Visiting Wisconsin - What beers to try?

Yakima 728
Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
A

Atvar

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2010
Messages
120
Reaction score
4
Location
Southwestern PA
I'm here in southwestern WI(Dodgeville) for a bit over a week and looking for ideas on what beers to try while here. Coming from PA, the selection and make your own 6pack deals are $&#@* incredible! Things I've purchased so far:

Grumpy Troll Brewery - tried the sampler tray
New Glarus - working through as much of their lineup as I can. Are the 750ml Belgian red and raspberry tart worth shelling the $$ to try? Is it worth going to the brewery for the self guided tour?
tommyknocker - butt head bock
yellowtone valley - black widow oatmeal stout
avery - out of bounds stout
st. croix - maple ale
estes park - porter
estes park - longs peak raspberry wheat
scuttlebutt - hoptopia iipa
scuttlebutt - tripel 7 belgian ale
sand creek - cranberry special ale
tommyknocker - imperial nut brown ale
sand creek - oscar's chocolate oatmeal stout
scuttlebutt brewing company - gale force IPA
mendocino - blue heron pale ale

The biggest thing I haven't been able to find yet is a pumpkin ale, something I've never tasted.

Gorst Valley Hops is nearby, but IDK if there's much point going out if I'm not going to buy anything.

Is there anything major that I'm overlooking?
 
Sprecher has some decent offerings (they also have some terrible beer), but if you are into schwarzbiers, Black Bavarian is one of the best. Tyranena also has some solid offerings.
 
Did you drive or fly? If you drove make sure you stop in Munster IN on your way back.. 3Floyds Brewpub is where its at...

I like Tommy Knocker Pick Axe...

If Leinenkuegle (sp) is near might be a good stop. They make a large amount of beer most are only available at their Leine Lodges... In Chippewa Falls and is close to SW Wisconsin
 
Going to see the brewery at NG is well worth it. The Raspberry tart is interesting, but sweet for my tastes. My girlfriend absolutely loves it though and I drink it occasionally. Also, big +1 to 3Floyds.
 
New Glarus Staghorn
Yes to the Belgian Red
Central Waters Stout
Ale Asylum has some good beer. Hopalicious and the Ambergeddon are decent. Their Satisfaction Jackson double IPA is out now, but I have not tried it yet.
Stay away from Leinenkugels.

Gorst Valley Hops sells their hops to homebrewers at Brew and Grow in Madison.

If you make it into Madison, the Great Dane has decent beer. But don't make a trip to Madison just for this.
 
I also agree with jcdouglas on Great Dane. In that I love the place but it's not worth its own trip. Although if you do come up though there are a few good bars/brewpubs.
 
@jcdouglas- Im curious as to why to stay away from Leine? I don't like alot of their "distributed" beers but when I visited their Leine Lodge they had quite a few unique beers on tap that were good and the food was great. I see you live in Wis so maybe you can give me some info I don't know about. The Leine Lodge I went to was about 5-6 years ago in Merriville Indiana.

Thanks,
J
 
I flew out, so anything I might want to take back needs to go in my carry-on bag. That rules out hops and glassware, though I could leave things here at my sister's and eventually have them driven to PA.

Never had a schwarzbier, that's something I'll have to look out for especially.
 
I do not enjoy Leine's year round and seasonal beers. They may have good limited release beers, but I have not tried them, nor have I seen them in stores. I've noticed their quality has decreased in the last 10 years, while their prices are on par with other microbrews in the area. This is just my opinion, I have friends who like BMC who also like to drink Leine's.

Maybe they have a limited release beer that's tasty?
 
jcdouglas said:
I have friends who like BMC who also like to drink Leine's.
Click to expand...

I'm assuming that was meant to be a insult to Leine? I have friends who like BMC but also like to drink 3Floyds...does that mean 3Floyds and Leine are equals? :cross:

Regardless...If I had a chance to visit the brewery (ever been there?) I would. Especially if I was in close proximity to it. Good luck and Cheers!
 
there is no tour at NB the brewery is just open to the public with nice windows and hallways. So you basically give yourself the tour and there is a person on hand to answer questions. The tasting room is pretty nice and so is the gift shop.

