Over Ale - Half Acre Beer Company

Reaper16

Alabama

4.1/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

served on-tap @ Pequod's Pizza, Chicago, IL, into a pint glass

Pours a murky brown color. What color would you want besides this? It is a Brown Ale after all. Nearly 1.25 fingers of buttermilk colored head leaves standard lacing.

The aroma speaks to balance. There's some milk chocolate, some vague spicing, some green hop notes, some breadcrusts.

I'm very impressed with Over Ale's flavor. It's an incredibly balanced Brown Ale. This tastes like a fresh keg because of the pretty potent hop bitterness. But that bitterness is tempered by the milk chocolate and cappuccino flavors. It finishes like darker bread.

Overall this is one of my favorite examples of a style that I'm not that fond of. This would be a wonderful match with much of American cuisine.

Serving type: on-tap

11-22-2012 20:28:12 | More by Reaper16

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had this on 2012-06-12 in Lancaster, PA at The Fridge.

A - Fairly clear tea brown with a 1-finger white head that sticks around and leaves nice lacing.

S - Toasted bread, nutty, caramel and some spice. Pleasant. Sweet smelling.

T - Much like the smell with biscuit, roasted grain, nuts, some spice with a pretty dry and responsibly-balanced bitter finish. The aftertaste is nice but doesn't stick around.

M - Thin body and light-medium carbonation give a lightly creamy feel.

O - Very enjoyable. A nice and somewhat-unique flavor that is nice when you want a lighter brown ale.

Serving type: on-tap

06-12-2012 22:42:10 | More by Tucquan

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I had this on tap at the Fridge in Lancaster served chilled in a Nonic.

The color is bronze with good clarity and thick cream of khaki. The bead is average sized and lace sticks well. The smell is very toasty with some slight sweet odors and moderate yeast ester with a subtle hop tinge which I would describe as 'woody'. The feel is good with nice balance between malt and spice from the hops without an abundance of bitterness which is pleasnt with a somewhat dry and medium body as it finishes a slight alcohol texture seems to thin out the malt middle.

This is a very nice brown which has some interestig malt flavor which I would describe mainly as biscuit, however there is a subtle spice and pine ting from the hops which adds some depth. The yeast is mainly clean, but adds a little bit of dried fruit to the mix with nice sweetness from the malt keeping it focused. I found this to be a very good American brown ale, not the best of the style, but very solid and a great balance is achieved which makes for a drinkable somewhat stronger ale.

Serving type: on-tap

06-06-2012 13:57:04 | More by Slatetank

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

on tap at devils den in philly

Pours a hazed caramel nutty brown color with a froth of beige head. Coat of retained film with thick rings of lacing left behind on the glass.

Nutty in the nose with bread crust and some lighter earthy hop aroma. Caramel sweetness with chocolate is also apparent.

Nutty and malty up front followed by subtle leafy hops. The bitterness is light, overshadowed by chocolate and coffee hints. Nice backbone with bready tones and lighter caramel sweetness. Finishes a little hoppy and clean.

Medium body, well carbonated, a bit chewy and sticky on the tongue. Drinks nice - a well balanced brown ale with a pleasant, yet subtle hop flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2012 23:27:04 | More by xnicknj

rfgetz

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a transparent but lightly clouded brown, decent cap of off-white froth, little retention. Scent leads with roasted nuts and rustic bread, moderate hope profile brings citrus, light sweetness. Taste brings components of scent together, the malt backbone is nutty and bready, could use a bit more heft. Juicy hops give the beer some edge. Medium bodied, moderately dry. Decent brown ale all around, good flavor but malt bill could have been upped slightly.

Serving type: on-tap

02-14-2012 14:05:29 | More by rfgetz

brentk56

North Carolina

3.93/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Arrives presenting a russet brown color capped by a couple of inches of foam that sheets the pint glass

Smell: Brown bread and nuts with a hint of caramel

Taste: Brown bread, up front, with a nutty middle and a finish that brings in some earthy hop elements

Mouthfeel: Medium body and moderate carbonation

Overall: Very drinkable and a decent example of the style; not something I am likely to seek out again

Serving type: on-tap

12-15-2011 03:35:10 | More by brentk56

musicforairports

New York

4.08/5  rDev +6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at some relatively lame restaurant on Navy Pier in Chicago, from notes.

