The Great Taste Caper 2018 - Day 4: We'll be back, Wisconsin

Day 4 of the trip saw us cover a decent amount of ground, from Milwaukee to Lake Mills, WI, before heading to the middle of nowhere, which in this case is Black River Falls. I thought it would be a good idea to get halfway to Minneapolis after visiting Tyranena Brewing, which proved to be exhausting. But more on that later.

For now, we're still in Milwaukee. We kicked off our Monday with a brewery that was thankfully open early. (NOT-SO-FUN FACT: Most breweries are either closed or open late on Mondays so workers have a day off since weekends are popular drinking days. This is decidedly inconvenient for Pour Traveler folk.) I found that the majority of breweries in Milwaukee were either closed on Mondays or didn't open until 4 p.m.

Outside Good City in Milwaukee.

So, thanks Good City to for falling in the minority. Upon our arrival, I was immediately struck by the branding of this place. I often have my eye on this type of thing, being someone who works in marketing for a brewery and all. The logo itself was one of the best I've come across: an old skeleton key with the letters "G" and "C" as well as a hop cone worked into its design. Clever. Inside, the place was super clean, modern and comfortable with lots of blonde wood and brick and contrasting black and chrome detailing.

Now that looks like a good city!

The brewery's three founders connected in Portland, Oregon, at the 2015 Craft Brewers Conference. While hanging out at a newly opened brewery, the trio hit it off and eventually hatched a plan to open a brewery together with a desire to help Milwaukee continue its growth into a mature craft beer city. I must admit that for an operation with only two years under its belt, they seem to have their shit together.

View from our bar stools at Good City.

Upon reviewing the draft selection, I was excited to come across a German-style Rauchbier called Stadt. Turns out this is a smoked version of its Oktoberfest lager brewed with German beechwood-smoked malted barley. sign me up! I rarely come across smoked beers and will always jump at the chance to sample one. Brewslut? Not a fan. So if the beer turns out to be sub par, I'm stuck drinking it because she hates smoked beers. Lucky for me this one was good!

From good to better, my next beer was something called BFG. Hmmm... Best Friend's Girl? Back From Gettysburg? Batman Fled Gotham? Bangin' Four Guys? Big Fuckin' Gorilla? Bert Forgot Gum? I could come up with funny acronyms all day. The official name of this beer, however, is "Big Friendly Goodness," and a name like that could only manifest itself as a huge 12-ish% ABV American-style Barleywine. This tasty concoction is brewed with malted rye for a distinct red color and subtle spicy note. Perhaps this could have been named "Better Forget Guzzling!"

Pleeps knocked my robot's block off!

With extra time to kill since most breweries didn't open until 3 or 4 p.m., we stayed for a second round. This time, we opted for Motto, a SMASH (single malt and single hop) ale brewed with pale ale malt and Mosaic hops. These stripped down beers geared to showcase the unique characteristics of a single malt and hop variety are becoming commonplace at craft breweries these days. Mosaic is one of the most complex and versatile of the newer crop of hop varietals, and this beer allowed its juicy tropical and resinous pine notes shine. We also grabbed a pour of Goodhaus, a double red IPA brewed in collaboration with Bavarian Bierhaus of Glendale, WI. This one was as anticipated with an assertive floral hop bite with a good bit of caramel maltiness and some citrusy undertones. Overall, this place is pretty legit, and they were one of my favorites with regard to branding. Before we left, I noticed that their crowler design closely resembled our Nimble Giant logo with its shield-like frame and gold, black and white color. Needless to say, I had to give them a can simply for the sake of coincidence. They'd never heard of Tröegs, so I'm sure they were happy to try a new beer. And with that, it was time to move on to our next destination.

Thanks for opening early, Milwaukee Ale House!

I'll admit that I didn't have very high hopes for Milwaukee Brewing. I worked them into the itinerary because there were one of only a handful of places that opened early. When we arrived, the brewery appeared to be situated in a high traffic area. Once inside, the layout and atmosphere reminded me of a "brewpub chain" that served mediocre beer to tourists, who happened to be in town for a conference or sporting event. My Spidey sense was tingling, but fortunately for us, it was a false alarm because this place was legit.

We set up shop at the bar and were quickly greeted by a friendly thirty-something guy. The draft list was hop-heavy, so we ordered accordingly. Hop Happy, my first selection, struck me as more of an old-school East Coast IPA akin to some early favorites like Bell's Two Hearted or Ithaca Flower Power. Brewed with not-so-trendy hop varieties Columbus, Cascade, Mt. Hood, and Bravo, this was a throwback to the type of IPA we were drinking a decade ago. It didn't knock my socks off, but it was fine as-is.

Brewslut ordered a pour of Earl Grey IPA, which I found to be an odd choice for her. While we've both since graduated from tea to coffee in our middle-agedness, I'll confess that Earl Grey is probably my favorite variety of tea, not just for the connection to Jean-Luc Picard, but also because of its flavor. However, I haven't had that many tea-based IPAs that I've been jazzed about. This one was no different. I think a robust flavor like Earl Grey tea would be much better suited for a Belgian Dubbel or even a saison. But an IPA? You'd think that since Earl Grey is flavored with the oil of bergamot (a variety of orange), it would be a natural complement to the citrusy notes often found in IPAs. However, this one was too earthy and floral for my liking.

