Wisconsin is one of those places that lives in the imaginations of Americans largely in the form of caricature. Full of cheese curd eating, beer loving, Harley riders, the state rarely gets the respect it deserves.
In reality, Wisconsin is all of those things and so much more. I grew up 90 minutes south of Milwaukee but it might as well have been a totally different country. Chicago is Midwestern in the way that non-alcoholic beer is beer, in name only.
Wisconsin, on the other hand, is pure Midwest. From Friday night fish frys to the homey environs of supper clubs and a relatively laid back sense of community and good spiritedness, Wisconsin is the heart of the Midwest for me.
So today I’m excited that in the latest episode of Beer Travelers we’re making our way to one of the great overlooked gems in the American craft beer scene: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
To help lead us through this town’s glorious and storied beer scene we have two fantastic local guides. Chris Drosner is a long-time beer writer and editor covering Wisconsin and Milwaukee specifically. He’s written the Beer Baron column for the Wisconsin State Journal, the daily newspaper in the capital city of Madison. And it’s through this column that I first got to know Chris and his take on the Madtown and greater Wisconsin beer scenes. More recently, Chris moved to Milwaukee, where he is now the executive editor of Milwaukee Magazine.
Joining Chris to help us on our tour of Brew City this week is Bobby Tanzillo, the senior editor at OnMilwaukee.com, where he writes about beer, whiskey, history, and architecture. He’s the author of a half dozen history books, including several about beer and its history in Milwaukee. And he’s a great resource for all the beer happenings in the city.
While Chris and Bobby compete for scoops on the latest beer news in Milwaukee, it’s clear they have a deep respect for one another and they are the perfect pair to help us navigate this jewel on Lake Michigan.
For original articles or to read the vast archives or to check out All About Beer. follow us on Twitter @allaboutbeer and Instagram @allaboutbeer. Support Journalism by visiting our Patreon Page.
AAB 038: Brewing with Kernza
Brewer to Brewer: Berith Karlsson and Henok Fentie (Ep. 39)
AAB: 037: Ukrainian Golden Ale
Brewer to Brewer: Matthias Trum and Berith Karlsson (Ep. 38)
AAB 036: Is Pasteurization Better For Beer Flavor?
Brewer to Brewer: Dan Suarez and Matthias Trum (Ep. 37)
AAB 035: Cozy Up with Winter Warmer Ales
Brewer to Brewer: Steve Luke and Dan Suarez (Ep. 36)
AAB 034: The Buzz on Coffee Beers
Brewer to Brewer: Adam Paysse and Steve Luke (Ep. 35)
AAB 033: Proper Ways to Cellar Beer
Brewer to Brewer: Henry Nguyen and Adam Paysse (Ep. 34)
AAB 032 - Diastaticus and Hop Creep
Brewer to Brewer: Cory King and Henry Nguyen (Ep. 33)
AAB 031 - Picking Perfect Pastry Stouts
Brewer to Brewer: Brad Clark and Cory King (Ep. 32)
AAB 030 - What is a Juicy Lager?
Brewer to Brewer: Blake Tyers and Brad Clark (Ep. 31)
AAB 029 - The Science and Sensory of Fresh Hop Beers
Brewer to Brewer: Averie Swanson and Blake Tyers (Ep. 30)
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
50 Tastes Of Gray
Walk-In Talk Podcast
Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Radio
The Story of Mankind
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
The Recipe with Kenji and Deb
Gastropod