2014 Half Acre Big Hugs release

Also just wanna say the Dark Matter dude giving stuff away in line was rad, got a free bag of rum barrel aged coffee.

 

Has the recipe changed for this beer or something?
I remember going to the first bottle release and was extremely underwhelmed. This also explains why I haven't given the beer much thought after that.

And don't give me that "ur a h8r!" bullshit either, I love Akari & Heyoka and buy them regularly.

 

The only thing that's changed is the grasp on perspective by Chicago-area beer lunatics.

 

Hmmm I thought it changed but for the worse. 3 years ago I had it on tap and thought it was absolutely amazing and the last couple years in the bottles have been just OK for me. I also think it's funny that there was a giant line yet you can go right down the street to revolution and get some world class beers right at the tap room with no issue. Just goes to show that if you throw a release party in Chicago they will come. The only reason I go is because I can double up and hut revolution because I'm from Wisconsin

 

I was not impressed last year. I thought this year's vintage was better, but certainly not worth waiting for hours to get. Unintentionally, moreover, they undercut their own product, by serving the samples of Big Hugs alongside the samples of Fremont's Coffee Cinnamon BBomb, which was a very impressive variation on the base beer.

 

I got into line around 9:45am & was around #45. Half Acre/Dark Matter were real good about taking care of people. Within 5 minutes of being in line had coffee and a doughnut in my hand. As people lined up they were literally greeted with coffee. I stood in the credit line and w/in 5 minutes of the 11 am opening we were already in the store. I did head in to the tap room after my purchase and that filled up quickly. Here's what they had on tap:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/129844741@N07/15413206133/

 

any thoughts on if it will be available tuesday?

 

It saddens me that Big Hugs has come to this. Terrible...just terrible. So, anyone know when the first idiot showed up? 8am??

 

Showed up after 11 and only waited in line for about 40 minutes. The local bakery's cinnamon rolls were freaking good. Apparently made with Big Hugs, but I couldn't taste it. Nice event overall.

Looks like some people showed up at 7AM, per post #21.

 

I'll just grab my bags and move along here...

 

Agreed. I'll medicate my shock with a FBS, which is as good (albeit not exactly the same) and will be sitting on countless shelves for months and months.

 

I got a bottle of Big Hugs last year at a liquor store and frankly I don't understand what the hype is about with this beer. I agree with previous posts that Founders Breakfast Stout is a pretty good (if not better) alternative and can be found pretty much everywhere.

 

The hype is purely driven by it being an exclusive release event. HA makes amazing beers year round.

It's a wonderful beer really, and I hope I can find a bottle, but the hype is the beast that we have all created coming to reap what has been sown or some shit.

 

anyone seen this in the wild yet? couldn't make the event and looking for a couple

 

I agree, beer is tasty and would gladly grab another bottle, but honestly, I couldn't care any less if I don't. The hype going around some beers simply because of exclusive, brewery-only events is ridiculous.

 

Chicago walez, bro

 

Got it at the local Binny's without a fuss. What is wrong with you guys waiting in line two+ hours?

 

I've got a couple bottles of each year cellared from about 2010 through last year, but my desire to get some this year was basically inertia. It's a great beer, but not appreciably better than FBS, or a number of other imperial stouts (albeit not all coffee). I don't have to wait in line for Ten Fidy or Old Rasputin, and they're cheaper. I love Half Acre, and they've meant a lot to the Chicago beer scene, so I'm really happy for them, but this is the year the hype overshot the quality of the beer.

 

From what I hear, it's supposed to hit the burb Binny's today. I'm sure there will be plenty of CCBE people waiting in line at every Binny's and/or truck chasing.

To do list for today: join CCBE page on FB to see what kind of crazy things people say about whalez. From what I hear, it's pretty comical.