Clear and light brown, with a small head and little lacing.

Aroma is dominated by nutty malt qualities.

Taste is smooth malts, light up front, but there's ample chocolate/coffee in the finish to make it a really tasty brown ale.

Medium mouthfeel, light carbonation.

This is a tasty and drinkable brown ale. It's deceivingly light at first, but quite flavorful in the end. I could drink a few of these.

Serving type: on-tap

07-31-2011 03:31:08 | More by musicforairports

3.8/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance - Russet-brown with a slight head.

Smell - bread, malty cocoa, just a touch of herbal hops.

Taste - Echoes the aroma with more bread and cocoa and just enough bitterness to be refreshing. A little bit of minerality on the finish.

Mouthfeel - medium bodied with a refreshing spike of carbonation.

Serving type: on-tap

07-08-2011 16:34:15 | More by

MasterSki

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at The Empty Bottle for the Growlers concert. Initial glass was served in a shaker pint, but subsequent pours were in plastic cups.

A - A finger of light tan foam settles to a thick cap, leaving huge swathes of glass-coating lace. Lightly hazed chocolate brown body.

S - Herbal hops, roasted malts, light chocolate, and a faint note of tobacco.

T - Toffee, chocolate, some roasted grains, dry-roasted nuts, a touch of bread and yeast, and a surprising medium bitterness in the finish.

M - Smooth and creamy, with medium carbonation tingle. Medium-light body, with a dry roasty finish and light residual stickiness.

D - This batch seems to be more true to the ESB roots of this beer, as I found it more bitter and dry than a typical American Brown Ale and without the occasionally cloying chocolate sweetness found in that style. Not as session-friendly as Half Acre's other year-round offerings, but a nice beer for those not really into hops (god forbid). I'd prefer Meat Wave, but this is still pretty solid.

Serving type: on-tap

05-27-2011 15:49:22 | More by MasterSki

rings

Michigan

3.85/5  rDev 0%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Their flagship is their Over Ale, which is more or less a brown ale--they call it an American Bitter. It pours a deep amber or light brown in color, with a nice firm head. The beer is a little lighter in body than I expected, but is very clean, with a nice herbal head and spicy bittering finish. It's exceptionally balanced and surprisingly tasty, aside from my initial disappointment at the lack of mouthfeel.

I was actually pretty impressed and can definitely recommend another few rounds.

Serving type: on-tap

02-11-2011 20:40:48 | More by rings

BeerLover99

New Jersey

3.35/5  rDev -13%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: amber, copper body, 1 finger head, brilliant lacing

S: nut, hint of caramel, light grain

T: mild nut, sweet bread, grain front with bitter finish.

M: light/med body, prickly tongue, big carbonation body.

D: very mild, ordinary ESB, slightly disappointed since I was such
a big fan of Daisy Cutter Pale Ale.

Serving type: on-tap

01-06-2011 20:53:50 | More by BeerLover99

stangski83

Illinois

4.53/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Just purchased a half barrel from the brewery this fine evening for my kegarator. This stuff is dangerously drinkable - just finished my first pint and heading back for number 2 in quick order. Very solid brown ale in my opinion. The alcohol is not terribly noticeable and I'm suspecting that it will sneak up on me in quick order if i'm not careful. Although I intended to pick up a half barrel of daisy cutter, i don't regret this for a second. Very tasty and worth the drive from the south suburbs up to half acre for a fresh keg (dated 11/13/2010) of Over Ale. Just in time for Thanksgiving - and believe me when I say I'm thankful.

Serving type: on-tap

11-24-2010 04:25:26 | More by stangski83

kbutler1

Minnesota

3.48/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Draft. Pours a reddish copper color with a 1 finger off white head. SLight roasted malt flavor. Very simple, straight forward, and clean flavor. Slighlty sweet up front with a nice balance of subtle hops. Slight caramel flavor. Medium mouthfeel. A pretty moderate ESB.

