Thursday, August 26, 2010

Sticky Fat American Dark Ale


The lore goes that each year as soon the hop cones are plump the Sticky Fat Bear lumbers down from the hills to have himself a feast. He sits and eats all night long and disappears before anyone wakes. The kids chant his name in school yard folks songs, but not much is said about the Sticky Fat Bear in the rural nooks of american hop country.

When an old hop farmer in the pacific northwest was asked by a reporter:
"Sir, what do you know about the Sticky Fat Bear? Have you seen him? Are you missing hops?"

The farmer snapped this response:
"That Sticky Fat Bear is a ghost. He eats 'em all up. He takes what he wants and leaves us with nothin'."

Whether you believe in the the Sticky Fat Bear or not, we share an appreciation for the sticky hops. We brewed a wet hop beer in his honor. We had a farmer pick hops in northern california a couple weeks ago and fly them to us for a brew the next morning. We brewed what we're calling an American Dark Ale using all whole cone hops, still sticky from the vine. This beer will be an all draft release at our brewery. We're targeting next Friday 9/3 for a release. We'll have Sticky Fat t-shirts made from bamboo, some stickers and screen prints. All will be gone fast, as though it was never here at all.

Hopefully you get to check this beer out.


Half Acre Beer Co
Chicago, IL


Much thanks to our friend Phineas for helping us bring the bear into sight


Monday, August 23, 2010

Half Acre Closing Early

The Half Acre Craft Beer Emporium will be closing early this Wednesday 8/25. We close at 7:30pm. Please make note. Thanks.

Half Acre Beer Co
Chicago, IL

Friday, August 20, 2010

Bairn Farmhouse is now available in both 22oz bomber bottles and growlers.


Half Acre Beer Co
Chicago, IL



Bairn Farmhouse


The Bairn Farmhouse will be released at 4:00 pm today. Then, and only then, will we begin selling growlers and 22oz bomber bottles (Growler pours $13 / bomber bottles $7.99). These Saisons continue to be a wise decision to combat the summer swelter. Take it, summer.

Half Acre Beer Co
Chicago, IL

New Tank Pics




Here are some shots of the new bright beer tank. This one is more squat than the conical fermenters that are coming -- just a fat pig.

Half Acre Beer Co
Chicago, IL

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Feed the building


Today we received the first of a series of 60bbl vessels. This one is a dish-bottom tank that we'll use to carbonate beer. In total, each will hold about 2000 gallons of beer, but we'll yield roughly 1800 gallons (60BBL) each time we use them. We continue to feed this building tanks. It opens and we send in another.

Half Acre Beer Co
Chicago, IL


Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Farm Dinner On Saturday

We're doing a farm dinner with City Provisions on Saturday. We'll have a cool line up of beers. I'm told there are still some spots, so come and toast summer beers on a farm. Details here.

Half Acre Beer Co
Chicago, IL

Bairn Farmhouse


Not much time to gab, but Bairn Farmhouse, the Belgian Farmhouse Ale we brewed is scheduled to drop this Friday. We'll be offering both growler fills and 22oz bomber bottles. Release details to follow on Friday.

Cheers,

Half Acre Beer Co
Chicago, IL

Friday, August 13, 2010

The Shining


Half Acre has always been fortunate. We've had the pleasure of connecting with quality, talented individuals, who together brewed beers that we all wanted to brew. Everyone here is crucial & responsible. Attributing a success or a failure to any one individual is foolish. This is and will always be the way that Half Acre approaches its work.

With that said, I wanted to make note that Matt Gallagher, who helps run this mother, is going to hold things down as Head Brewer from this point forward. You've probably met Matt. If you've ever been to our brewery, he was likely here. He breaks himself to keep Half Acre running and on its toes. This is how it's always been.

And with this I give you the classic & demented scene in the The Shining when Delbert Grady informs Jack Torrence that it's he who is the caretaker at the Overlook Hotel. That he's always been the caretaker at the Overlook hotel.

And so it goes,

Half Acre Beer Co
Chicago, IL




Saison

Today we're releasing Long Thai Rainbow Rye, the Saison led by our Flavor Technician & Troubadour, Michael Carroll. This Saison was brewed with Long Thai Peppercorns and Rye. You'll find some ample spice in the nose moving toward a crisp malt frame and dry rye finish. This beer is prepared to go toe to toe with summer, and summer doesn't stand a chance.

