Wisconsin noteable breweries?

A friend is traveling to WI soon and said he'd pick me up anything. One of the stops is New Glarus. I have heard they have good stuff, in particular I am thinking of asking him to pick me up the Raspberry Tart and the Wisconsin Belgian Red. Does anyone know what cases of the above run? Also any other noteable breweries that we should look into?

Sprecher in Glendale, a suburb of Milwaukee. Excellent stuff. New Glarus is great choice. Other favs of mine are Lake Louie and Tyranena Brewing. Tyranena's Rocky's Revenge is not to be missed, IMHO!

Cool, thanks Rhoo. He mentioned that he didn't think WI had distributors but that you buy everything in 6's? Sounds odd to me but I suppose it is possible. Myth?

Check out Capital they have some of the best Lager's I've had. I second the Sprecher recommendation. New Glarus special stuff is very good. And Tyrania has some "Brewer's Gone Wild" stuff thats quite funky(Like a Coffee Impireal Oatmeal Porter)

WI is a big city.

Is the visit to the SE portion of the state?

olllllo said:

WI is a big city.

Is the visit to the SE portion of the state?

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Lol jeep. Well, what I mean is stuff that is available only in-state. New Glarus is one example of such...I am not sure exactly where he is going, but I'd imagine he'll seek out anything in the vicinity that he is heading to. Just looking for any ideas for him.

If he is in Milw. Have him go here.
Discount Liquor:

http://maps.google.com/maps?daddr=5...88,-87.945557&spn=0.071728,0.177155&z=13&om=1


http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1076/?view=beerfly

I just got back from Madison last night and sampled many beers.

I liked Ale Asylum's Hopolicious quite a lot as well as a a wheat beer make by Leinenkugel Brewing Co.

I'm really not a fan of the Spotted Cow

I probably tried most all the locals while I was there and have several business colleages in Madison to ask if you have any questions about any others.

Ok, I found out....

He is heading to Appleton, and passing just around Milwaukee along the way.

Thanks for the info thus far!

Jeep, is that a big distributor-type place?

olllllo said:

If he is in Milw. Have him go here.
Discount Liquor:

http://maps.google.com/maps?daddr=5031+W+Oklahoma+Ave+(Discount+Liquor+Inc%3A+Milw+Store)+%4042.988320,-87.976947&saddr=MKE&f=d&hl=en&dq=discount+liquor+loc%3A+53220&cid=42988320,-87976947,11251746376025877341&ie=UTF8&ll=42.964588,-87.945557&spn=0.071728,0.177155&z=13&om=1


http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1076/?view=beerfly

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zoebisch01 said:

Jeep, is that a big distributor-type place?

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It's a FANTASTIC booze store on the south side of Milwaukee. best selection of beer, wine and booze in the state as far as I'm concerned. Can buy by the bottle all the way to the half barrel

zoebisch01 said:

... Jeep, is that a big distributor-type place?

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Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you're thinking PA type state-run stores where it's all musty cement floors and they only sell you a full case of warm beer. Not in WI (or where I live for that matter)!

Beer is sold in 6'ers and the prices are cheaper than what I paid in PA. And he should be able to find all of the beers we've mentioned either where Jeep suggested or in the Appleton area.

Pumbaa said:

It's a FANTASTIC booze store on the south side of Milwaukee. best selection of beer, wine and booze in the state as far as I'm concerned. Can buy by the bottle all the way to the half barrel

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True Dat!!

Here are some:


https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=30847&page=2

I work with a guy who is related to the Essers that make Esser's Best out of Cross Plains. I've never tried it, but he says its good.

If he can find it, get Oscar's Chocolate Oatmeal Stout...made by Sand Creek up in Black River Falls. I'd put that stout up against any stout I've ever had. It simply rocks.