Pleeps gets around just fine without a map.

However, one of the other IPAs we tried called MKE IPA turned out to be one of the more memorable IPAs of the trip. Brewed with generous amounts of Citra and Mosaic hops, this flavorful and aromatic IPA boasts notes of grapefruit pulp, passionfruit, and juicy mango. And this came from a can! I was getting a more West Coast vibe from this IPA, although it was a bit hazy, the crispness of the malt lead to a nice, dry and moderately bitter finish, which NE-styles don't really capture. Whatever style it's meant to be, it sure was pretty freakin' tasty!

Pleeps chillin' in Milwaukee.

Another odd choice for Brewslut was her next beer, O-Gii Imperial Wit, a collaboration with Milwaukee’s own Rishi Tea. This 9.2% ABV monster of a wheat beer boasts an Asian flair due to a blend of tea offering hints of chamomile, orange, and ginger. Seems as though the folks at Milwaukee Brewing love tea. And that's OK. Plenty of breweries have coffee stouts for those who enjoy drinking before noon. Overall, we were pretty impressed by the beers here, especially the MKE IPA, which was a personal favorite of mine. I wish I would have bought some to take home. Plus, our bartender was friendly and attentive although it wasn't very busy while we were there. But he poured a beer by mistake and gave us a freebie, which was thoughtful. So bonus points for that!

When we left, we still had some time on the meter, so we hopped across the street to check out a bottle shop. Well, it was more of a beer, wine, liquor, and lottery shop with glass "tobacco" pipes and a few other sketchy items. I was hoping to find some Surly or Toppling Goliath, but nothing was very fresh, so I only left with a 4-pack of the excellent Peruvian Morning, a bourbon barrel-aged imperial coffee stout from Central Waters. That's one that will age nicely in my cellar, thank you very much. I'd actually considered working Central Waters and the nearby Point Brewing into the itinerary, but this detour would have taken us well off the beaten path. They would have to wait for another time.

Well-played, MobCraft... well-played!

Back at MobCraft for our return visit, we were able to plow through the remaining beers we wanted to try the previous day. Again, sample size pours were in order because there were five more beers to be had. Here's the skinny:

• Rhubarb IPA - a slightly tart IPA with a pinkish hue and contrasting citrusy hop notes. 
• Nuance - Farmhouse Ale brewed in collaboration with 1840 Brewing Company. This beer was fermented and aged in fresh wine barrels for four months, conditioned with Brettanomyces Bruxelles and blended with apricots and peaches. 
• Squeeze the Day - DIPA inspired by strawberry lemonade featuring strawberry puree and zested, juiced lemons as well as Citra and Sorachi Ace (the latter a lemon-forward hop variety).
• Gentlemen S-Tart Your Engines - barrel-aged dark sour ale with berries and vanilla.
• Sour Support - barrel-aged blended sour with raspberries and ginger.

This time around, it was Sour Support and Nuance that captivated me most. Since I'm a sucker for a nice spicy ginger beer (I love me a kickin' Moscow Mule... thanks Dano), the Sour Support sat well with me. Ginger can be a tricky ingredient to use in brewing, but this beer worked really well, in my opinion. As for Nuance (aptly named), there was plenty going on with it. Aging in wine barrels coaxed out notes of oak and dark fruit, while the Brett added a layer of funky, earthy complexity to the mix. Throw in peaches and apricots, and you get a hint of juicy sweetness that ties it all together.

All in all, I'd say that MobCraft was one of the breweries we visited on the entire trip that operates "outside the box." I didn't really focus on it during our last episode, but MobCraft's schtick is undeniably unique. Established in 2013, it touts itself as "the world's first crowdsourced brewery." What does that mean, exactly? Well, they basically turn your ideas into beer. Each month, the brewery leverages its fans (i.e. the "mob") to submit ideas for potential new beers. The ideas are then advertised on MobCraft's web site, and fans can vote on their favorites. The beer with the most customer pre-orders is the winner, and the beer is then brewed, packaged and shipped straight to customers via an online retailer. Or you can just pick up beer at the brewery. Pretty cool concept, right? So if you've ever had dreams of a particular beer and no brewery has yet to step up to the plate, then perhaps MobCraft can make your dream a reality. Glad we got to visit them twice.

Outside City Lights Brewing.

I don't know why, but something about City Lights reminded me of Portland, ME. Perhaps it was because it's situated near a body of water (OK... a river, the Menomonee) but still. I seemed to be transported to Portland momentarily. This was the last brewery on our agenda for Milwaukee, after which we would enjoy a nice little 45-minute drive to our next destination.

