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 019: The Intersection of Beer and Geek Culture
Brewer to Brewer: Melissa Myers and Regan Long (Ep. 20)
AAB 018: Picking the Right Glass for Your Beer
Brewer to Brewer: Cat Wiest and Melissa Myers (Ep. 19)
AAB 017: Cultivating Southern Hemisphere Hops
Brewer to Brewer: Natalie Baldwin and Cat Wiest (Ep. 18)
AAB 016: The Delights of Barleywine
Brewer to Brewer: Kevin Davey and Natalie Rose Baldwin (Ep. 17)
AAB 015: Beer and Food Pairings with Garrett Oliver
Brewer to Brewer: Alexandra Nowell and Kevin Davey (Ep. 16)
AAB 014: Finding Freshness in Beer
Brewer to Brewer: Scott Hargrave and Alexandra Nowell (Ep. 15)
AAB 013: Identifying Off Flavors in Beer
Brewer to Brewer: Peter Gillespie & Scott Hargrave (Ep. 14)
Beer Travelers: Portland, Oregon. America's Best Lager City?
Brewer to Brewer: Evan Price and Peter Gillespie (Ep. 13)
AAB 012: Demanding Clean Draft Lines
Brewer to Brewer: Kyle Harrop and Evan Price (Ep. 12)
AAB 011: Craft Malt Education
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