A Brewery Adventure in Milwaukee Part 2

I wake up with the giddiness of a full day of Milwaukee fun ahead of me. After a busy first half-day in Milwaukee, I am ready to get up and find some coffee. I get on my phone and realize that there is a new coffee shop located three minutes away, by foot. I gather my laptop and do my best to keep quiet because my beercation compatriot is not an early riser.

V For Very Good Start to the Day at Vendetta Coffee Bar

As I walk out into the brisk Milwaukee morning feeling rested and invigorated. I always look forward to a great cup of coffee when I am traveling. I am on my way to Vendetta Coffee Bar in Bayview. They have 2 other locations and I think that the Bayview is relatively new. As I walk in, the vibe is chic and new. I grab a table by an outlet and order a cup of coffee and a pistachio honey croissant. There is a fun playlist going that straddles the line between chill and upbeat. I text Courtney and let her know I am at the coffee shop. I have plenty of writing to do. The good thing is that a new coffee shop can often be a fantastic catalyst for creativity.

I am writing and trying to also figure out some things for the day’s adventure. Before I know it, I have company at my table. Courtney has arrived, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. She snaps some pics and sweet talks the barista into getting a really cool sticker. We are chatting about the plan for the day, recapping yesterday’s fun, and reveling in the fact that we are on a beer trip. I am sure you have been on a trip and find that there is an excitement that doesn’t really hit until you wake up in the spot and realize that you are there. I think that is what we are both realizing. Also, the first full day of the trip has an excitement of limitless possibilities. All the places and visits you have talked about are options on the table and you just need to pick which ones are best.

As we sip our coffee and enjoy our pastries, we are coordinating with Ben and Maria about our custard experience and subsequent beer stops. Our plan is to meet them at Kopp’s Frozen Custard for lunch and then immerse ourselves in breweries for the rest of the day until our dinner at a distillery. Time flies when you are caffeinating with a friend. It is time to bid goodbye to Vendetta. I have enough caffeine coursing through my veins to fortify my for an ambitious day of fun.

Where YOLO Meets FROYO: Kopp’s Frozen Custard

For several years, Maria and Ben have been extolling the virtues of the Milwaukee custard scene. So, today is a big day because I finally get to see what all the fuss is about. Ben and Maria are picking us up in Ben’s dad’s minivan. Ben’s dad has graciously volunteered to be our Uber for the first couple of stops.

Ben grew up in South Milwaukee. I always enjoy the commentary of someone who knows what every building used to be in a city. We pack into the car. Ben and his dad are in the front seat and they are having a planning session about which way to go. We pass the building that houses 3 breweries and a distillery and Ben’s dad explains that the building used to be the place where they manufactured all the hydraulic parts for the city dump trucks. This is something that no AI bot could tell us in a million years.

While I am just happy to be a passenger in the car, I think Ben’s dad feels like there is going to be some sort of formal driving review at the end of the trip because he is driving a little “tight.” At one point, he turns too soon down a road that is blocked by construction and then has to do a 17 point turnt to zig-zag back to where we can get on the highway. There is a car right behind us and I think that only adds to the degree of difficulty. We get on the interstate and with only a minor scratch when we hear the unmistakable grinding of metal on curb. That is when Ben’s dad says to Ben, “Good thing this is your mother’s car.”

Next-Level Custard Stop

We arrive at Kopp’s and pile out of the car. This feels more like we are heading to a soccer tournament than a stop for lunch. Ben’s dad decides to stay in the car. I thought this was kind of weird, but I did hear him mention that he was trying to watch what he eats and that he had ice cream on Tuesday. We see a row of cow sculptures in the parking lot and there is a sign telling people not to climb the cows. Luckily for the staff, we haven’t had any beer yet.

We walk in and it is kind of a blast from the past. Anytime the staff of a restaurant are wearing paper hats, I instantly feel like I am in the 1950s. The decor is a lot of brick and there are only a few high top tables where you can set your food. There is no seating. The place is quite busy and there is organized chaos happening behind the counter. I order a double cheeseburger because I want a good base for the day’s beer escapades. I missed the pro-top of ordering dessert with the meal. We grab a table and start eating. The burger is expertly made. The patty has a nice char on it while still being juicy.

These burgers are not the en vogue smashies, made up of blends of kobe beef and unicorn shanks. These are fairly simplistic. Yet, in the simplicity, there can sometimes be perfections. Once the burger is polished off, it is time for the main event-the custard. I see that Kopp’s always has vanilla and chocolate. They also feature 2 flavors of the day. Today’s offerings are peach melba and cookies and cream. I choose cookies and cream. The chunks of cookies are substantial, none of that cookie crumb garbage; I’m talking CHUNKS of cookies. The custard is as advertised; creamy, decadent, and well worth the wait. We decide that it is probably best to wrap it up given the fact that Ben’s dad is still in the car.