But first, a quick history lesson about the brewery. In 1902, the Milwaukee Gas Light Company began construction on the West Side Water Works, a campus designed to turn coal into gas to be used to light street lamps throughout Milwaukee. Over the years, Milwaukee established itself as the first beer capital of the U.S. with the forerunners of the day (Miller, Pabst, Schlitz, etc.) defining the beer industry. Fast forward to 2012, four brothers decided to enter the craft beer arena. After transitioning from a family-run business, the brothers partnered with some experienced industry moguls to create City Lights Brewing Company. The brewery occupies two of the buildings of the original West Side Water Works campus, hence the brewery's moniker. You can check out the full story here. It's pretty compelling.

Anyway, on with the beer. Once seated at our table, we were greeted by an extremely friendly young guy, which was a good sign. The tasting room was fairly small but very well kept and clean. The bar was packed with what I assumed to be regulars. One of them (a guy we'd dubbed "NF," short for "neck fat") seemed to be quite boisterous, loud, and glad he was off work for the day. Still, it was good to see a healthy crowd converged at a small brewery around happy hour time.

I decided to go with one of its signature beers, Coconut Porter. This is just as the name implies although it is enhanced by the addition of Madagascar vanilla beans. This beer boasted a rich blend of chocolate, coffee, and, as anticipated, toasted coconut. A worthy year-round beer, for sure.

Brewslut went with the Hazy IPA this time. Again, not too clever with the name of this beer. However, its flavor had plenty of character. This hazy IPA is hopped with Citra, Mosaic, and Amarillo for a big smack of tropical fruit. The grain bill features malted barley, wheat, and flaked oats for a silky texture. Double dry-hopping with Vic Secret (a new-ish variety from New Zealand) brings out even more tropical fruit notes, especially in the aroma.

Beer, please!

OK, thank you!

Sticking with dark beers, I opted for the Coffee Stout next. This tasty stout is brewed with seven different malts, Chinook hops for a hint of pine, and cold brew coffee from local Stone Creek Coffee. I enjoyed this one as much as the Coconut Porter. It seems like they do justice to their dark beers!

Brewslut decided to try the Mexican Lager. Brewed with flaked corn and fermented with a Mexican lager yeast strain, this easy-drinking beer elicits a refreshing island vibe. Motueka hops impart hints of fresh lime, giving it a margarita-like flavor. They even garnished it with a lime wedge.

Strike a pose, Pleeps!

I was so excited to get back to Tyranena after a 6-year lapse. It also marks one of only three breweries we visited on this trip I'd been to previously. Since our last visit, they added a really nice outside beer garden area that unfortunately was void of patrons when we arrived save for a few stragglers. But Lake Mills, Wisconsin, is a pretty small town (less than 6,000 folks), and it was a Monday night, not the most popular night for brewery hopping. At any rate, I'd always been impressed by this small brewery's output, especially its barrel-aged beers. Established in 1999, Tyranena produces five year-round beers, eleven seasonal brews, and a wide variety of specialty beers. Its distribution footprint covers just four states: Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana, and Illinois. The names of each of its beers pay homage to the history and folklore of the Lake Mills region, referring to something quintessentially Wisconsin.

It's good to be back in Lake Mills!

I was hoping they had Scurvy on tap, an IPA brewed with orange peel. This was one of my favorites many years ago when we first visited, but sadly it was not available during our visit. However, the board was rife with about a dozen other assorted beers to keep me lubricated. Most were beers I had never tried before, so it was looking like we'd be here for a while. That, my friends, is an understatement!

I started off with what was, in my opinion, the most interesting beer on the menu. Sailors Take Warning! is a blonde ale brewed with agave and blood oranges with cherry purée added then aged in tequila barrels. Might as well go with the money shot right off the bat! The bar was sparsely attended, but we were kind of fatigued from drinking all afternoon, so we decided to chill out on the couch in the foyer for a bit. I got halfway through my beer and started getting antsy, so I headed in to check out the beer garden and, of course, got chatting with people at the bar. After a few minutes when I didn't return, Brewslut took my cue and came in to join me. By then, she'd been working on a half pour of Lost Adult, an unfiltered double dry-hopped Imperial IPA, and soon enough we were engulfed in conversation with the bartender, Dan (who was down from northern Wisconsin and celebrating his birthday), an older guy who works on the bottling line at the brewery, and a beer-loving couple from Wisconsin who were visiting the area.

Chillin' on the couch in the foyer at Tyranena.

Talking makes me thirsty, so it was time for another round. I opted for what could be Clubber Lang's favorite (or least favorite) beer, Wrath of Rocky, an imperial brown ale aged in bourbon barrels. OK, I'm sure the beer was NOT influenced by the Rocky movie franchise; that's just how my mind works. Plus, I love saying Clubber Lang. Tyranena's got the barrel-aging thing down to a science, as far as I'm concerned. Everything I've had from them that was put into a barrel and came out the other end has been pretty delicious. This one was no exception.

I decided to do a complete 180 and order a small pour of Helles for Real, a lightly hopped German-style Helles lager, just to change things up a bit. Helles Lagers don't get a whole lot of love from beer geeks, but I'm a fan. Same goes with pilsners. They are simple beers that aren't flashy, but when executed well they just hit the spot. This was a fine example of the style.

