The WI Thread: FIBs stay the **** out

[furley]

LaCrosse recommendations for beer and food? Spending a couple nights there.

a friend of mine from HS opened https://lacrossedistilling.co/food/

supposed to be really good. haven't been as it's across the state.

 

[sjstraub]

Any TBers waiting in line for GTMW tickets? Friend and I are trying to figure out where to go.

 

[rmalinowski4]

Any TBers waiting in line for GTMW tickets? Friend and I are trying to figure out where to go.

yeahnatenelson was talking about going, not sure where.

 

[rmalinowski4]

Great Taste mail in tickets must be postmarked today.

 

[sjstraub]

Just an FYI, but saw on Twitter 4 of the 6 places had tickets available at 1130 yesterday. Weather was perfect too. Maybe I can start getting there at a reasonable time.

You would think in this ticker beer culture the fest would be more popular.

 

[yeahnatenelson]

Just an FYI, but saw on Twitter 4 of the 6 places had tickets available at 1130 yesterday. Weather was perfect too. Maybe I can start getting there at a reasonable time.

You would think in this ticker beer culture the fest would be more popular.

Did you camp out? I got up to Vintage at 7AM: #186/250. After that I'll be hard pressed to want to sleep in a parking lot for tickets again.

 

[sjstraub]

Did you camp out? I got up to Vintage at 7AM: #186/250. After that I'll be hard pressed to want to sleep in a parking lot for tickets again.

Sort of. At ale asylum at 2:15. Slept maybe an hour or so in a chair. We were 156 of 300. Last person to get tickets rolled in at 12:30 pm or so.

If anyone is curious about the GTMW tweets about the medical emergency at Ale Asylum, some kid passed out in line. Bloody nose, didn't look broken. Medics called and ended up going back in line I think. Walked by him in line. He was probably 40ish spots in front of where I was.

 

[sherm10161]

Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Vanilla Bean Stout sounds tasty.

 

[elkhunter36]

Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Vanilla Bean Stout sounds tasty.

Same beer as the one in bombers last year correct?

 

[sjstraub]

Same beer as the one in bombers last year correct?

That is my understanding

 

[sherm10161]

Same beer as the one in bombers last year correct?

That is my understanding

Was it good? I don't recall trying it.

 

[bigred1]

Was it good? I don't recall trying it.

Better than the standard BA Stout and not as good as the anniversaries IMO.

 

[flyingbison]

Any Appleton folks on here? Looking for a good beer-centric place for lunch on Saturday. Been pretty underwhelmed with Stone Arch and Fox River brewing in the past, but haven't been to either one in years.

 

[sjstraub]

Was it good? I don't recall trying it.

Better than the standard BA Stout and not as good as the anniversaries IMO.

Pretty much this, but more often then not I prefer the traditional one nowadays. I wouldn't buy more than a four pack unless vanilla is really your thing.

 

[SeaWatchman]

Any Appleton folks on here? Looking for a good beer-centric place for lunch on Saturday. Been pretty underwhelmed with Stone Arch and Fox River brewing in the past, but haven't been to either one in years.

Is the Appleton Beer Factory not a place anymore? I remember thinking it was decent several years ago when I was there.

 

[flyingbison]

Is the Appleton Beer Factory not a place anymore? I remember thinking it was decent several years ago when I was there.

Haven't heard anything about it before, but I'll add it to the list.

 

[Stevedore1]

Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Vanilla Bean Stout sounds tasty.

I noticed that it clocks in at 12% this year... whoa.

 

[sjstraub]

 

[bigred1]

From this description, it sounds more like a Thumbprint than the R&D release:

We have an exciting new brand coming to you in mid-June. Dive into Master Brewer Dan’s lively Kühler! This spontaneously brewed refresher is reminiscent of summer citrus tea. Coolship method achieves a complex depth of flavor in the Belgian Lambic tradition. Brewed in 2017, this Kühler rested one and a half years in Oak casks before capture in this bottle. Three year old noble hops encourage earthy woodland tones from our cave. Expect fresh citrus notes to splash brightly when poured. This innovative style of beer will ship to distributors the 2nd week of June.

