If you’re a beer aficionado and you live in Chicago, you’ve no doubt had a beer from Half Acre or Maplewood during one night out or another.
Well now the two Chicago brewery kings are merging to create the Windy City’s premier beer conglomerate.
Here’s everything we know so far.
Half Acre Beer Co and Maplewood join forces
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Half Acre and Maplewood announced the merger in a joint Instagram post shared Tuesday, writing “It’s with excitement that we announce Maplewood Brewery & Distillery and Half Acre Beer Co will join together to create a premier Chicago beverage company.”
“We combine as individually strong, complementary businesses that share similar visions for the future of our industry and city…We expect the deal to close in the coming weeks, but wanted to share the news as we ramp up! Here we go.”
The news comes amid major changes to the Chicago brewery landscape, which has been hit hard in previous years due to pandemic-era disruptions and an overall decline in drinking among Gen Z.
Despite these changes, Half Acre and Maplewood remain favorite craft breweries among locals.
Half Acre is perhaps best known for its signature pale ales including Daisy Cutter, Waybird, and Bodem. Maplewood also serves up an eclectic mix of hoppy ales like its signature Son of Juice brew and Juice Pants hazy IPA.
Together, Chicagoans can expect a combined lineup of ultra-hoppy craft beers, and hopefully some new creations down the line.
Check back here for more updates as the story evolves.