Back to being bludgeoned by barrel-aged beers (pardon the rampant alliteration), it was time for a fun-sounding beer called High-Class Broad. Like Rocky's Revenge, this too was an imperial brown ale. However, this one was aged in brandy barrels. I'll admit I'm more of a bourbon guy but this was pretty damn awesome too. Plus, I love a brewery that uses the word "broad" in one of its beer names. Non-PC for the win, Alex!

More barrel-aged goodness was up next with Imperial White Stout Aged in Bourbon Barrels, golden stout aged in bourbon barrels. This one must be pretty new, hence no clever name. White stouts to me come across as imperial cream ales. I find it hard to call a non-dark beer a stout. Call me old-fashioned. But this one was rife with coffee and chocolate notes, and certainly tasted like a stout. Looks can be deceiving, I suppose. I look forward to seeing if this becomes a mainstay or a one-off.

By this time, it was pretty much Brewslut and I, plus the bartender, the bottling line guy, and Dan. And then there were five. The beer was still flowing, though. Up next was the evocatively named Balling the Queen, an Imperial IPA brewed with honey and hopped with Citra and Simcoe. I appreciate some well thought-out sexual innuendo in a beer name from time to time, and I had to chuckle upon reading this one aloud. (Although, in all honesty, pretty much anything with the word "ball" in it makes me giggle like a second grader.) I don't really recall much about this particular beer because we were - wait for it - balls deep in conversation with our new Wisconsin beer friends. Man, I love this state!

After trying pretty much everything I was really interested in drinking, it was time to revisit an old favorite: Devil Over a Barrel. This dark, decadent treat is a blend of an imperial oatmeal porter brewed with coffee beans and aged in Bourbon barrels (60%), and a porter brewed with coffee beans (40%). As soon as the first sip went down, it was like seeing an old friend after many years. It tasted exactly as I'd remembered it. This is one of the most coffee-forward beers I've encountered, and the bourbon and vanilla notes actually take a backseat to the assertive roastiness of this beer. Yet in all of its over-the-top coffee goodness, it still retains a lushness that's hard to explain. It's a special beer, and I'm still perplexed as to why I didn't purchase any bottles of this to take home. I've had it on plenty of occasions, though. This was supposed to be my last beer, as we had already fallen behind schedule. but birthday Dan wanted us to stay for one more, and who am I to argue with a guy who just turned a year wiser?

The taps keep comin' at Tyranena.

By now, it was small pours (it may have even been sample size glasses... at least for my next beer).
You don't see many altbiers these days, but Tyranena brews one called Headless Man Amber Alt. I'll admit that I rarely if ever get a hankering for a malty Düsseldorf-style Altbier (translates to "old beer" in German), but we'd already had pretty much every other beer available, so I figured I'd might as well get another Untappd check-in. Yes, it's a boring style. I won't regale you with the history of the beer, but if you're unfamiliar and so inclined, here's a link to the Wiki page.

I'm pretty sure I ended our epic visit with a half pour of Chief Blackhawk Porter, an English-style porter named after the Native American leader of the Sauk tribe whose name translated to "the black sparrow hawk," or Black Hawk for short. This one struck me as more of a robust porter, as I'm not a huge fan of the acrid, sour note that is a hallmark of most traditional English porters. Roasty with pleasant bittersweet chocolate notes, it wasn't too heavy-handed on the hop bitterness in the finish. And with that final sip, it was time to officially vacate the premises. We got there an hour-and-a-half early and left about an hour or so after we'd planned on leaving. After all that (including a T-shirt for Brewslut), somehow our tab was only $15. It was arguably the best $15 I'd ever spent at a brewery. It was an epic visit, to say the least!

I was pretty exhausted after the grueling two-hour drive to our hotel. It seems much longer than two hours, actually. But it wasn't. That was just me in dire need of a bed. I didn't even have a post-day beer before crashing. But the room was cozy and spacious (we scored a suite this time), plus it had a big free breakfast to boot, which was good because I couldn't find a decent breakfast spot in Black River Falls on Google. 

Stay tuned for our descent into Minneapolis and St. Paul for Day 5 and 6 of the trip, respectively. We've still got a lot of ground to cover, right Pleeps?

Pleeps?!

***crickets***

Until next time...

The Great Taste Caper 2018 - Day 3: Algonquin for "the good land"

Our itinerary for Day 3 had been under construction up until about two weeks prior to our departure. I really wanted to squeeze in Milwaukee, so we had to drop Chicago from the mix. Fine with me, as we'd been to Chicago about three times in the last decade, while I'd never been to Milwaukee and Brewslut hadn't been there in almost 10 years. So, we booked a room and it was set in stone. We were off to "the good land!" (You'll want to click on that link... trust me!)

Following a leisurely 100-mile drive into Milwaukee, WI, (complete with a bit of road construction), we landed at what was most certainly the impetus for including this historic beer city on our itinerary. Brewslut had first visited Lakefront Brewery during her inaugural trek to Great Taste with fellow Team D(r)INKers Deuane, Carolyn, and Dain. She had routinely mentioned the top-notch quality of the brewery tour there, citing it as insightful, educational, and also quite humorous. FUN FACT: Part of the brewery's bottling line is the same piece of equipment from the opening title sequence for the 70's hit TV sitcom, Laverne & Shirley. Following the tour, guests are encouraged to sing the lyrics to the song while two volunteers from the tour group place a rubber glove on one of the passing bottles (just like in the opening credits of the show). But more on the tour later.

