I’m not sure why I waited so long to get to Rumpus Room (1030 N. Water, rumpusroommke.com). Maybe it was my busy schedule, forgetfulness, sloth…whatever. Thankfully, I finally made it last week.
I was impressed with the dark, classic interior (almost steampunk chic, but not quite), and the high-backed leather stools at the long bar just screamed, “Sit here all day please.” Even before I saw the beer list, I liked the place.
To start, I chose a Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout from the chalkboard listing 25 tap selections and sipped on it while I opened up Rumpus Room’s drink menu. There, bound neatly in a small book, was the mother lode of barley selections. There are more than 150 bottled beer options at Rumpus Room, and the choices are fairly amazing. The bar features a heavy dose of Wisconsin breweries (Central Waters, Lakefront and New Glarus are among the locals that are well represented) mixed nicely with a large Three Floyds selection (including the tasty hop bomb Dreadnaught), and treats like Nebraska Brewing’s Black Betty and Dave’s Brewfarm Matacabras. This menu is well suited for beer drinking amateurs. Beers are organized by style, and each style includes a short intro paragraph explaining beer flavor and even suggesting what food to pair each group with. You don’t get that kind of helpful knowledge everywhere.
Next time I’m at Rumpus Room, I might just listen to the siren song and actually sit there all day.
Quick Taps
I’m late to the party, but I discovered untappd.com last week. The site, kind of like Twitter or Foursquare for beer drinkers, lets you tell the world what beer you’re drinking and where. Untappd keeps track of what you’ve had and lets you create a wish list of what you want to try. Drinking beer is already enjoyable, but a social media site designed for beer lovers ups the fun quotient. (untappd.com)
I tried to go to a tasting of 13 different barrel aged beers at Paddy Long’s in Chicago last Friday (I’m a sucker for barrel aged beers). The event started at 7 p.m. and when I got there 20 minutes later there was a line of 15 or 20 people waiting to get in. Barrel aged beer is one popular (and tasty) item.
Barley Pop of the Week
I’ve been raving about it for a while now, but Three Floyds Gumballhead holds the spot as my favorite beer. The unique beer mixes citrus flavor with hints of hops, and even though “Gumballhead” refers to a comic book cat, there is a slightly sweet flavor that kind of reminds me of chewing on a gumball. Those dudes at Three Floyds are doing something right in Munster, Ind.
Events Brewing
Thursday, March 1: New Belgium Brewery samples (and free glassware with purchase) from 4 to 7 p.m. at Discount Liquor Milwaukee (5031 W. Oklahoma Ave.).
Thursday, March 1: Leinenkugel’s unveils the next Big Eddy series beer when it taps a Wee Heavy Scotch Ale at 5 p.m. at Hooligan’s (2017 E. North Ave., hooliganssuperbar.com).
Friday, March 2: New Belgium continues the tour of southeast Wisconsin from 4 to 7 p.m. at Discount Liquor Waukesha (919 Barstow St.).
Saturday, March 3: The Colorado theme continues with samples of Colorado beers from 1 to 4 p.m. at Three Cellars (7133 S. 76th St.).
Saturday, March 3: Airplanes and beer don’t generally mix, but they certainly do at Hops and Props taking place at the EAA AirVenture Museum (3000 Poberezny Rd.) in Oshkosh from 5 to 10 p.m. Sample 250 different beverages from all around the globe, listen to live music, and fill up on good food. The cost is $60 ($55 for EAA members) or $100 for VIP tickets. Call 800-236-1025 for more information.
Friday, March 9: I’m letting you know about the Central Waters Beer Dinner at Bacchus (925 E. Wells, bacchusmke.com) ahead of time because it might be tough to score a spot closer to the event. On March 9, Bacchus pairs Central Waters beers with a delicious five-course meal. Braised pork shoulder with Glacial Trail IPA? I’ll take two. The cost is $75 per person. Call (414) 765-1166 to make a reservation. You’ll be glad you did after sipping the astonishingly good Peruvian Morning stout with dessert.
