Last week I read a post at Food & Wine by Garrett Oliver, the brewmaster at Brooklyn Brewery and a well-respected beer dude. It’s a short synopsis of some of the ways restaurants miss the boat on beer knowledge and treatment of beer.
The article struck a chord because I’ve had two instances in the past few months where beer was overlooked at a normally excellent restaurant. (Neither spot was in Milwaukee; the offenses both occurred while traveling.)
The first happened at a steakhouse, which despite having an outstanding whiskey and wine list, had just four run-of-the-mill taps and a few nondescript bottles. Good steak and good beer are fine companions, let them co-exist.
My next personal crime against beer was in the dining room at a golf course. The food was very good, but when I asked what beers they had, the young waitress said, “pretty much anything that you’d want.” Unfortunately “pretty much anything that I’d want” meant a choice of five domestic beers or a Heineken.
I think Milwaukee might be ahead of the game when it comes to solving the crimes mentioned by Oliver. Places (off the top of my head) such as The Rumpus Room (1030 N. Water St.), which pays special attention beer; newcomer Odd Duck (2352 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.), with its fairly large beer menu; and Carnevor (724 N. Milwaukee Ave.), which realizes steaks can pair well with a wide variety of beers all seem to understand the importance of a decent beer list. I would expect Milwaukee to be ahead of the game in this regard. It is after all Brew City.
Barley Pop of the Week
I’ve never had a chance to try anything brewed by the Alpine Beer Company, which is only sold in southern California. But a collaboration with New Belgium brings a taste of Alpine to the Midwest. The latest in New Belgium’s Lips of Faith series is the Super IPA, a deliciously hoppy imperial IPA with plenty of pine and citrus flavor that ranks well on beeradvocate.com and ratebeer.com. Track this barley superhero down while it’s still here saving us from bad beer.
Quick Taps
It dawned on me recently that I won’t be having any Major League Baseball playoff beers this year at Miller Park. No matter what brand or style, those are always tasty.
I see pumpkin beers making the rounds already. I like the style but not when it’s 90 degrees outside. I’ll wait until late September.
Events Brewing
Wednesday, Aug. 29: Cafe Hollander (2608 N. Downer Ave.) hosts a North Coast Brewing beer dinner. Four courses of food and four courses of North Coast beer start at 7 p.m. and cost $50.
Thursday, Aug. 30: Randy Sprecher will be at Discount Liquor Milwaukee (5031 W. Oklahoma Ave.) handing out samples of Hooligan Pale Ale, Redhead Red Ale, and Commando Bourbon Barrel Scotch Ale from 4-7 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 30: Discount Liquor Waukesha (919 N. Barstow Ave.) hosts a tasting of Sierra Nevada from 4-7 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 31: Sierra Nevada samples at Discount Liquor Milwaukee from 4-7 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 31: New Glarus heads to Discount Liquor Waukesha for a tasting from 4-7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 1: Head to Discount Liquor Milwaukee for New Glarus samples from 12-3 p.m. and Hinterland’s likely delicious Bourbon Barrel Doppelbock from 3-6 p.m. (my advice, show up at 2:45).
Saturday, Sept. 1: Hinterland is at Discount Liquor Waukesha from 12-2:30 p.m. and Sprecher is there from 3-6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 1: Sample “Unique Beers” at Three Cellars (7133 S. 76th St.) from 1-4 p.m.
