Beer & Cheese 2017

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RAISING THEIR GLASSES, RAISING THE BAR

Chippewa Valley craft brewers praise each other’s products, pursue new creations WO R D S : M A X M A R T I N S O N • P H O T O S : A N D R E A PAU L S E T H

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little healthy competition benefits all of us, but support seems to be the secret ingredient in the Chippewa Valley brewing community’s success.

Each new brewery benefits when one brewer succeeds at opening people up to craft beer, and we have growing support surrounding craft beer. That’s thanks to the presence of some fine brewers here in the Chippewa Valley. We’ve spoken with a few of those craft brewers and gotten their take on the Valley’s beer scene, what they are working on next, and which local beers they enjoy most.

The love of beer is part of our culture in Wisconsin, and nowhere does that love run deeper than in the Chippewa Valley.

Beer is as ubiquitous as cheese around here, and thanks to the skilled hands of these local brewers, we have growing access to a variety of quality brews.

WILL GLASS

The Brewing Projekt, Eau Claire What is your favorite beer made by a different local brewery?

Modicum’s The Heavens.

What styles of beer are you working on next?

We’re always working on new hopforward ales. Right now we’re working on a single-hop pale ale called “flow” that we hope to bring out in a few weeks, a zero IBU IPA using a new form of hops called “cryo hops” which will produce an extremely smooth beer with very low bitterness but huge hop aroma and flavor, as well as some new stouts we’ve never done before.

Why is it an exciting time to be brewing beer in the Chippewa Valley?

In my opinion the more craft breweries the merrier. The culture has changed so much, and we’re bringing people out to drink beer in our taprooms who’ve never had any interest in “going out.” It’s fun to have all this variety going on in one relatively small area. You can get whatever you’re looking for in terms of beer right here in the Chippewa Valley.

ducing a limited edition line which will include higher-alcohol and more robust biers. We have been inspired by the traditional biers but also are excited to brew premium recipes.

Why is it an exciting time to be brewing beer in the Chippewa Valley?

Generally people are moving away from the big breweries and discovering the craft bier market. Eau Claire has four excitingly different breweries to attract not only the local population but visitors who bring themselves specifically to Eau Claire and the surrounding areas because of the craft beer market.

We are able to spotlight not only our local talented brewers but our beautiful city as well.

LON BLASER

K Point, Eau Claire

Modicum Brewing taproom

ERIC RYKAL

Modicum, Altoona What is your favorite beer made by a different local brewery?

Geoff from Real Deal Brewing in Menomonie.

Ryan (Verdon) is probably the best brewer in the area making really well-thoughtout, balanced beers. Geoff is his somewhat hoppy rye ale. The rye is pretty intense but the whole beer is incredibly drinkable.

What styles of beer are you working on next?

We’re always working on new stuff at Modicum. We’ll continue to focus on European-influenced farmhouse ales and unfiltered lagers. We also continue to source as many ingredients locally as possible (including growing our own hops) to cultivate a sense of regional terroir in our beers.

Why is it an exciting time to be brewing beer in the Chippewa Valley?

It’s an exciting time to be brewing beer anywhere, but around here we have such a diverse beer scene. Everyone is brewing such a wide range of beers while at the same time staying true to their own style. We’ve all found a niche.

THERESA FRANK

Lazy Monk, Eau Claire What is your favorite beer made by a different local brewery?

There are a lot of talented brewers in western Wisconsin. …

All have their own unique beers, and it is difficult to say which is a favorite. We enjoy the the passion and creativity of all our fellow brewers What styles of beer are you working on next?

While we will continue to brew traditional European biers, we are also expanding our taps. We will have our traditional Lagers, Ales, Bocks, Sours, and Stouts tap lines but are now intro-

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What is your favorite beer made by a different local brewery?

The brewers at K Point like to visit our fellow Chippewa Valley craft brewers and sample their products and offerings on a regular basis. There is an amazing array of quality craft beers available in the Chippewa Valley.

It would be impossible to say which is my favorite. It depends on the day, my mood, and what I am eating.

What styles of beer are you working on next?

At K Point, we have been experimenting with SMaSH beers: Single Malt and Single Hop beers. This technique allows us to showcase the flavor and aroma characteristics of the many hop varieties available to today’s craft brewers.

Why is it an exciting time to be brewing beer in the Chippewa Valley?

The beer drinkers and lovers in the Chippewa Valley are looking for flavorful beers. It’s not just the beer, it’s the overall experience. As an independent craft brewer, we welcome the challenge to provide both great beer and a satisfying encounter with our products.

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

MATCHES MADE IN WISCO HEAVEN these Badger State cheese and beer pairings will send your taste buds to paradise

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oves of fine food and beverages in the Chippewa Valley know that The Coffee Grounds (4212 Southtowne Drive, Eau Claire) is far more than a coffee shop and café.

At the Coffee Grounds, you’ll also fin a broad selection of specialty cheeses and microbrewed beer – including some made in-house by K Point Brewing. We asked Candice White, Coffee Grounds’ beer buyer, and Megan Kremer, the cheese buyer, for some primo pairings of Wisconsin-made beer and cheese.

cleansing effect offered by Strawboss, a farmhouse-style ale.

MATCH #1:

MATCH #4:

The Cheese: The Blue Jay by Deer Creek Cheese (quadruple cream blue cheese with juniper) (Sheboygan) The Beer: Three Sheeps Brewing First Kiss Imperial IPA (Sheboygan) Opening notes of rich, creamy butter are followed up with a dose of sharp pine in the juniper, which matches beautifully with the malt notes and final floral bittering of the IPA.

MATCH #2:

The Cheese: Bleu Mont Dairy Bandaged Cave-Aged Cheddar (Blue Mounds) The Beer: Modicum Brewing Strawboss (Altoona) The intensity of this mossy-flavored cheddar shines through the delicate

MATCH #3:

The Cheese: Marieke 9-12 Month Aged Gouda (Thorp) The Beer: K Point Brewing In-House Coffee Stout (Eau Claire) The flavor profiles of the cheese and beer mirror each other perfectly; creamy and earthy, with a touch of acidity.

The Cheese: Wisconsin Sheep Dairy Cooperative Pecorino (Bruce) The Beer: Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Aged Barleywine (Amherst) The sweet, decadent richness of the Pecorino strengthens and smoothes the boozy heat and maltiness of the barleywine.

MATCH #5:

The Cheese: Bifrost Farms Herbs de Provence Goat Cheese (Boyceville) The Beer: The Brewing Projekt Stolen Mile (lemon basil shandy) (Eau Claire) The herbal undertones and sweet lemon are cut by the tang of the goat cheese and accentuated by the Herbs de Provence.