 

[furley]

One Barrel opening a tap room and beer garden in Egg Harbor this week


https://www.greenbaypressgazette.co...ns-craft-beer-tap-room-egg-harbor/3710072002/

EGG HARBOR - The craft beers Peter Gentry and his team produce at One Barrel Brewing Co. seem like they'll fit with Door County's easy-going nature. Same goes for the new tap room and beer garden, opening in the village this week.

Gentry founded One Barrel Brewing Co. in Madison in 2012 by brewing his beer recipes one barrel at a time — hence the name. It became so popular that Gentry started thinking about opening a second location somewhere in Wisconsin.

That "somewhere," it turns out, is Door County. A grand opening for the new tap room on Market Street will run from Thursday through Memorial Day, with 12 One Barrel craft beers and ciders on tap, alongside pizzas, appetizers and salads from county-based Wild Tomato Pizza.

Gentry was initially considering Lake Geneva, Wisconsin Dells and Milwaukee, among others, but a visit to Egg Harbor a couple years ago turned his attention north.

"My wife is from Green Bay, and we decided we wanted to make a lifestyle change," Gentry said. "We've always like coming up here (to Door County). ... We came up for Egg Harbor AleFest two years ago and decided we would come up here (with the new brewery)."

Gentry and his wife relocated to Door County in September.

One Barrel joins a growing craft beer and cider brewing industry on the peninsula that started with Shipwrecked Brew Pub & Restaurant, which opened in 1997 and resides about a block away. Gentry said the tap beer at One Barrel is what distinguishes his brewery from the rest, matching the relaxed atmosphere of Door County.

"We pride ourselves on beers that are easy to drink," he said. "So, for people who are just getting interested in craft beer, this can provide a gateway to try it."

That doesn't mean the beers are basic. They include:

The flagship Penguin Pale Ale, which is deeper in color and a bit more malty than a typical American pale ale;
Two refreshing takes on German kolsch style — the Commuter, which Gentry said is One Barrel's top seller, and the cherry-based Forward;
Breakfast Beer, a coffee/milk stout that the tap room serves in a coffee cup;
Banjo Cat, a hopped-up porter that Gentry calls an India black ale; and
Hypercolor, a New England-style IPA that Gentry said is juicier and less bitter than the usual IPA and might be the best beer he's made.

"We really try to run the whole gamut," Gentry said.

The building housing the tap room is meant to be relaxed and comfortable as well, with tables and sofas seating about 100 people inside and a beer garden outside. Board games will be available, and a mini-playground will be built for customers' children.

"Our hope is to still convey the friendly, neighborhood feel we have down in (the Madison location)," Gentry said, "and to share it with as many people as possible."

From Madison to Egg Harbor
Gentry was a home brewer before opening the original One Barrel nanobrewery — a brewhouse using one to three barrels — in a Madison neighborhood in 2012.

"We started brewing one barrel at a time," Gentry said. "I had $700 in the bank at the time. Luckily, the line to get in was out the door. The demand was so high, we started to sell to other bars."

The Madison location brews 150 barrels a year, and about the same is expected in Egg Harbor, Gentry said. Because of the demand, other breweries brew up about 5,000 barrels a year under contract for One Barrel.

The Egg Harbor tap room is going into a building built in 2004 and formerly housed galleries and shops. Gentry said he was able to buy the property "at a reasonable price," and the village worked with him to obtain a Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. grant to build the brewhouse.

"That was the thing that pushed us over the edge (to open in Egg Harbor)," Gentry said.

He said the location is "virtually a new building" compared to its previous incarnation, with a terraced deck leading from the street to the doors and an airy vibe inside. The bar in front of the taps was built by Gentry and his 72-year-old father.

Wild Tomato has its wood-fired oven inside, to serve a full pizza menu and appetizers in a partnership with One Barrel.

"(Wild Tomato) sells my beer at its other locations (in Fish Creek and Sister Bay)," Gentry said. "I just texted (owner Britt Unkefer) about getting involved, and he said he'd love it. ... It's counter service only; I think of it as a food cart moved inside."

As of now, Gentry isn't planning to have live music, although he's aiming for one special event a month.

