Big Hugs T's

We made a limited run of Big Hugs long sleeve T's, featuring the skull-teddy printed on the arm.  If anyone wants one, then come and pick one up while supplies last.

Half Acre Beer Co

Chicago, IL

Half Acre Cycling in Draft Magazine

Half Acre Cycling talked with Draft Magazine to dish on the marriage of beer and bikes.

You can read about it here.

Hugs Comes Home

Big Hugs, the imperial stout that we've been working on is officially tapped in our brewery store.  I have to say that we're really pumped about this beer. We took an interesting approach to making it and collaborated with Dark Matter Coffee to do a very low volume coffee extraction that was added.  The result isn't a total coffee beer, but a 9.5% brut of a stout with with fully flexed flavor that rounds out the spectrum nicely.  Stop by and grab a growler to take home and enjoy.

Growler fills are $17

22oz bottles will be available after Christmas for $10.99

(We have loads of new, actual growlers in stock)

Store Hours:

Tues - Fri 12-8

Sat 11 - 7

Sun 12 - 5

We have a Half Acre Hunt scheduled for today, but we're not sure if we're going to be able to make it out there to hide the capsule.  We'll post a clue if we can swing it, otherwise come by and grab some of this stout before it's all gone.

Note -- this stout will only be around for a couple weeks so act fast to gulp down this liquid coal.

Cheers, 

Half Acre Beer Co

Chicago, IL

Half Acre Cycling

We want to congratulate all those on the Half Acre Cycling team for another great year of racing.  We've been fortunate enough to collaborate with a great group of folks who enjoy racing bikes since we started Half Acre.  We've been coming up together, so here's to another great year of racing bikes and making beer.

If anyone has an interest in learning more about the team - check them out on the web:  http://halfacrecycling.org/

Cheers, 

Half Acre Beer Co

Chicago, IL

December is running off quickly so it's time that we discuss some of the goings on.

1. The brewery store / tasting area will be closed both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, all other days (including New Year's Eve) we'll be open as scheduled:

Tuesday - Friday 12pm - 8pm

Saturday  11am - 7pm

Sunday 12pm - 5pm

The 18th (tentatively) will be the first night that we're tasting out Big Hugs. Growlers will be available at that time.  Hugs will come alive in numerous forms to be announced.  We're pushing for 4 versions.  22oz bottles will be available of the coffee version in collaboration with Dark Matter Coffee the following week or two.

We'll also be at West Lakeview Liquors on the 18th sampling out beers.

The Half Acre hunt will next be held that same day - on the 18th of December.  The winner gets themselves some gratis Big Hugs to warm them this holiday season.

All Of Our Love, 

Half Acre Beer Co

Chicago, IL

Gapers Jam

Our friends at Gapers Block are throwing a holiday party and you're invited.

In addition to the merriment you'll be able to hoist complimentary Half Acre suds.

Rejoice.

Half Acre Beer Co

Chicago, IL

Potential Capsule Hijack

The Winner of the Thanksgiving Hunt has yet to bring back the capsule. 

Their contact info has fallen into the abyss, so if it's you, then please make contact. We need the capsule back, and why wouldn't you want to bring it back, there's free beer awaiting you.

If the finder of the capsule is staging a coup d'etat, then we are in for a new type of hunt.  We'll have no choice but to send our goons and pet Argus to find you and take back what is ours.  

Half Acre Beer Co

Chicago, IL 

Big Hugs & The Holidays

2009 is coming a close.

We brewed 10 different beers so far this year. Something we feel good about.
And we have at least one more coming. To round things out and finish this year with a punch, we’ve brewed the first of two fifteen BBL batches of an Imperial Stout we’re calling Big Hugs. This will be a 9.5% thug of a stout that boasts a ton of raw flavors that you can experience for yourself. We’re just about to crash the first batch, so you can expect to see this beer on tap and in 22oz bombers at select establishments around town and at our brewery store before the holiday.  Scheduled to be released on 12/18...

In other holiday cheer, we have a lot more Beer Soap and gift certificates (by Friday) available at the store. Come get your loved ones the gift of cleanliness and beer.

Cheers,

Half Acre Beer Co
Chicago, IL

Found.

