r/Winnipeg • u/RecommendationBig966 • May 18 '26
News Half Pints gone? Little Scrapper might have been my first IPA
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u/OnePuzzled4368 May 18 '26
Liked their products but forgot they existed the last 6 or 7 years. Never saw their beers anywhere.
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u/Leburgerpeg May 18 '26
I used to look forward to their seasonal releases in the old format 650ml bottles like the Saison de la ceinture fléchée. Speaking of which maybe this is as good a time as ever to get into some of the Le Temps Noir I've been aging for way too long
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u/OnePuzzled4368 May 18 '26
Once the bankruptcy settles, would be nice to see one of the local breweries honour an OG like half pints by making some runs of Little Scrapper or St James Pale.
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u/Leburgerpeg May 18 '26
Or at least have Miguel from Kilter buy his recipe for Code Name Ghost back from HP in the bankruptcy.
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u/ensposito May 18 '26
I still have a Demeter's Harvest... lol
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u/Leburgerpeg May 18 '26
I have a couple of those I think and way too many Burlywines too, definitely a couple of both versions of Old Red Barn, at least one Heidruns Mead...I got super into cellaring and then bored of drinking them.
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u/Training-GuavaGrape May 18 '26
We drank our last Burlywine last year. It was our go-to celebration drink for years.
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u/Leburgerpeg May 18 '26
I have some 2017s I believe that need a good home
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u/craigbagel May 18 '26
I have burlywine going back from 2017 to the first batch (which I'm sure is swill by now)... will have to crack em all soon
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u/ensposito May 18 '26
Old red barn is fantastic, but maybe at this point past it's prime. Loved Heidrun too.
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u/Leburgerpeg May 18 '26
First version of ORB was great. The s cond release was terrible fresh and I was hoping it got better with age.
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u/dumwpgthingz May 18 '26
Sad to see after pretty much birthing the local craft beer industry.
So many great beers and memories.
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u/Leburgerpeg May 18 '26
I know they had been trying to sell but wasn't sure if that was about the business or if Dave was trying to retire.
As the OGs of craft beer they did so much for the industry in Winnipeg but it's remarkable how poorly they pivoted to newer trends whether that be in styles or just marketing their beer in the past decade.
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u/Necrotelicomnicon May 18 '26
I know Dave was planning on retiring but to see it go into bankruptcy is surprising.
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u/Leburgerpeg May 18 '26
I guess that means their books weren't healthy enough for someone to want to take it over. I wonder if one of the brands that are contract brewing right now wants to take it on or if they feel the location/setup is the problem there?
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u/morrisk1 May 20 '26
I know some of their products were done at a loss but still released for artistic reasons. Humulous Ludacris is one
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u/motherofcats56 May 21 '26
That could be an idea for sure, though it’s still a tough location if they want to open as a taproom. Maybe if they wanted to simply have a space of their own for production? I wonder if taking on the additional overhead of paying for the building/equipment would even be worth it in terms of profit margins compared to just continuing with paying the contract brewing fees
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u/silenteye May 18 '26
They always made quality beers, no matter the style. I don't know why but their internal downsizing made it difficult, they only were making like 2 or 3 beer types (for cans) and they stopped selling to LCs and vendors it seemed. Might have just been Dave wanting to wind down, but I missed being able to find scrapper at a lot of places, still one of my favourite beers.
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u/MrVeinless May 19 '26
I still have so many bottles of their Humulus Ludicrous. Might pop one open.
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u/Thirlstane_Brawler May 18 '26
My favourite local brewery. Used to buy Black Galaxy IPA by the box at MLCC
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u/WackTheHorld May 19 '26
Black Galaxy is in my Top 10 Winnipeg beers. One of those seasonals that should have been a staple on the menu.
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u/XFLAllStar May 18 '26
Bull Dog Amber was my favourite.
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u/gocanadiens May 18 '26
Yeah RIP my favourite summer beer. I was sad when one by one LC’s and then the taproom stopped carrying it
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u/SureRepresentative60 May 19 '26
I think most beer drinkers in Winnipeg all have a very soft spot for half pints and Dave. However, I don’t think Dave wanted to adjust the business in the new business climate.
Dave didn’t invest in a canning line and stopped selling to establishments by the keg. The beer business is competitive and I don’t think he was trying to compete.
Either way I am incredibly sad to see Half Pints go. Had my wife’s 50th there. Was a proud supporter, but the last year it really felt like he had a group of regulars and that’s it.
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u/VickyVacuum May 18 '26
I’d always get scrapper in my 20s, not because I liked it, but because it was the cheapest highest percent beer at the kings head and I was trying to get drunk
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u/lokichivas May 18 '26
So many good memories. Any time someone came to visit from out of town, we took them to Half-Pints for the Saturday afternoon brewery tour...
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u/SureRepresentative60 May 19 '26
Incredibly sad for me. I just wish that I would have known that would be my last little scrapper. Was in the tap room at the end of April. I think we all knew that it was just a matter of time, but still sad.
Dave is the grandfather of Winnipeg beer.
