Heavy Seas Holy Sheet (1997-2012)
Just released our newest seasonal – “Holy Sheet”. From the centuries-old tradition of Belgian Abbey monks comes our Uber Abbey Ale (9%). Aromatic and very full bodied, the beer will pour a deep burgundy in color and feature a rich, robust depth of malt character. Grab a line – Holy Sheet! – or you might be swept overboard.
3.2
326 reviews
Baltimore, United States
Community reviews
Poured in the dark, but it was maroon brownish with a decent but thin head. Lacing was so so. The aroma was fruity and caramel, faint yeast. The flavor followed, caramel and brown sugar with some lighter fruits and grapes, some spicing in the background. Mouthfeel was a tad sticky and the alcohol was a bit hot. Not a bad one, better than I remember the standard dubbel, as this was bigger.
Earlier Rating: 7/16/2007 Total Score: 2.4
Pour is ruby-brown colored, almost no head at all (and in a Chimay glass nonetheless!), completely disappointing for a supposed dubbel, lacing equally unimpressive and dull - an abbey dubbel???? Not by looking at it for sure. The aroma was spices, cinnamon, candi sugar, light bread (been gettin’ bread in a run of beers now, is it me?). The flavor was candied sweetness, some plums, strong spices, almost to the point of annoying, caramel, some light yeast notes, bread. Did I mention alcohol burn? The mouthfeel was fairly darned flat for the style. Overall, if you want a flat boring belgian strong ale that doesn’t have a lot of character (and is not offensive), this is for you. Otherwise, pick again for a real dubbel.
Belgian-style beer demands a certain level of attractiveness, one that Holy Sheet does not provide. This beer pours the color of sweet tea with only slightly more head. Smell starts to turn things around; fruity yeast and sweet spice, mild but alluring. Tastes much better than I’d hoped, which sounds mean, but I’m being honest. Very laid back, malty with an apple-cider heart, an Abbey-ale that creates its own niche in the style and does it successfully. Scotch Ale-style maltiness meats a winelike, yeasty finish, but stays dry enough for rational discussion. Not great, but a pleasant pint. (5/11/09)
This brew is just wrong. Way to sweet in the worst way. Heavy medicinal notes allover the place
12oz bottle. Pours a very dark amber color with a minimal light tan head and little lacing. Aroma is candied sugars, alcohol, and yeast with some dark fruit hiding in the background. Taste is dominated by the yeast with dark fruits and sweet malts. Mouthfeel is medium bodied and a bit watery.
Pours dark brown with a silky head. Aroma of dark malt Belgian yeast esters and raspberries. Taste is dark malt and tart raspberries. Sweet finish with alcohol. Fruit could be dark cherries and not raspberries.
Bottle. I bought this bomber due to the under $6 price and to give Heavy Seas another so. Pours a transparent dark mahogany color with a very thin head that dissipates quickly into nothing. Smells of very light fruit with a spicy yet musty character to the nose. Taste of rippened fruit laced with clove and spice. Everything feels a bit drowned out or watery perhaps. The flavors are there, but its just not as popping as I would have hoped for. But the alcohol is nonexistant in the taste. Overall, just ok, but for this cheap who’s complaining>????
Notes from the bar last night; Draft, Amber color, fruity aroma. Med body. Creamy texture. Enjoyed this one. A little sweeter tasting than what I was expecting. Alchohol is there.
Sample, draught, trip to the Boston Beer Summit with Luc Bourbonnière, savoured on April 16 2011; eye: copper, hazy, no effervescence, really thin sheet of beige head; nose: malt, caramel, alcohol, light fruity, hops, alcohol warmth, finale in malt with presence of alcohol, medium body, good carbonation, lightly alcoholic texture; overall: correct
FRANÇAIS
Échantillon, en fût, voyage au Boston Beer Summit avec Luc Bourbonnière, savourée le 16 avril 2011; œil : cuivrée, trouble, pas d’effervescence, très mince couverture de mousse beige; nez : malt, caramel, alcool, léger fruité, houblon; bouche : malt, caramel, alcool, léger fruité, houblon, chaleur d’alcool, finale en malt avec présence d’alcool, corps moyen, bonne carbonatation, texture légèrement alcoolique; en résumé : correct
Bottle. Amber, low head. Spicy, heather, light dubbel yeast. Good body, light sparkly. Very pleasant.
Pours amber-brown with a decent sized light brown head that lingers. Nose is weak and generic dark malt and yeast. Flavor is similar but relatively balanced, with brown sugar, caramel, hops, and coriander dominating the taste. Finish is quick. Decent but unremarkable.
Mahogany pour with a tan head. Aroma of brown sugar. Flavor is light dried fruit and a musty maltiness. Medium bodied with a bit of fizziness.
Look, nice attempt Heavy Seas, but this doesn’t quite have it. Little too sweet and cloying. It somehow feels cheap, but it does hide the 9% pretty well. Not bad for a sub $6 bomber, which is an extreme rarity these days.
Poured a dark burgandy with a thin white head. The aroma is very heavy on spice and nutmeg. The taste is quite heavy on clove, cinnamon and nutmeg. There is also a good bit of burn caramel malts. The alcohol is hidden quite well on this one.
Nice head and lacing, very slightly cloudy brown, some tart notes but sweet overall. A nice level of malts and dried friuts.
Thanks to Exiled for sharing this bottle. Excited to try this one.