Growler pours are standard $12 + tax. Only draft available. We'll begin pouring growlers at 12:00pm when the store opens.


Come get a growler and strap this Saison to your face,

Half Acre Beer Co
Chicago, IL

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Long Thai Rainbow Rye


We're targeting tomorrow afternoon for the release of Long Thai Rainbow Rye, the Long Thai peppercorn and Rye malt Saison that's been in the works around here. This is the first time Half Acre has dipped into the world of Belgian yeast strains. The beer has been tasting solid out of the fermenter, so we hope the final touches yield a beer that will make your summer swelter recede.

We'll let you know the details tomorrow - confirm the release & time.

Half Acre Beer Co
Chicago, IL

P.S. If you're not in the know, this weekend is the Great Taste of the Midwest. It's the mother of midwestern beer festivals. It stands to be a great time. We're going and hope that you've secured your tickets and made arrangements. See you there.

(The brewery store will still be open, so swing in and fill your canteen)

Monday, August 9, 2010

Dropping The New Beers


First, we'd like to thank all of you who came out to pick up the Freedom Of '78 Guava What IPA(we still have it if you're in need). Without getting sweet on you, it means a lot that we can brew these beers and know you will step out to pick some up and hoist them with friends.

So, we bring you more.

In the next three weeks-ish we have three new beers coming out. All of them are special release beers that we've had in the works for a while and are now going to slide out of the tanks to meet you.

1. Long Thai Rainbow Rye

This all draft beer, which will be mostly available at the brewery, but will pop up in some of our favorite beer bars, is a Saison brewed with Long Thai peppercorns and Rye malt. This beer should drop on Friday(8/13).

2. Bairn Farmhouse

Bairn will be available in both bombers and draft at the brewery, plus some jaunts around town. This beer is an ode to all things Phil. Our friend, coworker and brewing confidant, Phil Wymore, has been busy having a child and gearing up to start his own brewery in St. Louis. This beer is a nod to his beautiful little girl, Lily -- probably the most sincere and "nice" label you see come out of Half Acre. So, as Phil departs from Half Acre he's leaving us and you with this Saison brewed with lemon and chamomile.

3. Sticky Fat American Dark Ale

Last and certainly not least, we're brewing a hop harvest beer. This morning a farmer we work with in northern CA picked organic hops fresh from his field and put them on a plane to us to arrive tomorrow morning. We're going to take these sticky cones and brew a wet hop beer tomorrow afternoon. This is our first wet hop beer and one we've looked forward to. You can expect a hop forward dark ale that pays homage to the lore of Sticky Fat.
(limited edition Sticky Fat T-shirts, for sure)

We'll keep you in the loop as to when each of these will drop.


See you in the trenches,

Half Acre Beer Co
Chicago, IL

Friday, August 6, 2010

Let there be Guava


Today is the day. The "Freedom Of '78," Pure Guava Wheat India Pale is alive and kicking. We went out on a limb with this beer. Working with a boat load of Guava from Ecuador was "different," but 40 days & one Ween show later we landed on a beer we're psyched about; a 7% double dry hopped screamer with some wheat tones and a nose that rings of island life.

Our thanks to Joe Short and the fine folks of Short's Brewing in Bellaire, MI for hooking up here to brew beer, checking out the Ween show and their Jedi fruit tactics.

Also to Jonathan Cutler from Piece for spending some quality brew time.

This beer will be released today, August 6, 2010 at 4:00pm, no earlier.
Growler fills are $13+tax and 22oz bombers are $9.01+tax (buy two for $19.78(after tax))

This beer will only be available at our brewery (4257 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago) & we'll bring it to the Great Taste of the Midwest. It's a one and done beer so it's here till it's gone.

Cheers,

Half Acre Beer Co
Chicago, IL

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Freedom Of '78


At long last, Freedom will be ours.
It's looking like Friday will be the day we package and release "Freedom of '78 Pure Guava Wheat India Pale Ale" It won't be till late afternoon. I repeat, not till late afternoon.

We'll let you know exactly when on Friday.

Really excited about this beer.

Half Acre Beer Co
Chicago, IL