Half Acre, All Wisconsin

I was in Chicago this week and I finally tried one of the beers from Half Acre Beer Company that I wrote about in September.

It was good, but that's probably because it's made in Black River Falls, Wisconsin by the Sand Creek Brewing Company (contract beers account for 30% of their production).

They only make one beer so far - Half Acre Lager - and it was tasty. My 3 choices at the hotel were only Half Acre, Heineken, and Miller Lite, so I think I made the right selection. It was a pretty light beer but it had good malt and hop taste to it - much more taste than tradition light beers. I'd have it again.

I also went to Goose Island Brewery in Wrigleyville. While there I had a $10 glass of their Imperial IPA which was great (9% alcohol but come on, $10?). I also sampled 8 more of their beers, many of which I had before but the good ones were Matilda, 312 Urban Wheat, and their Christmas Ale. The brew pub is a nice place with decent food too.

New Chicago Brewery - Half Acre Beer Company

Gabriel Magliaro is the owner of Half Acre Beer Company, which has been available in Chicago for about a month.

It looks like they only have one beer so far that's contract brewed at Sand Creek Brewing Company in Black River Falls, Wisconsin. About 30 percent of Sand Creek's business is from contract brewing.

Half Acre Lager, the first release by Half Acre Beer Company is brewed using only water, hops, barley and yeast, making sure to respect the integrity of the brewing process and the purity of its ingredients. We chose to balance a rich malt base with a livlier hop content, encouraging a natural, vibrant taste and smell while maintaining the beer’s full body and cloudy, amber appearance. Half Acre Lager is suitable to pair with a range of cuisines and experiences during the season of your choice.

The full article from the Chicago Sun-Times.