You know you are at a great place when you check-in on Facebook and your brother comments, “You never ask me to the cool joints!” Well, I probably should have asked him to join us but my lady and I had the almighty task of entertaining her brother who was in town from Brooklyn. Although he moved away, he still has the blood of a Wisconsinite. And what do Wisco-folks do? Well, we drink beer, grill brats and eat cheese. To the Wisconsin Cheese Bar!
It was a fine day to roam Old World Third Street and take in the scents from Spice World and the hooting and hollering at the German Beer Hall. The Wisconsin Cheese Bar (215 W. Highland Avenue) was busy. There were a few large groups sipping wine, a handful of couples sharing cheese plates and a variety of people in deep conversation with one eye on the Brewers game.
Before we get into what my experience entailed, let’s have a short history lesson, shall we?
According to the Wisconsin Cheese Mart, it was “founded in 1938, The Wisconsin Cheese Mart has grown from a small cheese shop to leader in selling Wisconsin Cheese online. The Wisconsin Cheese Mart was founded and remains on Old World Third Street in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As the last remaining portion of the original German retail food district in Milwaukee, Old World Third Street is rich in historical flavor, architectural contrasts and diverse ethnic culture. The Wisconsin Cheese Mart is located in the Steinmeyer grocery building that was built by German immigrant, George Steinmeyer in 1895. Old World Third Street is also home to two other great food companies, the Spice House and Usinger’s Famous Sausage.”
There. Now that we are a little more cultured and informed, let’s move on.
As it was Saturday and the sun was still out, the siblings ordered Bloody Mary’s ($7.75). Now, most travelers know that other parts of our vast country have difficulty creating a good Bloody. More often than not, you order a Bloody and you get cocktail sauce with vodka in it…and no chaser! So, of course, the Wisconsin Cheese Bar knows what it is doing and created a perfectly spiced and deliciously garnished Bloody, overflowing with cheese, olives, meats and pickles. And the chasers are nothing to scoff at. It’s the perfect amount of suds to back your Bloody. Need proof? Check the picture…
As for me, I went a little more tropical and ordered from the specialty menu. The Tropical Viking ($5.25) is a grapefruit lovers dream. It’s a double-shot of grapefruit vodka, a splash of X-Rated and a dash of tonic. Sweet, tart and highly refreshing. Other specialty drinks that are available include a Door County Cranberry Drop ($5.25) with Death’s Door vodka (from Middleton Wisconsin), cranberry juice and lemon; The 3rd St. Mango ($5.25) has mango rum, pineapple juice a splash of cranberry and a cherry garnish; and of course the North Woods ($5.25) with Rehorst Citrus and Honey vodka (from Milwaukee), cranberry juice, vanilla and lemon. I missed that last one on the menu during my visit. I will definitely be ordering that cocktail on a return visit.
Of course, since it’s a cheese mart, there are many pairing wines available. I’m no expert on wine, I rarely drink it, but the listing is extensive and the staff is knowledgeable enough to find you the flavor you are looking for. There are indeed a few Wisconsin wines, but the majority is from California, which makes complete sense, right?
The beer selection is quality and includes multiple local brews. Name a Wisconsin beer and it’s undoubtedly available in a bottle: PBR, Schlitz, Blatz, Miller, Leine’s, New Glarus, Furthermore, Point, Capital…and on and on. The prices range from $3.00 to $4.25; the Pabsts and Schliz’s are on the lower end of the pricing scale while Capital and Point are hitting the higher notes.
The taps all run at $4.25 per pint and there are larger sizes available as well: a 22 ounce at $5.50 and pitchers at $12.00. Options running the tap include Fixed Gear, Sprecher Special Amber, New Glarus Fat Squirrel and Cherry Stout, Lakefront IPA, Rendevouz and Milwaukee Brewing Booyah. Our helpful bartender mentioned that the New Glarus Cherry Stout is amazing but they were all tapped out. His simple words still have me looking for this brew, so let me know if you find it or try it. Thanks.
Now we come to the most important part: the cheese. I love cheese, all kinds. My only requirement for this tasting was that we have a blue, and we surely did. My lady and I shared the Wisconsin Sampler ($11.25), which included a Blue Affinee, along with a gruyere, a twelve-year cheddar and a Merlot Bellavitano (a parmesan flavor with a cheddar texture and a rind soaked in merlot). Included on the plate were almonds, some dried fruit and Wisconsin honey. The blue was wonderful, yes, but the twelve-year cheddar was the most intense, sharp flavor that nearly made me weep. I miss it terribly.
The Wisconsin Cheese Bar is a slice of heaven. I can’t understand why I don’t go more often, but when I think of that cheddar, I know I’ll be back very soon.
Hours and specials include: Sunday’s 11:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Friday and Saturday: 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Everyday specials include $2.00 Schlitz Taps (starts at 4:00 p.m.) $2.00 Jameson Shots (all day) $3.00 Old Milwaukee Classics (Sunday through Thursday 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Friday and Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.) PBR, Miller High Life, Miller Lite, Miller 64, Schlitz and Blatz. Friday’s from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. $3.00 draft beers and house wines: Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Syrah, Cab. Sauvignon. On Saturday and Sunday, $4.00 tall rail, mixers and house wines. Whew! You now have no excuse not to get your Wisconsin butt to the Cheese Bar.