The capsule has been found and here is a bit about where it was hidden.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?gl=us&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=117275303198173421149.00047885445aa55e61dce&ll=41.965759,-87.640914&spn=0.000482,0.001019&t=h&z=20

Chains and helmets cross here one final time for lasting glory = Location of the final Chicago Cyclocross Race also the State Championship.

The “And I'll crush you to bits, body and bones” part is from the Three Billy Goats Gruff. The troll lives under a bridge.



Half Acre Beer Co
Chicago, IL

Thanksgiving Hunt

Ladies & Gentlemen,

We’re happy to announce that the Half Acre Hunt is back in action. This hunt is in celebration of Thanksgiving, a holiday centered on the consumption of delicious items in mass quantity.

This week’s lucky winner will get to add some handcrafted Half Acre Beer to their menu. Odds are that we’ll have a special T-Giving Beer that will be available for the occasion.
For all of you that don’t seize the capsule, our store will be open till 8:00pm the Wednesday before, so stop by and grab an array of handcrafted beer for you and your fellow holiday diners. Growlers of frothy nectar will be getting filled all day, so bring home the bounty.

As you may remember, the last capsule was lost in a tragic scavenger hunt snafu. The capsule has been replaced with an Altoids tin that we covered in Half Acre stickers. So that’s what you’ll be looking for.

Another twist, we now have help from you, the Half Acre Fan & Friend. This week’s clue is brought to you by one of you. We carefully perused a group of eager participants to find a sly and fiendish collaborator. We hope you enjoy the handy work of Scavenger Dan.

A reminder of the rules:

The only clue or info given is below. Regardless of what you email or text us, we will not increase your level of information. No hints. If you find the capsule, you have to immediately call or text: 773 351 5709. This is important – fellow hunters will appreciate knowing this.

So, without further nonsense here is your clue.

Cleats and chains will cross here for lasting glory.

If you run into trouble down below just repeat these words:
"Well, come along! I've got two spears,
And I'll poke your eyeballs out at your ears;
I've got besides two curling stones,
And I'll crush you to bits, body and bones."

The capsule is hidden in a corner crack in the wall on the north side. Remember. "Chicago Can"


Good Luck,

Half Acre Beer Co

Chicago, IL

Tours & Store Hours

We've been offering free tours every Friday at 5:00.  No sign up was necessary, just show and enjoy the tour.  We decided to move the tour to Saturdays so that folks didn't have to tick off their employers by skipping out of work early.

However we've already had overwhelming response to the new free tour time of Saturdays at 1:00.  So in an effort to insure that those coming for a tour get the best tour possible we're requiring a sign up for all tours.  We're going to do 25 people for each tour so sign up as soon as you can.

To sign up email info@halfacrebeer.com - first come, first serve.

Private / paid tours for groups are available.  You can email to set one up at your convenience.

Store Hours are now:

Tuesday - Friday 12-8pm

Saturday 11am - 7pm

Sunday 12-5pm

Cheers, 

Half Acre Beer Co

Chicago, IL

The Hunt

You likely noticed that we haven't been running the hunt.  The capsule was lost during the last hunt, which put a little bump in the road, but the main reason we've been hunt-free is lack of time. 

The new store on top all of our other brewery duties keeps us hopping and the hunt is taking it on the chin.  It's a shame because the hunt is enjoyable for everyone involved.  So, my thought is this:

Maybe we continue to host it, and provide frothy treasure, but you, the faithful Half Acre Hunter also does the stashing and clueing.  

Should anyone have an interest in meddling with the minds of your beer brethren, let us know.  We could establish a "you find it, you hide it," type policy.

We'll see.  Send an email to gabriel@halfacrebeer.com should you want to throw your hat in the ring.

Cheers, 

Half Acre Beer Co

Chicago, IL

One Month

As of yesterday the store has been open one full month.  It’s taken all the free time we didn’t have, and all hands have been on deck non-stop.  Fortunately it’s been a lot of fun and an exciting new endeavor for Half Acre.   We spent a year under brewing lockdown, and now we’re breaking out of our beer cocoon.  It’s good to be out and mingling with you all.