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ROLLING OUT MORE BARRELS bill would ease rules for Wisconsin’s small brewers WO R D S : T O M G I F F E Y • P H O T O : A N D R E A PAU L S E T H

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ill Glass, founder of The Brewing Projekt in Eau Claire, knows all about the convoluted regulations that govern the production and sale of alcohol in Wisconsin. In fact, he wrestled with them for several years before finally opening his Eau Claire craft brewery and taproom in 2015. And he, along with other small-scale brewers, vinters, and distillers, sounded the alarm earlier this year when they learned that legislation was being discussed in Madison that they feared could undercut their operations or even force them out of business. In fact, that potential legislation prompted Glass and other leaders in Wisconsin’s small-scale alcohol production industry to form the Wisconsin Craft Beverage Coalition in June in an act of preemptive self-defense.

So it came as a great surprise to Glass early this month when a group of state lawmakers announced what is expected to be the first of several bills aimed at streamlining and modernizing Wisconsin’s liquor laws. The bill, unveiled as part of a campaign dubbed “Cheers Wisconsin,” is sponsored by state Reps. Gary Tauchen, R-Bonduel; Shannon Zimmerman, R-River Falls; Dale Kooyenga, R-Brookfield; John Macco, R-Ledgeview; and state Sen. Sheila Harsdorf, R-River Falls. It is currently being circulated for other sponsors, and its supporters say they hope the Legislature considers it later this year.

“This legislation will provide a benefit to brewers, distillers, wholesalers, retailers, and most importantly, consumers,” Harsdorf said at a press conference. “We are seeing in our districts

The Brewing Projekt

and throughout Wisconsin the archaic three-tier system actually hindering job creation and limiting economic development.”

Glass said craft brewers are excited about the legislation, as much for what it contains as for what it represents. “They did it without any of our input, which is both frustrating and satisfying,” Glass says of the lawmakers who wrote the bill.

It’s frustrating because Glass would have pushed for further reforms; it’s satisfying because it indicates some state lawmakers recognize that Wisconsin’s alcohol statues are outdated.

The bill would make a number of changes to existing law: • Double the production capacity (from 10,000 to 20,000 barrels) of brewpubs and the number of locations they can operate (from six to 12).

• Allow breweries to sell liquor on

premises or at off-site retail locations.

(In other words, brewpubs and taprooms could operate more like traditional bars, offering cocktails and other beverages in addition to what they brew themselves.)

• Double the capacity for a small winery (from 25,000 to 50,000 gallons).

• Increase by 10 percent the number of Class B liquor licenses a municipality can issue.

• Allow the state Department of Revenue to create a permit for “distillpubs.”

“It’s almost the opposite of what that previous bill that had been circulating was going to do,” Glass said. That other possible legislation, which was leaked in June, would have made it difficult – if not impossible – for brewers and wineries to sell their wares in their own taprooms (instead, they would have had to go through distributors). The proposal would have also created a new state agency to enforce alcohol laws, removing that function from the state Department of Revenue, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

By contrast, the newly proposed legislation relaxes the strict three-tier separation between alcohol producers, distributors, and retailers that has existed in Wisconsin since the repeal of Prohibition in the 1930s.

Unsurprisingly, not everyone is excited by this prospect. Specifically, the Wisconsin Tavern League condemned the plans as a threat to “mom and pop” bars because it would make it easier for breweries to sell their own products directly to consumers, giving them a competitive advantage over taverns, who must buy beer and other alcohol from distributors at a markup.

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“We’re going to strongly oppose this.

It breaks down the three-tier system ... it takes producers and turns them into retailers,” Pete Madland, the Tavern League’s executive director, told The Capital Times. “Our problem is that it gives the producers who compete with our members a distinct advantage because they get their products at the cost of the product while our members have to absorb their cost of production as well as distribution. It obviously puts us at a disadvantage. The three-tier system was set up so they didn’t have to compete with those people.”

Glass dismissed such criticisms. If every brewery in the state opened six retail locations, brewers would still hold less than 1 percent of the state’s liquor licenses, he said.

Glass said that more traditional taverns shouldn’t see taprooms as competition, but rather as different kinds of businesses that attract different customers. “We want to make that pie bigger,” he said, referring to the market for alcohol consumption. “We want to bring people out who don’t necessary want to sit in a traditional bar.”

Whatever its merits, the immediate future for the legislation is uncertain.

The Legislature has yet to pass a budget for the 2017-19 biennium – a task that was supposed to be completed by July 1 – and Gov. Scott Walker has also called lawmakers into a special session to consider a bill containing incentives for Taiwanese technology firm Foxconn to create a 20-million-square-foot manufacturing center in Wisconsin. Until these two tasks are completed, don’t expected to see much else happen under the Capitol dome.

WHAT MAKES CURDS SQUEAK? exploring the science behind Wisconsin’s favorite snack WO R D S : K AT I E V E N I T • P H O T O : A N D R E A PAU L S E T H

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Salting curds at Castle Rock Organic Dairy in Osseo solids clump together into baby curds.

After the milk solids have separated into curds, cheesemakers drain away

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a small cup of milk for 30 seconds. Add a tablespoon of acid such as white vinegar or lemon juice. Stir, and the milk

the whey and add salt. Cheese curds are eaten fresh. They’re bagged and sold to customers right away to maximize squeakiness.

For a day or so, the proteins keeps their long, elastic molecules. After that, lactic acid continues to build up in the cheese, and again cuts the molecules up into shorter pieces. They lose their elasticity and stop squeaking.

To get some of the squeak back, microwave a few unsqueaky curds for three to five seconds. Be careful, they may be hot! The heat brings some of those long strands of protein back together to become elastic again. Take a bite, and squeak squeak squeak away!

This article originally appeared in Chippewa Valley Family (ChippewaValleyFamily.org). Thanks to Arthur Kneeland, a senior lecturer in the biology department at UW-Stout, for help with this article.

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here’s nothing like picking up a fresh, warm bag of cheese curds at the farmers market and getting that first squeaky bite. That squeak comes from a special way that long protein molecules in fresh cheese curds rub against your teeth.

To make cheese curds, milk is warmed and a culture with bacteria added. This bacteria eats lactose, a sugar in milk, and turns it into lactic acid. Acids are useful for splitting up proteins.

The protein in milk, called casein, normally floats around in bunches. But as lactic acid builds up, it cuts apart the protein bunches into short pieces.

The pieces stick together again, but this time as a net with long, elastic molecules. The net separates milk solids from whey.

You can try this at home: microwave

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COOKING WITH BEER & CHEESE food blogger Hannah Larson offers recipes using some Wisconsin’s most beloved ingredients

SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS THE WISCONSIN WAY Servings: 6-8

INGREDIENTS 2 spaghetti squash 1 pound lean ground beef 2 eggs sea salt pepper basil oregano Castle Rock cheese curds ½ tablespoon olive oil 1 pound can crushed tomatoes Italian seasoning ½ Cup New Glarus Two Women beer 1 cup mushrooms ½ tablespoon garlic

DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Slice the squash in half length-wise and

place face down on a baking sheet. Place in oven for 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, combine the beef, a generous amount of each spice, and the eggs in a bowl, and mix thoroughly.

4. Take a miniature muffin tin and fill each cup almost full with the meat mixture. Then take your thumb and make an indentation for the cheese curd in each portion.

