Half Acre — Benthic 2025 2×4

Technical Details

Tasting Profile

The nose opens with intense bourbon-soaked oak, molasses richness, and roasted coconut shavings, backed by dark chocolate and vanilla extract. On the palate, this 16.1% imperial stout delivers massive body and syrupy texture, unfurling layers of caramelized sugar, espresso, toasted coconut, and charred oak. Bourbon heat integrates seamlessly with the malt sweetness. The finish is long and warming, with lingering notes of burnt toffee, dark rum, and bittersweet coffee grounds that persist well after the final sip.

Food Pairing

Pair with a rich chocolate lava cake or bourbon pecan pie, where the beer’s intense sweetness and oak character complement the dessert’s decadence without overwhelming it. Alternatively, serve alongside aged Gouda or Parmigiano-Reggiano, where the cheese’s crystalline texture and nutty complexity find harmony with the stout’s caramel and roasted malt notes.

About Half Acre Beer Company

Half Acre Beer Company was founded by Gabriel Magliaro in 2006 in Chicago, Illinois, establishing itself as a pioneering force in the city’s craft beer movement. After initially brewing their recipes at an out-of-state facility, the company opened its own brewery on Lincoln Avenue in Chicago’s North Center neighborhood in March 2009, marking a significant milestone in its evolution. The brewery’s commitment to both quality and community quickly garnered recognition, with its tap room being named Chicago’s eighth best bar by Chicago magazine in 2013. Half Acre’s approach extends beyond brewing, demonstrating environmental responsibility by partnering with Northwestern University engineering students to minimize waste and find innovative ways to reduce or reuse brewing byproducts. The company’s growth trajectory led to opening a second, larger brewhouse and pub on Balmoral Avenue in the Bowmanville neighborhood in 2015, eventually consolidating all operations there in 2021. Today, Half Acre produces six year-round beers, three seasonal offerings, and regular special releases, while maintaining strong ties to the local community through sponsorship of Half Acre Cycling since 2007.