For those who want to bring the taste of One Barrel home, cans are available. Gentry plans to offer beer flights and growlers sometime after Memorial Day.

About the penguins ...
Expect penguins. Lots of them. The arctic bird not only is the namesake of One Barrel's pale ale, it's also featured on company taps, caps, T-shirts and more. The penguin seems to be almost a One Barrel mascot.

"I was working on names and things (before opening the original brewery), and the penguin was the only thing I could draw," Gentry said. "I know of over a dozen people who have it tattooed on them, so it must speak to people."

The opening weekend doesn't have an out-of-the-ordinary event planned but instead will be about "just sharing what we have with the world," Gentry said. "It's Memorial Day, we're a new thing, so I figure we'll be pretty busy anyway."

Gentry said he expects the Egg Harbor location to double the revenue of the Madison one while maintaining the ideas that made the original tap room successful.

"We've got a great staff of friendly people that we hope will keep people coming back," Gentry said. "We want to be a place where people will hang out. My hope is to share this with as many people as possible."

FYI

One Barrel Brewing Co. holds a grand opening for its new taproom at 4633 Market St., Egg Harbor, from Thursday, May 23 to Monday, May 27.

It will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Mondays through Thursday, 10 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sundays. For more information, visit onebarrelbrewing.com.

 

[furley]

https://madison.com/wsj/business/wi...cle_76fb0db6-e0c0-5f1b-a2dd-b13c51fb64ca.html

ARENA — Tom Porter first met Kirby Nelson at a 1999 meeting of the Wisconsin Brewers Guild in the back room of the former J.T. Whitney’s Brewpub on Madison’s West Side.

Deb Carey, the co-founder of New Glarus Brewing Co., was there. So too were other craft beer heavyweights: Randy Sprecher of Sprecher Brewing Co. in Milwaukee, Rob Larson of Tyranena Brewing Co. in Lake Mills and John Zappa, the longtime brewmaster at Stevens Point Brewery.

A friendship was formed that night between Nelson, then the award-winning brewmaster at Capital Brewery in Middleton, and Porter who would go on to open his Lake Louie Brewing Co. six months later in Arena. Nelson, after 25 years with Capital, would depart to help found Wisconsin Brewing Co. in Verona in 2013.

Now, the two brewers will be working under the same roof.

In what is believed to be the first acquisition of a Wisconsin-based brick and mortar brewing company by another state craft beer producer, WBC has agreed to buy the assets and brands of Lake Louie. And it comes as the industry has dramatically evolved, become more competitive and as overall craft beer production in the state has slowed from its rapidly upward pace.

“He’s taught me a lot,” Porter said of Nelson. “Having us in the same building will be nuts.”

But the purchase, disclosed exclusively to the Wisconsin State Journal, is only one of the big changes in store for WBC.

$6 million expansion planned
In an effort to diversify and grow its business, WBC is planning a $6 million expansion and will begin this fall producing non-alcoholic health and nutritional beverages for other companies on contract. The move could add 80,000 barrels of production a year to the Verona brewing facility that in 2018 made 18,404 barrels of beer for itself and other beer companies on contract. That made it the fourth largest craft brewery in the state, according to data from the State Department of Revenue.

But unlike beer, which may need weeks or even months to ferment in costly tanks, non-alcoholic products can be blended one day and packaged and shipped the next. They also will help bolster the bottom line for the brewery in a market flush with scores of other beers.

Carl Nolen, WBC’s president, said the project will add a high-speed canning line by this fall, which will bring to an end trucking beer in bulk tanks to Stevens Point Brewery for packaging and allow WBC to package a wide range of other products. A second phase could add up to 40,000 square feet of space by the middle of 2020.

Meanwhile, WBC is continuing to diversify into a wide range of beverage categories but not soda. The company will begin this fall production for two companies in the health and nutritional fields and a craft brewer, all from outside of Wisconsin.

“We don’t see ourselves as a brewer only,” said Nolen, the former longtime president of Capital Brewery who tried to buy the company before opening WBC with his brother Mark Nolen, Nelson and other investors. “We’re a beverage company. Everything is on the table.”