5. Once all the indentations have been made and the curds have been placed, take the remaining meat mixture and place on top, making it round to complete the meatballs. There should be enough of the mixture for 12 full meatballs.

6. When 10 minutes are remaining on the timer, place the muffin tin in the oven alongside the squash.

7. In a saucepan, combine tomatoes, a generous amount of Italian seasoning, beer, mushrooms, and garlic. Bring to a boil, and then let simmer for five minutes.

8. When the squash is done, place it face up in the refrigerator to cool.

9. In another pan, heat the olive oil. Using a spoon, gently scoop out each meatball and add it to the pan. The muffin tin may

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be a little messy, but the meatballs should come out easily. Let all sides brown until the meatballs are slightly crisp.

10. Use a fork to scoop out the squash, then top with sauce and meatballs. Enjoy!

HONEY PILSNER CHICKEN INGREDIENTS 2 chicken breasts ¼ cup coconut aminos (soy-free soy sauce) ¼ cup Lazy Monk Brewery Bohemian Pilsner beer 1 tablespoon ginger, minced ½ teaspoon garlic, minced 1 tablespoon honey salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS 1. On medium-low heat, place chicken breasts in a frying pan.

Add salt and pepper to both sides. Cook the first side for six minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix together the rest of the ingredients to make a sauce. Be sure to whisk well to combine the honey.

3. Once six minutes are up, flip the chicken, and pour in sauce. Let cook until chicken is fully cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degree. The sauce will begin to simmer and thicken.

4. Once fully cooked, serve on your favorite salad, with veggies, or eat alone!

5. You can also make extra sauce and turn this dish into a stir-fry just by adding some veggies with the chicken.

Hannah Larson is the creator of YouThyme.com, a real food and self-care inspired blog. The blog’s main goal is to teach people how to use healthy, real ingredients to make great tasting dishes. YouThyme also stresses the importance of self-care and offers ways to care for ourselves to benefit our overall health.

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EVERYONE SAY ‘CHEESE’

Sure, beer is what made Wisconsin (or at least its biggest city) famous. But in nearly every objective category, our cheese industry overshadows brewing.

COMPILED BY TOM GIFFEY

BEER

CHEESE

ANNUAL 10.2 million barrels (2016) PRODUCTION

PRODUCTION RANK No. 9 (2016) AMONG STATES

3.24 billion pounds (2016)

TOTAL PER CAPITA PRODUCTION

54.7 gallons per resident (2016)

561 pounds per resident (2016)

SHARE OF U.S. TOTAL

5.2% (2016)

No. 1 (2016)

26.6% (2016)

BREWERIES VS. CHEESE FACTORIES

248 permitted breweries (2016)

144 cheese plants (2016)

BARS VS. DAIRY FARMS

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates there are 2,782 drinking places in the state (2015), while the Tavern League of Wisconsin has more than 5,000 members.

The state had 9,520 licensed dairy herds as of 2016, according to the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.

NUMBER OF JOBS

35,044 people work directly in brewing, distributing, and selling beer with a payroll of just over $1 billion (2016)

78,900 in dairy farming and processing (and remember, about 90 percent of Wisconsin milk becomes cheese) (2012)

DIRECT ECONOMIC IMPACT

$4.1 billion (2016)

$22.5 billion (entire dairy industry, 2012)

INDIRECT ECONOMIC IMPACT

$10.5 billion (2016)

$43.4 billion (entire dairy industry, 2012)

OFFICIAL STATUS

While a tall, cold one makes many people think fondly of Wisconsin, beer has never been made an official symbol of the state. The polka, however, is the official state dance, and the old oom-pah-pah just isn’t the same unless you roll out the barrel.

Bills naming cheese the official state snack and Lactococcus lactis (the bacterium that makes cheese) as the official state microbe both failed in the state Legislature in recent years. However, milk is the state beverage, and the cow is the state domestic animal.

Sources: Beer Institute (beerinstitute.org), National Beer Wholesalers Association, U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, Brewers Association (BrewersAssociation.org), Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (EatWisconsinCheese.com), UW-Madison Department of Agriculture & Applied Economics, U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns, Wisconsin Tavern League.

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EAT, DRINK, & GET READING

Fuel your love of Wisconsin’s classic consumables with these and other books from The Local Store BEER

Miller Beer Barons by Tim John • $22 Frederick Miller came to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from Germany 150 years ago and started a small brewery that would evolve into one of the world’s largest. In The Miller Beer Barons, author Tim John tells the complete story of the family that built a beer empire from the entrepreneurial days of brewers like Miller, Pabst, and Best, through the struggles of Prohibition to the corporate modern era.

Breweries of Wisconsin by Jerry Apps • $25 The story of the Dairy State’s other major industry – beer! From the immigrants who started brewing here during territorial days to the modern industrial giants, this is the history, the folklore, the architecture, the advertising, and the characters that made Wisconsin the nation’s brewing leader. Updated with the latest trends on the Wisconsin brewing scene.

Bottoms Up by Jim Draeger and Mark Speltz • $30 Bottoms Up celebrates Wisconsin’s taverns and the breweries that fueled them. Beginning with inns and saloons, the book explores the rise of taverns and breweries, the effects of temperance and Prohibition, and attitudes about gender, ethnicity, and morality. It traces the development of the megabreweries, dominance of the giants, and the emergence of microbreweries. Contemporary photographs of unusual and distinctive bars and breweries of all eras, historical photos, postcards, advertisements, and breweriana illustrate the story of how Wisconsin came to dominate brewing and the place that bars and beer hold in our

social and cultural history.

Tavern League by Carl Corey • $30 In Tavern League, photographer Carl Corey documents a unique and important segment of the Wisconsin community.

Our bars are unique micro-communities, offering patrons a sense of belonging.

Many of these bars are the only public gathering place in the rural communities they serve. These simple taverns offer the individual the valuable opportunity for face-to-face conversation and camaraderie, particularly as people become more physically isolated through accelerated use of the Internet.

CHEESE

Cheese: The Making of a Wisconsin Tradition by Jerry Apps • $19 This is a story of farmers, milk cows, dairy barns, and green pastures. It is the story of cheesemakers who work their magic and turn milk into cheese. Jerry Apps narrates the history of the cheesemaking industry in Wisconsin from its inception in the 1940s to the present.

In his compelling yet conversational style, Apps documents how the daily lives of the early cheesemakers and how Wisconsin became the nation’s No. 1 cheese producer.

The Master Cheesemakers of Wisconsin by James Norton and Becca Dilley • $25 This book – beautifully photographed and engagingly written – introduces hardworking, resourceful men and women

campaigns and international awards have made Wisconsin cheese famous.

That heritage is celebrated in this book that includes more than 100 recipes, cheesemaking (and eating) history and trivia, suggested wine pairings, a list of retailers, and much more.

