Barrel Aged Over Ale
Half Acre Beer Company
- From:
- Half Acre Beer Company
- Illinois, United States
- Style:
- American Brown Ale
- ABV:
- 6.7%
- Score:
- 88
- Avg:
- 3.96 | pDev: 8.08%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 7
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Feb 20, 2015
- Added:
- May 23, 2012
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
SCORE
88
Very Good
88
Very Good
Over Ale aged in Heaven Hill bourbon barrels.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by breakingbland from Michigan
4.45/5 rDev +12.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75
4.45/5 rDev +12.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75
On tap at Half Acre on March 26, 2013
Appearance: A beautiful deep brown with a little red tinge. Pours with a finger of off-white foam.
Aroma: A little maltiness, not much hops, but lots of vanilla & bourbon.
Taste: The bourbon, vanilla and oak come through. Lots of other elements (mostly sweet) that I can't pull apart. A nice sweetness that stays on the palette after swallowing. Fabulous!
Mouthfeel: Medium-light to medium body but very smooth. Medium carbonation.
Overall: This is only my 2nd bourbon barrel aged beer. It definitely has gotten me interested in this style. (Yes, I know it's trendy!....) The combo of the aroma and sweet, complex taste won me over. Will definitely have another one when in Chicago and will look for others in this style.
Mar 01, 2013Appearance: A beautiful deep brown with a little red tinge. Pours with a finger of off-white foam.
Aroma: A little maltiness, not much hops, but lots of vanilla & bourbon.
Taste: The bourbon, vanilla and oak come through. Lots of other elements (mostly sweet) that I can't pull apart. A nice sweetness that stays on the palette after swallowing. Fabulous!
Mouthfeel: Medium-light to medium body but very smooth. Medium carbonation.
Overall: This is only my 2nd bourbon barrel aged beer. It definitely has gotten me interested in this style. (Yes, I know it's trendy!....) The combo of the aroma and sweet, complex taste won me over. Will definitely have another one when in Chicago and will look for others in this style.
Reviewed by MCain04 from Texas
4.24/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25
4.24/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25
On tap at the brewery served into a 13 oz snifter
A: Medium/dark brown. Light tan head. Creamy thick 2-finger head with great retention, good lacing. Nice appearance.
S: Not very aromatic. A little malty with a touch of bourbon and vanilla.
T: Bourbon and vanilla sweetness, the oak flavor really blends it nicely, a little lingering sweentess throughout tastes mosts like honey. Seems to get sweeter as it goes along.
M: VERY smooth and drinkable. Great body, smooth throughout, nice finish, pretty much perfect.
O: Really enjoyed this a lot more than I did Over Ale. BBA has done wonders for this brew. Was really surprised how much better this is than the original.
Feb 27, 2013A: Medium/dark brown. Light tan head. Creamy thick 2-finger head with great retention, good lacing. Nice appearance.
S: Not very aromatic. A little malty with a touch of bourbon and vanilla.
T: Bourbon and vanilla sweetness, the oak flavor really blends it nicely, a little lingering sweentess throughout tastes mosts like honey. Seems to get sweeter as it goes along.
M: VERY smooth and drinkable. Great body, smooth throughout, nice finish, pretty much perfect.
O: Really enjoyed this a lot more than I did Over Ale. BBA has done wonders for this brew. Was really surprised how much better this is than the original.
Reviewed by TMoney2591 from Illinois
3.8/5 rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.8/5 rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served in a snifter at Local Option.
Sure, I missed the barrel-aged Dripping and Baume, but the Over Ale, like a trusty dog, was still waiting for me. Nice. It pours a brackish midnight sienna topped by a half-finger of glowing off-white foam. The nose comprises light whiskey, oak, maple syrup, and very light molasses. The taste brings in more of the same, along with a hint of coffee and an odd, lingering plum-like flavor. Can't quite explain this one, just that it detracts from everything else. The body is a light-leaning medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a slick feel. Overall, a pretty nice barrel-aged offering from HA, but that strange plummy flavor keeps it from really succeeding. Hopefully I get to try it again sometime.