In the Lake Louie deal, Porter will retain ownership of his brewing facility in Arena. He and his three employees, including longtime head brewer Tim Wauters, will go to work for WBC and brands like Warped Speed Scotch Ale and Tommy’s Porter will still be produced but by WBC. Distribution will be unchanged and the Arena brewery’s 15-barrel brewhouse and fermentation tanks will be leased from Porter by WBC for small-batch production and research and development for both Lake Louie and WBC beers. Warped Speed sold in kegs is already being produced in Verona, since it accounts for about one-third of Lake Louie’s sales. Once the expansion is completed at WBC, all of Lake Louie’s and WBC’s small-batch production will be moved to Verona and the brewing equipment in Arena will likely be sold by Porter.

“We want (Tom) to oversee Lake Louie production because he is Lake Louie,” said Nolen. “We want to grow Lake Louie as hard as we can and innovate and evolve into different products. Not every deal has to happen but the deals that make sense we want to have happen. We think it’s a great opportunity.”

Nolen believes Lake Louie, which does not have a marketing or sales department, could grow to 10,000 barrels from the 3,295 barrels produced in 2018, which was a 17.6% decline from 2017 according to data from the state Department of Revenue compiled by the Wisconsin Brewers Guild. That anticipated growth will come through increased marketing and from sales at WBC, which has a tasting room and its expansive Backyard beer garden that last year combined to draw 100,000 people to the brewery.

The Lake Louie logo will be unveiled on the side of the brewery on July 1 when the deal is expected to close. Porter, an avid guitar player and collector, will take the stage this Thursday at 6 p.m. at WBC with the band The Growlers to celebrate the deal.

“We’re the first guys doing this but we won’t be the last,” Porter said of a state craft brewer with a facility selling to another state craft beer company. “Quality control is key but the competition has moved way up. When there were 30 breweries you could be pretty good at this job. Now you’ve got to be jet-pilot crazy-good.”

Opened in 2000
When Porter opened his brewery in January 2000, there were 1,564 breweries in the entire country. Today, according to the Brewers Association, there are more than 7,450 breweries with more on the way offering an unprecedented selection of beer for consumers who have abandoned brand loyalty for exploration. The movement, with nearly 180 breweries and brewpubs in Wisconsin, has also challenged beer companies, regardless of size, to grab shelf space at retailers and coveted tap lines at bars and restaurants.


WBC purchasing Lake Louie comes less than two weeks after Boston Beer Co. announced plans to buy Dogfish Head for $300 million, due to those same market pressures.

“There are a lot of choices out there for consumers, and that’s good. But the challenge of course is for the small and medium-sized breweries to maintain their level of production and stay relevant,” said Mark Garthwaite, executive director of the Wisconsin Brewers Guild. “I’m glad that Lake Louie is staying home in Wisconsin but more importantly it’s (with) people I know and respect. I think Lake Louie’s brands will be in good hands.”

Back in rural Iowa County, the Arena Pines & Sand Barrens State Natural Area stands between the Wisconsin River and Porter’s property that holds his sprawling home filled with guitars, retro furniture and a growing collection of Japanese Pachinko gambling games. The lone dock on the half-acre Lake Louie, named after his uncle from whom he purchased the property in 1989, is underwater and the turtles will soon begin crossing Porter’s gravel driveway.

When Nolen arrived last week for a visit, Porter, who can fix every piece of his brewery equipment, was consumed with trying to find a part for the brewery’s filtration system and lamenting the loss of bluegill and largemouth bass that died in his lake over the winter. Porter’s arbor vitae were also decimated by deer.

orter is nearing retirement, has had both knees replaced and is coming off successful treatment of prostate cancer. The diagnosis came last summer in the midst of negotiations with WBC, which delayed the sale.

“This whole thing got put on hold because when I got the diagnosis, it wasn’t a very good diagnosis,” Porter said. “But they put me in treatment and it was amazing and I’m fine. I’m probably going to live another 20 years, so I have to pay off my notes.”

Porter started Lake Louie after mortgaging his house and cashing in his 401(k) retirement account. He pieced together a three-barrel brewhouse in a 576-square-foot storage shed on 18 acres that he bought from his Uncle Louie and where Porter built his house in 1992.