Outside Milwaukee's Lakefront Brewery.

As we walked up the inclined platform to the brewery entrance with a Tröegs 6-pack in hand, I was stopped by a greeter, who kindly informed me I wasn't allowed to bring in any outside beverages. Of course, I wasn't attempting to smuggle foreign beer into the brewery, but rather I was bringing a gift for the fine folks from one brewery ambassador to another. Once they figured it out, they rolled out the red carpet for us.

These Three Stooges sculptures used to be beer tanks.

Our first order of business? Beer, of course! When one reserves a spot on the Lakefront brewery tour, each person is given four wooden tokens to then acquire 5-ounce beer samples of his or her choice. In an amazing display of long-term memory retrieval, Brewslut recalled still having two tokens from her visit a decade ago, found them and took them with us on the trip. So we were afforded the luxury of FIVE samples instead of four. Nicely done, buddy! Since the tour wasn't starting for another 20 minutes or so, we had time to chat with some of the employees about beer, our travels, Tröegs, etc. I was surprised to learn that Lakefront had been in the beer business for 30 years! I knew they were considered one of the "old guard" when it came to craft beer, but that's pretty impressive. Conversely, I was startled when I discovered that they produce less than half the barrelage of Tröegs (around 45,000 bbl). After chatting for a bit, it was time to soak in the authentic German beer hall atmosphere of the tasting room. Here's a little peek:

Bavaria comes to Milwaukee at Lakefront.

Anyway, onto the beer. I started with a pour of Fuel Cafe, an organic coffee stout brewed with roasted malts and coffee from Milwaukee's renowned Fuel Cafe. I find it appropriate to start off the day with a coffee beer, and this one is on-point.

Pleeps and I shared beer tokens since he didn't get any.

Up next was a beer called Just Muck'n Around, a collaboration with a nearby small brewery called Eagle Park (coincidentally, our next stop on the list). Dubbed a "black NE-style hazy IPA," this may very well be the first of its kind. I'm not sure how a black beer can be "hazy," but whatever. Since most NE-style IPAs are know for aroma vs. bitterness, this one came across as a typical black IPA with a prominent roasty character and citrusy hop flavor with a hint of coffee and chocolate. Still, it was pretty enjoyable and I always appreciate experimentation in brewing.

By this time, the tour was about to start, so I grabbed a pour of Eastside Dark, Lakefront's most decorated beer with regard to various competition medals. Honoring the eclectic East Side of Milwaukee, this Bavarian dark lager blends three different specialty grains to create a rich, creamy schwarzbier that was quite enjoyable. It is also worth mentioning that folks are allowed to take beer with them while on the tour (a no-no at some other breweries). The other thing they allow on tours, unfortunately, is children. (At least Tröegs has that part right!) As luck would have it, there were three annoying ones on our tour, so we made sure to steer clear of them when we arrived at stopping points along the way. Our tour group was pretty large (around 40 people) so it wasn't an up-close-and-personal tour, but our tour guide was knowledgeable, funny, and loud when he needed to be.

Midway through the tour, we were able to get a beer refill at one of the conveniently located "pop-up" bars along the tour path. This was pretty sweet! I opted for Lakefront Pils, a traditional German-style pilsner that hit the spot, especially since it was a bit humid and stuffy during the tour. Although it didn't pop quite as much as the trifecta of PA pilsners I'm used to drinking, this is still a fine example of a style that often gets overlooked for its simplicity. However, everyone knows that it takes true grace to brew a world-class pilsner using just four ingredients and nothing to hide behind.

Lots of beer to choose from at Lakefront!

Speaking of lagers, my final pour was something called Beer in Progress - Mexican Lager #001. It seems to me that "Beer in Progress" is the name of a Scratch-esque Series of experimental beers from Lakefront. Seems a lot of larger breweries have these small-batch series now. This one is a refreshing take on the "island lager" a la Dos Equis with a bit more flavor. This one has a nice lemony character with an almost margarita-like flair.

After the tour, we chatted with the tour guide, and I grabbed some beer from the trunk to give to him. He mentioned he was a fan of pilsners, so I got him some Sunshine Pils. Sharing beer with fellow breweries always proves to be a good omen, and more often than not, breweries reciprocate with gifts of beer.

As our visit was winding down, we decided to join a guy I'd met briefly on the tour from York, PA. I heard him say, "Tröegs Scratch Beer" and my ears perked up. We high-fived and that was the end of it. Well, I saw him sitting at a table in the tasting room so I decided to join him and his friends. It was cool to run into someone from my next of the woods almost 800 miles away from home! While we chatted, our tour guide returned with a mixed 6-pack of Lakefront beers for us to take home. Now that's good beer karma!

Me doing the touristy thing at Lakefront.

