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

lordofthewiens

Maine

3.95/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A 12oz bottle, with purchase by Jul08 on the label. Served in a tulip glass, this was a dark red/brown (burgundy according to the label) with a small white head that didn't last. It had a pleasant spice and fruit aroma, and there was a nice yeasty edge to it also. The taste was sweet, plum and/or cherry, followed by some bitterness. Alcohol well hidden. Maybe a little too much on the sweet side for me, but still a very enjoyable beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2008 20:15:18 | More by lordofthewiens

csmiley

Ohio

4/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a medium to dark brown. Got a little over a half inch head with good retention. Lacing was just average.

S - First, there is a Belgian yeast aroma mixed with some spiciness, which is nice. Second, there is fairly strong caramel and bread smell that act as a balance to the spices.

T - Malt is very significant in this one. At first there is a big, sweet, caramel sensation but that gets quickly backed by a sharp spiciness and alcohol. On the end there is just a hint of cherry. Everything does go well together in this one.

M - Medium bodied with good carbonation.

D - Drinkability is good. The beer is smooth and the alcohol is hardly noticeable. I would have no problem having a few more of these.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2008 03:25:05 | More by csmiley

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.53/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On-tap 3/5/08 at Track 84 in Warwick, RI, served in a tulip glass.

A: The beer is a deep brown color, with a thin off-white head that fades quickly and leaves very little lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is faint but contains dark fruit, chocolate, Belgian yeast.

T: The taste is well-balanced, with flavors of Belgian yeast, chocolate and dark fruit. The malt character is hearty and there's a mild hops presence. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Smooth and crisp, medium body, light-to-medium carbonation, finish is clean.

D: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, good kick, decent representation of style, it's not a bad beer and I could drink a few, but it's not one that would select over too many others.

Serving type: on-tap

03-06-2008 17:21:34 | More by TheManiacalOne

Lothar666

Rhode Island

4.28/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A- Poured nice and dark, like caramel oak mahogany in the body and a creamy off white head. Head was thick at first but quickly receeded, leaving bits of lacing in the rim.

S- Some pleasant belgian spices and candied fruits; dark ones like raisins and figs and a bit of caramel apple.

T- Dark fruits, floral accents and strong belgian style spices are all present in the flavor profile, as is sweet caramel and brown sugar and a touch of hops to balance it out. Alcohol is present but not unwelcome.

M- Thick, sticky, and sugary. Very full bodied and extremely smooth but with a tingle in the finish.

D- The strong alcohol in this does not hurt the drinkability in the least. It goes down smooth and easy and leaves the pallet craving another sip even after the last drop is gone. I am very impressed... This brewery has made an excellent accomplishment here, successfully reproducing a half decent but lower priced American version of a style that is normally much more expensive and less accessable.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2008 04:05:45 | More by Lothar666

chiefydawg

Ohio

3.9/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Came out of the bottle more clear than expected, with a bourbon color. Thin but dense and creamy light khaki head. Not as much lacing a some other Heavy Seas

Smells of dried fruit, molasses, and maybe some oak-aged bourbon.

Tastes of like all that and more. Lot of beer there. The alcohol and malt are apparent even in the early sips. Nice and warming on a night of (Holy Sheet) sleet such as this. Definitely a 'Jack Daniels' quality as the liquid warms. A fresh doughy maltiness with powdered sugar sneaks in and tries in vain to keep up with the alcohol. Fermented fruitcake?

Although it is medium bodied, it packs a wallop. Great sipper for a nightcap or a fireside chat. If I would accompany food, it would be with smoked salmon or hot pepper cheese. Smooth for its strength.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2008 03:49:49 | More by chiefydawg

NCSUdo

Massachusetts

3.7/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle, buy before date of July/08

A: Pours a deep brown/mahogany under a small slightly off white head. A bit of retention and no lace.

S: Smells a yeast, bread, some brown sugar, a little bit of raisins and dark fruit.

T: Pretty sweet throughout, with hints of dark fruit and raisins. A bit of bitterness in the finish, not enough to balance sweetness. Hints of alcohol as well. Slightly herbal. Slightly off, but good.

