Half Acre (2019)

I would guessTransient or Maplewood...

 

Why is Transient included in a list of Chicago breweries?

 

Didn’t he have an Illinois membership for people to get bottles? There is a strong connection to the city, just blanking on it.

 

If Bridgman is chicago, then Fort Wayne is a Far East suburb! Nice!

 

Chris used to Gypsy brew out of Chicago before buying the place in Bridgeman (my buddy even collaborated on a home brew with him years ago). So I always assumed he was from here.

 

Yaght, at Aquanaut which is now Smylie Bros. Beautiful building too.

 

I watched someone walk away with the last Benthic at Binny's on Grand. I had to console myself with some Blazed Orange.

 

Just got a U-verse e-mail that tix are still available for Big Hugs. I’m thinking next year they would be better off spreading these releases out more.

 

Residency is not a prerequisite to rule Chicagoland pastry stouts. The king sitting upon the sugar throne can be from anywhere as long as he can govern adjuncts effectively.

 

Screw you Strawberry Loam. After working my all day entertaining family for T-Day and what seemed like 8 hours of washing dishes and cleaning so everything was back to normal, I crack the Strawberry Loam to kick back and relax and it promptly gushed all over the counter. Thanksgiving cleanup is never done. #damnyouwildales

 

If you struck out on Benthic I have a can for you at cost. I'm in the loop. let me know.

 

What was the can limit on vanilla Benthic for the release?

 

Option B and Option C purchasers each got one 2 pack of vanilla benthic.

 

What are people liking the most vanilla benthic or double double Benthic?

 

Haven't had the Double Double or the Apple Brandy yet...but Vanilla was EXCELLENT. Vanilla & coconut were present but not overpowering; they were well integrated into the chocolate-y base beer.

Wish I had a case.

"Regular" Benthic is tasting so good, too.

 

not a ton of feedback yet on double double due to the fact that it was a 1 can max and did not find its way into kegs. The few checkins on Untappd are positive though. IMO vanilla tasted like a more well executed version of BCBS vanilla ‘18. Straight marshmallow

 

I like to think of myself as the biggest HA fan west of Chicago... with the one exception obviously being @eppCOS

I liked their stuff out of the gate, but honestly, their team has got these beers so precisely dialed in right now. I’d put their beers ahead of many famous mixed culture produced out there with more hype/acclaim/whatever you want to call it.
All I’m saying is, I’ll take your fancy boy de garde and lost abbey, and I’ll raise you a Pennon and Passing Lands. That’s another bad poker reference, for anyone following along

 

Very interesting info, to someone (me) who has an increasing interest in wild / lambic /gueuze beers and a renewed trust in Half Acre based on the 2019 Benthic release.

I don't like Half Acre's IPA's very much, and that's what their local reputation is built on...but it seems like they are growing beyond that in exciting ways.

Thanks for posting! And for acknowledging @eppCOS as an unpaid salesperson for Half Acre.

 

I realize I'm in the minority, but I thought the coconut and coffee in regular Benthic was a bit too muted. I'm not a pastry boi (yet), but maybe my palate is starting to change and expects these types of stouts to now be over the top? *shrug*

On the other hand, I thought Vanilla Benthic was spot on. That was really, really good. I'll try the Double and AB at some point, which sounds like those will be more like what I was expecting.

 

I agree. I cracked my first can of benthic last night and although it was very good, I felt the adjuncts didn’t pop as much as I was hoping.

I’m optimistic double double and Apple brandy will be a different story though