Dan MurphySummer is a glorious time to be a fan of beer. There are no shortage of beer fests in or near Milwaukee to keep you busy sampling suds. Consider this as your guide to smart summer planning.
World of Beer Festival
When: Saturday, June 2
Where: Schwabenhof Pavilion, 14570 W. Silver Spring Dr.
Why you should go: The tagline “by beer nuts, for beer nuts” sums it up. The Beer Barons of Milwaukee have been hosting the World of Beer Festival for a whopping 15 years, long before the craft beer explosion. It’s hard to find a better tap list when it comes to rarities and limited brews.
Tickets: $50 general admission, $70 VIP
Wisconsin Beer Lovers Festival
When: Saturday, June 16
Where: Bayshore Town Center, 5800 N. Bayshore Dr.
Why you should go: On, Wisconsin! The Wisconsin Beer Lovers Festival only pours beers brewed in the Badger State. It’s a nice reminder of just how good the beer is that’s being brewed in the state.
Tickets: $40 general admission, $50 beer enthusiast, $75 VIP
Door County Beer Festival
When: Saturday, June 16
Where: Brann Field, 8113 Hwy 57, Baileys Harbor
Why you should go: Because it’s in Door County. Sometimes spending a day sampling beer can be a hard sell with the family. Packaging it into a summer trip to lovely Door County makes it far more attractive. I’m not including many fests that aren’t in the Milwaukee area on this list, but the combination of outstanding scenery and a beer list that’s no slouch makes this one worth the drive.
Tickets: $40 general admission, $55 VIP
Milwaukee Firkin Fest
When: Saturday, July 21
Where: Cathedral Square Park, 520 E. Wells St.
Why you should go: You appreciate the flavor of moderately carbonated, unpasteurized cask-conditioned ales. You simply just don’t get the chance to try samples from more than 40 different firkins in one place very often. Just think of what it will do for your Untappd check-ins.
Tickets: $50 general admission, $80 VIP, $85 gold pass
Milwaukee Brewfest
When: Saturday, July 28
Where: Old Coast Guard Pavilion, 1600 N. Lincoln Memorial Dr.
Why you should go: You can’t beat the lakefront when it comes to a festival venue. More than 100 breweries agree with this reasoning and attend Milwaukee Brewfest to hand out samples. If the weather cooperates it’s the perfect spacious setting, and beer tents are smartly organized to allow for plenty of room for attendees.
Tickets: $55 general admission, $75 VIP
Wisconsin IPA Fest
When: Saturday, August 4
Where: Third Space Brewery, 1505 W. St. Paul Ave.
Why you should go: The highlight of Milwaukee Craft Brewery Week was a huge success in its first year in 2017. Brewers from around the state brought some of their best IPAs and a large group of judges (including a very thankful me) determined that Lakefront Single Hop Centennial was the best. Expect the event to be even bigger this year.
Tickets: Free
Border War Beer Fest
When: Saturday, August 4
Where: HarborPark, 5501 Ring Rd., Kenosha
Why you should go: As a show of state pride. The clever event, only in its third year, pits Wisconsin breweries against Illinois breweries. The winning state, as voted by attendees, gets the soon-to-be-coveted “Willy” trophy. Only Child Brewing made the short trip from Gurnee last year to take home the title of best brewery. Here’s hoping that the Brewers are above the Cubbies in the National League Central standings in August.
Tickets: $45 general admission, $79 VIP, $85 gold pass
The Great Taste of the Midwest
When: Saturday, August 11
Where: Olin Park, Madison
Why you should go: If you’re lucky enough to get a ticket, this is one of the oldest — this will be the 32nd year — and revered beer festivals in the United States. More than 150 quality breweries hand out some of their amazing creations to craft beer aficionados. The good news is that even if you can’t get your hands on a ticket, you can benefit. Bars around Madison host plenty of outstanding beer events to kick off the weekend.
Tickets: $60 general admission
Great Lakes Brewfest
When: Saturday, September 15
Where: Racine Zoological Gardens, 2131 N. Main St., Racine
Why you should go: It’s the perfect way to mark the end of the summer beer festival season. Plus, it’s at a zoo on the lakefront. Add more than 250 different beers to the mix and the Great Lakes Brew Fest gives you good reasons to drive south.
Tickets: $50 general admission, $70 gold pass, $90 VIP