M/D: Full bodied, carbonation is a little prickly, alcohol is there in taste a little and also a little warming. Drinkability is good. Would have liked some yeast in the bottle at least. Overall, a decent effort at the style.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2008 00:49:47 | More by NCSUdo

dsa7783

New Jersey

3.65/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Single, 12 oz bottle purchased from Total Wine and More in West Orange...
Pours with a gigantic, five-fingered, full, foamy and frothy head that lingered on for a bit of time before slowly dissipating and leaving a generous layer of lacing around the top of the glass...
Smell was thick and deep, full of roasted malts, candied sugars, and mollasses...
Taste strongly complmented the aroma, bursting with a powerful suggestion of malts, vanilla,caramel, candied sugars, toffee, yeast, honey, and a noticeable presence of alcohol, which isn't that well-masked...
Rich, creamy mouthfeel filled with thick flavors and a burning essence of alcohol...
Drinkability took a hit due to the ultra-rich and super-thick flavors as well as the noticeable ABV which makes its presence pretty well-known...
Otherwise, not a bad sample from Clipper City...

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2008 00:15:16 | More by dsa7783

ybnorml

Rhode Island

3.7/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A clean dark amber beer. Has a small off white head. The aroma has a light floral character with small caramel malt note and a strong candy background.The candy sweetness hits the tip og your tongue first with that distinctive belgian hop note at the sides of your tongue. The finish starts with a strong malty sweetness rushing down the back of your tongue followed by a light peppery bite at the end.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2008 23:22:29 | More by ybnorml

oelergud

Virginia

3.2/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Classic brown 12oz glass bottle. Pry off cap. Red neck label with a blurp about the yeast and style. Red label with a crow's nest scene.
Semi transparent deep ruby body topped with a reluctant tan creamy head with interspersed small bubbles. Very little lace.
Sweet caramel nose, dark honey, spice and molasses.
Sweet alcoholic flavor. Some caramel and spice but mostly alcohol. The aftertaste is a hoppy alcoholic sensation.
Medium body with very little coating and a dry finish.
Not my cup of beer. The alcohol has too much presence.

-Oelergud

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2008 22:15:13 | More by oelergud

WVbeergeek

Ohio

3.2/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appears a brilliant clear ruby brown tone forms a thin tan head, carbonation sort of fizzy. Lacing forms thin and sparse with specks scattered sporadically around my pint glass. Aromatics offer tart raisin and apple notes with some candi sugar and caramelized brown sugar like malt tones, very fruity not much spice noted. Flavor comes off with a trace of metallic funk, super sweet border line syrupy sweet with candi sugar coming off in a bad way. Deep fruits of plum and raisin with evident alcohol notes drowning out most of the other flavors, spices are lacking seems like the yeast strain is in house. It sits really heavy with a rather cloying sweetness that takes over and doesn't let any other component truly shine. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with sticky residual sugars hanging around along with carbonation levels that I consider pretty rough especially for what should be a velvety smooth Abbey style ale. Drinkability not a bad 12 pack sampler brew but nothing to grab a whole six of, one and move on maybe this is your style.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2008 05:06:43 | More by WVbeergeek

armock

New York

3.63/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Poured a dark amber color with a two finger tan head that fades to a covering

S - Is of sweet fruity malt with some alcohol coming through

T - Isn't as good as it smells light malt taste with a lot of alcohol getting through

M - This beer has light carbonation with a slight alcohol burn

D - The other Clipper City brews that I've had were way better than this one this could have been a great beer if they could of had more flavor and less alcohol taste in it

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2008 22:54:11 | More by armock

3.65/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz. bottle

Beautiful, rich looking, clear, dark amber. Modest, ivory colored head. Some legs, no/little lacing.

Aromas of cherries, alcohol, toffee and candi sugar.

Sweet & fruity taste, cherries (sweet & dark). Alcohol, a bit too noticeable -- moves towards a slightly medicinal taste. Slight roast notes, toffee. Herbal finish, nice lingering bitterness.

Medium to full body. Low carbonation. Dry.
Very nice, struck me as a BSDA, which, in fact, it was (I really impress myself sometimes..., yes, this is sarcasm). Not too sweet, nice complexity, only complaint is alcohol is a bit too evident.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2008 15:47:59 | More by

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Holy Sheet. Nice name.

Pouts a clear and dark brown. Crème head. Nose is candy and slight sugar. Seems one-dimensional. Flavor is super sugar as well. A definite hijacking of the experience. Too much sugar, Slight caramel tone. Not much else going on. Feel is low in carbonation and sticky on the liquid feel. This is one to pass on. Sure there are promising features, but it certainly doesn't come through.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2008 03:52:05 | More by RblWthACoz

tayner

Arizona

3.03/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

bottle says purchase before august 2007

Pours a clear dark caramel brown with a small head that quickly dissipates into a nice ring, but no lacing as i drink.