Next Stop: Talk-to-Text Hilarity

We pile back into the minivan, our hearts full from some laughs and a good meal. As we begin our drive to the first brewery spot of the day, Ben and his dad are having a conversation in the front seat. I am not sure if they forgot we were in the backseat or didn’t care that we heard what I am pretty sure was information only for Ben. Ben’s dad says, quite matter of factly, “Your sister texted asking if you can get electrocuted from static electricity.”

I think that the humor of the situation really hit me and I started laughing to myself. Then, as the conversation in the front seat continued, I kept laughing, very silently to myself. I overheard another nugget that may or may not have been for everyone’s ears, “Did your mom tell you your sister has hammertoes?”

It was one hit after another. At one point, it becomes apparent that Ben had hit the wrong button as he was trying to text his mom and it had been recorded, in voice to text mode, the entirety of the mini family meeting in the front seat. This was the straw that broke the camels back and I just started laughing really loud. Maria and Courtney were concerned that I was beet-red and tears were streaming down my cheeks. I am not really sure if the hilarity of the situation translates in the written word, but take my word for it, that entire drive had me in stitches.

Central Waters Milwaukee Taproom: A Holy Different Experience Taproom Experience

We arrive at our destination. The Central Waters Milwaukee taproom is a satellite location. Their main facility is in Amherst, Wisconsin. I went there back in 2020, about 2 weeks before the world shut down due to the pandemic. I have been a fan of the Central Waters catalog of beers for decades. In fact, Ben and Maria have been nice enough to grab me some of their anniversary releases over the years. Central Waters Brewing does barrel-aging as well as anyone.

The Milwaukee taproom used to be a church. Then it was owned by Pabst and acted as their tasting program for their pilot system. It closed down and now is owned by Central Waters. What I like about this spot is that they have about half of their beers that are small-batch offerings only available here.

We grab a seat at a table and each of us orders our own flight. We probably could have coordinated better, because a lot of us wound up getting duplicate beers. The beers were quite tasty. I tried to steer clear of ones I have had before. Of the six beers in my flight, my two standouts are the CW Dunkel and the Throwback Lager. The Dunkel has a great malt character that really brings some toasted bread and caramel forward. The Throwback Lager is an easy-drinking beer. I am guessing that his might be an homage to Captain Pabst himself.

As the four of us drink our beers, we dissect the car ride’s humor. We each kind of go around the table and share some funny things about our relatives. It is a real bonding experience. The space is beautiful. My first time here was when it was owned by Pabst in 2017.

I enjoy breweries in spaces that used to be something else. I have been to breweries that used to be movie theatres, Jiffy Lubes, and churches. A place of worship being a communal space is a perfect place for a taproom. While the functionality of it changes, the ethos of coming together in community stays the same. We wrap up our flights and head down the way to get a picture with the Gambrinus statue down by the Pabst gift shop. Then, we browse the goods in the gift shop while I order an Uber to our next location.

Amorphic Beer: When You’re Here, Hopefully There Isn’t a Kid’s Birthday Party…

After perusing the taplist online, I was amped about visiting Amorphic Beer. They had a few side-pour Czech-style lagers and some interesting IPAs. I saw a meme the other day on social media asserting that breweries highlighting classic European lagers and IPAs are now considered derivative. I have a different take on that.

Breweries like Amorphic who showcase the main core ingredients in craft beer the way they do are being innovative and not derivative. Yes, IPAs have been popular forever and they certainly occupy the lion’s share of the market. That is for good reason. As research and brewing process evolve, brewers are able to do more things with hops to bring more flavors, aromas, and perceived textures to the IPA space. Brewing exquisite lagers that span a continuum of classic styles is a definite show of skill for the brewer. When there is no place to hide a flaw and a beer is brewed with the magic combo of flavor and crispness, that is something to be celebrated.

Liquid Excellence Lives at Amorphic Beer

We walk into Amorphic Beer and the taproom is busy. We find a table and then take turns getting in line for beers. Amorphic Beer has a cozy feel with a lot of different plants sprinkled around the taproom. The beer I started off with was CZNZ Motueka Nefiltrovaný 12. No, that is not my safeword in Klingon. Netiltrovaný means unfiltered in Czech. The beer uses all Bohemian malt and all Motueka, a New Zealand hop. It drinks so crisp and clean with a nice blend of citrus and floral aromas. I am floored by how perfect this beer is. Everyone else at the table, which was made from the floor of a basketball court, is really digging their beers as well. Each beer has so much balance and complexity.