Dec 19, 2012Sure, I missed the barrel-aged Dripping and Baume, but the Over Ale, like a trusty dog, was still waiting for me. Nice. It pours a brackish midnight sienna topped by a half-finger of glowing off-white foam. The nose comprises light whiskey, oak, maple syrup, and very light molasses. The taste brings in more of the same, along with a hint of coffee and an odd, lingering plum-like flavor. Can't quite explain this one, just that it detracts from everything else. The body is a light-leaning medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a slick feel. Overall, a pretty nice barrel-aged offering from HA, but that strange plummy flavor keeps it from really succeeding. Hopefully I get to try it again sometime.
Reviewed by Anonymous1 from Illinois
4.36/5 rDev +10.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.36/5 rDev +10.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Just got a chance to try this one at Villiage Tap. Tons of caramel and vanilla notes upfront, and the barrel/bourbon notes are very subtle on the back end. Alcohol is well hidden, and the medium bodied mouthfeel is a perfect fit for this brew. A fantastic treat, considering I don't care much for the non-barrel aged offering. Definitely worth seeking out if the guys make this one again.
Oct 27, 2012
Reviewed by MasterSki from Canada (ON)
4.15/5 rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
4.15/5 rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
On-tap at The Village Tap. Served in a snifter.
A - Served with two fingers of tan foam that settle to a thick cap and concentric rings of lace. Murky brown body.
S - Lots of earthy bourbon, wood, and vanilla. The bourbon is very spicy, and the oak has a vague dill quality to it - is this rye and not bourbon? Even though there's lots of bourbon flavor it's fairly mellow in terms of alcohol bite.
T - The taste is a great mixture of chocolate malts and oaky vanilla. There's not as much bourbon flavor here, with the barrel and whiskey showing up fairly late to the party. A hint of cola and nuts rounds things out. No alcohol presence at all.
M - Unsurprisingly this is thin, albeit not offensively so. Some what dry and oaky, particularly in the finish, but with a decent amount of residual stickiness as well. Surprisingly active carbonation and no obvious alcohol.
D - Huzzah! It's the first unequivocally good barrel-aged offering from Half Acre and hopefully the new trend rather than the exception. I'd gladly drink this again and hope it shows at their Tap Room.
Oct 26, 2012A - Served with two fingers of tan foam that settle to a thick cap and concentric rings of lace. Murky brown body.
S - Lots of earthy bourbon, wood, and vanilla. The bourbon is very spicy, and the oak has a vague dill quality to it - is this rye and not bourbon? Even though there's lots of bourbon flavor it's fairly mellow in terms of alcohol bite.
T - The taste is a great mixture of chocolate malts and oaky vanilla. There's not as much bourbon flavor here, with the barrel and whiskey showing up fairly late to the party. A hint of cola and nuts rounds things out. No alcohol presence at all.
M - Unsurprisingly this is thin, albeit not offensively so. Some what dry and oaky, particularly in the finish, but with a decent amount of residual stickiness as well. Surprisingly active carbonation and no obvious alcohol.
D - Huzzah! It's the first unequivocally good barrel-aged offering from Half Acre and hopefully the new trend rather than the exception. I'd gladly drink this again and hope it shows at their Tap Room.
Reviewed by emerge077 from Illinois
4.02/5 rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
4.02/5 rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Full pour in a 10 oz. flared flute glass. Light tan foam dusted the glass in a thin ringed halo, body was an impenetrably murky dark brown. Retention was good, though it's head eventually broke across the surface.
Woody and malty with a distinct bourbon presence, toasty and clean and not too boozy thankfully.
Flavor is pretty big without becoming overwhelming. Sippable, and fairly light bodied considering the barrel aging. Medium bodied with a carb level just under medium, slightly chewy texture. Dry bitter aftertaste and lingering woody roast. Bourbon is there but not especially well defined. If it is indeed a blend with standard issue Over Ale, that would explain it's lower abv and easy drinkability. Smooth "big" beer that i'd love to see on draft around town, or at least in the tap room...
Aug 28, 2012Woody and malty with a distinct bourbon presence, toasty and clean and not too boozy thankfully.
Flavor is pretty big without becoming overwhelming. Sippable, and fairly light bodied considering the barrel aging. Medium bodied with a carb level just under medium, slightly chewy texture. Dry bitter aftertaste and lingering woody roast. Bourbon is there but not especially well defined. If it is indeed a blend with standard issue Over Ale, that would explain it's lower abv and easy drinkability. Smooth "big" beer that i'd love to see on draft around town, or at least in the tap room...
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