In Appleton's mall, just off the food court is Fox River Brewery. Nice place for a beer or three with decent food. They have 6 packs available. (If fact, one of my favorite beers was on tap last week, although that is about gone). In downtown Appleton right by the Radisson is a nice fully stocked liquor store that should have most of the beers others have talked about. Also, Woodmans (a grocery store by the mall) has one of the best beer/wine selections in Wisconsin. They have an area to mix your six packs, so you could get quite a nice mixed selection of Wisconsin (and other) beers. Appleton is a happenin' little city with many different ethnic restaurants and a couple of brewpubs. Korean food, Latin food, Mexican food, a Fondue Restaurant, Japanese, etc. are all available.

I also like Lakefront Brewery's products. They have a really nice brewery tour in Milwaukee, too. In Steven's Point, they have Point Brewery and it makes a decent pale ale.

My favorites: Capital's Maibock (probably not available now, but worth a shot), Sprecher's Special Amber or Pub Ale or Black Bavarian, Lakefront Brewery's Cattail Ale.

I agree on Lakefront and Sprecher. Several good varieties between them. My best friend's brother-in-law is the brewmaster at Sprecher (I wish that meant perks for me, but no dice). He and my brother hung out in school, but I haven't seen him in 15 years. Sprecher's Imperial Stout is good as is the Pipers Scotch Ale (a hair bit too peaty, but still quite good). Their Black Bavarian is also excellent (my wife's favorite) and it is one of the beers that Sprecher distributes outside of Wisconsin. From Lakeside, try the Eastside Dark (their Black Bavarian).

Two of my favorites right now are the Hop Hearty from New Glarus and the English Style Special Ale from Sand Creek Brewing Co. Also the Stone Cellar Brewpub which is the other microbrewery in Appleton has six packs of their beer available as well.

As Lorena said Woodmans and Flanagan's (the downtown liquor store) will be the best places to go and they have the largest selection of Wisconsin beers in the area.

Rhoobarb said:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you're thinking PA type state-run stores where it's all musty cement floors and they only sell you a full case of warm beer. Not in WI (or where I live for that matter)!

Beer is sold in 6'ers and the prices are cheaper than what I paid in PA. And he should be able to find all of the beers we've mentioned either where Jeep suggested or in the Appleton area.

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Well that was kind of what I was wondering (Although some places do a good job and case prices are far better than 6's). Your second paragraph confirms what I thought, thanks!

Thanks for the responses all. :cross:

One more quick question. Are places (like the aforementioned) open on Sunday in WI?

zoebisch01 said:

One more quick question. Are places (like the aforementioned) open on Sunday in WI?

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Wisconsin has no laws against selling alcohol on sundays. I would be VERY suprised if they were closed on sunday was long as he gets there before 9 pm.

Guzzizzit said:

Wisconsin has no laws against selling alcohol on sundays. I would be VERY suprised if they were closed on sunday was long as he gets there before 9 pm.

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Cool, thx.

Discount Liquor:
http://www.discountliquorinc.com/
Sunday 10-2

olllllo said:

Discount Liquor:
http://www.discountliquorinc.com/
Sunday 10-2

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Noice. :rockin:

Guzzizzit said:

Wisconsin has no laws against selling alcohol on sundays. I would be VERY suprised if they were closed on sunday was long as he gets there before 9 pm.

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As a side note, I don't think there are many laws in Wisconsin at all restricting alcohol! My daughter (17) was out with me in Appleton and sat next to me at a Tiki bar at the hotel. They asked if she was 21, and she said no. They told her she couldn't sit at the bar- but she could sit at a table and what would she like to drink? (You can drink with your parent's permission, but can't take up a barstool!)

Yooper Chick said:

As a side note, I don't think there are many laws in Wisconsin at all restricting alcohol! My daughter (17) was out with me in Appleton and sat next to me at a Tiki bar at the hotel. They asked if she was 21, and she said no. They told her she couldn't sit at the bar- but she could sit at a table and what would she like to drink? (You can drink with your parent's permission, but can't take up a barstool!)

