Half Acre Beer
Corporate brand
UnclaimedHalf Acre Beer is a Chicago brewery known for year-round lagers and ales, seasonal releases, and taproom-focused small-batch beer.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Half Acre Beer Company is a Chicago, Illinois brewery founded by Gabriel Magliaro in 2006. The company developed its recipes in Chicago but initially contracted production to Sand Creek Brewing Company in Black River Falls, Wisconsin. Its first beer, Half Acre Lager, debuted in August 2007 and established the brewery's early identity around straightforward lager brewing using water, yeast, German malt, and Saaz hops. Half Acre began brewing at its own facility on Lincoln Avenue in Chicago's North Center neighborhood in March 2009. As the brewery became more established, it expanded beyond packaged beer into hospitality. A taproom next to the Lincoln Avenue brewhouse opened in 2012, and Chicago magazine's 2013 annual poll placed the taproom eighth among the city's best bars. In January 2016, the Lincoln Avenue location added a kitchen, turning the site into a full-service brewpub. The company opened a second, larger brewhouse and pub on Balmoral Avenue in Chicago's Bowmanville neighborhood in 2015. The Balmoral site expanded Half Acre's brewing capacity and provided another taproom and food-service venue. In 2021, the company consolidated brewing and hospitality operations at Balmoral Avenue and closed the Lincoln Avenue facility. Half Acre's portfolio includes six year-round beers, three seasonal beers, monthly special releases, and small batches made for its taproom and beer garden. Its products have included lagers and American-style India pale ales, with the IPA originally called Heyoka receiving a silver medal at the Great American Beer Festival in October 2014. The beer was renamed Senita in January 2015 after objections from members of the American Indian Movement concerning the commercial use of the term Heyoka. It was renamed again as Gone Away in June 2015 after another brewery raised a naming-conflict concern. The brewery has also maintained ties to Chicago's cycling culture. Since 2007, it has sponsored the local Half Acre Cycling club. In addition, Half Acre worked with engineering students from Northwestern University on ways to reduce or reuse brewing byproducts, reflecting an effort to address waste generated by brewing operations. The company is best understood as a locally rooted Chicago craft brewery whose brand combines packaged beer, taproom service, food, seasonal experimentation, and community-oriented activities.
History
Half Acre Beer Company was established in Chicago in 2006 by Gabriel Magliaro. The company initially operated without its own brewing plant: its recipes were created in Chicago and production was contracted to Sand Creek Brewing Company in Black River Falls, Wisconsin. Half Acre Lager, the company's first beer, was released in August 2007. The brewery moved into in-house production in March 2009, when it began brewing at a Lincoln Avenue facility in Chicago's North Center neighborhood. This gave the company greater control over production and supported the development of a broader beer portfolio. Half Acre also became associated with local cycling through its sponsorship of Half Acre Cycling, a Chicago bicycle club, which it has supported since 2007. The Lincoln Avenue site expanded into a customer-facing venue. A taproom opened beside the brewhouse in 2012, and the venue received recognition in Chicago magazine's 2013 annual bar poll, which ranked it eighth in the city. In January 2016, a kitchen was added, making the location a full-service brewpub rather than a beer-serving taproom alone. Expansion continued with the opening of a larger brewhouse and pub on Balmoral Avenue in Chicago's Bowmanville neighborhood in 2015. The second location increased the brewery's production and hospitality footprint. In 2021, Half Acre consolidated its operations at Balmoral Avenue and closed the Lincoln Avenue facility. The company's beer program has included six beers brewed throughout the year, three seasonal beers, monthly special releases, and small-batch beers made for the taproom and beer garden. Half Acre Lager has been described by Magliaro as relying on water, yeast, German malt, and Saaz hops. The brewery has also produced American-style India pale ales. One such beer, initially named Heyoka, won a silver medal at the Great American Beer Festival in October 2014. Its name was changed to Senita in January 2015 following objections from members of the American Indian Movement. The beer was renamed Gone Away in June of the same year after another brewery disputed the similarity between Senita and one of its own beer names. Beyond brewing and hospitality, Half Acre has explored waste reduction. The company challenged engineering students from Northwestern University to identify practical ways to reduce or reuse brewing byproducts. This work, together with the cycling sponsorship and Chicago-based taproom model, illustrates the brewery's emphasis on local participation alongside beer production.
- 2021
Operations consolidated
[1]The company closed the Lincoln Avenue facility and consolidated operations at Balmoral Avenue.
- 2015
Balmoral Avenue expansion
[1]Half Acre opened a larger brewhouse and pub on Balmoral Avenue.
- 2012
Lincoln Avenue taproom opens
[1]A taproom opened adjacent to the Lincoln Avenue brewhouse.
- 2009
In-house production begins
[1]Half Acre began brewing at its own Lincoln Avenue facility in Chicago.
- 2007
First beer released
[1]Half Acre Lager debuted in August, initially produced through contract brewing.
- 2006
Company founded
[1]Gabriel Magliaro founded Half Acre Beer Company in Chicago.
Products and positioning
A Chicago-based craft brewery combining accessible year-round beer with seasonal and small-batch experimentation, taproom hospitality, and local community engagement.
Lager · 2007
Half Acre Lager
Half Acre's first beer, released in August 2007. The lager is associated with a simple ingredient profile of water, yeast, German malt, and Saaz hops, and became one of the brewery's foundational year-round offerings.
American-style India pale ale
Gone Away
An American-style IPA that was first released under the name Heyoka. After receiving a Great American Beer Festival silver medal in 2014, it was renamed Senita and then Gone Away in 2015 following separate objections concerning the beer's name.
Beer portfolio
Year-round beer portfolio
Half Acre's regular range has been described as comprising six year-round beers. The portfolio is supplemented by seasonal beers, monthly special releases, and small batches produced for the taproom and beer garden.
Marketing campaigns
- 2007Half Acre Cycling sponsorship
Chicago
Half Acre began sponsoring the local Half Acre Cycling club, linking the brewery to Chicago's cycling community.
Outcome. The sponsorship has continued to be associated with the company since 2007.
- Brewing byproduct reduction challenge
Chicago
Half Acre challenged engineering students from Northwestern University to investigate ways to reduce or reuse byproducts generated by brewing.
Outcome. The available reference identifies the challenge but does not report a specific implemented solution or measured result.
Brand decisions
2021
Consolidate operations at Balmoral AvenueStrategyBackground
Half Acre had operated both the Lincoln Avenue and Balmoral Avenue facilities after opening the larger Balmoral site in 2015.
Action taken
The company closed the Lincoln Avenue facility and consolidated operations at Balmoral Avenue.
Aftermath
Balmoral Avenue became the company's consolidated brewing and hospitality location.
2015
Rename Heyoka to SenitaOtherBackground
Members of the American Indian Movement objected to the use of the term Heyoka as a commercial beer name.
Action taken
Half Acre changed the beer's name to Senita in January 2015.
Aftermath
The beer was renamed again as Gone Away later in 2015 after a separate brewery raised a naming-conflict concern.
2015
Rename Senita to Gone AwayOtherBackground
Another brewery claimed that the name Senita was too close to the name of one of its beers.
Action taken
Half Acre changed the beer's name to Gone Away in June 2015.
Aftermath
Gone Away became the later name associated with the beer formerly known as Heyoka and Senita.
Sources2 sources
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