Smell is sweet and boozy.. the only thing that overpowers the boozy smell is the malt.

I wanted to taste some belgian breadiness in the flavor, but all i get is the malt front and finish of astringent alcohol. I can taste all 9% of the alcohol, and if i didnt know it i would say it was more in the 10-12% range.. not well hidden at all. No hops to speak of, just alot of caramel malt. If it didnt say on the bottle that it was belgian i would not have guessed.

Heavy mouthfeel and drying astringent alcohol after swallowing.

Too heavy on the alcohol to be a good session beer. One of these was enough for me. Glad i tried it, but there are way too many good Belgian Strong Ales to revisit this one, even if it were local to me. Cool name though!

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2007 20:17:00 | More by tayner

wheelinshirt

Pennsylvania

3.03/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle poured into a tulip. I guess people are calling this color mahogany. Looks darkish amber when backlit. Head is okay but doesn't leave any lace and doesn't get all rocky and such--somewhat of a disapointment.

Smell is underwhelming. Dark malts and fruit and some booze in there, not a lot of complexity. Taste is similar, pretty sweet. Personally i am more of a fan of BPA and BSPA as opposed to their darker kin, but I can usually appreciate a really well done dark beer--this one just doesn't seem to make the grade.

Mouthfeel is a bit too thick. I would really like a lighter body with some more carbonation. While we are at it, i would like it to be less sweet. Maybe get some yeast with better attenuation. Also, what is this on the label about a layer of yeast. Is this bottle conditioned or not? I didn't see any in the beer. Also, they have a tendency to call their bottles "pounders." At twleve ounces, they are a bit short of a pound. Very confusing overall. While it certainly doesn't hold its own against others of the style, it is an alright beer. I was expecting a lot after loving the category 5 Imperial ESB, but i was disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2007 23:07:09 | More by wheelinshirt

drseamus

New York

2.9/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Pours a rich mahogany color with no head and no visible carbonation. The body is crystal clear. The aroma is sweet and malty with a bit of spice in the background. The flavor is overwhelmingly malty with a bunch of spice. The sweetness is pretty strong initially but fades quickly. It is nice and smooth with good body, but that's really the only good part. Not a beer I'd drink again.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2007 00:59:16 | More by drseamus

tgbljb

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a deep reddish brown color with miniscule white head that quickly falls to a thin ring. No lacing.
Smell is heavy on sweet dark fruit (dates, plums, raisins)
Taske is also very sweet, with strong fruit notes and almost some wine-like characteristics.
Finishes has some fruity aspects, but very little taste retention.
A very enjoyable beer, with some strong taste sensations, but the alcohol content limits its drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2007 00:17:08 | More by tgbljb

brentk56

North Carolina

2.4/5  rDev -33.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Appearance: Pours a hazy caramel color with a buoyant head that one would expect from a Belgian style; leaves plenty of lace

Smell: Spice cake and cherry cough syrup

Taste: Starts out with a medicinal, almost cherry cough syrup flavor that is fortunately not overly sweet; after the swallow, some mellowing prune flavors arrive to cut into the first impression but the overall effect is very strange

Mouthfeel: Medium body with heavy carbonation; plenty of warmth on the finish

Drinkability: Why they released this beer I will never know as it is a poor facsimile of a BSDA and a mediocre home brewer could have done better; just a mess from a brewer that makes some great beers

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2007 00:38:40 | More by brentk56

Minkybut

Virginia

2.15/5  rDev -40.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

I poured this terrible brew into my tumbler at 50 degrees. The beer was a decently nice mahogany color that looked pretty good. But then the smell hit me and that was like soured beer smells the day after it has been in the trash can. The taste was equally sour with a sweetness I just could not stomach. Alcohol taste was way overpowering and too much also. Not buy again.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2007 16:30:39 | More by Minkybut

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.7/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Only a whisp of a head, on mahogony brown. Dark beer aroma and boozy. Surprisingly high alcohol. A decent beverage though only passable Belg, not very complex consistent with several American trainees of these styles I have had recently. Medium mouthfeel that goes down in a rush. Sweet with caramel. Drying aftertaste. Number 2400.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2007 04:14:19 | More by northyorksammy

hustlemuscle

Ohio

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

An interesting beer. Big, and not subtle. But it stretches a bit, sugary flavors and alcohol start to overpower everything else. The best overall flavor is in the final throws of the last sip, gentle, warming alcohol, some sugar, some hops in more moderate proportions. Instead of being turned up to 10, this beer should be left at 6. Drop the Uber, keep the rest.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2007 01:49:39 | More by hustlemuscle

blitheringidiot

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle with '07 notch cut into label declaring 9% ABV.

