Company Brewing (735 E. Center St.) celebrated its grand opening on Sunday. You may have read Ann Christenson’s preview of the food, but I’m just as excited for the beer. I’m going to give the new space a few weeks to get up and running, but am looking forward to sampling a variety of new brews.
“We plan to have a frequent rotation of interesting beers,” says George Bregar, head brewer and founder. “We have a very small brewhouse, so it will allow us to make a lot of different kinds of beer as well as keep our beer nice and fresh.”
Good luck to George and the rest of the Company Brewing crew. It should be a nice new addition to the Milwaukee beer scene.
Barley Pop of the Week
I spent the start of Memorial Day weekend browsing through the ridiculous selection of beer at the Map Room in Chicago. I was pleasantly surprised to see locals well represented. Cask-conditioned 3 Sheeps Really Cool Waterslides IPA with Citra was a delicious option. The addition of Citra hops gave the IPA an added fruity citrus flavor. The beer was outstanding, and I’m glad one of the best beer bars in Chicago had it on tap.
Quick Taps
Serious props to Goodkind (2457 S. Wentworth Ave.) for earning a mention from Draft Magazine on its list of the 14 best new beer restaurants in the country. Way to go Goodkind (and nice job by local scribe Tim Cigelski with the write up).
The Traveling Beer Gardens are up and running at Milwaukee County parks. Look for the Sprecher tap truck at both Dretzka Park (12020 W. Bradley Rd.) and Root River Parkway South/Whitnall (92nd and College Ave.) until May 31. Check out the entire summer schedule.
Coors deserves some credit for the “Keep ‘em Great” program, which runs until the end of August. For every case of Coors Light sold in Wisconsin, Coors will donate 25 cents to the Alliance for the Great Lakes, a non-profit organization that aims to ensure a healthy Great Lakes.
The Founders beer dinner set for Wednesday, June 17 at Tess (2499 N. Bartlett Ave.) has already sold out. But good news, the folks at Tess have added another one on Tuesday, June 16. Call 414-964-8377 (soon) to make a reservation.
Events Brewing
Wednesday, May 27: Milwaukee Beer Society is sampling brews from Oklahoma from 6 to 9 p.m. at Best Place (901 W. Juneau Ave.). Cost is $15. Check out the list of brews.
Wednesday, May 27: Carson’s (301 W. Juneau Ave.) is hosting a beer dinner with Lakefront Brewery. The five-course dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. and costs $55. Call 414-223-3311 for more information.
Thursday, May 28: Lakefront is bringing a few specialties to Draft & Vessel (4417 N. Oakland Ave.) including a Kyle Belgian Tripel and a cask of something tasty. It all starts at 6 p.m.
Thursday, May 28: Sample brews from New Holland at The Malt Shoppe (813 N. Mayfair Rd.) from 5 to 7 p.m. Brewery representative Meagan O’Brien will be on hand to offer insight. All you need to bring is your thirst.
Friday, May 29: The Kohler Festival of Beer takes place this weekend. It’s a great reason to head north. Check out the list of events and take a trip.
Saturday, May 30: Crisp pilsners are the beers of choice during the weekly tasting at Three Cellars (7133 S. 76th St.) from 1 to 4 p.m.
Saturday, May 30: Check out the Alpine Bier Fest from noon to 6 p.m. at the Wisconsin Center (400 W. Wisconsin Ave.). Spend an afternoon downtown tasting beers from dozens of breweries like Bells, Ballast Point, Perennial and more. Regular tickets are $45 and VIP tickets cost $65.
Monday, June 1: I’ll give you an early start to plan for the Lakefront beer dinner at Wolf Peach (1818 N. Hubbard St.). The unique event starts with a reception at 6 p.m. at Lakefront Brewery (1872 N. Commerce) followed by a five-course dinner at Wolf Peach. The cost is $85 and reservations can be made by calling 414-374-8480.