I would suggest finding Rush River brewing. They make a pretty good IIPA. They're in river falls which is on the west side of WI but maybe you could find a bottle or two somewhere else.
 
The only beer that I ever recall having from Wisconsin is the new glarus spotted cow but man it sure was delicious!!!
 
Jayman931 said:
@jcdouglas- Im curious as to why to stay away from Leine? I don't like alot of their "distributed" beers but when I visited their Leine Lodge they had quite a few unique beers on tap that were good and the food was great. I see you live in Wis so maybe you can give me some info I don't know about. The Leine Lodge I went to was about 5-6 years ago in Merriville Indiana.

Thanks,
J
Click to expand...

Leine's is your typical Macrobrewery owned by MillerCoors. Nothing special there- even their "ales" are lagers!

But there are many many fabulous breweries in Wisconsin, depending on where you are. In Green Bay, there is Titletown Brewing company, and Hinterland. In Milwaukee, Lakefront Brewery is my favorite. In Madison, try Vintage Brewing Company. I love Sprecher's "sister" brewery, Chameleon Brewing Company and highly recommend their IPA!

Tryanea is great. Central Waters is pretty bad. New Glarus is worth a stop, but I'm not a fan of Belgian Red OR Raspberry Tart. I love their Moonman APA, and most of their other beers.
 
Lakefront brewery makes great stuff. they have a pumpkin lager. Central Waters Mudpuppy porter is a fantastic porter

Try Furthermore's Knock Stock. It's a pale ale brewed with black pepper.

Sprecher, Ale Asylum, and Tyrannea (sp?) are all fantastic beers that you should be able to get at any WI grocery store.

Leine's is forgettable.
 
Tinga said:
there is no tour at NB the brewery is just open to the public with nice windows and hallways. So you basically give yourself the tour and there is a person on hand to answer questions. The tasting room is pretty nice and so is the gift shop.
Click to expand...

Exactly...my wife and I were there just today after a weekend motorbike trip...
Well worth the visit...
 
New Glarus Staghorn (their oktoberfest) is one of my favorite beers from them. That and Fat Squirrel.
 
How about oso brewing in Stevens Point. Awesome beers might even have a pumpkin. Would be worth the drive. Can also find it all over the state. Might not find special releases in stores.
 
dave1984 said:
New Glaurus moon man and black top are 2 of my favs and spotted cow is worth a try.
Click to expand...

These are 2 of my offerings. The spotted cow is so-so, too much hype for this beer. Drink some of Oso's beers, the porter (nightrain) is nice! If you get to a Woodman's look for Milwaukee Brewing's Saision. If the bottle version is half as good as what I had at the brewery your in for a treat.

I'm not sure if they offer anything from the Bruery in Pittsburgh yet, if they don't thy just about anything from them. Good beers from Cali!

Rasberry tart is worth a try, it is nice, sprecher may be overrated, although, their Black Bavarian is delicious.

I'm in favor of most of the offerings from Lakefront always a decent go to!

There are a ton of beers here. If you can make it to the Woodman's on the West side of Madison they have a huge Wisconsin beer selection.

Where you from in Western PA, I was born and raised in the city?
 
Yooper said:
Central Waters is pretty bad.
Click to expand...

WHOA@@@!!! Yoop. You are drinking the wrong stuff. You HAVE to try there wood aged stuff. They make some of the best wood aged beers in the world IMO. You seriously should try to get your hands on any wood aged stuff by them you can. Better bottle shops should carry some things. Typically, they have a stout and a barley wine available. If you can find any of the cherry wood aged stuff (usually stout but sometimes other stuff) pick that too. That is definitely some of the best beer produced in WI.

For everyday consumption type beers, no one beats New Glarus. They are just a really good brewery. The large format stuff is really great.

Other things of note IMO are the Brewers Gone Wild beers from Tyranena, most of the stuff by Ale Asylum out of Madison, Autumnal Fire by Capital (really their whole portfolio is great too, but Autumnal is their best beer by far, it is one of the best dopplebocks I have ever had, and I have drank heartily at Cloister Andechs just outside Munich...).

Also, if you really want to sample what WI has to offer, you would be missing out if you didn't pick up some Lacrosse, Hamms, Point Special, or some other very cheap Am. Lager and pound it down while outside somewhere. That is by far the most WI beer of all and I am damn proud to say so.

