Best beers available in Wisconsin

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McMalty

McMalty

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Going to Wisconsin tomorrow. Gonna bring back as much beer as I can. What are the best beers available in Wisconsin? Thanks!
 
New Glarus, especially the Thumbprint Series. It's sold exclusively in WI and it's on Zymurgys list of top breweries in the US.

Where specifically in WI?
 
Hit Discount Liquor on Oklahoma Ave in Milwaukee. It's one-stop shopping for good WI stuff. I don't know if you can get Surly where you are, but you can get it in WI now. And grab some Sprecher Black Bavarian, too. Great stuff.

And there's a really neat place on Hwy 100 called the Malt Shoppe. Just a mind-blowing selection. And it's about 1.5 miles from Northern Brewer's retail store, also on Hwy 100.
 
Visit Lakefront Brewery, Milwaukee, for a tour and sampling. Haven't tasted all their beers, but what I have is worth it.

Edit: Should also add you can't go wrong with New Glarus.
 
New Glarus, their Spotted Cow is tops, but you probably know that if you know anything about WI beer. Yokel is pretty good as well.

I know plenty of guys who are partial to Two Women Totally Naked, as well.
 
Kent88 said:
New Glarus, their Spotted Cow is tops, but you probably know that if you know anything about WI beer
Click to expand...

No I don't really know anything about WI beer aside from a few names, so thank you. I'm in Maryland
 
The Lakefront tour is a blast. If you want the real Milwaukee experience, go on a Friday then follow the tour with the fish fry dinner (a Milwaukee tradition) in the brewery's Beer Garden. Yes, they usually have ze oom-pah-pah band playing ze polkas und ze German drinking songs during dinner.
 
Lakefront does have a good IPA on draft. Surly Furious IPA from just across the MN border is also over the top hoppy IPA that is excellent. New Glarus spotted Cow, I had in bottles, not memorable at all, very macro-brewish. Perhaps their other offerings are worth a try.
 
New Glarus Strawberry Rhubarb, if it is available
New Glarus - Raspberry Tart
New Glarus- Serendipity
New Glarus- Belgian Red
New Glarus- Apple Ale

See a pattern here? I am glad I have a cousin whom lives in WI and doesn't mind sending me brews.
 
New Glarus - Two Women is underrated. Any woodmans grocer up there's sells cases for less than $30. Thumbprint series (as mentioned previous) are all great.
 
Agree New Glarus, Two Women and several others. Potosi Brewing Cave Ale. Pearl Street Brewery in Lacrosse has a number of good brews too.
 
Some more:
Ale asylum - I like their ambergeddon but everything is good
Karben4 - fantasy factory Ipa is really popular right now
 
huh, no one bit on my mention of "Two Women" and "Totally Naked". I guess it wasn't that funny anyway.

Too bad you're sticking to the Milwaukee area. While I understand there are a few kick-butt breweries over there, the New Glarus brewery is a great visit, and there are several nice breweries in the Door County, Green Bay, and Appleton area. Door County Brewing Company, Ahnapee Brewery, and the Titletown Brewery are great.

Oh, and the Leine's brewery is supposed to be good, but I'm not jumping at the chance to visit there, personally.

Have fun checking everything out near Milwaukee. Bring a cooler. I don't know what you can take home with you, but there is also a Northern Brewer shop in the area worth checking out. I know I gave them plenty of dough last time I was there.
 
Spotted Cow
Leinenkugel's Grapefruit Shandy
Anything from the Pearl Street Brewery in La Crosse, but I'd go with the Java Lava
Sand Creek Badger Porter
Anything by the Fountain City Brewery, only thing is you can only get it at the Monarch Public House.
 
Your best bet is to drive south to Chicago. Lol!


Revolution is one of the best, yet imo underrated breweries in the US. Absolutely awesome.

Then, keep heading southeast for about 45 min until you hit Munster, IN. There's a magical place there full of strange yet glorious libations.


You will not be disappointed in either...
 
Thanks folks. How about Toppling Goliath? Somebody mentioned that one to me....
 
Yep, I'm pretty sure you can find that at the Malt Shoppe on Hwy 100.
 
k1ngl1ves said:
Your best bet is to drive south to Chicago. Lol!


Revolution is one of the best, yet imo underrated breweries in the US. Absolutely awesome..
Click to expand...

And on the way, swing by Two Brothers in the west burbs, Lagunitas now has a brewery near downtown, and Goose Island has a few excellent brews, too! Not to mention about 5 other smaller micro breweries in the area.

Toppling Goliath in NE Iowa is excellent, but over an hour drive if you are in La Crosse, or over an hour from Prairie Du Chien.
 
k1ngl1ves said:
Your best bet is to drive south to Chicago. Lol!


Revolution is one of the best, yet imo underrated breweries in the US. Absolutely awesome.

Then, keep heading southeast for about 45 min until you hit Munster, IN. There's a magical place there full of strange yet glorious libations.


You will not be disappointed in either...
Click to expand...

eyeroll
 
I'll be the jerk who says he thinks New Glarus is overrated. I've had a bunch, due to family living in WI and them thinking it's the only thing worth drinking, but no matter what I try I'm not impressed (with the exception of Moon Man, I like that one).

I enjoy Ale Asylum's Bedlam (Belgian IPA). Also, like others mentioned, Lakefront gives an awesome tour, and they have some good brews. Sprechers is definitely more German focused if you are into that.
 
HarborTownBrewing said:
I'll be the jerk who says he thinks New Glarus is overrated. I've had a bunch, due to family living in WI and them thinking it's the only thing worth drinking, but no matter what I try I'm not impressed (with the exception of Moon Man, I like that one).

I enjoy Ale Asylum's Bedlam (Belgian IPA). Also, like others mentioned, Lakefront gives an awesome tour, and they have some good brews. Sprechers is definitely more German focused if you are into that.
Click to expand...

Yep, if you are a hophead New Glarus won't have a lot for you typically. They do a lot of balanced beers and fruited sours.
 
New Glarus "Black Top". It's their black IPA....hands down one of the best bottles I have ever opened
 
I never jumped on the New Glarus band wagon I prefer anything Lakefront or Ale Asylum. Also Hinterland out of Green Bay has a delicious Luna stout.
 
Hinterland is great - they bottle and you can find it in plenty of stores. They also have a second location in downtown Milwaukee (it's more a restaurant than a brewery. Dinner there is wonderful, but it is big $$$$.)
 
We went to New Glarus a couple of weeks ago. Pretty cool, but decided a significant part of the price of the beer is to pay for the upscale facilities. We do drink some of the brews, Two Women and Yokel for instance, but are not fruity beer fans (Spotted Cow.) Still say Pearl St and Potosi are higher on our list.
 

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