky fades.

S - An odd (and not all too pleasant) smell of cloves and brown sugar. Little to no aromas

T - Spicy figgy malt with a sweet accent and a long finish accompanied by an alcohol warmth. Not hard to find the ABV in this one. Classic alcohol / malt balance

M - Slight tingle of carbonation and heavy muthfeel.

O - Sweet like a Brown, warm like a scotch ale. Bold - yes, but not that interesting. Although mind you, I'm not throwing this one overboard.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2011 02:58:33 | More by KomodoDragon

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Light fizzy almost 1 finger head fades at a quick pace over super hazy yeast filled murky brown color.

Nose had some dark Belgian malts, candi sugar, light yeast, reddish fruits, light almost tart fruit.

Taste brings darker Belgian malts, dark fruits and lighter fruits, some nutty malts, plenty of raisin and a light biscuit, warming booze and boozy taste, light caramel, spicy. Finishes semi sweet, lingering fruit, some sweet sugars as well.

Mouth is med to slightly heavier bodied with decent carb and warming booze.

Overall ok but nothing special, a bit boozy, sweet malts and sugars, fruits, slightly tangy makes new think this is on the edge of going sour and is infected.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2011 00:25:57 | More by jlindros

patreely12

Maryland

3.9/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

on-tap at the Heavy Seas BBQ fest. reviewed from notes.

A - caramel brown with small tan head. nice lacing. some notable carbonation.

S - bitter hops. some toffee scented malts. also some oak and a slight hint of sweet raisins and alcohol.

T/M - tastes like the nose. the oak aged hint is a nice touch and give the beer great flavor there is also a roasted malt note that isn't present in the nose. medium bodied. kind of slick or syrupy. really good though.

O - really nice flavor and drinkability even at 9% ABV. I'd like to have this again.

Serving type: on-tap

03-28-2011 01:09:46 | More by patreely12

axeman9182

New Jersey

3.08/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 3

22oz bomber, received as an EBF 2011 volunteer, and allowed to warm some before being poured into my Duvel tulip.

Holy Sheet is pretty nice looking plum/mahogany, with a couple fingers of off-white head. It's not as explosive and frothy as the best Belgian style brews, but it does leave gorgeous sheets of lacing all the way around the glass. Head retention is just short of spectacular though. The nose is absolutely great, sweet dark fruits (very heavy on plum), and some bubble gum, fruity yeast esters. There's also just a hint of brown sugar. There's a big falloff when I take my first sip though, as the combination of the strong malty flavors and sweet fruity esters, without any kind of phenols or hops to balance, give the beer a profound cloying sweetness. This may also be due in part to possibly the worst mouthfeel I've ever encountered on any kind of Belgian style beer. It's noticeably underattenuated, and at the same time the carbonation doesn't have nearly the gusto to cut through it. As a result, the first word that comes to mind is syrupy, and that's diametrically opposite to what I'm looking for. As a drinking experience Holy Sheet is average, but when you're brewing in even a loosely Belgian style you're asking to be compared to some of the finest crafted beers around, and Holy Sheet just isn't on the same level.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2011 07:16:52 | More by axeman9182