THIS who PRODUCT AVAILABLE! represent an arti205 N. Dewey St. sanal craft that has roots in Europe but has been a Wisconsin tradition since the 1850s. the book profiles of 43 active Master Cheesemakers, and includes a glossary of cheesemaking terms, suggestions of operations that welcome visitors for tours, tasting notes and suggested food pairings, and tasty nuggets (shall we say curds?) of information on everything to do with cheese.

Wisconsin Cheese by Martin Hintz and Pam Percy • $17 Breads, salads, pasta, fondue, quesadillas, pizza, and quiche are our favorite comfort foods. And all have something in common: They’re better with cheese!

From the well-known cheddar, blue, and Swiss to little known artisanal cheeses, a breadth of flavors and varieties from our nation’s largest cheesemaking center are included in Wisconsin Cheese. Marketing

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The Cheeses of Wisconsin: A Culinary Travel Guide by Jeanette Hurt • $20 Wisconsin makes more specialty cheese than any other state, and this guide lists the best of the best cheesemakers and their cheeses. Connoisseur and food writer Jeanette Hurt embarks on a culinary tour throughout the state to find the most innovative and traditional artisans who lovingly and painstakingly cultivate numerous varieties of awardwinning cow-, goat-, and sheep’s-milk cheeses. Also includes a map showing cheesemaker locations, where to buy Wisconsin cheese, resources for budding cheesemakers, recipes, wine and beer pairings, and travel advice.

150 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE

Over the last century and a half, the legendary Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co. of Chippewa Falls has been through it all. President Dick Leinenkugel tells us where they’re going next.

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he Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company is celebrating an incredible milestone in 2017: 150 years of brewing beer in Chippewa Falls. Leinenkugel’s has an immaculately rich history of turning Chippewa’s fresh spring water into world-renowned beer since the 19th century. There’s been five generations of Leinenkugels heading up the family business, and in this special landmark year, we got the chance to catch up with Dick Leinenkugel who grew up in the business and now serves as president and Chief Beer Merchant. We talked with Dick about fostering such an incredible business in the city of Chippewa Falls, what’s in store for the next 150 years, and how the torch will be passed to the next generation of Leinenkugels.

Volume One: Congrats on the big 150 year anniversary. That’s a pretty amazing thing. How does it feel to know that you’re a part of something with such a rich history in this town?

Dick Leinenkugel: It’s humbling in a lot of ways to be in this chair, at this time during our company’s history. I’m the fifth generation, (and) the sixth generation is starting to work in the business now. But I think about the previous four generations and they probably had it much tougher than I do.

You think about that second generation taking the business up to Prohibition, they had to be resourceful. Then coming out of Prohibition, the third generation mortgaged their homes to raise the

capital to get to the brewing equipment back operating. My dad was with the business for over 40 years after World War II coming back and running the brewery through some pretty lean years where most family-owned breweries in the U.S. were going out of business.

I think at one time we were down to less than 50 brewing companies in the country, and Leinenkugel’s was one of them. Now there’s over 5,000. When you think about it in the context of all those years, it’s gratifying and also very, very humbling.

the brewery has a lot of Chippewa Falls pride. What makes you feel that sense of place here?

Well we’re certainly connected to the community, not only the physical site but also the people. There’s a real sense of family, not only among our workers, but certainly among the people in this town.

People always point with pride to the brewery in Chippewa Falls, and I just think it’s really cool that local folks will bring their friends and relatives to visit the brewery. It’s a real testament to this city and community as well.

The Leinenkugel family and this business has had a pretty big impact on the city of Chippewa Falls. And obviously,

You started working in the business in the ’70s, right?

When I was 17 before I could work in the brewery proper (you had to be 18), my dad asked me if I wanted to give tours for the summer, and I said sure that sounds great. The previous summer I had worked at the local A&W root beer stand, slinging a different kind of beer across the bar. When I wasn’t giving a tour, I’d be selling T-shirts, hats, glasses.

When I could work in the brewery, I was stapling cases. The following year, I worked on a route truck as a driver’s helper. That was a great job. We’d go to the local county bars or country bars and deliver beer – we’d deliver kegs and cans and bottles up to Bloomer, New Auburn, Cornell, Ladysmith, Holcombe, all these little towns. It was terrific to deliver beer and also interact with drinkers at the bar throughout the day. The following summer I worked in the bottle shop, and in the keg racking room.

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LE I N E N K U G E L’ S 1 5 0TH A N N I V E R SA RY C E LE B R ATI O N Aug. 11, & Aug. 12, Festivities start 10:30am and go all day • Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds, 225 Edward St., Chippewa Falls • 1 Day: $18 advance, $20 at the gate | 2 Day: $35 Advance | Parking $5 • 21+ • The two days will be filled with live music, food, shops, games, craftsman showcases, and beer. Headliner concerts both days with Jerrod Niemann on Friday and Collective Soul on Saturday. Fish fry at 4pm on Friday. Don’t forget to stop by the Leinie Lodge for tours of the historic brewery.

Wow, it really sounds like you’ve really done it all.

Well, my dad always said, “Remember, you’ve got to work harder than everyone else because your last name is Leinenkugel, and everybody’s going to be watching you.” There’s a lot of truth to that. And that’s the case even today in the role I’m currently filling at the leader of the company.

PAUL BIALIS

In the context of being in this city, Leinenkugel’s has been around for almost the entire history of Chippewa Falls. The brewery and your family have been able to see the brewery and city evolve at the same time. As you’re building up this brewery over the years, what’s happening to the community around you?

While we’re building up the brewery, it was almost cool to watch the city of Chippewa Falls develop into a technology hub, in a way. When Seymour Cray came back from Control Data Corporation in the ’70s and brought a few of his engineers with him to start Cray Research, that was really the development of something besides the mainstay companies of Chippewa Boots and Mason Shoe and the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company. Fast forward to today, and you’ve got a lot of things going on in this city. You’ve got the new park, the waterfront redevelopment, got world-class health care, you have a terrific public and private school system, major universities nearby, technical colleges, Illinois Tool Works in here, Cray, SGI, TTM Technologies, all happening right here in Chippewa Falls.

Now that you’ve hit this huge landmark anniversary, what do you think the next 50 years look like?

How about the next 150?

Yeah absolutely, what do you think the next 150 is going to look like?

Well, we’ve got something special here in Chippewa Falls. The brewery attracts people who want to see where one of their favorite beers is made.

So first and foremost it’s about the beer and continuing to brew quality beers. But we also want to be able to delight our beer drinkers – surprise and delight, I like to say. One of the ways we do that is really right here at the Leinie Lodge. It’s gotta start with people, and the physical building, and the brewery tour, and what they see here. We’re going to continue to build that experience, whatever that might mean. It might mean lodging, it might mean other hospitality, it might mean food, it might mean some other experience. We know we’re one of the major tourist draws here in the Chippewa Valley, but we want more and more people enjoying our hotels, our restaurants, our bars, our parks, Lake Wissota. I want to make sure they get to see everything there is to see here in Chippewa Falls, and I want them to have a great experience while they’re here. Personally, I want to step out of my role within the next five to six years, and I’d love to see the next generation of the family step in. I want to make sure we have continued involvement by the next generation of Leinenkugels and the Leinenkugel family to run this business.