The second beer I go for is the a Vietnamese Rice Lager called Bia Hói. This translates to “fresh beer” and it is absolutely perfect. Cool, crisp, and flawless. This is beer flavored beer in the best form. I have seen more of a presence of rice lagers in the last year on tap lists and I am really happy about that. Since the Bia Hói is really delicious, it didn’t last long.

So, I head back up for something a bit darker. I go with the Ovesne Tmave Pivo. This is a dark Czech lager with some flaked oats in it to add body to the beer. There is alchemy happening in this beer. The roasted malt character in this beer is prominent and satisfying. The texture is smoothed out and almost wanders into stout character when it comes to the body of the beer. These beers are all tremendous.

There is nothing in any of these beers that seems like it doesn’t belong there. Sometimes I have a beer that I like, but wish one little thing could be different and it would make that beer great. At Amoprhic Beer, there are no rough edges; everything is smoothed out.

Chuck E. Cheese Exists For a Reason

Our entire group is quite happy with the quality about the beers, but discussing them is proving to be quite a chore. It sounds like the circus is in town thanks to an insanely raucous kids birthday party happening in the taproom. I don’t mind breweries that bill themselves as family-friendly. However, I don’t think that there is a 5 year-old on the planet that chooses to have their birthday party in a taproom. Kids are running around. Kids are screaming. I swear to god I watched a 4 year-old attempt to give a dog a testicular cancer screening without watching any instructional Youtube videos.

The adults who brought these little hellions and let them loose who are just sitting around and talking. They are paying no mind to the fact that their event is ruining it for the rest of us. I overheard both patrons and bartenders expressing their disdain for the madness.

At this point, the management should have stepped in and told, not asked, the adults to get their kids in line. They didn’t. As a result, we decide that instead of having another 1-2 beers each at Amorphic Beer, we opt to head elsewhere. While the beers were great and the space was inviting, we were left with a mixed overall experience

Thank Goodness There’s Gathering Place Brewing

Remember that scene near the end of Saving Private Ryan when Tom Hanks’ character is sitting there shell-shocked as chaos happens around him? Well, that was my mental state as we walk out of Amorphic. Luckily, there is a brewery just a few minutes down the road called Gathering Place Brewing. No matter how crazy it is in there, my hope is that it cannot come anywhere close to the Calygula Divorce Party vibe of that crazy birthday party.

Just was we approach the door, the raindrops starts sprinking down from the sky. We walk in and hear no shrieking children. Instead, we are met with smiles and the ability to hear ourselves think. This is very much a welcome change. The bar staff are very friendly and ask us if we have any questions. There are a ton of beer styles on tap that I like so it is time to flight it up.

The taproom decor and vibe is very peaceful. The ceilings are high and there are a lot of windows that look out onto the street. There is a half wall when you come in separating the brewhouse from the taproom. The bar is really cool and has a lot of weathered looking wood paneling behind the signs for the beers. Just left of the bar on the wall is a unique art piece. Aesthetically, this is similar to Dangerous Man’s original Northeast Minneapolis taproom.

The beer at Gathering Place Brewing is good. Their beer styles span quite the continuum. From a Cream Ale all the way to Irish Dry Stout, everything is stylistically on-point. I think that my favorite beers are the Spezial German lager, the Rosalima Mexican Lager, and the Folklore Dry Irish Stout. The beers here are more classic takes on classic styles. I appreaciate a variety of things to choose from.

Gathering Place Brewing, as the namesake indicates, is about bringing people together in community. As the four of us engage in telling stories and sharing laughs, we are a living illustration of what taprooms are about. I think Gathering Place Brewing is worth a stop when you are in Milwaukee. We have one more beer stop before we head to dinner at a distillery. We don’t say goodbye to Gathering Place Brewing, but of a see you later, because I know that we would come back in a heartbeat.

Fourth Time is the Charm-I Finally Make it to Black Husky Brewing

The breeze is kicking up and the sun is beginning to set so it is time to head to one more brewery before we go to dinner. I have been saying for years that I want to visit Black Husky Brewing. Yet, each visit to Milwaukee has been so busy that I never made it to this brewery. Today is the day! We specifically organized our day around being geographically close to Black Husky. Ben and Maria decide to walk, but I am not interested in getting blown into Lake Michigan by the wind, so Courtney and I get an Uber.