Pours a dark ruby russet yet clear hue, lacking any bubbles rising to the surface topped with a compact frothy khaki headcap leaving slowly dripping lace behind.

Deep spicy caramel nose with nutmeg and cinnamon hints. Lots of cotton candy notes and red apple spice wafer.

First swigs: Spice wafer and lolipop candy sugar and a touch of detectable cinnamon. Fruit aspects of dark cherry and pear with a touch of heat. A husky grain character resounds throughout from start to finish with the cherry.

Feel has a slight cloying sweetness that leaves a lingering doughy dryness aspect. Medium bodied with a cherry 7-Up finish.

Last swigs: A hot Belgian with a dark cherry middle. Seems to have a harsh malt aspect.

Beer is good. Happy big beering.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2007 03:35:16 | More by blitheringidiot

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.45/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Burnt orange with a small splash of dark cherry. The label says there's yeast present, but I got the entire bottle into the glass on one pour and the beer is as clear as a bell. Up top is a pale caramel cap that doesn't look Belgian in the least. It looks okay, though, and coats the glass with a solid (holy) sheet.

The nose is strangely underpowered. If I work at it, I can appreciate dark malt, a glancing blow of dark fruitiness and whiff of alcohol, but that's about it. This Uber Abbey Ale isn't anywhere close to uber so far. My hopes aren't high for abbey-like either.

Although there's much more happening on the palate, this Heavy Seas offering is a poor imitation of a true BSDA or a dubbel or whatever the hell it's supposed to be. It's as if the brewers got the outlines right, but didn't fill them in with the correct colors or textures.

The flavor profile consists of dark caramel, dates, bitter orange, burnt sugar and alcohol. I've only had a few ounces so far and my tongue is already in the beginning stages of numbness. The beer is being consumed during its 'best by' month. My guess is that it would have gone another year at least.

Where's the depth of flavor? Where's the complexity? Where's the warm spiciness of a good Belgian yeast strain? Absent, absent and... well, it is sort of spicy. Time and warming settles things down some and allows the various flavors to get comfortable with one another. Given all that, this is still far from great beer.

The mouthfeel is American strong ale more than Belgian strong ale. In other words, it's full and sticky with a laid back amount of bubbles. If you want a light touch or subtlety of any sort, look elsewhere.

Holy Sheet isn't bad beer by any means. I hate to let stated style influence me too much, but Clipper City opened themselves up by calling this an abbey ale. If I had 'American strong ale' in my head when I popped the cap, I mind have been more kind. Other than Peg Leg, this is my least favorite of the (mostly) excellent Heavy Seas line of beers.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2007 15:21:09 | More by BuckeyeNation

ccrida

Oregon

3.3/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Big thanks to johnmichaelsen for bringing this all the way from Baltimore for me!
Poured from a 12 oz bottle into my Delirium snifter, Holy Sheet is a dark garnet with a 1 finger bone colored head that fairly quickly subsides to a thick collar and moderate skim, leaving only slight lace.

The aroma is nice, a sticky sweetness but not overwhelming, lots of dark fruit and caramel.

The taste is similarly rich and fruity, semi-sweet but with a nice spice to it. Pretty boozy and phenolic, with a lingering finish. Bring on the hobo breath!

The mouthfeel is smooth, with a medium light body, but low carbonation makes it a bit syrupy.

This was an pretty average BSDA, although my enthusiasm for the Heavy Sea's line probably adds a bit of bias. The taste is smooth, and the light body makes it an easy drinker, but the booziness keeps you in check. I'm glad I got to try it though, and look forward to seeing if some time in the cellar for my other bottle will turn it into something special. Thanks again John!

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2007 05:54:58 | More by ccrida

SkinnyElvis

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to the idiot that blithers for a bottle. I have had this on tap & it holds up well in a bottle. Dark amber in color with a boozy smell of malt & sweet. Tastes fairly sweet & malty. Mouthfeel and drinkability are affected by a bit of an alcohol burn. About $30/case makes this a bargain in the Philadelphia area.

Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2007 19:44:11 | More by SkinnyElvis