What new beers are you working on?

We’ve got a Pomegranate Shandy coming this summer, it’s tested well and people seem to like it a lot. Then

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we’re cautiously optimistic about this Cherry Blonde Lager, which is currently part of our Summer Explorer variety pack. We’re going to continue to focus on interesting German styles, primarily lager beers that we can add a certain twist to.

Leinenkugel’s has always been kind of synonymous with Chippewa Falls. Now you look around you, and the city has a

lot going for it. How would you like to see it grow?

We’re excited about the development of our riverfront. That’s a terrific project that the city has embarked on.

We’ll continue to be involved in that.

We just want a healthy, strong community with great amenities, and we want to be able to make sure that people have a great place to enjoy a beer with their friends and family.

SUDS & SLICES LOCAL BREWERIES

Bloomer Brewing Company 1526 Martin Road,

Bloomer • (715) 271-3967 • bloomerbrewingco. com The Bloomer Brewing Company is the town’s first brewery since before Prohibition. The brewery is open Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, serving beer and frequently offers special guest food vendors during the summer. The brewery is available for special parties and events upon request.

The Brewing Projekt 2000 N. Oxford Ave, Bld. 3, Eau

Claire • thebrewingprojekt.com The Brewing Projekt’s mission is to craft awesome, unique, or hard-to-find ales and lagers. The taproom at the Projekt is right inside of the brewery complete with all the sights, sounds, and smells of the craft.

Chippewa River Distillery & Brewster Bros. Brewing Co. 402 W River St, Chippewa Falls • (715) 861-5100 • chippewariverdistillery.com A brewery and distillery in Chippewa Falls with a gorgeous taproom/bar and regular visits from area food trucks. Customers are also able to bring food in or order food there. Check out their rotating selection of award-winning delicious beers and high-quality spirits.

Dave’s Brewfarm 2470 Wilson Street, Wilson •

davesbrewfarm.blogspot.com Dave’s BrewFarm is a sustainably-based brewery in Wilson. Watch his blog for updates on when the taproom is open to sample some of his latest drafts.

FFATS Brewing Company: Nano Brewing & Tap Room Brewery: 36447 Main Street // Tap Room: 18517 Blair Street, Whitehall • ffatsbrewingco.com As a brewery, FFATS (Staff spelled backwards) is continually seeking to find your perfect beer match for you. From Pale Ales to Dark Lagers and everything in between, they are committed to helping you find a beer just right for you. Enjoy a relaxed new environment at the tap room, which is inviting with a rustic feel yet is a firstin-class establishment to socialize and meet friends.

Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company 124 E. Elm

St., Chippewa Falls • 888-534-6437 • leinielodge@ leinenkugels.com • leinie.com Brewing since 1867, Leinenkugel’s is one of America’s oldest craft breweries, boasting a portfolio of several distinctive, flavorful beers inspired by its natural Northwoods surroundings.

The brand has put Chippewa Falls on the map for their adventurous array of full-flavored brews in small, highquality batches.

K Point Brewing (Inside the Coffee Grounds) 4212

Southtowne Drive, Eau Claire • (715) 834-1733 • facebook.com/kpointbeers/ Taking its name from a ski

jumping term, this nanobrewery adjacent to the Coffee Grounds focuses on brewing small batches of beers “that are never out of style.” Enjoy one of their unique stouts, ales, or lagers paired with food from the café at the Coffee Grounds. Also hosts beer dinners, fish frys, and more.

Lazy Monk Brewing, LLC 97 W. Madison St., Eau

Claire • info@lazymonkbrewing.com • lazymonkbrewing.com Step into the old world, German-style Bier Hall to try over 14 taps, a root beer, and a great atmosphere. They specialize in brewing Bohemian Beers, and also have British and American seasonal beers, plus special limited edition holiday beers. Take home growlers and 4 packs.

Lucette Brewing Company 910 Hudson Rd.,

Menomonie • (715) 233-2055 • lucettebrewing.com Lucette takes its name from Paul Bunyan’s girlfriend.

Their brews include theFarmer’s Daughter (a blonde ale with coriander) or a highly rated pale ale Ride Again (a drinkable ale with notes of floral and citrus), plus one-of-a-kind small-batch creation. Try their four-beer sampler flights or “guest beers” from other Wisconsin breweries. The Woodfired Eatery serves classic house pizzas, seasonal creations, calzones, and salads.

Modicum Brewing 3732 Spooner Ave. Suite A, Altoona

• 715-895-8585 • info@modicumbrewing.com • modicumbrewing.com Local craft brewery Modicum Brewing offers a stylish taproom resting in full view of its brew tanks. They pour from a select batch of recipes developed by brewmaster Eric Rykal. Plenty of seating, room for large groups, and tasty snacks from local producers.

Northwoods Brew Pub 50819 West St., Osseo • (715)

552-0510 • northwoodsbrewpub.com In a new, industrial-style setting, patrons at Northwoods Brewpub can enjoy changing seasonal menus and 29 handcrafted beers as well as six sodas, all brewed on site. Covered outdoor seating will be on a massive new patio.

Oliphant Brewing 350 Main st., Suite #2, Somerset •

oliphantbrewing.com Trevor and Matt, Oliphant’s official quackers, cycloned through this brewing process to end up in Somerset. Tongue firmly in cheeks, these two are crafting with a diligence previously unknown to them.

Real Deal Beer (At The Raw Deal) 603 S. Broadway St., Menomonie • (715) 231-3255 • rawdeal-wi. com Local UW-Stout graduate Ryan Verdon is the Raw Deal’s head brew master. The focus is on small batches brewed frequently and always fresh. Their ingredients are non-GMO, non-irradiated and not

Beer & Cheese purveyors & events grown on petrochemical substrates. All of our cleaners, sanitizers and chemicals are biodegradable and environmentally friendly.

have won over 25 awards in national and international cheese competitions. Visitors can watch through a gallery window as they make the cheese.

Rush River Brewing Company 990 Antler Ct,

Marieke Gouda 200 W. Liberty Drive, Thorp • marieke-

Sand Creek Brewing Co 320 Pierce Street, Black River

Nelson Cheese Factory 1636 Harding Ave, Eau Claire

Valkyrie Brewing Company 234 Dallas St, Dallas •

Yellowstone Cheese 24105 County Highway MM,

River Falls • rushriverbeer.com Rush River specializes in unfiltered and unpasteurized ales. This makes for a very fresh and flavorful beer with a shorter shelf life. They are open for growler fills Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, their tap room is open Thu-Sat 4-10pm, and free tours are held the second Saturday of each month at 1pm.

Falls • (715) 284-7553 • sandcreekbrewing.com One of Wisconsin’s largest microbreweries. Brewers of fine craft-brewed ales and lagers in the proud tradition of Wisconsin brewing. Stop by for a tour on Friday afternoons, and Saturdays during the warmer months.

