Half Acre (2021)

Just getting to Beer Hates Astronauts this year - great citra character but I do feel it is softer and has less body than I remember it having in previous iterations.

 

I think BHA officially needs to be mentioned as one of the greatest beers in the Midwest. I remember going to buy my bombers at Lincon 5,6, 7 years ago on release day before they sold out when Citra beers were novel and unique. Took a few years off of BHA with the NEIPA influx, but damn, BHA has been incredible last year and this year. I don't want to like it this much, but I can't think of a better IPA coming out of the city.

 

Vienna malt and Citra hops. Such a simple concept. Executed perfectly.

I agree. It’s probably my favorite seasonal they make. Well, except for maybe Dungeons pre hazy era. Also, BRING BACK PREEN!!

 

It’s too bad Half Acre’s sour program is going on hold because of the sale of Lincoln location. I think they made great strides over the years in that style, so it’s just a bit disappointing to know there won’t be much more development or program for sours until they find another location for those barrels.

 

I’m curious if money from the sale will go to improving the Bowmanille space whether making the site look more like it did in the original pre-project photos or if they will add on space at the expense of the parking lot. If Spiteful’s Brewpub doesn’t weather the pandemic that would be a convenient space to put barrels.

 

I wouldn't classify an "If/Then" situation as speculation. I'm simply stating that location would be extremely convenient for Half Acre to put a sour program if Spiteful is no longer there in the future, of which there have been a handful of local breweries that have not survived the pandemic or had to downsize.

 

*cough* - any news from HA (insiders?) on whether Lincoln will reopen AS Half Acre this summer, or does it seem like a permanent shuttering of the OG before HB takes it over?
News?
Thanks for any insight here...

 

Given they've started expanding the patio and kitchen situation at Balmoral, I highly doubt Lincoln will open for anything other than retail. No inside info but if I were a betting man, I'd say it's gone for good.

 

Damn wish they would give a one week/weekend “last call”

 

I basically wrote a love letter plea to let us have a week or weekend with HA to "at least retire and move the spiked bear" from Lincoln.

We'll see. It's hard to imagine, too, given the staffing shortages and having to ramp up for that location only to shut it down quickly. I get it.
*walks off, kicks a pebble*

 

Just got a hot e-mail update from HABC saying that there "are good chances something will be set up for a send-off of the Lincoln taproom..."
FINGERS EFFING CROSSED.

 

It Pours is fantastic - the Riwaka hops in this bitter, piney, and dry IPA work wonders. Coming off the heels of BHA, I've got my fridge stocked with some absolute "old school" IPA winners for the next few weeks.

 

Nice— does it go salty? That was my only concern give the collaboration

 

I'm getting all hops through the finish, and by no means would this be considered a salty IPA. The Riwaka hops do a nice little number on your palate, and it's quite enjoyable.

Based on some of the initial reactions on Twitter, some people thought salt would be a prominent adjunct here, and it just isn't.

 

Yeah even can pours or something would scratch the itch

 

It does not go into Gose territory. If you enjoyed Riwaka DDC, then remember that hop profile but try to imagine that into some of the experimental ipas HA made in 2017 while getting ready to release Bodem. Beers like Dungeons, Adean Awake, Now & Then minus lactose, Shores, Wand, Flourescent, Plain Wave. Basically any new school IPA that isn’t full New England ipa. The salt isn’t too much of a factor, if I didn’t know it was there I wouldn’t notice salt in this finish. It clearly helped amplify the riwaka hops. If you know it’s there you’ll make notice it, but it’s not like a salted glass of margarita or anything like that.