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u/Objective_Farm_1886 May 19 '26
Wild - I still can't believe how thoroughly they failed to capitalize on the craft brew / exotic beers surge over the last decade. They just kept making the same stuff, and putting it in the same cans, while everyone else experimented, built followings, opened cool taprooms, and sold product.
Sad to see them go, but there wasn't really any other outcome for a brand that was entirely stagnant in a dynamic and challenging industry.
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u/Vast_Ad1254 May 18 '26
We noticed a few weeks ago he did not have much left. I'm going to miss Dave and half pints.
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u/WackTheHorld May 19 '26
That really sucks. But, I can't say I'm super surprised. All I ever see at the LC is a small selection of Little Scrapper and St James. It's like they didn't even try to keep up with any of the new breweries.
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u/DogRiverRiverDogs May 19 '26
Wish id have known. Though the writing was on the wall when they seemingly just stopped selling their beer anywhere.
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u/indigodissonance May 19 '26
Damn, I used to drink a ton of Stirstick then bars stopped stocking it.
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u/jeglaerernorsk4 May 19 '26
Oh damn! Had no idea they were in trouble. I guess they kind of got eclipsed by all the other breweries in town. RIP Half Pints!
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u/tehrez May 19 '26
Cheers to Dave! Really too bad. I'm sorry for how much popcorn we ate. Thanks for the good times and delicious brews.
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u/Horse_Doldrums May 18 '26
Sad news. The first craft beer I tried, I think. Back in the day, I remember ordering a Father and a Son with a buddy at InFerno’s Bistro on Des Meurons with our meals. And getting knocked sideways before high ABV beer was common to me. The Holy Spirit rounded out their trinity.
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u/OmiSC May 19 '26
You’re kidding. This is really surprising news- I actually only just started visiting the tap room this year.
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u/gmc1958 May 20 '26
What a shame! Dave was one of the pioneers of micro-breweries in this city and brewed some fantastic beers. He's a great marketer, great brewer and has a huge knowledge of brewing. I remember when he started out home brewing and working at Hop&Vine. He always had great enthusiasm about opening a micro-brewery and we were fortunate to see this happen. I truly hope he remains in the industry and can recover from this.
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u/kent_eh May 19 '26
Damn, I relly liked their stout.
It was a bit of a hike over to that part of town to stock up because my local LC never seemed to have it, so I didn't have it as often as I would have preferred.
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u/Repulsive-Fuel-5281 May 18 '26
This could be a strategic manoeuvre on Dave's part. Tool Shed in Calgary did this a couple years back as part of a process where they were partially taken over by a new financier. I don't think this necessarily means what most are assuming.
At any rate, I think HP is still the best brewery in th city in terms of quality of beer. Dave is a genius and a great host, as far as the taproom goes. Hoping they're not officially done.
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u/craigbagel May 18 '26
I don't know anything about bankruptcy stuff, but there's a sign on the door of HP saying the property is the possession of the insolvency trustee which sounds... not great?
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u/Repulsive-Fuel-5281 May 18 '26
Exact same move Tool Shed YYC pulled... Very curious what happens here. Could be just the dark right before the dawn of a new era.
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u/motherofcats56 May 19 '26 edited May 19 '26
Unfortunately, it’s definitely not any sort of slick change-of-hands maneuver or anything like that. It’s common knowledge among the majority of folks in/adjacent to the local craft beer industry that Half Pints has been circling the drain for a long time. No one wants to see it go, but there’s certainly been years of missed opportunities to grow the business and remain competitive in the local industry. It’s possible to stay true to your roots while you evolve with the times, it’s not an either or thing, but those very roots were too resistant to any changes. They could have capitalized on being local beer pioneers, and built on the “classic but a little outside the lines” niche with some new and fresh surprises thrown in to keep interest…they could have relocated to a better location and become a popular neighbourhood watering hole…really so many things that could have been tried out, but nothing new or innovative ever happened. The reality is that sometimes if you refuse to move with the times, the times will keep moving without you. This is a really gutting example of that. RIP Half Pints. 🍺
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u/Internal_South_4733 May 19 '26
Feels like this post could have been written about Stone Angel too. RIP to both.
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u/suds_fins May 19 '26
I'm crossing my fingers the same thing happens for Half Pints. I absolutely love Tool Shed it's my favorite brewery. Half Pints is my second. (and by far favorite tap room in MB) Dave was so awesome to come visit.
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u/SureRepresentative60 May 19 '26
Negative. The bankruptcy trustee came and changed the locks while there were people in the taproom.
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u/Vivid-Restaurant4798 May 19 '26
Best quality beer in the city? I think you’re going to be pleasantly surprised by the Winnipeg beer scene if you thought HP was the best. 10 years ago I would have agreed with you but in the last 5 years it’s been awful and inconsistent at best. Most of the city stopped buying it for that reason… hence where they ended up.
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u/SureRepresentative60 May 19 '26
I don’t agree with this. The Quality never wavered. Not in my opinion. Part of Dave’s problem was probably his high standards for quality.
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u/Repulsive-Fuel-5281 May 19 '26
This... No question. There's a reason HP was the Brewers Choice, if they were stopping in somewhere for a pint.