(715) 837-1824 • valkyriebrewery.com A small family owned and operated microbrewery in Dallas, Wisconsin. They brew up loads of Norse-mythology inspired drafts that you can pick up in bottles or enjoy in their kitschy taproom.

CHEESEMAKERS

Cady Cheese Factory 126 State Road 128, Wilson •

cadycheese.com Cady Cheese specializes in American type cheeses Colby, Cheddar, Monterey Jack and Gouda made from 100% natural ingredients. Enjoy free samples of the 100+ flavors of cheeses when you visit.

Eau Galle Cheese Factory N6765 State Highway 25,

Durand • eaugallecheese.com Family owned since 1945, Eau Galle Cheese produces millions of pounds of cheese every year. Their asiago and parmesan have won 6 awards in national and international cheese competitions. They are a certified organic producer of hard Italian cheeses.

Ellsworth Creamery Cooperative 232 N. Wallace

St., Ellsworth • ellsworthcheese.com Nestled in Ellsworth, which was designated the “Cheese Curd Capital” in 1983. A cooperative of over 450+ dairy cow families that send milk to Ellsworth for award-winning cheese production. The Ellsworth Cheese Curds may be the pride and joy, but they also create several brands of quality cheeses such as Antonella, Blaser’s, Ellsworth Valley, and Kammerude Gouda.

Gingerbread Jersey Cheese 1025 Lincoln St., Augusta • 715-286-4007 • A 50-cow dairy farm and cheesemaking outfit that’s been in business since 1918. They

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gouda.com Marieke Gouda crafts award-winning gouda year round in 13 distinct flavors. They have a restaurant on-site that serves up burgers, sandwiches, omelets, and more. Their dairy farm is just across the highway, and cheese is made within 5 hours of milking.

You can book tours for both the farm and the cheesemaking facility.

• (715) 834-2000 • nelsoncheese.com While it doesn’t make its own cheese, Nelson Cheese Factory is your one-stop shop for procuring the best Wisconsin brands of cheese. They serve deli-style sandwiches, ice cream, various pantry-stuffers, and even chocolates.

Cadott • yellowstonecheese.com Yellowstone Cheese offers homemade cheeses, wine, jams & jellies, mustards, maple syrup, gifts, take-n-bake pizzas, and so much more. They pride themselves on using milk from the Kenealy farm to create the over 30 flavors of cheese.

AUGUST

Great Taste of the Midwest Olin Park, 1156 Olin-Tur-

ville Ct, Madison • greattaste.org Will be held August 12, 2017. The Great Taste is the second longest-running craft beer festival in North America. Every year over 150 breweries and brewpubs serve about 1000 different beers in a beautiful lakeside setting in Madison, Wisconsin. Live music, great local food vendors, and a view of the state capitol. Plenty of food available including Mediterranean, Lebanese, brats, burgers, falafel, Caribbean, pizza, subs, Chicago-style dogs, and more.

Potosi BrewFest Holiday Gardens Event Center, 101

Brewery Hollow Rd, Potosi • (608) 763-4002 x106 • potosibrewery.com Held August 26th, from 1-4:30pm (VIPs get in at noon). Sample some of the finest craft beers in the region as well as artisan cheeses and locally produced wines, plus live music.

SEPTEMBER

Dunn County Humane Society Furkinfest Jake’s Sup-

per Club, E5690 County Rd. D, Menomonie • (715) 235-2465 • boardmember8@dunncountyhumanesociety. org • dunncountyhumanesociety.org Will be held September 9, 2017. Sample beer from local breweries and

also food from Jake’s. We will have adoptable animals coming around to visit. This is a family friendly event.

Great prizes, raffles, and live music.

tents in the courtyard will set the stage for the Firkin tapping and kickoff to the season.

Thirsty Troll BrewFest Grundahl Park, 401 Blue

Festgrounds, La Crosse • (608) 784-3378 • office@ oktoberfestusa.com • oktoberfestusa.com Will be held September 28th - October 1st. One of the biggest Oktoberfests in the world. Brings over 150,000 annual attendees to Bavarian culture through music, entertainment, arts and crafts, ethnic food, carnival rides, parades, and pageants.

Mounds Street, Mount Horeb • 1-88TROLLWAY • info@ trollway.com • trollway.com To be held September 9th, 2017. This intimate beer sampling features 25 craft brewers serving over 100 different beers. Enjoy live music and food served by area civic organizations. Get your picture taken with Jorgen the Thirsty Troll.

Hops for Hockey Beer Fest Hobbs Ice Center, 915

Menomonie St, Eau Claire • facebook.com/hops4hockey/ Will be held September 9, 2017. Quench your beer drinking thirst at this event benefiting the Center Ice Club Foundation. Tickets on sale at all Gordy’s locations. Find this event on Facebook to stay up to date with news and fun promotions.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Wine & Beer Tasting N7391

County Road F, Menomonie • Cottage Winery & Vineyard • eventbrite.com Held September 14th. Expect great food, beverages and camaraderie. Raise a glass and help support vital mentoring programs in Northwestern Wisconsin.

Egg Harbor AleFest Harbor View Park, 7809 WI-42,

Egg Harbor • eggharboralefest.com Will be held September 16, 2017. Enjoy craft beers from 40 different brewers with live music. There will be more than 100 different craft beers to sample. Bring your friends for a fun day of tasting and sampling.

Oktoberfest USA: La Crosse Northside & Southside

OCTOBER

Milwaukee Cider & Nano Beer Fest Schlitz Park, 1555 N Rivercenter Drive, Milwaukee • milwaukeeciderfest. com Will be held October 7th, 2017. Enjoy unlimited 3 oz. samples of some of the best craft brews and ciders from Milwaukee! Our Cider & Nano Beer Fest offers the perfect environment to explore new styles and find your next favorite cider or small-batch craft beer.

Enjoy unlimited sampling, over 40 ciders and brews, live entertainment, a commemorative tasting glass and much more.

Northeast Wisconsin Craft Beer Festival Shopko Hall,

1901 South Oneida Street, Green Bay • (920) 405-1199 • holly.williams@pmiwi.com • craftbeerfestivalgb. com October 7th, 2017. Featuring over 70 breweries, plus music, interactive games, seminars, light hors deuvres, raffles, silent auction, and more.

Isthmus OktoBeerFest Breese Stevens Field, 917 E

Wisconsin Dells on Tap Fall Festival Pavilion Down-

Great Lakes Brewfest Racine Zoological Gardens,

NOVEMBER

Mifflin St, Madison • isthmusoktobeerfest.com Will be held September 16, 2017. Features over 40 Wisconsinfocused brewers for this hip interpretation of the classic German-style fest. Brewers will be joined by local artisan sausage, cheese makers, and specialty shops to provide sample sized portions of their finest creations to guests. Guests can enjoy unlimited sampling in their Isthmus OktoBEERfest glassware with an emphasis on seasonal Oktoberfest brews.

2131 North Main Street, Racine • (262) 636-9312 • info@greatlakesbrewfest.com • greatlakesbrewfest. com September 16th, 2017. Featuring unlimited sampling of more than 250 craft beers and sodas from nearly 100 brewers on the beautiful shore of Lake Michigan.