 

Our actual growlers come in next week, so we can step into the high tech world of actual growlers and leave our mason jar roots in the past..  We have new pint glasses coming, as well, so all you folks that thought we were lame when we said we were out of glasses – wait a couple weeks, head back in and prepare to be leveled by their transparent wonder.

 

We’ve been offering free tours on Friday’s at 5:00.  We realize that it’s a tough time for some to get here, so even though we’ve been getting very good turnouts, we’re going to avoid the ongoing issue of folks being bummed out because they’re still chained to their desk at that time.  So beginning the weekend of 11/14, the tour officially moves from Fridays to Saturdays.  See you here.

 

In the last month we’ve released three special release beers.  Each one is designed to appear and disappear; we’re just having fun and making new beers.  You likely won’t find these in the bulk of the places that sell our beer.  We don’t make enough of them and don’t plan on setting up the distribution paths for those beers – unless we roll one out full scale, but you can swing by the store to grab a sample and take home a 22oz bomber or growler.  We’ll try to continue with these offerings as a way to keep all of us on our toes.

 

To the good fight,

 

Half Acre Beer Co

Chicago, IL

Magnus Delivered

After some long bottling days, we're packaging Magnus into kegs and it will begin to fill growlers later today.  

Magnus, a burly Schwartz, that acquired a very balanced and smooth character over the course of last two months, came out very well.  You'll find some deep chocolate and coffee notes with hearty malt and hop flavor.  It is available at our brewery store in 22oz bottles and in growlers.  

Beginning next week it will be available in stores around town and at select draft accounts.

Magnus is a great Halloween release that will be gone as quick as it came so be sure to experience it before it fades away..

Half Acre Beer Co

Chicago, IL

Magnus

In celebration of Magnus, the jacked-up Schwartz beer we’ve been raising for the last seven weeks, we made ourselves a bang-up lunch, opened up the garage door and sat in the autumn sun to take it down.  Lets discuss it:

 

On our paper plates a passer-by would see Prosciutto, and not some low-rent Prosciutto found pre-sliced in bad packaging, but thin slices carved from a whole slab of Proscuitto smuggled over from Italy in the luggage of friends.  Beside the Prosciutto was a Mortadella (the Italian, workingman’s boloney that also entered the country as contraband) sandwich with cheese, olive oil and balsamic vinegar between two freshly sliced pieces of bread baked.  The anchor was some homemade pasta with olive oil, cheese and cherry tomatoes. 

 A fine lunch with workmates enjoyed in what will likely be the last of the warm weather while the neighborhood strolls by is a treat. 

 This week we bottle and keg Magnus.  We’re really looking forward to this and can’t wait to invite you guys to try it.  Keep a look out, the time is rapidly approaching.

 

Cheers,

 

Half Acre Beer Co.

Chicago, IL

Today's Hunt, Etc

Everyone at Half Acre is charged up because the new store & tasting area opened at our brewery.  You can now come to the brewery to sample some beer and buy brew to go.  We have 6-packs, 22 oz bottles, growlers (1/2 gal. jugs / mason jars), 1/6th bbl kegs and 1/2 bbl kegs.  We'll have scheduled tours Friday's at 5:00, so come check out the brewery, sample some beer and get some to go.

 

We’re bottling Daisy Cutter Pale Ale in 22’s today, so by the time you get free of employment you can pop into the brewery and get your weekend started off correctly.

 

Today's hunt is a little different.  In honor of the new Half Acre Truck rolling around town, the truck is this week’s capsule.  If you haven't seen it, keep your eyes peeled and camera / phone out.  The first five people to send us a new photo that we haven't seen - and we'll know if you didn't take it - will get some free beer.

text  773 3351 5709 or email gabriel@halfacrebeer.com

 

Good Luck,

 

Half Acre Beer Co

Chicago, IL

The Mail

We get a LOT of emails and letters from folks that collect coasters, labels and bottle-caps.  It's a very passionate group.  Sometimes we'll get contacted from collectors abroad.  I received this note today and thought I would share it.  Not sure why, but this one struck me as interesting.

