Half Acre — Double Barrel Generational

Technical Details

Tasting Profile

The nose opens with intense bourbon-soaked oak, dark roasted coffee, and waves of bittersweet chocolate, underscored by vanilla and toasted coconut. On the palate, this imperial stout reveals extraordinary depth: rich molasses and burnt caramel intertwine with espresso bitterness, while the double barrel aging imparts layers of charred oak, warming bourbon heat, and subtle tobacco leaf. The finish is luxuriously long and viscous, with lingering dark chocolate, coffee grounds, and a gentle coconut sweetness that balances the 16.3% alcohol remarkably well.

Food Pairing

Pair with a decadent chocolate torte featuring salted caramel and toasted pecans, where the beer’s bourbon barrel complexity amplifies the dessert’s richness. Alternatively, serve alongside aged Gouda or smoked cheddar, allowing the cheese’s crystalline texture and nutty depth to complement the stout’s roasted malt character and oaky vanilla 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.