Serving type: on-tap

09-24-2010 14:35:00 | More by kbutler1

ktrillionaire

Florida

4.38/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

A - Pours a nice woody-brown with a decent little clingy tan cap.

S - It smells brown and roasty, and a little sweet. There is a nutty-earthy quality, and the hop is quite leafy.

T - Toasty malt is deftly balanced by some very fresh tasting earthy-leafy hops, resulting in a very refreshing nutty-earthy-pristine flavor. This is a very good brown ale. (Edit: Later I learned that this is an ESB.) The flavor is all that the nose promised, but apportioned differently, and with the addition of some buttery notes.

M - Nice, though it could be a bit more on the velvety side. Seems like it would be fantastic on-cask.

D - Very enjoyable, very very drinkable. This is perfect ballgame brew.

Serving type: on-tap

07-14-2010 15:40:34 | More by ktrillionaire

samie85

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Originally reviewed 2/19/10.

A-It pours a dark reddish brown with a tan head.

S-Toasty malt and a sweet nuttiness are most prevalent.

T-Follows the nose with a toasty, bready malt and a dry, nutty finish. I would guess that this was a nut brown ale if I didn't know better.

M-Pretty full mouthfeel with light carbonation.

D-Easy drinking, nice beer that I wouldn't mind having again. I'm guessing my previous review of this was possibly from an old bottle. I will try another bottle and edit my other review accordingly if need be.

Serving type: on-tap

03-09-2010 08:03:46 | More by samie85

OttoBomb

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in 16 oz. conical pint glass (January 23, 2010).

Eyes: Pours an interesting coppery-brown, with a thin layer of foam. This was served on tap at a bar in a pint glass, so any extra head was likely run off.

Nose: Toasty bread-grains, caramel malts, some dry fruits and pine hops.

Tongue: More hoppy on the tongue than the aroma would suggest, but very well balanced. Toasty, nutty malts, with the aforementioned fruits.

Mouth: Good carbonation, smooth on the palate.

Libation: More hoppy that most bitters, but not a huge enough punch to dominate the profile. A very good balanced beer overall, nice drinkability. It's lighter than a lot of other bitter also, but has more flavor than heavier brews.

I had this on tap and I'm looking forward to trying this again fresh from a bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

02-08-2010 21:53:37 | More by OttoBomb

Haybeerman

Colorado

3.65/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Clear shestnut color. Poured a 1 finger tan head that dissipated to a skim around the edges. Laced in thin sticky rings

S: Roasted malts. Caramel and nuts.

T: Sweet roasted malts; caramel and lightly toasted nuts. Bittering hops follow closely. Finishes with sharp hop bitterness. Clean, dry finsh.

M: Medium body. Medium carbonation. Very smooth in the front and middle. Finishes crisp and dry.

D: Very drinkable. Flavors are a bit muted, but I like the bitter finish.

Serving type: on-tap

01-17-2010 23:40:19 | More by Haybeerman

cilldalua

New York

3.6/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in a pint glass at the Clark St Ale house in Chicago.

Poured with a full head that went flat quickly, a nice dark brown color promising warmth which I need right now. The smell was all biscuit for me and this came through in the taste too. The biscuit taste was balanced by some spice on the end that evened things out and made this a very drinkable beer on a cold day. The mouthfeel similar to a lot of English bitters left my mouth dry. So I drank more!

Serving type: on-tap

12-30-2009 01:25:09 | More by cilldalua

paco1029384756

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a deep brown color with a small creamy off white head.

Scent of brown sugar, bubble gum and sweet hops. A simple and great scent.

Taste of light brown sugar and sweet somewhat bitter hops. A very tasty ESB.

Mouthfeel is light bodied and fairly smooth, but a bit thin.

Serving type: on-tap

10-04-2009 15:59:53 | More by paco1029384756

yamar68

Minnesota

3.86/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Thanks to Hessian257 for this one!