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The barstool thing is probably either a local ordinance, or (more likely) a policy of that particular bar. The government of Wisconsin sez: "Persons under age 21 may be on licensed premises, and can be sold and allowed to drink alcohol beverages, if they are with their parents, legal guardians, or spouses, as long as those persons are of legal age; but this is at the discretion of the licensee."

flowerysong said:

The barstool thing is probably either a local ordinance, or (more likely) a policy of that particular bar. The government of Wisconsin sez: "Persons under age 21 may be on licensed premises, and can be sold and allowed to drink alcohol beverages, if they are with their parents, legal guardians, or spouses, as long as those persons are of legal age; but this is at the discretion of the licensee."

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I think I need to pack me up and move to Cheese Land!

Thalon said:

I think I need to pack me up and move to Cheese Land!

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My corp hq is in St Paul. A buch of them live across the border already. Think it's a better tax rate thing.

desertBrew said:

My corp hq is in St Paul. A buch of them live across the border already. Think it's a better tax rate thing.

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Or a football prerogative.

Yooper Chick said:

As a side note, I don't think there are many laws in Wisconsin at all restricting alcohol! My daughter (17) was out with me in Appleton and sat next to me at a Tiki bar at the hotel. They asked if she was 21, and she said no. They told her she couldn't sit at the bar- but she could sit at a table and what would she like to drink? (You can drink with your parent's permission, but can't take up a barstool!)

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Yes, laws are a bit more lax in WI (we are, have always been, and always will be, a drunken state) than in other states, but it is nothing like it used to be. I remember barhopping with my dad years ago when I was about 15 or so. We stopped at a mom-and-pop tavern for a beer. I sat down on a barstool and looked up at a kid of about eight or nine years old. He was just staring at me from behind the bar. I asked him what he was looking at. He said what do I want to drink? I ordered a beer. So here was a 15-year-old being served a beer in a tavern by a prepubescent kid. Only in Wisconsin. But probably not anymore.......

Rhoobarb said:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you're thinking PA type state-run stores where it's all musty cement floors and they only sell you a full case of warm beer. Not in WI (or where I live for that matter)!

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Beer in PA isn't sold in state-run stores...you can get full cases and kegs from private distributors, or carry-out sixers (and in some places, singles) from bars.

Liquor and wine are sold at state-run stores, where in exchange for high prices, we get limited selection and fewer locations than the market would support. Can't beat that!

So if you want beer and wine/liqour, you're making two trips. And if you want to sample anything beyond BMC, you're probably going to have to take the plunge on a whole case...if you are lucky enough to find a distributor that carries a decent selection.

On the upside, all these restrictions have made me brew more.

My friend left last evening....I am looking forward to trying some stuff from New Glarus, namely the Tart and the Cherry one.

You could always tell him that you know a guy that works at a liquor store on the NW side of Milwaukee and see if said friend could get you a discount... but really only on Sunday. Or you could just let him buy somewhere else and pissing said guy who works at a liquor store. But hey what ever.

sause said:

You could always tell him that you know a guy that works at a liquor store on the NW side of Milwaukee and see if said friend could get you a discount... but really only on Sunday. Or you could just let him buy somewhere else and pissing said guy who works at a liquor store. But hey what ever.

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fo reezy?

I don't recall where he is heading though. I think he said close to Appleton? He's going up for a wedding....

...if the guy who works at the liquor store perhaps has an address of said liquor store....he is probably going to seriously come back with like 8 to 10 cases, so this might behoove him to drive out. I dunno if I have his phone though.

In either case....this HBT member is grateful to the guy who works at said liqour store.

I work at Otto's in Menomonee Falls, WI. It's at the intersection of Main and Pilgrim both have exits on the freeway. So if anyone needs beer I'm there on Sunday. Were open from 10-2.

Otto's is still around? Cool. I used to go to one on 51st and Hampton. Best prices anywhere. That one is long gone, though. I also used to go to Otto's Wine Cask on Brown Deer Rd. Is that one still there?

Now Discount Liquor in Waukesha is the closest good store for me. I spent many, many pesos at Otto's, though.

There are 7 stores now. Yeah the Wine Cask is still there. There is one now on 76th and Appleton. And of couple all over the place except the south side which is wierd.