Reef Knot
Half Acre Beer Company

Perfect for a warm day near Lake Michigan. Lovely balance of slight minerality, citrus, and a soft grain finish. I didn’t realize I could satisfy the taste for a fancy mineral water and a quaffable local lager in one can like this. Looking forward to having more this summer.

You would be forgiven for thinking you were drinking a shandy! Tastes as much like lemonade as any Helles-ish beer I've had. Or perhaps the beer equivalent of a cheap but refreshing young American-market vinho verde.
Bright, clear, not a very big head but a bit fizzy. Fairly sweet for the type (or maybe it tastes that way because it doesn't have much of that crackery maltiness), a little bit minerallic, after the lemon notes you get what you could interpret as vanilla, lemongrass, pandan, bit of green apple. Gentle bitterness, on the whole quite refreshing. Drink it on your lawn, a street festival, on a bike (uhh... a tandem).

 

12oz can, dated 02.13.2025, poured into a 16oz tumbler glass. Enjoyed on 05.11.2025, reviewed from Tasting Journal.

The beer pours a golden straw color, lemon hues, slightly cloudy, many bubbles rising to the top of the glass where a finger of fizzy white head rests, moderate retention and lacing. The aroma is pleasant, pale grain, lemon citrus, wildflower, mineral water, lightly green and earthy. The flavors are nice, lemon citrus, wildflower, green earthiness, moderate bitter hop, soft pale grain, mineral water. The mouthfeel is good, coating, lively but smooth lighter medium body, easy creamy finish.

Verdict: A nice easy summer lager from Half Acre. Refreshing, bright, crisp, well balanced.

 

 

12 oz can into a pint glass. Crystal-clear pale straw color with a very short-lived rocky white head. Sweet doughy, biscuity malt and faint noble hop aroma. Similarly well-balanced bready malty sweet and spicy hop flavor. Medium-light feel; very crushable. Enjoy on a boat.

 

Brewer's description is pretty accurate here, though I don't detect much bitterness. Pale gold color, floral and lemon on the nose and palate. Little bit of honey, especially in the finish. Light body. A simple, straightforward thirst quencher.

 

 

This lager has the essence of a light AAL in embodiment while maintaining the overall goodness of a European pale lager. Half Acre describes this as a type of Helles, but it doesn't have the typical sweet cracker malt flavor you'd find in said German. Instead you find a grassy, herbal, and lemony hop bite carried forward by a dry matzah cracker maltiness. Indeed this beer is very crisp and would certainly quench a strong thirst. At 4.5% ABV, it is crushable as well. Nice American summer lager.

Pours a nearly clear pale yellow color with a foamy white head that provides splotches of lacing and a nice little cap on the body of the beer.

Noble hop aromas are immediately present on the nose with grass and subtle lemon notes present, plus a little honey, and that’s where the taste lands, with a clean, crisp finish. Great lawnmower beer, IMHO.

 

In summer I was a big fan of Nooner from Sierra Nevada, but that can't be found anymore, at least not here. This is a good equivalent for bright, rich flavor in a super crispy easy drinking beer. Good clean flavor. It's got some zip, with a nice softness in the mouthfeel. Much more of a pilsner in my mind (and mouth) than a helles, noble hops seeming to be the reason. A beer I will purchase several times in the upcoming weeks while it is available. You will only complain about this if you don't like helles or pils beers. If you do, this is a winner.

 

12oz can. Date stamp on bottom reads '021224B BEEF HOT'.
Mostly clear, straw colored body. Brief lasting white head. Leaves behind thin strings of lacing.
Aroma is sweet toasted malts, honey, citrus, grassy, and floral.
Taste is toasted grains, sweetened with honey. Some bitterness from the hops, which have flavors of lemongrass and floral. Leaves the mouth with a quick end to the aftertaste.
Medium mouthfeel. Crisp and clean profile and finish. Good carbonation.
Well balanced between sweetness and bitterness, which makes this an easy drinking thirst quencher.

L: Pours a nice straw yellow with a large foamy white head that dissipates rather quickly.

S: A Strong floral hop leads the aroma followed by hints of lemongrass, a lighter cracker malt

T: This beer is quite dry without much sweetness, lots of floral hop and a medium bitterness and then some crackery malt.

F: Crisp and easy drinking

O: This beer is a nice dry beer that lets floral hops lead the way.