The Half-Acre thread (2018)

You captured my exact thoughts.

Initially, I was leaning toward splitting the allotment so that I could get the BA version, but upon further thought I think I'll pass on it entirely and hope for a draft pour in the tap room.

 

Is this worth it?

http://www.halfacrebeer.com/big-hugs-16/

2016 BIG HUGS "WHOLE ENCHILADA" PRESALE
On Friday, December 9th, at 10am we will sell a set number of full allotments of 2016 Big Hugs online via Brown Paper Tickets. For $199 (before the BTP service fee, sorry) you will get:

• 4 bombers of Big Hugs Imperial Stout with Coffee
• 2 bombers of Big Hugs Imperial Stout with Coffee and Vanilla
• 2 bombers of Salted Chocolate Espresso Big Hugs Imperial Stout
• 2 bombers of Bourbon Barrel Aged Big Hugs Imperial Stout with Coffee
• 1 Big Hugs Imperial Stout glass
• 1 Big Hugs Imperial Stout coffee cup

Find the Brown Paper Ticket link, here.

You will be invited to pick up your full allotment between 3pm on 12/11 and 3pm on 12/18 with the exception of Monday, December 12th (we'll be closed, don't try to come that day). If you do not pick up your allotment by 3pm on December 18th you will forfeit it to the hungry beasts that live beneath our cellar. There will be no refunds and no exceptions. Please read all of the fine print on the BPT website before your purchase. This is for pre-sale only, if you want a growler, howler, or anything not included in the pre-sale, you may have to wait in a line on release day.

 

You tell us, @FlaviusG

I think it's worth it if you're a big fan of Big Hugs AND are not willing to stand in line for hours on a Sunday morning. For someone like me, who doesn't love Big Hugs (I really like Vanilla, though), no, it's not worth it. But I'm also not the type that would line up at 5am for a BH release, either.

You're paying a premium for the convenience, certainly. But if you want all that beer, it might not be a bad idea.

 

As someone that has a Christmas party on Saturday night, I'm giving the pre-sale a hard look. Might be worth the $50 to skip the hungover lining up.

 

Look at your cellar. If it is empty and you can't find similar mid-tier beers to fill it up with, then by all means go to town on this "deal." Outside of the curiosity to try the variants, which I hope I can do on draft at Half Acre at some other point, the allure of having to consume massive amounts of Big Hugs doesn't do it for me.

 

I know often times beer is ready when its ready, but man, the timing of this couldn't be worse, for me anyway. The Spiteful thing, Black Friday (I lucked into an unexpected full allotment), the numerous other BA stouts dropping. I pulled up my budget spreadsheet this morning with my hand over my face. This is something I'd give much more consideration to at literally any other time and I'm not even necessarily talking about the pre-sale, just the release itself.

 

You're telling me.

I spent most of my night cleaning my apartment yesterday, and a good portion of the time spent was moving around cases of beer, most of which has been purchased this last 6 weeks or so. And that's just the 12oz bottles.

At one point, I stared at my closet for a full min or so, and just said, "this is ridiculous" to myself.

With 4elf the day before, I might be skipping this one.

 

Dude, just go there straight from your party, and bring a flask! Keep the party going, and be first in line!

No, I totally agree with you. The combination of back-to-back Half Acre stout releases, Black Friday, the Spiteful release Saturday, the Dosvidanya release last week or whenever (I wanted to try the Rye), what RAM is currently doing, and all the new hot IPAs people have been dropping recently, it's crazy how much good beer is flying around right now. I would've swung by HA on Sunday to hope for one or more of the BH variants, and now I'm probably going to have to do a hard pass.

If Xocoveza: Charred and BA Darkness both drop this month in Chicago, I'm officially quitting beer.

 

Hate to say it but Xocoveza Charred is on shelves

 

FWIW TG is charging $200 for two bottles of Assassin and one KBBS

 

Yeah I saw that...Uh, is there really no other beer included? The wording was a little vague, so I thought it might be a package that included a bottle of KBBS, two of Assassin, and maybe some other stuff (along with the two glasses or whatever).

But if that's really all that's in there...It definitely put the Big Hugs thing into perspective.

 

Yes, but those are world class beers (apparently). Big Hugs was average 3 years ago, now it is probably behind the curve. If this was Benthic and variants being released, I'd be happy getting 10 for $30 a bottle.

 

I'll add to any young bucks out there, never get married in the same month as your SO's birthday, especially during stout season.

Anyway, I'm sure HA will do just fine on this, but I'll be interested to see where this falls again next year or when they open up pre-sale ticket sales because I doubt I'll be any more fiscally responsible in 2017.

 

This is why I don't create a budget for beer!

Great - one less person to fight with for bottles of BA Darkness!

 

The only Big Hugs I remember having was a Maple variety I thought was way too sweet at the Taproom.

 

Beer cellar in Glenn Ellyn has xoco charred this week according to instagram.

 

No matter how good the beers are, that's still a crazy price. If this were SR-71, maybe (at least more time in barrels = more expensive). That's a yuge price to me as-is.

Agreed on the beer budget; it fucks me over every time.

on BA Darkness--I've never had it (except '14 which doesn't count) so...we'll see!!!

 

Sorry, too late...you already said you'd quit beer if it hits this month!

I've actually never had it either (not even '14), so I'm intrigued to try some of it. Bottles will obviously be a clusterf**k if/when they get released.

 

Darkness is my favorite non-BA stout, so I've always been curious. '14 is good, not great in my opinion, and I've heard conflicting opinions of '15 ("greatest thing evar" or "mutes everything that's unique about Darkness").

Sorry to get off topic!

 

I poured it at Fobab last year and drank quite a bit.

It's fine. Very good BA Stout, but nothing crazy, and at whatever the price is sure to be, I will pass.