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

The web-site seems to be clear and readable, what is very important for an older man. That’s very good, that I can find a lot of interesting information concerning your products and technology. Now I can have the knowledge about different processes and believe me or not; I have never known that so many different kinds of beer are produced all around the world. That’s great! Thanks to the internetthe World comes to our homes with a lot of information. Now, when retired I can focus on different sides of live and forget about daily underground coal mining from the past. I have also started to collect some beer items, as beer is one of the most recognizable item of coal miners culture. I am just the beginner collector and there are only few things like glasses and coasters. So, maybe you can help me tomake it bigger? Is it possible to have some samples of labels, coasters or crowns? I would be so grateful if it’s possible.

Wish you all the best and God bless you all

Adam

Maybe I’ll put my postal address below:

(Removed because we're not total jerks)

P.S. As Benjamin Franklin said one day: "Beer is proof that God loves us, and wants us to be happy."

OPEN

The store is now open.  Come get a growler stat.

We're open (at least) Tuesday through Saturday 12 - 7pm.

See you here.

Cheers, 

Half Acre Beer Co

Chicago, IL

Route 66

Half Acre friend and road tripper makes a stop at the big gaper out west.  

Half Acre Beer Co

Chicago, IL

The Store and what it means to you…

We’ve been getting a ton of questions about the store and upcoming changes.

Here is a general overview and some quick answers.

Our goal with the store and thought behind building a production brewery right in the middle of a busy neighborhood was to make it a place where people could connect with our brewery, the process and those making the beer they drink. 

It will also allow us some flexibility.  To be more specific:

The Half Acre store is not a bar and will not serve food.  We will sell our beer to-go and the beer & spirits of brewers and distillers we want to support.  We will have six draft lines that will allow for sampling and the purchase of growlers (1/2 gallon jugs) to-go.  We’ll also have a soda that we’ve made on draft as much as time allows.  You can buy our beer in 6packs, 22oz bottles, growlers, 1/2bbl kegs and 1/6^th bbl kegs.  We’ll also sell Half Acre merchandise to outfit your entire neighborhood.

Enjoying what we do very much and doing our best to continually offer new / different beer, we will have things available here that might not be available at other locations.  Not everything we brew lands in bars, stores and restaurants – it’s time consuming and expensive to develop visual identities and distribution paths.  The store will allow us to share some of the things that usually don't make it out of the brewery.

Basically, the store will grant us some flexibility to readily offer you Half Acre Beer in as many forms possible in the freshest state imaginable.

We will open the week of Oct 5, 2009.  We’ll be gearing things up slowly, so some things might not be available right away, but keep your pants on – we’re on it.  We will offer formal tours Friday’s at 5:00pm and will add Saturday’s in the coming months.  People can go out to the brewery at any time to see the machine at work.  During regular working hours it will be like being at the zoo, watching us work in our native habitat kind of vibe.  However at tour times we will chat it up and answer any questions anyone might have.

This should be awesome.  See you here.

Cheers,

Half Acre Beer Co

Chicago, IL

We're outta here

Half Acre is on vacation for bit. We'll see you soon.

Drink Beer,

Half Acre Beer Co
Chicago, IL

No Hunt Today.

As a result of our capsule being lost in the abyss, we will not have a hunt today.  We're going to gather up a new capsule and come back ready to hide.

They'll be offering up a boat load of Half Acre Beer at this weekend's Harvest Jam in Welles Park.  You may want to check that out.

Cheers,

Half Acre Beer Co

Chicago, IL

Slipped Away

To The Hunters:

The capsule is gone.  I went and checked today because some folks posted comments that they thought it might have been cleaned up, so just to be sure I went to take a look.  Sure enough, it's gone forever never to be found again.

The capsule was hidden just a mere couple blocks south of the brewery at the Northcenter Town Square, right off Lincoln Ave.  I made reference to a Crier because if one would find a Crier, I figured, it would likely be in the town square.  

I try to be diligent in posting people's comments and addressing ideas while not giving hint, although I inadvertently give them.  For instance, someone thought that a homeless person might have grabbed it and I made mention that they would have claimed the prize.  The person who made the blog comment pointed out that they would need to call and they wouldn't have a cell phone, but all they would have had to do was walk two blocks, so that is a clue of sorts.