All paid attendees receive a souvenir tasting glass. Food served by local restaurants. Live music including the world renowned Kilties Drum and Bugle Corps.

Green County Cheese Days Courthouse Square, 1016

16th Ave., Monroe • cheesedays.com Will be held September 14-16, 2017. Green County Cheese days is packed with old world traditions, entertainment, Wedgie the cheese mascot, food vendors, merchandise, parades, the crowning of the Limburger Queen, and of course plenty of cheese.

Oktoberfest: Chippewa Falls Northern Wisconsin State

Fairgrounds, 225 Edward Street, Chippewa Falls • 866723-0340 • ofest@chippewachamber.org • visitchippewafallswi.com/oktoberfest Will be held September 15-17th, 2017. A full weekend of German fun with four stages wth live entertainment including dance, contests and more. Experience family fun, scrumptious foods and beverages. Prost!

Rails & Ales Brewfest The National Railroad Museum,

2285 S Broadway, Green Bay • (920) 437-7623 • nationalrrmuseum.org/en-us/default.aspx To be held September 16th, 2017. The National Railroad Museum brings historic trains and contemporary craft beers together for an evening of fun and camaraderie among the historic rail locomotives and rail cars while sampling craft beers, regional wines, and food prepared by local restaurants, and bidding on an awesome array of items.

town, Wisconsin Dells • (800) 22-DELLS • dells.com/ events/dells-on-tap/ To be held October 13-14th, 2017.

Part of the Dells Autumn Harvest Fest, The Wisconsin Dells takes a moment and honors Wisconsin’s proud brewing heritage. Sample dozens of breweries in a full spectrum of beer, and speak to the brewmasters themselves. The day beforehand participate in the Dells Craft Beer Walk where attendees sample from a huge selection of artisan brews at participating bars.

Lake Geneva Beer & Spirits Festival The Ridge Hotel,

W4240 WI-50, Lake Geneva • (262) 245-1000, ext 113 • Alex@ntmediagroup.com • lakegenevabeerandspirits. com November 4, 2017. Includes a commemorative tasting glass, unlimited tastings of beer from 30+ Midwest craft breweries. Guests can also sample specialty liquors and foods that pair well with beer and enjoy live music.

Savor Milwaukee Wisconsin Center, 400 W Wisconsin

Ave, Milwaukee • savormilwaukee.com To be held November 4-5th, 2017. All of your favorites from Wine & Dine Wisconsin—cheese islands, hands-on learning, chefs cooking on-stage, craft cocktails in the UnWine’d lounge and Critic’s Choice—enhanced to create new, oneof-a-kind opportunities to savor. New experiences this year include: limited edition craft beers, select spirit and wine tastings as well as exclusive sit down multi-course sampling menus with chefs, brewers and vintners.

Janesville Kiwanis Fall Fest of Ale Holiday Inn

Express, Janesville • fallfest@janesvillekiwanis.org • fallfestofale.com Held mid-November. Last year’s Fest was huge success highlighted by another evening filled with beer, food and music. The event featured over 100 different kinds of micro-brews as well as some of the best food from the area.

JANUARY & FEBRUARY

Isthmus Beer & Cheese Fest Alliant Energy Center,

Resort & Conference Center, 725 Blue Harbor Dr., Sheboygan • (866) 701-BLUE • blueharborresort.com/ craft-beer-festival Will be held on September 23rd. On Friday enjoy a “Best of Wisconsin” four-course craft beer dinner with executive chef Jason Richardson. A more conventional beer tasting fest is held Saturday.

1919 Alliant Energy Center Way, Madison • (608) 251-5627 x 152 • jpalmer@isthmus.com • isthmusbeercheese.com Will be held January 20th, 2018. Hundreds of local craft beers and artisanal cheeses in one place for an all-you-can-sample celebration of Wisconsin’s finest. Get your favorites, try something new and find out what you’ve been missing out on from brewers and cheese makers across the state.

Lazy Monk Oktoberfest Lazy Monk Tap Room, 97 West

Beer Lover’s Brewfest Manitowoc County Expo, 4921

Blue Harbor Resort Craft Beer Festival Blue Harbor

Madison Street, Eau Claire • (715) 271-0848 • info@ lazymonkbrewing.com • lazymonkbrewing.com Will be held on September 23rd and 30th. Lazy Monk will celebrate over the traditional 16 days of the Oktoberfest season. The main bier hall will be decorated in the style of the Bier Halls in Germany. Two main food and beer

Expo Dr., Manitowoc • (920) 758-JAYC • brewfest@ manitowocjaycees.org • facebook.com Held in late February. Each year, beer lovers from the lakeshore and beyond partake in one of Wisconsin’s largest brew fests.

All those who attend the event receive a complementary commemorative beer mug or glass. Many participants

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SUDS & SLICES have a large collection of Brewfest glassware.

New London Chamber Annual Beer Tasting Crystal

Falls Banquet Facility, 1500 Handschke Dr, New London • (920) 982-5822 • newlondonchamber.com/events/ beertasting.html Will be held February 24th, 2018.

Showcasing 65+ beverages including regional and national beers, unique wines and specialty beverages.

Tickets include a commemorative souvenir glass, hors d’ ouevres and live music.

Beer & Cheese purveyors & events (continued)

Cheesemakers from more than half the states submit their finest products; this is the larget dairy competition in U.S. history and is held in odd-numbered years.

EAA Airventure Museum Hops & Props EAA Aviation

MARCH

Center, 3000 Poberezny Road, Oshkosh • (800) 2361025 • eaa.org/HopsProps Held early March. Sample over 250 different beverages provided by microbreweries and distributors from across the world. Learn about the brewing process and history, meet masterbrewers, and understand the distinguishing characteristics of beer styles. Great music from several live bands, plus great food and coffee.

Lambeau Field, 1265 Lombardi Ave, Green Bay • (608) 828-4550 • uschampioncheese.org Held in early March.

grounds, 625 3rd Street, Luxemburg • kewauneelionsclub.org/brewfest.html Held late March. The Kewaunee

United States Championship Cheese Contest

Roar off the Shore Brewfest Kewaunee County Fair-

Lions Club’s annual festival features regionally brewed craft beers and wines, as well as well known craft brewed beers from well-known small breweries across Wisconsin and Michigan.

APRIL

Cheesetopia Milwaukee The Grain Exchange, 225 E

Michigan St, Milwaukee • wisconsincheeseoriginals. com/cheesetopia-festival/ Will be held April 8, 2018.

Cheesetopia 2018 returns to downtown Milwaukee in the historic Grain Exchange room of the Mackie Building. Each year, this traveling festival brings the best artisan and farmstead cheeses to the heart of a different American city. In 2016, attendees in Chicago had the opportunity to meet, greet, sample and purchase cheese from more than 40 of the best artisan producers from around the Great Lakes Region – the largest gathering of artisan cheesemakers ever assembled.