If you are looking for brewpubs, hit up Hinterland in MKE or GreenBay. Their Luna Stout on Nitro is pretty awesome and their food is world class. The gastropub menu is nice creative and cheap. I love the wheat based beers from Waterstreet, particularly the traditional german weiss and the raspberry weiss (possibly my favorite raspberry wheat). The Milwaukee Ale house is all around solid and a great venue.

If you are in Milwaukee, Lakefront's tour is still a great experience albeit rather busy nowadays.

.02
 
Well, it's all really subjective of course, but I like Tyranena's Bourbon Barrel Brown. Capital Brewery in Middleton has some decent beer too, although it can be hit or miss. A couple of people mentioned New Glarus Staghorn, but just to be another data point - I can't stand the stuff (it tastes like a tootsie roll to me). All in all, I gotta say though, there is a lot of good beer in Wisconsin! Next weekend I'm going to Quivey's beer fest - always a good time. :tank:
 
skelrad said:
Well, it's all really subjective of course, but I like Tyranena's Bourbon Barrel Brown. Capital Brewery in Middleton has some decent beer too, although it can be hit or miss. A couple of people mentioned New Glarus Staghorn, but just to be another data point - I can't stand the stuff (it tastes like a tootsie roll to me). All in all, I gotta say though, there is a lot of good beer in Wisconsin! Next weekend I'm going to Quivey's beer fest - always a good time. :tank:
Click to expand...

Finally someone has mentioned Capital. I'm not sure what their entire lineup consists of, but their "standards" are excellent examples of their respective styles. Gotta be the best domestically made German style Pilsner I've ever had.

Boerderij_Kabouter said:
Also, if you really want to sample what WI has to offer, you would be missing out if you didn't pick up some Lacrosse, Hamms, Point Special, or some other very cheap Am. Lager and pound it down while outside somewhere. That is by far the most WI beer of all and I am damn proud to say so.
Click to expand...

What about Capital's offering? Can't get much more Wisconsin than a beer named "Supper Club"! :mug:
It's great too. Reminds me of what Old Style used to taste like. Speaking of which, I had high hopes for LaCrosse. Just not sure though...
 
Boerderij_Kabouter said:
WHOA@@@!!! Yoop. You are drinking the wrong stuff. You HAVE to try there wood aged stuff. They make some of the best wood aged beers in the world IMO. You seriously should try to get your hands on any wood aged stuff by them you can. Better bottle shops should carry some things. Typically, they have a stout and a barley wine available. If you can find any of the cherry wood aged stuff (usually stout but sometimes other stuff) pick that too. That is definitely some of the best beer produced in WI.
Click to expand...

I guess I must have tried the wrong stuff, as every Central Waters beer I've picked up (no wood aged stuff at Woodman's, though!) has a distinct bad yeast character to it, like a very bad house yeast strain. I can't get a CW beer down, and I can drink just about anything! The IPA was incredibly bad, and the "something heron" APA nearly as bad.

I've picked up a bad yeast character out of O'So also.
 
The Leine lodge is actually really cool. And Chip. Falls is a pretty cool town in a very pretty area. Their beers might be becoming more commercialized but can you blame them, they are living every microbrew's dream right now! On top of that, they have a pretty good product, especially in comparison to the big 3 (not to say that that is difficult).
 
I fly often. Take beer back in a check bag, you'll be fine if you pack it smart.

Vintage has a beer dinner (Madison) Tuesday (tonight) and Wednesday this week. There's also a Beer Fest at Quivey's Grove (dinner joint) on Saturday. You'd likely be able to get a ticket walking up.

As to beers, Central Waters is one to try for sure. Oso is great. and if you dont find it at home Founder's is great, look for the Breakfast Stout.

When I go to PA (often) I'm in the PHL area and cross over to DE to buy and bring home.
 
Oh, and Lake Louie, how could I forget Lake Louie! Warped Speed Scotch Ale; Reserve Scotch Ale (if you can find it). From where you are, come to Madison, and look for Woodman's and Steve's Liquor.
 