After the first year of brewing, Porter had his beer in three area taverns and delivered the kegs in his Geo Prizm. Word spread, and by 2002 he was forced to spend $650,000 to add 1,500 square feet of space and equipment. He followed that up in 2007 with an 1,800-square-foot addition and spent $175,000 in 2011 to add fermentation and bright tanks. That same year, a bottle of Porter’s Kiss the Lips IPA was among the Wisconsin beers served at the White House during President Barack Obama’s Super Bowl party.

Now, by selling to WBC, Porter is entering a new phase of his career, and one he hopes will grow his beloved brands.

“The old line I’ve been using now for a few years now is that ‘Oh yeah, there’s a new brewery in Wisconsin every month but you don’t see them pouring more concrete at the liquor store, do you.’ They’re not adding on,” Porter said. “You have to maintain presence. And that’s where this whole marketing savvy comes in. If you’re trending, great. If you’re not, you’re done.”

 

[sherm10161]

Edit: made with 1000 lbs of organic peaches, per the label.

 

[OHLRangers]

Great Taste mail in tickets must be postmarked today.

keep yer eyes on yer checking accounts, kids...ours was cashed today.

 

[rmalinowski4]

keep yer eyes on yer checking accounts, kids...ours was cashed today.

Got my check back yesterday.

 

[jmgrub]

Going to be in Door County (Sister Bay) for a wedding the second weekend of July. Any decent beer around there (brewery, bar, bottle shop or otherwise)? My wife is a bridesmaid so should have at least a bit of time to explore on my own.

TIA for the help.

 

[furley]

Going to be in Door County (Sister Bay) for a wedding the second weekend of July. Any decent beer around there (brewery, bar, bottle shop or otherwise)? My wife is a bridesmaid so should have at least a bit of time to explore on my own.

TIA for the help.

in Sister Bay there's Wild Tomato. next door is a small bar whose name i cannot recall right now. that's probably your best bet.

down south a bit is Egg Harbor. One Barrel just opened a bar there that's not half bad. Shipwrecked is in Egg Harbor, too. meh.

best shop is probably Egg Harbor Market. don't expect anything out of the ordinary but i'd probably stop there on the way up to Sister Bay to stock up.

 

[bigred1]

Going to be in Door County (Sister Bay) for a wedding the second weekend of July. Any decent beer around there (brewery, bar, bottle shop or otherwise)? My wife is a bridesmaid so should have at least a bit of time to explore on my own.

TIA for the help.

Door County Brewing Co. in Bailey’s Harbor has some decent stuff. Specifically any of the Hacienda Brewing beers. Should be less than 15 minutes from Sister Bay.

 

[jmgrub]

in Sister Bay there's Wild Tomato. next door is a small bar whose name i cannot recall right now. that's probably your best bet.

down south a bit is Egg Harbor. One Barrel just opened a bar there that's not half bad. Shipwrecked is in Egg Harbor, too. meh.

best shop is probably Egg Harbor Market. don't expect anything out of the ordinary but i'd probably stop there on the way up to Sister Bay to stock up.

Door County Brewing Co. in Bailey’s Harbor has some decent stuff. Specifically any of the Hacienda Brewing beers. Should be less than 15 minutes from Sister Bay.

Thanks dudes! Very helpful. Will report back.

 

[flyingbison]

best shop is probably Egg Harbor Market. don't expect anything out of the ordinary but i'd probably stop there on the way up to Sister Bay to stock up.

I believe it's called Main Street Market, but it's the only grocery store in Egg Harbor, so you can't miss it.

PS - you can check out the Hatch Distilling tasting room in Egg Harbor, too, if you're into that sort of thing.

 

[flyingbison]

in Sister Bay there's Wild Tomato. next door is a small bar whose name i cannot recall right now. that's probably your best bet.

Looks like Bier Zot is closed now: http://www.bierzot.com/

Wild Tomato has some decent local craft on tap, though, and Al Johnson's has a new outdoor beer garden: http://www.aljohnsons.com/news/stabbur-beer-garden-drinks/