Northwest Beerfest Chippewa Area Ice Arena,

839 First Ave., Chippewa Falls • (715) 726-2505 • facebook@gordysinc.com • facebook.com/northwestbeerfest/ Held in late April. Sample hundreds of beers from over 50 breweries. 2016’s event featured. 150+ varieties of craft, import, ales, porters, lagers, and stouts from over 40 vendors.

International Cheese Technology Expo Wisconsin

Center, 400 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee • cheeseexpo.org Held in mid-April. The Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association and Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research will host cheese manufacturers and suppliers from across the nation and around the world for morning seminars, afternoons of trade show exposition and evening social affairs.

Dairy State Cheese & Beer Festival Brat Stop, 12304 75th St., Kenosha • (262) 654-6200 • info@bgckenosha.org • kenoshabeerfest.com Held in mid-late April.

This festival brings the best of everything Wisconsin has to offer with cheese from Laack Bros Cheese Co., Vern’s Cheese, Inc., and Jim’s Cheese, Inc. as well as beer from many local breweries.

Gitchee Gumee Brewfest UW-Superior’s Wessman

Arena, 28th & Catlin Ave, Superior • afennes1@ hotmail.com • ggbrewfest.com Held in mid-April.

Feauring 35+ breweries from Wisconsin, Minnesota, and other states.

Between the Bluffs - Beer, Wine, and Cheese Festival

615 2nd St N, La Crosse • Southside Fest Grounds • explorelacrosse.com Held in late April. Taste over 200 quality brews poured by distinguished breweries.

Experience over 45 types of wine from local and worldfamous vintners. Sample and purchase gourmet cheese and other good eats. All attendees receive a souvenir tasting glass.

Wisconsin Cheese Industry Conference Alliant En-

ergy Center, 1919 Alliant Energy Center Way, Madison • (608) 828-4550 • jkeller@wischeesemakers.org • cheeseconference.org Held mid-April. The WCIC, held biennially, is host to the nation’s cheesemakers, buttermakers and whey processors. Here, manufacturers and processors are joined by their supplier partners for education, networking and the ever popular tabletop mini expo.

Kohler Festival of Beer A variety of locations in

Kohler, Kohler • (855) 444-2838 • kohlerathome.com/ events-beer.html Held in late-April/May. Kohler Festival of Beer is a well-crafted celebration of malts, hops and the art of brewing. The Village of Kohler comes alive as the country’s top craft brewers converge in a celebration of suds with tastings, educational sampling seminars and events. There is no shortage of food, entertainment and, of course, beer.

Milwaukee Beer Week Various locations in Milwau-

kee, • info@milwaukeebeerweek.com • milwaukeebeerweek.com Held during a week in late-April. The primary goal of Milwaukee Beer Week is to enhance beer knowledge and appreciation with a massive smattering of beer-related events across several days held in Milwaukee. See website for full schedule.

MAY

The Big Brew Brewing Projekt, 2000 N Oxford Ave,

Eau Claire • (715) 832-6942 • info@cvbetterbrewers. org • cvbetterbrewers.org Held in early May. Presented by the Chippewa Valley Better Brewers, local homebrewers take their hobbies outside for a day of food,

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drinks and celebration.

Madison Craft Beer Week Locations in Madison and

around Dane County • frontdesk@madbeerweek.com • madbeerweek.com Lasts for two weekends in early May. An annual celebration promoting Madison’s thriving craft beer culture, enhancing beer knowledge and appreciation in a ten-day (two weekend) festival that fosters knowledge of our regional brewing heritage, and showcases the Madison area’s businesses with ties to the craft beer community.

Wisconsin Micro-Brewers Beer Fest Calumet

County Fairgrounds, Chilton • rcbrewing@gmail.com • rowlandsbrewery.com/beerfest.html Usually in mid to late-May. Featuring dozens of breweries, presented by Rowland’s Calumet Brewing.

JUNE

Beer Barons’ World of Beer Festival N56 W14750

Silver Spring Drive, Milwaukee • Schwabenhof Pavilion • wobfest.com Held in early June. Last year’s event featured dozens of breweries with lots of food and entertainment. This could be the best beer festival you’ve never heard of.

The Great Wisconsin Cheese Festival Doyle Park,

100 Van Buren St., Little Chute • 920-788-7390 (x303) • littlechutewi.org Held early June. Enjoy live music, food, amusement rides, children’s entertainment, a walk/run, parade, petting zoo, cheese carving demonstrations, cheese tasting, cheese curd eating contest, cheese breakfast, cheesecake contest, and more.

Wisconsin Beer Lovers Festival Bayshore Town Cen-

ter, 5800 N Bayshore Dr, Glendale • (859) 492-9492 • trevor.cravens@draftmag.com • wisconsinbeerloversfest.com Held mid-June. Presented by the Wisconsin Brewers Guild, meet more than 35 of our great state’s passionate brewers as they pour their best brews and share their wisdom about what makes Wisconsin’s craft scene unique. Also featuring locally produced cuisine and Wisconsin cheesemakers matching creative pairings of beers, dishes, and cheese.

Up North Beer Festival Hi-Pines Campground, Eagle

River • (715) 891-0421 • greatnorthernbeerfestival. com Held in mid-June. Enjoy this opportunity to try many different styles of beers from many different breweries. Make plans to visit some of the many quality breweries. Many offer free tours.

Door County Beer Festival Town Hall Park, Baileys

Harbor • info@doorcountybeer.com • doorcountybeer. com Held mid-june. A full day of great beer, music, and culinary experiences with more than 120 beers, and a home brewing contest, plus seminars on cheese, beer and other food.

JULY

Lac Du Flambeau Brewfest Torpy Park, 806 US-51,

Minoqua • (715) 588-3413 // (715) 588-9245 • info@ lacduflambeaubrewfest.com • lacduflambeaubrewfest. com Held in late July. Sample 35+ beers, mostly from Wisconsin, plus vote in the People’s Choice Award, merch and raffles all afternoon, plus brats, hot dogs, hamburgers, t-shirts, hats, and beer caddies. Live music all day.

Milwaukee Firkin Craft Beer Festival Cathedral Park Square, 520 E Wells St, Milwaukee • milwaukeefirkin. com Usually held mid-July. Over 90 beers will be available for tasting at this Milwaukee festival. In addition, food and live music will be there for attendees’ enjoyment.

Midwest Craft Brewer’s Conference Menomonie •

UW-Stout • uwstout.edu/profed/mcbc/index.cfm Held the last weekend in July. This two-day event provides valuable knowledge and information for those in the craft brewing industry. Participants will hear from experts in the field and cover a wide range of topics such as: fermentation, sourcing of hops, brewing new flavors, small business loans and legal knowledge.

Tours are scheduled at local craft breweries.

Milwaukee Brewfest Coast Guard Pavillion in McKinley Park, 1750 N Lincoln Drive, Milwaukee • (414) 321-5000 • milwaukeebrewfest.com Held in late July.

Beer from more than 55 regional and national breweries, plus music, food, games and arts.

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