People thoughtfully developed some great ideas in finding it.  Thanks for that.  We try to make the hunt fun and challenging without making it too easy or sending people on a wild goose chase.  This balance can be a challenge.  During my senior year of high school I was accepted to a Scavenging Hunt theory program that would consume four years with rigorous Hunt education.  Eventually I would have graduated with a certificate and the ability to command any tasteful Scavenger hunt in a dynamic fashion, but I missed enrollment and went on to occupy my time in the many great watering holes our country has to offer.

With that said, we hope you had fun.

The hunt will return and soon as we score a new capsule.

Faithfully, 

Half Acre Beer Co

Chicago, IL

Moving Forward

As the blog hopefully turns a corner and ends its ongoing updates on construction, licensing and coming soon promises, we’d like to thank all of you.

I can’t tell you how many people have helped, offered to volunteer or yelled random messages of support while walking or driving by the brewery.  So, we thank all of you who lent a hand physically and those who spewed positive vibes along the way.

With that said, the blog will hopefully focus on new beers, rants on various topics, collaborations and goings on at the new store that we plan to have open at the beginning of October. 

With that thought – look for a specialty release called Magnus in the coming weeks.  It’s a big Schwartz beer that will be offered on draft and in 22oz bombers. We’ll let you know where when the time comes.

So as the next chapter rolls in, lets head out and hunt.

Remember to call, email or text as soon as one of you has found it.  773.351.5709 or Gabriel@halfacrebeer.com

Here is today’s clue:

“Couldn’t find the Crier of Little Fort Road, but found a bag instead.  Promptly put the capsule in and left it with the foliage.”

Good luck!  The winner gets some Daisy Cutter 22’s that were bottled today.

Half Acre Beer Co

Chicago, IL

Again, no hunt, but.....

Again there will be no hunt, but all for good reason.  Our final inspection for our liquor license, which we just passed, has slung a wrench into the hunt mix.  

Either way, we'll see you soon at our store.  Beer to go, yes, beer to go..... and did I mention free samples on draft all the time.

Half Acre Beer CO

Chicago, IL

Preparation Kills The Hunt

In an effort to pass a grand inspection on Tuesday we have all hands on deck working round the clock to get this place done.  That's right, done.  If all goes as planned, which it usually never does, we will have 99% of all construction done by Tuesday.  

As a result, the hunt loses and won't be held today.  

Next week, next week...

Half Acre

Chicago, IL

A record hunt comes to a close...

The capsule has been found after a one week and three day long hunt.  Congrats to Bill.  This was a good hunt, I think.  There were a lot of people emailing, texting and posting on the blog about where they had been, their travels and what their concept in finding it was.  This hunt was an exercise in persistence and bizarre travels.  

The capsule was found on the western bank of the Chicago River where Agatite dead ends into it.  It was hidden under a bunch of leaves on the slope.  

The street, Agatite, doesn't seem to have an explanation for its name.  Donald Hayner wrote a book about street names in Chicago called Streetwise, but he was unable to come up with the reasoning behind this name.  There are some theories about its connection to the Acme Tap Line and it's hauling routes from Agatite to Acme, maybe a connection to the Worlds Fair buildings being made with large quantities of Agatite, but there doesn't seem to be anything  definitive.  Maybe one of you know the truth.

Thanks to all you who took the time to run around the city.  Our hope is that you have fun and one day find the capsule.  This week it will be out there again, waiting for you.

Cheers, 

Half Acre Beer Co

Chicago, IL

This Week

This marks a record for the Hunt.  The capsule still sits where I hid it.  I imagine that people have given it their mental and/or physical effort and have moved on with their summer, as I'm sure I would have done.  Maybe this puts the ball back into our court.  Do we send out a hint, go get it ourselves......??  The answer is no.  It stays put, right where we hid it until someone else brings it back to us. 

In other news, Project Heifer is working out great, except we still produce more grain than Farmer Ben can feed to his animals.  He has a "gentleman's farm," so all that he raises is for personal consumption or some small sales to locals.  His needs are growing, but our production is also increasing, so we continue to stay ahead of his needs.  So if you know someone locally that could use some spent grain, let us know. And before you leave a comment saying "I use it in my garden," or "I make dog biscuits with it," remember that even after we hook up Farmer Ben we have an excess of thousands of pounds each week.  Maybe one of you guys wants to start a secondary business based on spent grain.  It could be great.  All the free spent grain one could want.