The beer pours an amber color with a white head. The aroma is very nice. I get some dark fruit, brown sugar and maple notes, as well as some caramel and alcohol. The alcohol is present, but it is not boozy smelling.
The flavor is more of the same. I get a lot of toffee and dark fruit notes, as well as quite a bit of brown sugar. The beer is very sweet and has a touch of Belgian yeast character to it. The alcohol is once again present, but it doesn’t hurt drinkability.
Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. Another good beer from Heavy Seas.
Bottle courtesy exiled. Pours a clear reddish orange color with white head. Aroma is caramel malts and sugary sweet. Belgian fruit and lots of sweet grain. Flavor is sugary sweet, malty goodness and caramel finishings. Good.
Bomber poure a clear brown with a small lingering amber head. Aromas of toffee, carmel, cola and light fruittiness. Palate was light bodied and crisp with a dry finish. Flavors of toffee, cola and light fruittiness with a crisp dry lingering toffee finish.
Caramel aroma with a hint of citrus. Gorgeous reddish color. medium sweetness, medium bitterness, medium body. Feels heavier than other dubbels.
Poured from a 750 ml bottlea rich burgandy with a small white head. Aroma of raisin, darf friut, malt and alcohol. flavor is robust and fruity with hints of black cherry and dark fruits. Palate starts off with heavy fruit notes and ends with a rounded alcohol finish. Good for an American beer posing as a Belgium beer. Very well balanced and pleasing,
The dark chestnut pour is quickly covered by a small-bubbled, tight beige styro-like foam. Upon smelling, the first impression is of strong phenols, almost to the levels of a German weizen as soft medicinal notes get through the dominant clove notes. While it has a few months under its belts, I’m still surprised to find cardboardy oxidation traits, particularly in mouth where the unfitting old leafy hops, dusty yeast age and darker malts produce an unclean bitterness that lasts throughout the minty finish - like sucking on old leaves or the herbal remnants of a tea pocket. A stronger point is its fitting, never biting small-bubbled carbonation that engages the palate. Also, it’s a surprisingly dry rendition where the malts hover more around nutty, pruney notions than estery fruitiness or caramelized impressions. Kinda purposeless and just not all that good by itself.
Tap at BCTC 2010. Pours rich amber with a moderat, brownish head. Nose holds sweet malts, fruits, faint spice and caramel. Similar attributes in the flavor, along with some roasted malt character. Medium to full in body with average carbonation and mild warmth. Finishes sweet with notes of raisin, plum, caramel, toast and very light hints of hops. Good, not great.
Bottle courtesy of in laws for birthday. Really pretty brown pour with tan nice sized head. Taste is sweet malt with soem bitterness from hops. i get dark fruit and light citrus. maybe some nuttiness. pretty enjoyable on my end.
beer of summer @ OTH.
burgundy, tan head.
aroma and flavor, strong dark fruits; fig, date, plums, candi sugar, caramel, light chocolate malts, grainy, overall finish is roasty and chocolate malts. The finish is boozy and warming, this one has to be more than a dubbel.
Not bad when cold, but a lot of butterscotch, scorched earth, and old bread notes come through as it warms. not my cup of tea.
Presentation: It was poured from a brown 1pt. 6oz bottle into a chalice. The bottle has its abv listed at 9%. There is no freshness date.
Appearance: It has a deep garnet color body with good clarity and some nice viable carbonation flowing up to the surface. On top is an average size light tan head. It hangs on well as I drink it slowly fades to a thin covering that lasts to the end. On the glass the head leaves behind some spotty lacing.
Smell: The aroma has a sweet candy like nose that reminds me of cherry flavored Jolly rancher candy.
Taste/Palate: Its flavor has a big malty sweetness with the same cherry candy notes as in the aroma. There is also a slight cherry chough syrup like alcoholic touch in there. Hop bitterness and flavor are mild and really only show up in the finish where they try in vain to balance the malt sweetness. On the palate it has a slightly thin feel for the sweetness and nice average carbonation.
Notes: Overall I feel this one was a bit on the sweet side with a simple raw character.
Pours a brown color with a large tan head. Aroma of dark fruits and citrus. Flavor of dark fruits, caramel and roasted malts. Decent beer.
22oz Bottle. Very spicy and warm banana aroma. Some cloves, toasted sesame seeds, and a run of fig paste and cinnamon. Vibrant nose. Pours a dark ruby-tinted mahogany. There’s a lot of good flavor here, with a deep caramel profile, browned sugar, toffee and all that good stuff with a punch of mulling spice sweetness. The biggest drawback to this beer is the immense heat. It seems disproportionate, even for the style and the state alcohol level. Otherwise, a great combination of richly flavored malts and expressive, exciting Belgian yeast profile. I don’t know why people are so opposed to this example, aside from the high heat.
From 7%+ Mix 12 pack - It’s extremely rare that I cannot finish a beer. Could not put this one down. Just I could tell they were trying for an abbey style, the attempt was there, just not successful.
Pours a nice mahagony color with a light tan head with little lacing. Aroma is of citrus, dark fruits, fig and brown sugar. Flavors of dark rich caramel malt, fruit and brown sugar this beer without being too sweet. An above averge Abby Dubbel but not the best I’ve had.
22oz bottle as part of the Mutiny Series sampled at Blacklick Wine & Spirits on 4/8/10. Pours clear copper/brown with a medium beige head. Banana aroma that isn’t too bad with sweet malt and candi sugar. A bit of roast, caramel and booze in there too. Sweet flavor with Belgian yeast and bread with a boozy and somewhat bitter finish.