Our tour also included a voucher for a free pint glass or $2 off merchandise in the gift shop. Since we have so many beer glasses, we opted for the keychain bottle openers, which were conveniently just $2 each. So they were free! You can never have too many of those. Well, actually yes you can, but at least they're good to have around when someone breaks out a random beer somewhere.

After an enjoyable visit to Lakefront, it was off to nearby Eagle Park Brewing, which was less than a mile away and just across the Milwaukee River. Founded by two brothers who also play in a band together, Eagle Park marries their passion for craft beer and music. Many of the brewery's beers are named after music references or song titles (Set List, Loop Station, From a Land Down Under, etc.). Inside, the space was open and bright with lots of natural light, blonde wood, and a cozy lounge area to which we were drawn immediately.

Outside Milwaukee's Eagle Park Brewing.

Since we had quite a bit of beer at Lakefront, we settled on a sampler flight of three beers to share. First up was Guava Wheat Wine. Another Wheat Wine... how 'bout that? Of course, I had to try it. This particular one was brewed with over 200 pounds of guava. Had the Eagle Park brothers been fans of the band Ween, perhaps they could have named this one Pure Guava. Speaking of music references, we also chose Pink Houses (likely named after the John Mellencamp hit), a black currant Berliner Weisse, as one of our three samplers. There was no way we were getting out of there without Brewslut trying the Berliner Weisse. Goon Juice, a hazy NE-style IPA hopped with Citra, Mosaic, Eureka, and Columbus rounded out the flight. The chalkboard was pretty IPA-heavy during our visit, but this one came highly recommended from both the bartender and a few patrons at the bar. This beer is loaded with aromas of bubble gum, tangerine, papaya, and a touch of pine. Goon Juice was definitely my favorite of the three, and an excellent example of a style that has been all over the map in my experiences. This piqued my curiosity, which led me to wanting to get another IPA before we left.

Pleeps has taken flight!

Pleased with all of the beers in our flight, we decided to get a full pour of Nelson Sauvin NEIPA to share. Besides, we were camped out on a couch over in the corner of the tasting room and digging the vibe. Brewed exclusively with one of my favorite hop varietals from the land of Jemaine and Bret, this tasty IPA boasts fruity notes akin to white grape with traces of tropical fruit and pepper around the edges. Although Nelson Sauvin hops are hard to beat, I have to give the nod to Goon Juice as my favorite beer we had at Eagle Park. An exemplary take on the NE IPA style, for sure.

Pleeps chillin' with his buddy Nelson.

We were beginning to get a hankering for an afternoon snack, and as it turns out Eagle Park has a little kitchen with a walk-up window to order food. With a small but varied menu featuring shared plates and sandwiches, we liked what we saw and decided to share the Chicken Tostadas. These tasty little Mexican-inspired treats feature chili-stewed chicken on a house tostada with crema, chimichurri, cotija, pickled jalapenos, radish, and corn nuts. These were delicious and added a little extra fuel in our tanks.

View from the couch at Eagle Park.

A quick 5-minute drive landed us at our next stop, Black Husky Brewing. With a name like Black Husky and its logo featuring, well, a black Husky, I was fairly certain this would be a dog-friendly brewery. Started in 2010 in a small log cabin nestled in the rural town of Pembine, Wisconsin, Black Husky takes its name from the sled dogs occupying the kennels on the land. Six years later, they moved operations to the Riverwest neighborhood of Milwaukee, where they currently produce their beers and operate the taproom we visited. Yup, definitely dog-friendly!

Outside Black Husky's taproom.

The taproom definitely had a log cabin or ski lodge vibe with lots of bright, clean wood. We set up shop at the bar and ordered a pair of beers from the dozen or so offerings. The first one that leaped out to me was an IPA called Sprooce 2. Brewed with locally harvested spruce tips and weighing in at 106 IBUs, this aggressive DIPA reeked of fresh pine needles. Christmas tree in a glass, indeed. While I appreciated the execution, this was one intense beer that demolished my palate with its barrage of sappy sweetness and dry bitterness. I will say that it was probably the most pine-forward beer I've ever tried.

Brewslut opted for Vain, a Citra-hopped pale ale. At 7.2%, this definitely straddles the line between pale ale and IPA. This one fell squarely in the middle of the road for me. However, it could be due to the beating my tastebuds took from the Sprooce 2. Either way, it wasn't as memorable as Sprooce 2 and didn't entice us to stay for seconds.

Outside Third Space Brewing.

Our fourth brewery of the day was Third Space. This place is situated in an old factory and has a lot of character. There's brick as far as the eye can see. The outside courtyard serves as a beer garden of sorts, and customers can grab a beer inside and soak up some rays out in the open area. We opted to stay inside and chill. With only about 7 beers available, we reviewed the list and chose wisely. I really liked the sound of Java Blanca, a coffee cream ale, but it wasn't available on draft, only in cans. I rarely opt for can or bottle over draft when visiting breweries, but I made an exception this time. Brewslut went with Happy Place Citra, a Citra-hopped variation of its house pale ale, Happy Place. Both beers were solid, but we'd already decided that this was going to be a one-and-done stop. So we nursed our beers and enjoyed the atmosphere. There's just something about drinking in an abandoned factory or warehouse that appeals to me for some reason.

