For those looking for a new, delicious drink to kick off the year, consider WayBird, Half Acre Beer Company’s newest Hazy India Pale Ale (IPA).
“It's really a nice mix of being hop-forward but juicy with a soft mouthfeel and finishing dry if you want to drink a little bit more,” said Andy Kepshire, Half Acre Beer Company Indiana/Illinois market manager.
The drink is set to hit shelves in February, making it the final puzzle piece Half Acre has been looking for to complete the company’s line of delicious beers everyone is sure to enjoy.
“We felt like this was just something that was missing from our year-round lineup,” said Kepshire. “We will be kicking that off in February, and we should see that in a lot of stores and around the country. This is a big priority for us with the new year, and we think it's got a really strong chance in this market.”
Half Acre, with its headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, was founded on a strong sense of community. Similar to a local watering hole or craft brewer as Kepshire noted, Half Acre hopes to bring people together for a refreshing drink with some friendly company.
“That's really what we wanted to be and what inspired the making of this beer,” Kepshire said.
Its Daisy Cutter Pale Ale is one of its main staples - the drink has been a well-loved product for around 13 years and is available in a four pack and a 19.2 ounce single serve. As a very pale ale and IPA-forward company, Half Acre’s inventory also consists of the Bodem IPA, a well-balanced drink with a juicy and tropical kick. Its Tome Hazy Pale Ale is another well-known favorite for its strong citrus taste.
Half Acre also offers many seasonal beers worth toasting to in addition to its year-round drinks.
“We've got just an incredible growing seasonal program,” Kepshire said. “Our seasonal program does tend to lean towards hop-forward beers. Three of our four seasonals in 2023 will be hop-forward, and that really just encapsulates what we do well. We make clean, hoppy beer, and it's really tasty.”
Another main staple is the artwork. Half Acre’s cans are easily recognizable thanks to its one-of-a-kind designs, giving it that flavorful pop even before you take the first sip.
“Our owner, who is one of the founders, also has a very strong art background, so the art is very important in our product,” Kepshire said. “What you see on the can, artwork, and labels is what you see us put out into the world. We want something that is really going to represent how we feel about the beer as opposed to something that's designed for a specific purpose of the show.”
To quench that longing thirst for one of these delicious beers, Indiana Beverage is just the place to go. The distributor has been partnered with Half Acre for almost two years, though Kepshire had already been familiar with the company in years prior as well. Over time, Kepshire and the Half Acre team have been thoroughly impressed all around with Indiana Beverage and are excited to build upon that relationship as the partnership continues in years to come.
“They’ve just been incredible,” Kepshire said. “I've been working alongside that group for six years now on the supplier side. They’re incredibly professional; the communication is great. They’re such a friendly team, and they're so easy to work with. A lot of the success we have is really due to their diligence and market and really strong values. We couldn't ask for better.”
With the help of Indiana Beverage, Kepshire noted Half Acre is excited to expand its market even further into the Northwest Indiana region, so grabbing a can of any of its beers will be easier than ever in 2023.
For more information on Half Acre Beer Company, visit halfacrebeer.com, and for more information on Indiana Beverage, visit indianabev.com.
