Note: There will be no mention of Valentine’s Day, Valentine’s Day beers, Valentine’s Day gift ideas, or the Valentine’s Day Massacre in this blog.
Three Cellars
I can’t guess how many times I’ve stared blankly at a full beer cooler utterly baffled by what brew I want to bring home. (“Is that guy asleep mommy? No dear, he’s just really confused.”)
The expansion of the craft beer market is awesome for many reasons: great new beers are frequently added to the market, dudes who want to brew beer for a living have been able to do just that, and let’s not forget the cool labeling and clever names. On the downside, it’s added a boatload of quality options and that can be difficult for a simpleton like me to handle.
Shawn Vollmer, owner of Three Cellars (7133 S. 76th St., threecellars.com), is here to help. The store on the far south side has more than 500 craft beers on its shelves, and an impressive singles section that’s heavy on Wisconsin beers (Vollmer is the only retailer in town carrying Black Husky Brewery from Pembine, which is north…apparently).
Don’t freak out about the large selection, because at Three Cellars you can actually try a beer or two before heading home. I went there last week and was intrigued by the Black Husky Sproose Joose, a double IPA made with spruce tips. So I grabbed one off of the shelf and gave it to Vollmer. He put the bottle in one of three cooling devices (a highly technical version of the “spinning bottles in a snow bank” trick that I learned in college) and it was cold in just a couple of minutes. Vollmer poured the Sproose Joose into a pint glass, I took a spot at the small bar in the back of the store, and I was as content as can be.
It costs just a couple of extra bucks for the friendly (and knowledgeable) folks at Three Cellars to chill and open a bottle for you (they’ll do the same for any of the 300 bottles of wine they have), and there are also five rotating beer taps to sample. Plenty of tables and chairs make it a cozy place to hang out for a while. Vollmer calls it a “coffee shop that serves beer and wine instead of coffee”.
The Sproose Joose was good, but I went with a six-pack of Three Floyds Gumballhead, an old standby. I’m not nearly as adventurous as I’d like to think.
Quick Taps
I can say with all honesty that I’ve gained seven pounds since starting this blog (all in the name of research and journalistic integrity).
I went into Downer Avenue Wine and Spirits (2638 N. Downer Ave., downerwineandspirits.com) for the first time in a couple of months and was pleased to discover an expanded build-your-own six-pack selection.
Barley Pop of the Month
While flying back from Breckenridge 12 years ago, I stuffed my carry-on backpack with bottles of New Belgium Brewery’s Fat Tire and Sunshine Wheat wrapped in socks and newspaper. Back then, you couldn’t get Fat Tire many places other than Colorado and it had to be smuggled home (also at the time, you could have massive amounts of liquid in your carry-on bag). The whole “forbidden fruit” aspect certainly made Fat Tire more appealing, but the folks in Fort Collins do make some pretty good beer. The newest is Dig Pale Ale, a “spring” seasonal that just hit store shelves in the last couple of weeks. The beer mixes hops with citrusy fruit flavor. The crisp citrus taste seems perfect for mild spring weather. I guess I’ll wait until April (or maybe May) to know for sure.
Events Brewing
The Fat Friday Mardi Gras Party at Stubby’s Pub & Grub (2060 N. Humboldt Ave., stubbyspubandgrub.com) includes one heck of a raffle that gives you the chance to win a year’s supply of Abita beer and a mini fridge to put it in. With every $3 Abita you buy, you get a raffle ticket. The winner will be announced at midnight on Friday, Feb. 17.
The Sail Loft (640 E. Erie St., milwaukeesailloft.com) is hosting a Sprecher Beer and Cheese tasting on Thursday, Feb. 16. The indulgence begins at 7 p.m. and costs $25.
Beer Tastings
Wednesday, Feb. 15: A sampling of New Belgium brews is scheduled for Suds Club members at 7 p.m. at The Bomb Shelter (1517 S. 2nd St.).
Friday, Feb. 17: Sample a wide selection of quality beers from O’so Brewery from 4 to 7 p.m. at Discount Liquor Milwaukee (5031 W. Oklahoma Ave.).
Saturday, Feb. 18: Sample Bock beers from 1 to 4 p.m. at Three Cellars (7133 S. 76th St.).
