Keeping Together Brewery and Beverage Garden

 

 

Keeping Together is the gypsy brewing project of Averie Swanson, currently in residence at Half Acre Balmoral through the current year. Two drafts and four bottles are available for on-site consumption at the bar or outside on the patio. Drafts are served in Keeping Together branded stemware glasses, which is a nice touch. There's also a new dedicated cooler of KT beers and HA wild ales down the ramp before the bar. For almost 2 years now, i've been picking up KT for home consumption, it's nice to finally be able to sample the beers here at Balmoral since late summer.

Beer selection and quality are pretty incredible, considering the range of beers produced within the loose style of mixed-fermentation Saison. Many thoughtful and esoteric ingredients come together in creative combinations, most recently a barrel aged mixed ferm saison with maple-roasted carrots and spent fernet botanicals. No one else is making saisons like this, they are really creative and sophisticated. If you're a fan of wild saisons and haven't tried them yet, you owe it to yourself.

Service at Half Acre is always good, though they primarily specialize in the house beers. The bartender knew a little bit about the current KT selections, and mentioned a potential 3rd barrel-aged release possibly in the future. Draft selections tend to rotate, and most recently they had two available including "Thoughts Without A Thinker" which was first released earlier last year.

Overall, Keeping Together is a shining star of the local beer scene, and after trying most of the KT beers, it's easy to see why Averie Swanson has grown such a cult following. Here's hoping she stays in Chicago just a bit longer.

Summer 2023: Guided tasting event with Averie at Half Acre was a magical highlight of the summer. Looking forward to their new brewery in Santa Fe, New Mexico opening in the future.