On my way home from the Free Press office to my house in St. James, I’ve occasionally turned off Ellice Avenue and headed south down Roseberry Street to scope out whether there has been any visible developments at Half Pints Brewing Co., one of Manitoba’s first craft breweries.
In early 2025, it was announced that Half Pints was for sale, but by May 2026 it seemed no buyers had materialized, and the brewery shut its doors.
Since that time, a sidewalk sandwich board has been propped up inside the brewery doors with a note that said “Closed :(”. But last week the board sported a new, promising message: “Opening soon.”
Then on Oct. 15, things really kicked off. I was perusing the “new arrivals” section of the Liquor Marts website and came across seven different Half Pints products listed as “coming soon.” (As of this writing, the products — all of which were Half Pints staples — were still listed as “coming soon.”)
TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES
A flight of beer inside the tap room at Half Pints Brewery in 2016.
That same day, pinball company Phantom Amusement posted on Instagram that a trio of the company’s machines were back at the brewery, noting that details on Half Pints’ re-opening would be “coming soon.”
Later that afternoon came the bombshell in the form of an Instagram post by the Charleswood Beer Market (6600 Roblin Blvd.) showing a half-dozen Half Pints products that had been delivered and were for sale.
In the interest of, ahem, journalism, I popped into the Charleswood Beer Market that evening and there they were, in the cooler. Half Pints is indeed back.
On the bottom of my can of the Half Pints Little Scrapper IPA, the brew date looks to be mid-August, meaning there was plenty going on behind the brewery doors not visible in passing.
My colleague Aaron Epp has all the details on ownership, who’s brewing the beer and other details.
In an industry that has navigated its share of downturns and hardships, it’s nice to see one of Winnipeg’s original craft brewers returning to store shelves.
More on the local craft beer scene in the shape of events coming down the pipes…
Gimli’s Interlake Brewing Co. (72-A 1 Ave.) presents Forage Festival on Oct. 24, which will feature local beer, cider and mead producers pouring drinks featuring wild ingredients. Participating producers include Oxus Brewing, Brazen Brewing Co., Brat Cat Mead and Devil May Care Brewing Co., among others.
There are two sessions — 4-6 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. — tickets are $52 each and include a sample glass. For more info and to get tickets, click here.
Also happening on Oct. 24 is the annual Beastmas festivities at Sookram’s Brewing Co. (479-B Warsaw Ave.). Beastmas celebrates the release of the brewery’s Star Beast Imperial Stout, a heavy, high-octane dark brew; as per usual, the brewery has made a batch of the original recipe as well as variants, including peanut butter marshmallow, Dubai chocolate, Neapolitan ice cream and the ominous-sounding Mega Star Beast.
The all-day event starts at noon and features pop-up food from Mr. Max’s Deli Cantina starting at 2 p.m. as well as live music. It’s free to attend, with all manner of new and core beers available for purchase.
Also on the spooky side, on Oct. 30, Good Neighbour Brewing Co. (110 Sherbrook St.) transforms into Bad Neighbour for the brewery’s celebration of all things sinister.
The free event features the brewery’s release of a range of imperial stouts and typically features plenty of fun, only slightly scary entertainment and special food offerings. Watch the brewery’s social media for details closer to the date.
On Saturday, Nov. 7, Torque Brewing Co. (830 King Edward St.) celebrates 10 years of beers with special beer releases, music and games throughout the day. Keep an eye on the brewery’s website and social media for details as the date draws near.
Beers of the week
Five new and returning brews, all available at the brewery where they were made as well as at select beer vendors and Liquor Marts.
Section 6 Brewing Co. London Fog Cream Ale (Brandon — $4.29/473ml can)
Medium gold and clear, this cream ale is infused with vanilla and earl grey tea, both of which come through aromatically along with fresh malt and subtle lemon.
It’s medium-bodied and mainly dry, with big bergamot notes coming with secondary vanilla and malt.
Very nice — five per cent alcohol. 3.5/5
Barn Hammer Brewing Co. Unknown Origin Hazy IPA (Winnipeg — $4.79/473ml cans)
A joint brew with Sookram’s made at Barn Hammer (Sookram’s used the same ingredients but made a West Coast IPA at that brewery called First Contact); it’s medium straw and hazy in appearance, with fresh tropical, wheat and grassy aromas.
Mainly dry and light-plus bodied, with grassy, green citrus and tropical flavours with modest bitterness.
A punchy six per cent alcohol. 3.5/5
Half Pints Brewing Co. Oktoberfest Marzen (Winnipeg — $4.49/473ml can)
Medium copper and clear, with fresh malt, bread dough and subtle dried fruit aromas; medium-bodied, dry and robust, rocking plenty of round malty flavours along with hints of baking spice, apple and brown sugar.
A classic style from a classic brewery — 6.2 per cent alcohol. 4/5
Sookram’s Brewing Co. Citadel Belgian Ale (Winnipeg — $4.59/473ml can)
Pale gold and mainly clear, with big spice, dried fruit, fresh malt and slightly earthy aromas.
It’s medium-bodied and dry, brimming with fresh malt, dried apricot, bread dough and spice flavours, with modest bitterness and a warm finish (it’s six per cent alcohol). 4/5
Nonsuch Brewing Co. Sticky Toffee Brown Ale (Winnipeg — $4.50/473ml can)
Medium chestnut and slightly hazy in appearance, this molasses and brown sugar-infused brew shows both components aromatically as well as sweet malt, toasted bread and the toffee.
It’s more of the same on the medium-bodied, off-dry palate, with no real bitterness to speak of and a modest 5.4 per cent alcohol.
Drink with (or as) dessert. 3.5/5
ben.sigurdson@winnipegfreepress.com
Ben Sigurdson
Literary editor, drinks writer
Ben Sigurdson is the Free Press‘s literary editor and drinks writer. He graduated with a master of arts degree in English from the University of Manitoba in 2005, the same year he began writing Uncorked, the weekly Free Press drinks column. He joined the Free Press full time in 2013 as a copy editor before being appointed literary editor in 2014. Read more about Ben.
In addition to providing opinions and analysis on wine and drinks, Ben oversees a team of freelance book reviewers and produces content for the arts and life section, all of which is reviewed by the Free Press’s editing team before being posted online or published in print. It’s part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
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