What I find pretty funny in threads like this, is that I see the typical WI micro/craft brews being talked about, in pretty much the exact same ways the locals feel/talk about the brews, save one. Point. I know some of their offerings are less than stellar but as far as a Wisconsin brewed Lager goes, they blow Lienie's out of the water and very few craft/micros around here make a Lager, let alone a good one. I am not saying it is the best Lager in the world but it is better than any standard BMC product, IMO. I often wonder why Point gets overlooked, not only in threads like this but in general?

If it was me and I had to choose what to do where...I would say take the Lake Front tour in MKE, it is FANTASTIC. If you find your way up around Green Bay - stop in at Titletown. They have great food and a HUGE selection of beers (They are a large brew pub) and while in GB if you like sports head over to the Football hall of fame.
 
Zamial said:
I know some of their offerings are less than stellar
Click to expand...

There is your answer right there. I lived in Milwaukee for four years and purchased one mix pack of Point beer and didn't get another, everything I had was drinkable, but not something I'd seek out. There are plenty of better option, especially for someone from out of state.
 
I think if you really want to get the true Wisconsin Experience go to the store and get a 6 pack of the following:
Schlitz in Bottles
Blatz in cans
Mountain Creek (Munroe Brewery, this should be roughly $1.34 for a 6-er "great" value)
Old Style
Pabst

+1 for Lakefront Brewery if you want to check out the Craft scene, though. If you take their brewery tour you can get their lakefront 88 (4 x 22oz) for about 8 bucks. I brought 2 of these home in a suitcase no problem wrapped in towels.
 
Steelers77 said:
The spotted cow is so-so, too much hype for this beer.
Click to expand...

It's a fantastic gateway beer for BMC drinkers. My Dad wouldn't really touch anything aside from Budlight and his occasional Sam Adams until I brought home a case of Spotted Cow. He had one and loved it, now he can't get enough.
 
mavrick1903 said:
Oh, and Lake Louie, how could I forget Lake Louie! Warped Speed Scotch Ale; Reserve Scotch Ale (if you can find it). From where you are, come to Madison, and look for Woodman's and Steve's Liquor.
Click to expand...

I tried their IPA... very dissapointed. It was I could do just to finish the six pack.
 
My loyalties evidently aren't just to Wisconsin but to Central Wisconsin.

Oso and Central Waters brew some excellent beers. I have not noticed anything "off" with their yeast. In fact I know that Oso brews with ale yeast so their ales are actually ales.

Point is good.
 
Steelers77 said:
Boerderij_Kabouter
How do you like the Octoberfest from Hinterland?
Click to expand...

I haven't had this year's, but I haven't been crazy about past years batches. I really like their darker stuff and the pale and Pub ales.

ChrisS68 said:
Finally someone has mentioned Capital.
Click to expand...

Boerderij_Kabouter said:
Autumnal Fire by Capital (really their whole portfolio is great too, but Autumnal is their best beer by far, it is one of the best dopplebocks I have ever had, and I have drank heartily at Cloister Andechs just outside Munich...).
Click to expand...

They make world class lagers all around. Autumn is seriously incredible every year.


Yooper said:
I guess I must have tried the wrong stuff
Click to expand...

I can agree with you there. I really like the Red that CW makes but it is funky. The rest of their beers are passes, but you have to get your hands on some of their reserve stuff.

Zamial said:
Point. I know some of their offerings are less than stellar but as far as a Wisconsin brewed Lager goes, they blow Lienie's out of the water.
Click to expand...

Agreed. That is some good cheap swill.

Boerderij_Kabouter said:
you would be missing out if you didn't pick up some Lacrosse, Hamms, Point Special, or some other very cheap Am. Lager
Click to expand...
 

Similar threads

redwing_al
Michigan Winter Beer Festival
Replies
2
Views
2K
GrumpySquirrel
G
fosbrew
How many Beers have you tried (documented)?
Replies
18
Views
3K
Bradinator
Bradinator
B
Canadian looking for America's help in choosing beer
Replies
3
Views
2K
HighCountryBrewer
H
fitz9001
Sometimes I love living in milwaukee
Replies
13
Views
7K
fitz9001
fitz9001
EricS
Went to a Beer Tasting Event
Replies
4
Views
1K
EricS
EricS
Williams Brewing 300

Latest posts

Back
Top