Part of the fun of reviewing bars for the past 15 years is that I get to go to places I normally wouldn’t. This didn’t exactly work to my advantage when dance clubs regained popularity over a decade ago, or when I’ve had to go to a bar that sucks.
Saloon on Calhoun (17000 W. Capital Drive, www.saloononcalhoun.com) is one of the good ones. I’d heard that the place had one of the better beer selections in the western ‘burbs, so I ventured to Brookfield to find out.
The spot, hidden in the back of a tiny strip mall, has a wood-paneled decor and several TVs scattered about for sports fans. Standard issue, right? Not exactly. The 15 taps behind the bar all seemed to be pouring something more than standard macro brews. Choices like Lake Louie Milk Stout, Three Floyds Robert the Bruce and Kentucky Brewing Bourbon Barrel Ale aren’t your every day tap choices.
Large glass coolers hold more than 50 different bottles with choices from Leinenkugel’s Big Eddy series, Southern Tier and Bell’s to name a few. And if you’re budget drinking, 16-ounce tallboys of Pabst, Old Milwaukee and Schlitz take up residence in the cooler too.
Saloon on Calhoun is a friendly spot with some excellent beer choices. And, they serve free bacon at happy hour. Yep, free bacon.
Sixpoint Comes to Wisconsin
Last week, Brooklyn’s Sixpoint Brewery announced plans for upcoming distribution in Wisconsin, making choosing a craft beer even more difficult (considering how many well-crafted beers are already brewed on the local level).
It’s a homecoming of sorts for the brewery. Sixpoint founder Shane Welch is a Wisconsin grad who grew up in the Milwaukee area.
“All of the core Sixpoint beer recipes are extensions of my original homebrew recipes,” said Welch in a press release. “These are the beers I invented while brewing in my basement on Vilas Avenue in Madison.”
Sixpoint’s line features five core canned beers, including the hop bomb Resin IPA and Righteous Ale, and a selection of seasonals. Look for them at your trusty neighborhood beer store in the next couple of weeks.
Barley Pop of the Week
Some of you have likely noticed Zombie Dust slowly creeping into town. The highly rated American pale ale by those mad scientists at Three Floyds is the best beer named after the undead that I’ve ever had. I had a couple of taps of the golden stuff at Burnhearts (2599 S. Logan Ave.) last week and wasn’t disappointed. Crisp, hoppy and with a touch of citrus, this is one good beer. Beer drinkers, now’s the time to go zombie huntin’. Note: Burnhearts has already drained its supply.
Quick Taps
Tickets for Milwaukee Firkin Fest (link to: http://milwaukeefirkin.com/main.html) go on sale today at noon. Be sure to pick some up.
I had a beer bottle collection as a kid. My friend Bennett and I would ride bikes around town and dig through garbage cans behind bars to find them. While looking through Woodman’s massive beer selection the other day, I thought about how tough that beer bottle collection would be to amass today. There are a lot more bottles out there, and there’d be a lot more digging through garbage cans. The “collecting” part definitely sucked.
Events Brewing
Wednesday, March 21: Sample Summit Brewery brews from 4 to 7 p.m. at Discount Liquor Waukesha (919 Barstow St.).
Thursday, March 22: Summit Brewery samples from 4 to 7 p.m. at Discount Liquor Milwaukee (5031 W. Oklahoma Ave.).
Friday, March 23: Milwaukee Brewing Company is offering a taste of its new Baltic Porter and some other brews from 4 to 7 p.m.
Friday, March 23: Point Brewery is handing out samples and Potosi Brewing will also be at Discount Liquor Waukesha from 4 to 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 24: Gamble and head to Three Cellars (7133 S. 76th St., www.threecellars.com) between 1 and 4 p.m. for a sampling of “unique” beers.
Saturday, March 24: Blue Moon Belgian White and Spring Blonde samples on hand from 3 to 4:30 p.m. and Potosi samples available from 4 to 7 p.m. at Discount Liquor Milwaukee.
Saturday, March 24: Milwaukee Brewing swings by Discount Liquor Waukesha to hand out samples from 4 to 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 24: The Horny Goat Hideaway (2011 S. 1st St.) has quite the lineup for the Tap It in the Sand Beer and Cheese Fest. For just $40 (or $60 for a VIP ticket) you get to sample cheese and an impressive list of beers from places like Alaska Brewery, Bell’s, Lakefront, Three Floyds and a slew of other solid choices. The fun starts at 4 p.m.—3 p.m. if you buy a VIP ticket.
