The Half-Acre thread (2018)

I'm really pumped for this one. Hopefully it doesn't snow like it did last year while waiting in line!

I'm interested to see if they'll have Benthic Vanilla on tap, and any other potential variants.

 

Opened my bottle of Rankur this evening. A friend was planning on coming over to share it with me, but couldn’t make it.

Since I’d already opened the bottle, I had no choice but to complete the mission on my own. Happy to say it was no struggle. The description HA wrote is spot on. It’s bright, fuity, and mildly acidic. Oak plays background to the yeast and hops, which makes it extremely drinkable. To me it’s honey and pineapple.

People who search for higher levels of acidity may not be crazy about this one, but I’ll be hoping for more. Lovely little beer.

Also worth mentioning that it’s not funky, nor farmhouse. Whatever brett got used didn’t throw any of that. Maybe those flavors will grow with some years in bottle, I’m not sure.

 

I'm debating whether it's worth lining up for this year. I love Benthic (one of my favorite stouts), but HA has really ramped up production, so I'm hoping that swinging by a couple hours after they open will be fine. Vanilla Benthic sounds amazing.

(but I've hoped that many times before, and the Chicago scene rarely fails to shatter those hopes)

 

Had it at Half Acre Far & Away, and it was, by far, my favorite beer there.

 

I had a brief discussion with another forumite about when you'd be able to show up. Last year I don't think they sold out until an hour or two after opening, so it's hard to say if you can do that again this year. It'll depend on limits, production amount and if they have anything else "cool" available.

I'll probably line up early for it just because it's become a bit of a tradition now for me (I know that is completely irrational), and I like to get out of line quickly to hopefully get some food and pours inside the taproom.

 

I will admit that lining up at HA is more enjoyable to me than a place like Binny's, but that might be because of the time of day. I was mostly thinking about swinging by later in the day to better line up with Revolution's release at 4.

 

They open at 11 over at HA, right? I was thinking I'd leave work like 11, head straight to HA to grab Benthic. Don't think I'm gonna do this Rev release. I don't really have an interest in Deth by Currants, and there is usually plenty of Cafe and Tar to get what I want in distro.

 

Yeah, 11. I'm not sure I'll do it either, I just like to keep my options open.

 

A HA brewer I talked to at the Balmoral party in August was under the impression that a Benthic variant or two will be bottled.

Bigger question is...will that beautiful Benthic glass be released again!?!?

 

Great, that oughta help the line.

Yeah, I just got an eyeroll from my wife after bringing back one of the Rev tumblers from the VSOJ release, I really need to try my luck again.

 

HA loves releasing Benthic on the Friday of fobab don’t they! Lol. Which is good for people from the burbs that are coming in to volunteer/attend and such. With fobab, Deth tar releases, and now this, it’s gonna going to a packed Friday!

 

Why isn't Benthic afforded the same prepackaged option of the lesser Big Hugs?

 

I don't think Vanilla is, as somebody had asked about that at Far & Away and was told no. Of course, that person may not have been completely in the know, but it seems like they would generally have an idea.

I had seen a flyer/link to a Benthic event at some bar in the burbs where they also advertised glassware, so I think there will be a new one. I regret not buying more of last year's, and I'm someone who really doesn't want anymore glassware.

 

I regret assuming that it was limit 1 on the glass last year, since they only had 100 of them. Then again, it's about as close to a genuine #glasswhale as I own so....

 

this is cool

 

4pm on a weekeday is not...

 

Yeah, I'm sorry to miss this, given that I missed Far & Away as well. But the gym, horror movies and Destiny 2 call!

 

I showed up around 4pm and was able to grab bottles.

Hmm. I wasn’t a fan at all. It wasn’t bad, but it was just too much going on, and everything kinda lost. Easily my least favorite of the the variants, and way below the regular version.

 

Comin' for ya this weekend, HA! Don't run out of interesting shit. *he threatened into the void of a thread* - So excited to get back to Chicago.... cheers!

 

Uhoh, didn't you hear that Chicago is closed this weekend?