Beer selection at Third Space.

We were getting hungry again, so we bought a 1-pound bag of squeaky cheese curds to nosh on while we enjoyed our beers. I mean, we're in Wisconsin, right?! That's like going to Florida and not eating an orange, or not eating soupie when you're in Shamokin. We blazed through the bag of curds swiftly, and I made the mistake of reading the fat and caloric content on the back of the bag. It wasn't too terrible. However, then I saw the "serving size" was 1-ounce. We polished off the entire 12-ounce bag in one sitting, so once I did the math I could feel the cheese congealing in my gut and turning to fat. Oh well. It was worth it.

Just a logo on a brick wall, that's all.

As I was poking around the brewery and tasting room, I came across a few signs for beers that weren't on tap at the moment. One of them was called "Unbridled Enthusiasm," which immediately reminded me of a quote from Seinfeld. I asked the bartender about it, and she confirmed my assumption. Then I noticed a beer called "That's Gold" and realized that someone here must really like Seinfeld. "That's gold, Jerry! Gold!"

Pleeps was getting a little wobbly by now.

I kind of dig the name of this brewery, by the way. People have their first place (home) and second place (work). So a third space would kind of be a "happy place" or meeting place for friends. Simple but effective. Nicely chosen, folks! 

More logos painted on stuff.

We finished our beers (and cheese curds) and were off to our next brewery. After crossing the Menomonee River in two different places within two miles, we arrived at our final brewery of the day.

Outside MobCraft Brewery & Taproom.

As soon as I saw the tap list at MobCraft, I was pretty sure we'd be visiting again the next day. Boasting 20-odd taps of primarily IPAs, stouts, and sours, I was certain I wouldn't get through everything I wanted to try in one sitting. With every description I read, I thought, "That sounds awesome. I want that." Well, it turns out I wanted about 14 of the beers and realized pretty quickly that that wasn't going to happen. See?

Decisions... decisions... decisions...

So, let me walk you through my first flight of beers at MobCraft:

• Midnitro Dragon's Dream - chocolate oatmeal stout with blackberries served via nitro.
• Batshit Crazy - brown ale with coffee. Dee-licious!
• Hoppy Hoppy Pants Pants - dank, juicy DIPA featuring some far-out hops: Dr. Rudi, Jarrylo, Idaho 7, and Amarillo.
• Senor Bob - Imperial Cream Ale brewed with agave syrup and aged in tequila barrels.
• Existence Blackberry - blackberry sour ale.
• Squeezin' Juice - juicy, citrus-forward American IPA.

Tons of taps at MobCraft!

My favorite of the lot was probably Batshit Crazy, which says a lot because I tend to stray from brown ales. However, add coffee to pretty much any style and I'm sold! Overall, I was definitely digging the sours and dark beers here a bit more than the IPAs. I mean, everything was enjoyable, but I just felt that the other non-IPA offerings were a bit more interesting and flavorful. MobCraft is really doing lots of unusual styles and flavor combinations. They also love using fruit, which comes in handy when the person drinking the beer also loves fruit (i.e. me). 

We enjoyed our visit quite a bit, and it's clear that MobCraft is one of the more adventurous breweries in Milwaukee. Our bartender was super-friendly and talkative, and was happy to answer my dumb questions. I passed off some Nimble Giant to him just for being cool. Speaking of cool, it looks like Pleeps was out cold for the time being. I must have been a little loopy too because I can't for the life of me remember what's in the glass in the following picture. I guess I needed a nap too! Pleeps knows what I'm talking about...

Pleeps needed a quick power nap after that session!

Since we decided to return the following day to make a bigger dent in the tap selection, we were off to use our final token procured at Lakefront as a gift for taking the tour. New Glarus does this as well, whereby you take the token to a participating bar or restaurant and redeem a free beer (in this case, a free Lakefront beer). But first, we enjoyed a great impromptu meal at BelAir Cantina, which we stumbled upon while parking our car a block down from Stubby's (more on that in a moment). We each enjoyed a spicy pollo bowl consisting of pulled chicken, árbol sauce, citrus slaw, beans, rice, lettuce, crema, and salsa roja, plus a side of tortilla chips and salsa. This was some legit Mexican food pretty far from the border. Coming across some bangin' authentic Mexican cuisine in Wisconsin is like finding amazing Korean BBQ in South Dakota... or something like that. Either way, I'm glad we found this place!

BelAir Cantina serves up some bangin' Mexican food!

We ended our night at Stubby's Gastropub, one of the participating bars at which we could redeem our Lakefront token for a free beer. I figured we might as well cash it in. I mean, free beer, yo! I settled on Fixed Gear, a hoppy American Red Ale brewed with Chinook and Cascade hops. This one was quite floral and some sticky citrus and pine around the edges, and plenty of caramel malt sweetness to stand up to the heavy dry-hopping. It was also one that I hadn't tried while visiting Lakefront, so chalk up another Untappd check-in for me!