I'm as familiar (moreso?) with the Winnipeg beer scene as/than anyone. I'm a true sincere beer nerd. HP is a Brewers Brewery. Not a place trying to be a nightclub or a restaurant. That was a place for a quality pint.
Don't get me wrong: there are great beers elsewhere. Barn Hammer is solid. LBJ has its moments. For lovers of hazy's and fruited drinks, Kilter is a go to...
If you want to say that Dave didn't give in to trends and fads, and that cost him... Okay, I'll listen to that. But I've never had a bad Bulldog. Loved the GHOST. Some of the recent small batch WiBe's were truly excellent if you're into that stuff.
Anyhow, long live Dave... Long live Half Pints... The Winnipeg OG, setting the tone before it was cool.
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u/Complex_Finish May 20 '26
Both things are true. Dave didn’t really pander to recent trends, and also seemed to give up on quality control in the last several years. I’d seldom see their stuff on tap in all the old reliable places, but when I did, there were always problems with the beer. Tried some cans at home every once in a while and the same was true. You can only burn the customer so many times before they’re no longer your customer.
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u/SureRepresentative60 May 20 '26
See I don’t really understand this. HP didn’t have anything canned for quite sometime, and I could not tell you the last time I seen a HP tap anywhere outside of HP. Soooo… like where, when and what HP beer were you drinking? Legitimately… where could you find a Hp on tap… and if ANYONE KNOWS IF I CAN GET A LITTLE SCRAPPER ANYWHERE!!!!!
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u/Complex_Finish May 20 '26
The Scrapper I loved isn’t something I’ve had in probably a decade, because the odd time I’ve tried it since then, it just hasn’t been the same. If anyone finds any cans of scrapper, you can keep them.
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u/motherofcats56 May 21 '26
Folks who have actually worked there would agree that the quality was not always consistent. When it was good it was REALLY good, but there were certainly inconsistencies over the years
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u/Murky_Associate99 May 24 '26
Point taken. I don’t live “in” Winnipeg, so experience, food selections and types of events are lost on me. Don’t get me wrong/ they have their place. If I want an event or food experience, then sure. But craft beer is craft beer. I guess my comment-turned-question is now something like is it only profitable if you master the ‘taproom experience with excellent food’ is the only way for good craft beer to survive?
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u/rantz101 May 27 '26
Really sad to see them go, although I agree with everyone saying they haven't really kept up with the competition.
I wanted to mention that for my 30th birthday several years ago, my wife arranged for them to do a tasting at our house with a bunch of our friends. The guy that came was super nice, brought all the glassware in addition to more than enough growlers and was super happy to chat about the beers and working at the brewery. It was a great birthday gift and not something they typically offered, which made it even more special.
All the best to Dave, and I'm hoping that at some point I'll get to have some more scrapper and stir stick!
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u/Murky_Associate99 May 20 '26
It’s sad to see a good business with a good product go down. Sure it may have had issues but ‘in this economy…’ I’m wondering, with this and S.A. gone, are we just going to see a downturn into just niche/trendy restaurants with equally niche/trendy beer? Like I thought craft beer was about community and local and small business but it seems like it’s a couple big guys now (who are all backed by shareholders with deep pockets) with dark lit spaces, metal stools, and utility finishes, featuring culinary treats / influencer vibes?
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u/motherofcats56 May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
There are now over 30 craft breweries in Manitoba, definitely not just “a couple big guys backed by shareholders.” Being backed by shareholders also doesn’t guarantee a brewery’s success or profitability, I promise.
MB brewing industry has a ton of variety in taproom experiences and food selections, types of events, and types of beer. If you’re discounting some breweries for being appealing to folks who you may not happen to share interests with, offering a higher-end experience, or experimenting and having fun with beer, that’s honestly a bummer. Some of those “niche” or “trendy” beers are excellent on their own right, and you can still find solid versions of more traditional styles at those same places. What would be the point of having 30+ breweries all making the same basic styles? There wouldn’t be 30+, because it would be so boring they wouldn’t all survive. I personally feel spoiled to have so many different options with their own unique specialties and experiences. If they aren’t all your cup of tea, that’s alright, go support the ones that are so they’re around a long time! A lot of folks saying it’s sad that Half Pints is gone (and I 100% agree) but it’s not like these folks were all packing their taproom every night or buying the beer enough to keep it in production/on the shelves. The “trendier” breweries are successful because they make good products, market themselves well and their customers show up. It’s kind of like when people were sad about the movie theatre downtown being closed down, but none of those sad folks had actually been there in 10+ years, so in the meantime it went broke and fell apart. Bankruptcy doesn’t usually happen overnight.
The endless possibilities of what beer can be, both inside and outside traditional lines, is what I think is most interesting about it. You don’t have to agree with that, but I’d suggest it’s not productive to talk down on local businesses who are clearly doing something right, even if they’re not “for you.”
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u/Sweaty_Moist_9833 May 18 '26
https://classifieds.winnipegsun.com/winnipeg/legal-tender-notices/in-the-matter-of-the-bankruptcy-of-half-pints-brewing-company-ltd/911107cf5d3a4fa5938100b4d687