Black Husky is located in a residential area that feels like the West 7th Street neighborhood of Saint Paul. Black Husky Brewing started in the rural town of Pembrine, WI, in 2010. They moved to Milwaukee in 2016. Their logo is a husky and that is because the family that owns it are very passionate about sled dogs. Black Husky Brewing’s taproom has a great patio as well as a comfortable inside space. There are plenty of seat options as well as seats at the bar. We grab a larger rectangular table just left of the entrance.

I grab a flight of beers and join the group at the table. Behind where we are sitting, there are a bunch of pictures of huskies and a man who looks like a Viking berserker. I then notice that there is a guy who matches the pictures walking around the taproom. This guy is quite built and looks like he could tear the door of its hinges if he wanted to. He has tattoos and a beard, almost a pre-requisite for being in a craft brewery.

This guy walks by our table and I ask if he is Smokey or Tim. He says that Smokey is one of his dogs and that he is Tim, one half of the ownership at Black Husky Brewing. Tim owns the brewery with his wife, who is also seated at the bar. Tim pulls up a seat and is nice enough to chat with us for a spell. He gives us the lowdown on how Black Husky Brewing started in rural Wisconsin. He is very much a hands-on guy and did a lot of the buildout himself.

Tim is gregarious and passionate about people and dogs. He loves the outdoors and has a dry sense of humor. I think that he sees a path for craft beer to navigate the uncertain economic times we are stuck in and it starts with community. Tim is immersed in his community. He spends a ton of time in the taproom and knows a lot of the folks currently sipping on a beverage here. Tim knows a lot of the other brewery owners, too. He views craft beer very much as a collaborative ecosystem.

The Riverwest Craft Beer Community is Full of Characters

Tim starts regaling us with fun stories about the craft beer personalities of Milwaukee and his tales are both entertaining and enlightening. Of all the Milwaukee craft beer tidbits Tim was throwing at us, one story stands out above the rest.

Tim starts it off with, “You know how some people will say, ‘If you need help with anything, just let me know.'” He continues to tell us about a beer festival that takes place at The Falcon Bowl to raise money for the Riverwest Investment Co-op, an organization that raises money for the preservation of the legacy buildings and businesses in Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood. This festival was organized and run by Jeff Platt, but most of the industry folks referred to him as Whispering Jeff. Tim was having a conversation with with Jeff once about the festival and he told him that Black Husky Brewing would be happy to help with whatever Jeff needed.

The Lore of A Local Legend

Tim was saying that he got a call last year that Jeff Platt had passed away. Tim knew that the festival the Jeff ran was in jeopardy of ceasing to operate. So, he remembered telling Jeff that if he needed help with anything to just ask him. Well, now Tim helps organize and run the fest. The festival, is a Blessing of the Maibock event at the Falcon Bowl, a Milwaukee institution. I had to do some digging to learn more about Whispering Jeff. It turns out the Whispering Jeff was a man about town who had a penchant for talking about craft beer (Houlehen).

Every Craft Beer Scene Needs A Whispering Jeff

Russ Klitsch, the lanky co-founder of Lakefront Brewing, had this to say about Platt’s legacy, ““I never remember him writing a bad word about anyone and critiquing the breweries by omission. Or if you were written about, he felt you were worthy. He was a big supporter of craft beer throughout his life, from talking up various beers from being a bartender at the best craft/import beer bars, to his magazine, to being President and longtime member of the Museum of Beer and Brewing, to running the Blessing of the Bock for several years. He always had his ear to the rail and would gather information from all the breweries/bars/events he would visit and would tell you the latest news on the industry anytime you visited with him. This would normally cost me a free beer when he visited Lakefront, but I always felt it was worth it.” (Houlehen).

It seems like Whispering Jeff left quite a legacy. The fact that Tim didn’t hesitate to do everything he could to keep a part of that legacy going through the beerfest at the Falcon Bowl says a lot about the kind of person he is, and by extension, the kind of tight-knit community that Black Husky Brewing is a part of.

I could have chatted with Tim for hours, but time gets away from us. I realize that we have a dinner reservation at at distillery that is downtown in 25 minutes, so I order up an Uber. We bid Tim farewell and close our tabs just in time to get the notification that our ride is here.

Our Uber Ride with Jon Left Us Laughing

We get into the car and it is a fairly quiet ride until we see a guy dancing almost in the intersection. The Uber drive causually remarks that the dude is always there. We get driving and I was bemoaning the fact that I didn’t want to have to drive back to Minnesota because the ride is so long. Maria quips, “You know, Dan, there is someone in the car who might be able to help with that.” Our driver, Jon, tunes in to what were are talking about and explains that he has driven that drive many times. Then the Uber driver launches into an Odyssey-style yarn about how he once made the trip from Milwaukee to Saint Paul in under 4 hours.