We've been working on some new beers that will come out soon, as well as overall strategy to continue pushing things at Half Acre.  You can expect a 22oz / draft beer to be released in Sept. called Magnus.  Magnus will be a jacked up Schwartz beer for your imbibing pleasure.  We also just brewed a honey beer in collaboration with a downtown hotel that have three, large beehives on their roof. That will be done in a couple of weeks.  Looking forward to that.  We're also working on getting our first shipment of cans so that we can begin using our canning line in time for the store to open.

Which brings me to the store.  Construction is only days from being finished.  Obviously we're going to sell our own beer, but we're also going to sell products from other brewers and distillers.  If you guys have any ideas on what you'd like to see in the store, then let us know.

Cheers, 

Half Acre Beer Co

Chicago, IL

Anniversary Hunt

This August we acknowledge our second anniversary of selling beer in Chicago.
A lot has changed, but we’ve steadily focused on having a lot of fun being part of this experiment.

The capsule is out there so maybe take a trip and find it. We'll give you free beer if you bring it back to us.

Remember to call, text or email to announce that you’ve found it so we can call off the folks running around the city in hopes of doing the same.
773 351 5709
Gabriel@halfacrebeer.com

Your clue:

"Why did they name it so, no one seems to know. The asphalt gives way and the earth slopes down into the current. Leaves hide the capsule. Watch your step."

Good Luck.

The Great Taste Conquers All

This weekend is the Great Taste of the Midwest. If you’re not familiar, it’s one of our country’s grandest beer affairs, which takes place every year in Madison, WI. We’ll be heading off Friday morning for a number of brewers parties then gearing up for the big event on Saturday. The event itself is sold-out, but you can still find tickets in all the secondary places one would look.

This means that all that is Half Acre will be tossing back frothy beverages in another state when the Hunt would normally take place. As a result there will be no Hunt. However, if you come to the Taste and find us we will pour you as much beer as you like: a different type of Hunt.  Don’t be shy.

Cheers,

Half Acre Beer Co
Chicago, IL

Capsule Found

The capsule has been found tucked under the power box behind the Lincoln statue where his quote reads in the park at North Ave & Clark.
Thanks to all who were eagerly hunting.

Cheers,

Half Acre

Friday is hunt day.

Ok, today is another hunt. In honor of summer and the backyard party, we’re offering the winner of this week’s hunt a keg of Daisy Cutter for their own backyard affair. We wish you luck in finding the capsule.

If you find it, you have to immediately call, text or email 773 351 5709 / Gabriel@halfacrebeer.com

So, go ahead, find it and bring it to us.

Your clue:

Find the power “Lets have faith that right makes might; and in that faith let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it.”

Best of luck,

Half Acre Beer Co
Chicago, IL

Digs

Another big week in the brewery.  Pictured above you'll find the latest in handicap accessibility, chicago safety features and brewery allure.  

The glass storefront is in, the interior of the store is only lacking the reclaimed oak flooring & wall work, draft set-up and pesky licensing.  The new railings on the newly built second floor look very nice, and even though it never bothered me, it's nice to no longer have the huge, life threatening holes in the second floor.  Most folks felt a little uneasy about their presence.  

Half Acre Beer Co

Chicago, IL

Pig roast at Jack's. Daisy Cutter flowing in the garden.

The Hunt

To our loyal hunters:

We unfortunately will not have the hunt today.  Our capsule has not been returned to us, so we have nothing to hide and you have nothing to find.

We're sorry, but plan on having the hunt return next week.  

Till Then, 

Half Acre Beer Co

Chicago, IL

OK, one more experiment

And just one more experiment.

Attempting our first mobile blog. We'll see if this works.

Skull Rattle

Putting in some new floor drains for the new tanks we scored.  At one point I appreciated the accomplishment associated with jackhammering, but I now only associate it with skull rattle.  Either way, new drains are a good thing.

Half Acre Beer Co

Chicago,IL