1. Go to Summerfest
BRIANNA SCHUBERT, ASSOCIATE DIGITAL EDITOR
It’s that time of year again: Summerfest kicks off this weekend! I’ve been going to this beloved Milwaukee music festival since I was a kid – my grandpa used to play there with his band, and my mom would take my sister and I to watch. Now, I love grabbing a Saz’s platter (hello, mozzarella sticks and chive fries) and listening to my favorite bands and all the super cool Milwaukee artists. This year I’m hoping to check out some of these local act recommendations that MilMag writer Mike Holloway put together.
2. Enjoy Ice Cream and/or Booze and/or Boozy Ice Cream at Purple Door and Great Lakes Distillery This Week
ARCHER PARQUETTE, MANAGING EDITOR
If you’re like me, you probably spend a fair amount of time weeping uncontrollably at the state of your existence. But don’t worry – life may be full of pain and sorrow, but there’s also ice cream! This Wednesday, Purple Door Ice Cream is teaming up with Great Lake Distillery to put on a “Scoops and the City” event. They’ll be serving up plenty of ice cream, including cosmopolitan- and whiskey-infused flavors, along with cocktails from the distillery. There will also be “boozy toppings.” I don’t know what those are, but they sound cool. The event will run from 6-8 p.m. at Great Lakes Distillery (616 W. Virginia St.). Also, I’m just now realizing that the title of this event is a “Sex and the City” pun. I’m now thinking of rescinding my recommendation. Meh, I’ll allow it – the ice cream just sounds too good.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
3. Try This Year’s New Glarus Strawberry Rhubarb
CHRIS DROSNER, EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Several years ago, this seasonal sour ale from New Glarus Brewing was huge among beer geeks – the kind who buy, sell and trade beers with people in other states. That hype has since cooled as the supply became greater and, honestly, the summer pie-inspired beer just wasn’t as good certain years. Beers containing wild yeast like this one are somewhat unpredictable, so variations are common. This year’s batch, though, might be better than those early hype-building years. While some vintages were unappealingly turbid, the 2022 Strawberry Rhubarb is a brilliant ruby, truly a thing to behold. And the aroma and flavor are just gorgeous – hella-ripe, jammy strawberry, a moderate tartness (is that from the mixed fermentation or the rhubarb?) and a luscious pie-crust malt base. Four-packs of bottles should run you about $12.
Ladies and germs, I present the 2022 @newglarusbrew Strawberry Rhubarb pic.twitter.com/Kmwh4vVbt7
— Chris Drosner (@WIbeerbaron) June 15, 2022
4. Bake a Cake
ANN CHRISTENSON, SENIOR FOOD EDITOR
So, I have a NordicWare bundt pan that I christened last month by making a lemon-blueberry cake – good except it needed more lemon. (Mental note to tweak that recipe before I make it again.) On Sunday, I gave the pan another whirl, baking an olive oil bundt that incorporated both almond extract and almond flour. It tastes like an almond macaroon with a dense, spongy texture. I didn’t add a glaze or frosting of any kind, but I topped it with fresh berries. Whipped or ice cream would also be delish.
5. Rock Out at Bike Night
ALLI WATTERS, DIGITAL AND CULTURE EDITOR
I’ve been trying to make the rounds to Milwaukee’s many weeknight live music events this year. Last week’s stop was at the Harley-Davidson Museum’s Bike Night. The invite says “all wheels welcome,” but I was very jealous of the motorcycle parking spaces right next to the stage. My Subaru was stashed only a couple blocks away in the free overflow lot, so I really shouldn’t complain. The music was ’80s and the band was fun. It was a lovely way to spend a Thursday evening on a beautiful Milwaukee summer night. You even get a pretty stellar view of the river! We stopped by Harley’s spacious new shop, too, and my husband left with a pretty cool T-shirt.
