Tap Handle #771: Half Day Brewing

February 07, 2021

Tap Handle #771: Half Day Brewing

Tap Size: 11.25"

Rarity: less than 10 seen

Mounting: 3/8" ferrule on 5/16" anchor bolt

Many thanks go out to the fine people at Half Day Brewing for selling me one of their taps for entry into the Museum. The brewery's name comes from a town which in turn got its name from a Native American, which you can read about below. One of the things I love about this tap is the totem pole styling. At the top is the name of the brewery; underneath that is the profile of a Native American; then a space for a label (I'll be profiling their Coffee Infused Iron Horse Porter); and finally a couple of Native American spirits. All these features are sculpted in bas relief style. The front and back are identical to each other, so I have reduced the number of photos taken. A couple of these have popped up on the secondary market recently, for fairly affordable prices. The tap has lots of corners and edges, so it's likely that used taps will experience some wear in these areas.

The Half Day Brewing name finds its origins in local Native American history. Chief Atakisic (Aphis), of the Potawatomie tribe, was a Native American leader of great standing in the area in the early 1800’s. The Chief was instrumental in negotiating the Treaty of Chicago in 1833. In 1832, during the Black Hawk War Aptakisic had protected the settlers in Downer’s Grove from an impending attack. The name Aptakisic, also spelled Optageshic or Aptegizhek – translated means "center of sky", "sun at its meridian", or "half day". Chief Aptakisic eventually became known as "Half Day" among the nearby settlements. The protection he provided made him well-respected, so much so that the town of Half Day was named after him, and Lincolnshire (where the brewery is located) was founded on part of the land known as unincorporated Half Day.

Click through to read more about Half Day Brewing, their Cloud Cover New England IPA, and to see more photos of this tap of great standing...

Half Day Brewing Company was founded in Lincolnshire, Illinois in 2016 by Mark Zych and Scott Ward. The two men co-owned Tap House Management Group, a restaurant chain. But rather than creating their eighth tap house, they decided to go in a different direction. When a 14,500 square foot site that once housed Flatlander's Restaurant and Brewery became available, the partners obtained the building in order to open their own brewery. Rather than just do minimal work and open the doors, they installed a brick-built pizza oven and put serious effort into making improvements to the interior, which took them over 4 months to complete. The revised space included a large island bar, wood tables, flat screen TVs, and garage doors that opened to a seasonal patio. The main dining room was styled after a lodge, with a massive stone fireplace and comfortable booth and table seating. Zych and Ward also installed a smaller martini/wine bar along with additional seating for private parties and overflow of the main dining area. The delivery system they installed for their beers routes them directly to their taps at the bars, bypassing keg storage, and their 460-gallon, steam-powered system includes 3 fermenting tanks.

The brewery currently has 30 beers on tap. In addition to standard microbrew styles like stouts and IPAs, Half Day also produces 8 different hard seltzers, barrel-aged brews (with coffee, peanut butter, and s'mores versions), sours, a Horchata white stout, and even a milkshake IPA. There are also varieties in cans and bottles, guest beers on tap, and bottled macros. The food menu includes chicken wings, burgers, salads and sandwiches, roasted half chicken, rib-eye, and appetizers. The brewery has family meals to go, as well as custom meals for special occasions, such as their Valentine's Day dinner to go, Superbowl Party Pack, and Fat Tuesday featuring Cajun food in celebration of Mardi Gras. Half Day is able to host events and parties for up to 400 people.

Half Day's Coffee Infused Iron Horse Porter is a team-up with some friends that are located near the brewery. Newport Coffee House in Bannockburn helps to infuse this porter with a hefty dose of fresh roasted beans. The toasted caramel sweetness of this porter blends harmoniously with these Mexican beans. This beer showcases a toasted malty flavor profile. Caramel notes shine within the taste as a moderate bitterness pushes through. Nutty and chocolate notes continue through the finish. Warming esters follow along the ride through this delicious porter.