Wisconsin Microbrewers Beer Fest

[munich1]

Does anyone plan on attending the Wisconsin Microbrewers Beer Fest in Chilton on May 21st? My friends and I always head up there on the Milwaukee Ale House bus. To me it always represents the beginning of the summer beer festival/ beer tasting season!

[Cloakndagger]

when is the great taste of the mid west

[munich1]

The Great Taste of the Midwest is such a great beer festival. It is always held on the second Saturday of August.....so this year it is on August 12th. Here is a link that should answer most questions about the GTMW.
www.mhtg.org

[Kalleh1]

My husband and I would be interested. Where is Chilton? I am from Janesville, though I live in the Chicago area now.

We went to the House on the Rock in Spring Green this weekend and found lots of good beer in Wisconsin. My husband is a tried and true Chicagoan and had said, "One thing we won't find there will be good beer." Ha! Ha! We stopped in New Glarus on the way and found a cute little place called the Public House where they had microbrews (from New Glarus) for $1.50! Can you imagine? Then, on the way home we stopped in Madison and went to the Essen Haus, which came recommended. We aren't all the familiar with German beer, but we each had an excellent one. In fact, they had 16 German beers on tap! I had a Paulaner Salvador, and Ken had a Kostritzer Schwartz.

[Sladek]

Originally posted by Kalleh1
We went to the House on the Rock in Spring Green this weekend and found lots of good beer in Wisconsin. My husband is a tried and true Chicagoan and had said, "One thing we won't find there will be good beer." Oh my GOD! As Ren Hoek liked to say, "Stimpy, your wealth of ignorance astounds even me!"

Das Essenhaus kicks all ass combined. Our rallying cry, Braveheart style: "DORTMUNDER UN-YOOOOOOONNNN!!!"

[munich1]

There is also an Essen Haus in the Dells! No longer is the Dells just for kids! The Dells branch doesn't quite have the character of the Madison original, but their outdoor beer garden/patio is a great place to enjoy a German lager or weissbier.

[steveh]

Kalleh, might you mean the Olde Tavern (http://www.puempels.com/) In New Glarus? My favorite is still the Glarner Stube (which also has NG beers at about $1.50 a glass).

Hmm, and who may have recommended the Essen Haus...I wonder...

I'm headed up to Madison this weekend... Rathskeller anyone?

BTW Chilton is parallel with Oshkosh, on the opposite side of Lake Winnebago - I-43 to Rt 42 to Rt 32. I haven't been to their Beer Fest in about 15 years - good to hear it's still going.

http://www.chiltonchamber.com/

S.

[Kalleh1]

Steve, it was most definitely named "Public House" because that's how I convinced my husband that we must stop in for a beer. It sounded very British, but really wasn't. They had a really high ceiling, with bunches of dollar bills pinched in between the boards in the ceiling...very strange! I asked the bartender for the story behind them, and she said, "I have no idea." Geez! No curiosity?

I went to the U. of Wis/Madison for my undergraduate degree, so of course I thought I knew where all the good places for beer in Madison were. However, times have changed! I hardly recognized the place, and my husband kept saying, "But you were the one who went to school here!" So, finally we stopped at some little convenient store, and I asked the 2 guys (probably university students) for a place with "good beer." They first recommended another place, but then came up with the Esse Haus. I was very happy with the recommendation because we don't know as much about German beers as we do about English ales, so it gave us a chance to broaden our horizens. I was amazed by their selection.

[The Alchemist]

I wish that I were located closer to Wisconsin. There are many breweries that I haven't had the opportunity to sample here. I have heard such good things about them that I look forward to someday trying them. The brewfest sounds like a great time and it falls on my birthday. I 'll just have to be satisfied with my local options that day.

[steveh]

Originally posted by Kalleh1
Steve, it was most definitely named "Public House" because that's how I convinced my husband that we must stop in for a beer.

Well, it's been almost 7 months since my last visit to NG, so I suppose there could be a new establishment - and that would be very welcome! Maybe I ought to head that way for a visit this weekend.

Can you describe the location - not a big town, as you now know. Did you bow to the brewery?

...we stopped at some little convenient store, and I asked the 2 guys (probably university students) for a place with "good beer."

Essen Haus, and I know I've mentioned it to you guys in the past, along with the Duke of Perth and the Hop-Leaf. ;)

S.

[Kalleh1]

so I suppose there could be a new establishment
I am sure not. It looked as though it had been around. I suppose I could be wrong about the name (Ken couldn't remember), but I sure thought it was the Public House. Maybe I got mixed up, though, and we saw that somewhere else. Anyway, it was down the street from the brewery. I don't recall the street name. It had a cute little outdoor beer garden in front. I'd think you'd remember the dollars on the ceiling, though.

Steve, you probably did mention the Esse Haus to me. However, I didn't remember it. Are there any places in Madison that have cask conditioned beer?

[steveh]

Originally posted by Kalleh1
Are there any places in Madison that have cask conditioned beer?

Most certainly. The Great Dane brewpub, right around the corner from Capitol Square, always has one or two on tap. And while Angelic isn't brewing anymore, I hear the original brewers are opening another place - they're bound to have some CC. JT Whitney's BP has had cask conditioned before (IIRC).

S.

[Kalleh1]

Darn! I wish I had known that. On the other hand, it was nice experiencing some good German beers. As you know, Steve, I used to only go for English ales, so one might say, "You've come a long way, Baby!" ;)

On the other hand, I hate to admit that I have never been to a beer festival! That, too, will change!

[steveh]

Originally posted by Kalleh1
On the other hand, I hate to admit that I have never been to a beer festival! That, too, will change!

http://www.greatlakesbrewfest.com/

S.

[munich1]

The Great Lakes Brew Fest is another nice fest. Not too far for you Illinois folk!

[steveh]

And it has a great Home-Brew competition!

S.