Craft beer cafe soon to open in OTR

Childhood friends and founders of the Pedal Wagon, Jack Heekin and Tom O’Brian, will soon open the doors to their newest venture, HalfCut. The craft beer café will carry pints, flights and growlers of fresh beer or six-packs to go.
 
The idea for HalfCut came from Heekin’s father, a beer lover and Cincinnati history enthusiast. He told them about the resurgence of growlers in different parts of the country, and they thought it would be a good avenue with which to join the craft beer movement in Cincinnati.
 
“Half cut” is a slang term from the 1920s that means "the perfect state of mind."
 
“We feel like HalfCut will occupy a unique niche in OTR,” Heekin says. “There’s nowhere else like this neighborhood in Cincinnati, and there’s so much development going on. We love what’s happening and are excited to be part of it.”
 
In December 2012, Heekin and O’Brian took a cross-country road trip to refine their craft beer bar idea. HalfCut will serve craft beer from across the country, but with a heavy local influence.
 
HalfCut is housed in the 130-year-old Gobrecht building at 1128 Walnut St. The 800-square-foot space will be very low-key, much like a coffee shop. It will also offer a to-go window for customers who pass by on the street.
 
“Before you make your decision, you can sample different beers,” Heekin says. “We want to bring a unique experience that focuses on beer. No matter what level of beer you’re at—whether you don’t like beer, drink Bud Light or love craft beer—you’ll feel welcome at HalfCut.”
 
All of the tap handles will be the same, so customers are making their selections based on taste rather than handle design, he says.
 
In addition to beer, HalfCut will serve light snacks like pretzels and possibly meat and cheese platters. There will also be beer pairings with Gomez Salsa, which is a restaurant that is coming soon to the area.
 
Heekin and O’Brian hope to have HalfCut up and running by the end of January. They used the crowdsourcing site indiegogo to raise funds for their venture.
 
By Caitlin Koenig
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