He said that he was driving 95 mph the entire time. At one point, there was a line of 5 cars all doing that speed. One by one, each car got pulled over by a State Trooper. Since he was the first car in the line of 5 and there were only 4 State Troopers, he didn’t get caught. The animated nature that he was telling the story was a complete juxtaposition from the calm and almost flat-lined demeanor of the driver who picked us up. This made me laugh a lot. Then, as we pulled up to our stop, he said, “I love Saint Paul, that particular night ended in oil wrestling with my friend Nicole. Have a good night!”

Central Standard Craft Distillery

In the throes of a laughing fit, we all climb out of the Uber and see the bright sign for Central Standard Craft Distillery. This stop was a suggestion of one of Courtney’s friends who went to college with the owners. According to the Interwebs, they have a good fish fry and it is Friday night, so like a good Wisconsinite, that is what I am looking forward to. Of course, it probably comes as no surprise that I also felt inspired to get a Wisconsin Old Fashioned to go with the fish fry.

The night before, Maria was explaining that there are actually 3 different ways to get a Wisonsin Old Fashioned: sweet, sour, or press. So, I ordered the press version which is a mix of half lemon-lime soda and club soda. I think that I liked the dialed down sweetness to really allow for the spirit to show up more in the drink. It is garnished with the maraschino cherry and looks the part of the quintessentially Wisconsin staple. The fish fry shows up and it is go time. The fish is crispy and every garnish is delicious. This is a perfect meal to cap off a day of wonderful Milwaukee experiences.

Ben and Maria have to have a family Easter in the morning so this is their last stop on the Milwaukee Brewery Adventure. We bid them goodbye and then figure out whether or not we can pack anymore fun into the night. Courtney and I decide that since it is on the way, we need to visit one of the highly recommended Bay View cocktail bars.

The Lost Whale: Sometimes You Need To Get Lost To Be Found

We order an Uber and set a course for the Lost Whale, a cocktail bar named after an April Fool’s Day article written about whales being spotted in Lake Michigan. As is the situation in Bay View, the bar looks like it could be the living room of somebody’s house. Low lighting and hip music set the scene for a chic bar experience. The thing I enjoy about Milwaukee is that despite the fact that there are places with a hip and young vibe, the clientele is very working class and come as you are. The Lost Whale is no exception.

A $10 Old Fashioned Can Be Found at Lost Whale

The drink list is inventive, and affordable; the latter being something that is a rarity in the Twin Cities. Milwaukee is a lot easier on the pocketbook than the Twin Cities. I order a Wisco Old Fashioned, an offering in the Lost Whale “House Staples” section of the menu. Courtney gets the She Came Down in a Bubble Doug from the IYKYK section of the menu. This is a meme-inspired section of the drink menu that is filled with hilarious homages to memes. Courtney’s drink has so many fun of spice, tropical, and herbal notes. To top it off, it is garnished with a flower. My Wisco Old Fashioned comes with my favorite kind of ice cube which I refere to as mini-rock style ice. I am not sure if that is the official term, but it harkens back to the pizza places of the 80s and I love it.

Beer Friends Are The Best Friends

The cocktails are fantastic. The people watching is suberb. However, the company really is top-notch. After an entire day of beer and cocktail exploration, it becomes clear that Courtney is a fantastic travel companion. We are on the same page with wanting to sit at the bar, engage the bartenders, and ask for other great local suggestions. Not all travelers are as excited to explore a beverage scene as the person next to me at the bar. We realize that we are a short walk from our Airbnb and we do have a lot on our itinerary for tomorrow. So, we decide we better head back.

We are exiting the bar and a local Gen Zer is blocking the steps outside of the building, just staring at his phone. This chode is blissfully unaware that there is a world happening around him. We squeeze past him and start our brisk walk home.

The rain is drizzling and the wind is howling. The walk is awful and bone-chilling. I think that Courtney and I simultanously realize that we maybe need to warm up at the Sugar Maple to prevent hypothermia. So, we pop in, once again, and grab seats at the bar for another night cap. We are giggling and the bartenders are happy that we came in to warm up. After our bones are sufficiently warmed, we head back to the Airbnb for a good night’s sleep because tomorrow is another big day in Milwaukee!

Source:

Houlehen, Barry. “Remembering Whispering Jeff.” Shepherd Express, 24 Mar. 2024, shepherdexpress.com/food/microbrews-mke/remembering-whispering-jeff/.

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