Over The Edge
Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Pours a hazy honey gold with white suds for a head.

Apple and citrus aroma with coriander and bretty yeast tartness.

Apple and citrus fruit over grassy malts and notable grapefruit hops.

Full body with soft carbonation on the roof of the mouth.

A pretty good ale that marries Belgian yeasts and malt flavors with the American hop infatuation. Definitely worth seeking out.

 

 

 

 

Served in its appropriate glassware.

Cloudy tangerine glow with a sticky sudsy head. Laces very well. 4.0

Yeasty strong pale aroma with white grape must and a kiss of hops. 3.5

Nutty yeast dominates along with an intriguing spicy, herbal hop element. Firm bitterness with fruitiness. Apples and pears and almonds and peaches in the bag. Finishes spicy, nutty, and with booze. 4.0

Juicy body with a dryness. Mild carbonation that can't match up to the hop bitterness. 4.0

A solid Belgian IPA/tripel crossover, brewed especially for my local bar/restaurant. When you're in town, stop down and order one. 4.0

 

Appearance: Arrives with a hazy golden color topped by an inch of head that sheets the chalice

Smell: Bready, with spicy yeast phenols and grassy hops

Taste: Opens with a bready flavor that adds a white pepper and grassy hop character by mid-palate; the hops continue to build in bitterness after the swallow, though there is some residual sweetness that lingers

Mouthfeel: Medium body with prickly carbonation

Drinkability: A nicely crafted bitter Belgian

This Belgian IPA was brewed specifically for the Sharp Edge locations around Pittsburgh. I've tasted Van Steenberge's Tripel they brewed for Fat Heads and enjoyed it. Needless to say I have high expectations for this one. Sampled on-tap at the Sharp Edge Bistro on Penn. Shows and attractive cloudy, woody, apricot color with more blush highlights. The sticky cap of rocky foam shows off-white and lingers for a long while before fading to lots of sticky, chunky lace. An extremely attractive brew poured beautifully.

Bready, biscuity malt aroma hits me initially along with spicy/earthy hops and lush, juicy date and apricot. Sweet and fruity with grassy, slightly estery, yeast notes. A hint of dairy amongst the malt.

Pungent doughy notes up font. Cooked porridge and grassy, floral hops. The hops mingle nicely with the yeast. Unlike some other representations of this budding style, this beer does not pit citrusy hops against yeasty Belgian character; it melds the appropriate hops varieties and bitterness level perfectly with the yeast notes and deep, complex malts. Earthy hops mix effortlessly with buttered, light, doughy biscuit. Soft spice, apricot and candied date. Yeasty and thick with tons of raw, yet sweet grain that adds a real depth beyond the fruit and yeast. Faint caramel and just a hint of lingering bitterness. Wonderfully balanced and complex.

Lush and full on the palate. Juicy and slick with a slight chalky body near the finish. Some lingering bitterness and mild booze help the yeast to dry it up a bit and finish clean.

Could become a bit cloying after a couple glasses which can effect the drinkability I suppose (I'm really fishing for any negatives here). Otherwise excellent. Certainly my type of Belgian IPA; not a hop bomb by any means, nor should it be. Artfully balanced, especially for a high gravity brew.

Only suggestion would be to correct the listing on the menu which reads 'Triple IPA'. I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer but I found it a bit misleading. Aware of the place's rep as a Belgian brew haven, when I saw it I assumed they meant 'Tripel' but since I've seen a few American "Triple" IPAs floating around I figured I'd find out for myself. I'm very glad I did. The distinction is evident at first whiff but it certainly makes for a little confusion. In any case, try it.