A murky red/brown body produces a healthy tan head - good looking sticky lace.

Sort of a mellow caramel/toffee thing going on with marshmallow and creamed corn... a bit of toasted grain keeps the sweetness in check.

The hops seem to surface a little bit on the palate - citrus and pine fade into that semisweet malt profile. This beer definitely defies style boundaries but I'm not sure they accomplished what they were going for. It's like an ESB, a brown ale and an IPA had a wee little babe and named it Over Ale.

That said, I'll have no trouble finishing this one. It's good for what it is.

Serving type: can

05-19-2013 22:51:54 | More by yamar68

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.71/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Can from Oak Tree, A nice brown, with a little touch of sour finish. Above average mouthfeel. Light brown colour, nicely hoppy.Malty aroma.very good drinkability although not a style I would keep a six pack in the fridge. Toasted malt, and caramel. A tad syrupy.

Serving type: can

04-21-2013 14:11:29 | More by northyorksammy

guityler83

Wisconsin

4.71/5  rDev +22.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A: Two fingers of mocha colored head when aggressively poured into a standard pint glass. Dark amber to brown color and clear when held up to the light.

S: Cocoa and milk chocolate aroma, but not overly sweet smelling. Noble hop spiciness hides in the background.

T: Piney, westcoasty bitterness that stays with you all the way to the end. Cocoa powder, dark chocolate, bread crust and burnt toast malt profile. complex and distinguishable.

M: Moderate carbonation. big body'd mouth-feel, with a slight mouth drying astringency

O: Brown Ales typically bore me, but Over Ale grabbed my taste buds and had me wanting more. Very sessionable and still complex.

Serving type: can

03-05-2013 01:38:39 | More by guityler83

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

16oz can poured into a pilsner glass.

Appearance
Mahogany with 1 finger of tan head. Good retention and clarity. Moderate carbonation.

Nose
Nutty with notes of milk chocolate and hazelnut.

Taste
Right upfront there a good amount of hop bitterness with hints of pineapple and papaya. Nutty backbone with notes of milk chocolate and toffee. There's Pine in the finish along with some earthy char.

Mouthfeel
Light-medium bodied, crisp, clean, bitter and dry.

Overall
I didn't expect a hoppy Brown Ale, but that's what I got. The hop profile is similar to Daisy Cutter and Gossamer, but the hop/malt bill is more balanced and roasty. Nice!

Serving type: can

02-27-2013 19:55:15 | More by justintcoons

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Half Acre Over Ale
16 oz. can, no apparent freshness dating.

"Over Ale" pours a beautiful mahogany brown body beneath a creamy head of light tan. Unfortunately, the head drops rather quickly and little is left behind to leave any lacing. On the upside, glimmering crimson-orange and bright ruby red accents continue to sparkle.

Chocolate-like notes can be found in the nose with a background of light pine / wet underbrush. It's bright, fresh, and welcoming.

In the mouth it's medium bodied and gently crisp with a median carbonation that softens to become smoother as it warms.

The flavor follows the aroma with a fuller hop component, and a reversal. What first appeared as chocolate backed by piney hops become pine and grassy hops backed by chocolate and dark caramel. There's a solid hop bitterness to it, but it steers clear of becoming raspy, and the hop and malt merge a bit more nicely in the dry finish than they do upfront.

Overall it's not bad, but neither is it great. Its aggressive hop component is not really backed up, leaving it slightly out of balance; but more importantly, it disappoints in that it lacks in complexity.

Serving type: can

02-24-2013 13:26:27 | More by NeroFiddled

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.59/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

This beer poured out as a clear brown color with a very fluffy looking tan head on top. The retention and lacing is decent. The smell of the beer is lightly toasted, sort of sweet and has some fresh grain aromas. The taste of the beer is similar to the nose. The sweetness fades into the toasted finish with a subtle bitterness. The mouthfeel is smooth and lighter bodied. Overall it's a pretty solid brew.

Serving type: can

02-19-2013 23:49:01 | More by Knapp85