The Half-Acre thread (2018)

I didn’t mean for this to become a pile on purp1eOne thread.

Everyone has opinions.

 

This years BHA is still a great beer, but it definitely changed from what I can taste. When I tried it for the first time around 2 years ago, it blew me away. I could not get enough of it and remembering it having a some haze also. Idk if that was intentional or not, but that version of BHA is by far my favorite, and probably a top 5 IPA for me. I think beers like GDDC and a ton of other favorites from years past are getting a bad rap because of how much the IPA game and our palates have changed. Can the recipe really differ THAT much? Even as pastry stouts are being released by everyone, I don't see many discussions about popular regular stouts tasting off or dramatically different than they used to. I think this is all stemming from a combination of what everyone has mentioned here, but definitely hard to guage exactly what or why. As I mentioned, I liked both beers, but would be lying if I said I wasn't a little disappointed.

 

Ah yes, everyone knows now that the less hazy a beer is the less good it is

 

I don't think that is always the case (it isn't to me at least), but it's hard to ignore that when a beer has been both hazy and non, most preferred hazy (BHA, Psuedo, Splash, Sure Bet, Hailstorm's Clouds, etc.)

 

I'm drinking a Beer Hates Astronauts right now and it's just as great as the last time I had it (last years version) and it fucking rules.

 

In separate, non "I liked their first album the best" news, this is pretty great:

 

You know what? I'm drinking a Daisy Cutter right now and this beer fucking rules. I wish this came in 30 packs.

 

Hit Lincoln yesterday for lunch. Some Cemequery and the brisket burrito. Hell yeah.

 

But here is the real question, do you see many beer geeks talking about stock imperial stouts?

When’s the last time we had a thread about bells Expedition or something like that

All the stout conversation is about pasty stouts. I rarely hear of a new brewery hyping up a standard RIS.

 

Would mind it in 12pk cases. I can imagine a world where DC comes in boxes for a value price. I mean, Sierra Nevada does is with their flagship pale ale. We can all dream

 

It would instantly become my most purchased beer. 12 packs of little sumpin’ easy have been a game changer at my house, and if Daisy Cutter moved to that format, I would never not have it in my fridge.

 

Last comment, and this is just my opinion, but BHA reminds me of a special release from Firestone Walker. It’s clean, it’s crisp, it’s drinkable as anything on the market. To me, Half Acre is very thoughtful about how they approach hoppy beer. There is a reason they haven’t labeled any of their beers a “New England beer”. They simply don’t need to and aren’t interested in satisfying beer drinkers chasing the trends. They do a lot of exciting beers that use sexy hops and English yeast, but they have a large following that has made HA what it is today. They probably don’t want to stray from that path. What they do is innovative in their own way. Similar, like I said before, to Firestone Walker.


Half acre is in a cool spot. They are a big brewery, but aren’t one of those national brands struggling to complete with regional breweries such as themselves for market share. They have a loyal fan base and make consistent and high quality beer. Their one offs are fun, and innovative in their own right, and for them to shift their course for the minority of beer geeks seeking the newest trend might not be the right move.


New England haze is a fun trend. And it may end up being a lasting one. But New England won’t be what makes or breaks Half Acre. If the most vocal and trendy beer geeks stray away from half acre, half acre will be just fine. They do what they do and they do it extremely well. Maybe we’ll even see them do some one offs in the future that are labeled New England style. But, once again, it won’t be out of necessity. Just like all of their new wild beers aren’t out of necessity, and all of their new lagers aren’t out of necessity.


Sorry, I could talk about this all day. I’ll stop.

 

Very well put. I always get the sense that they brew what they want to drink. When good breweries stray from that kind of authenticity, the trouble starts.

 

it comes in 24 packs of pints.

 

I was obviously exaggerating but I do love the idea of 12oz 12 packs of DC.

 

Is it hazy though?

 

Yea same. Would be awesome.

 

Hazy Daisy is a no brainer

 

BHA is awesome. Finally got a 4-pack here in NY and it tastes just like the beer I killed 3 4-packs of last year. I hate to use the word crushable because I’m in my 40s now but damn. That Vienna malt just makes it perfect. Perfect balance.

 

BHA is a tasty beer, just getting to trying it today. The low bitterness approach was more novel four years ago, I think people's perception of it has changed due to the rest of the beer market changing.

Also, Smoking Gull is delicious.