Clipper City Heavy Seas: Holy Sheet Uber Abbey Ale
As you can see by the last two reviews, I went on a Clipper City buying spree. The artwork on the labels was more than enough to convince me to pick up a few bottles. The “Heavy Seas” series from Clipper City is their attempt at crafting art for beer geeks like myself. The beers in the line tend to be more flavorful, specific in their genre and a little higher in their respective ABV — 9% for the Holy Sheet Uber Abbey Ale.
As far as Belgian Strong Darks go, this one would be a decent example of the genre. It’s not pushing the envelope for this type of beer, but it does represent it well.
Appearance
The Uber Abbey pours a rich ruby that is crisp and clear. The head quickly faded to a thin lacing.
Aroma
This one has a nice fruity nose with a solid hit of alcohol. There’s some raisin, slight cherry and banana, as far as the fruits are concerned. There’s also a bit of spice to accompany the fruit sweetness.
Taste
The Ubber Abbey reminded me a bit of Dogfish Head’s Raison d’Extra — but without the load of raisins that beer is known for. There’s a good punch of alcohol heat mixed in with the candy sweetness you would expect from this style of beer. The finish is a little tart.
Overall
Again, this is a tasty beer and one that I may pick up again if I’m in the mood for a higher strength brew. It’s certainly not a session beer.
Rating: 3/5