Pleeps is lookin' rejuvenated after his nap!

We still had a pretty ambitious half-day planned in Milwaukee for the following day, so we decided to head to the hotel and rest up. I'll leave you with this lovely view of the Milwaukee River as we walked from BelAir Cantina up to Stubby's. Stay tuned for Day 4 as we continue to make our way across Wisconsin into Minnesota. Until next time...

The Great Taste Caper 2018 - Day 2: Sour Goats & Bare Ewes on Oak Street

For our second day, we had planned on hitting one of our favorite spots, Buckeye Beer Engine, bright and early (at least by Pour Travelers' standards) at 10 a.m. upon opening. However, our hotel was about 10 miles in the opposite direction and right off the Interstate, so we decided to wait until the return trip home and swing by for lunch. With this audible, we were able to add about two hours to our itinerary. What does this mean? More brewery stops along the way, of course!

The goat is my spirit animal.

Our first order of business for the day was a leisurely 3 1/2-hour drive to Granger, IN for a stop at Heavenly Goat. When I discovered this brewery by way of my newest, bestest Internet buddy, BreweryMap.com, I knew I was destined to visit this place. Why? Because goats! Fortunately for us, the place was fantastic, the service was spot-on, and the beers were pretty darn tasty too!

Step inside my GOATress of solitude! 

After we got settled in and scoped everything out, we started off with a flight of six different beers, which ran the gamut of a dry-hopped Brett pale ale to a pair of barrel-aged stouts. Here's the skinny:

• Batch 54 - dry-hopped pale ale fermented with Brettanomyces
• Batch 54 Fruited - the aforementioned pale ale fruited with blackberries and raspberries
• Black Triangles - IPA hopped with Citra and Mosaic
• Coffee Death by Porter - Porter conditioned on Zen Cafe roasted coffee beans
• Tonight we Ragnarok (variation #1) - Imperial Stout aged in a Heaven Hill bourbon barrels
• Tonight we Ragnarok (variation #2) - Imperial Stout aged in Bulleit rye whiskey barrels

My monkey was diggin' the goats!

Overall, everything was solid, although I was quite partial to both Black Triangles and the bourbon barrel-aged variant of Tonight we Ragnarok. FUN FACT: In Norse mythology, Ragnarök is a series of future events, including a great battle, foretold to ultimately result in the death of a number of major figures (including the Gods Odin, Thor, Loki, etc.). This doesn't surprise me, as I learned from our bartender that the name of the brewery itself is steeped in mythology. The gist of it is this: the 'Heavenly Goat' origin story takes place in Valhalla of Norse Mythology. Heiðrún the Goat stands on its hind legs to bite the buds of the Tree of Life. From her teats runs the mead that fills a cauldron so large that all of the Nordic warriors who have fallen are carried to Valhalla on the wings of the Valkyries to drink the precious liquid. Pretty cool, eh? I thought so. 

Heiðrún the Goat eats from the Tree of Life.

Since I enjoyed the Black Triangles so much, I opted for a special pour from the beer engine to split with Brewslut. This was a limited one-off cask dry-hopped with Amarillo. Yum, yum, gimme some! It's not one of Brewslut's favorite hop varieties, but I love it. This variation was even more enjoyable than the standard version. I love me a good IPA on cask, and this one didn't disappoint. Speaking of not being disappointed, the homemade soft pretzels here were amazing. They resembled small loaves of bread more than pretzels, and they were so damn tasty. Carbs for the win!

Pleeps' geometry lesson: Black Triangles.

While we were at Heavenly Goat, we struck up a conversation with a local about - what else? - beer. Over the course of our banter, he happened to mention a second brewery in the town of Granger situated just a few miles away called Bare Hands. He promised we wouldn't be disappointed, so we decided to work it into the itinerary. As a matter of fact, he finished up at Heavenly Goat before us and just so happened to be heading to Bare Hands next. (Turns out he's a mugger there.) After he vacated the premises, a beer-loving couple came in and occupied his area at the bar, and oddly enough, they were also heading to Bare Hands afterward. Since we postponed our visit to Buckeye Beer Engine, we had plenty of time to stop. Let me tell you, I'm glad we did!

Outside Bare Hands Brewing, Granger, IN.

When we arrived at Bare Hands, the chalkboard was brimming with hoppy offerings including a lot of IPAs. Fine by me. First up was West Coast Joe, a Citra hopped West Coast-style IPA, for me, while Brewslut chose New Westy IPA, a NE-style variation of its house IPA boasting all the catch phrases and nomenclature all the kids dig these days: hazy, juicy, dank, double dry-hopped, yada yada yada. However, this one delivered! It turned out to be the star of the show for both of us, and we made sure to throw a pair of cans in our mixed 4-pack before we left.

Up next was a pour of Bare Hands' self-proclaimed flagship beer, Thai.P.A. Any time a brewery boasts a "flagship" beer, I have to try it. I mean, that's what they're known for, right? Hence, it's usually a wise decision to give it a shot. I've encountered a few Thai-influenced beers over the years in my travels (Terry Hawbaker's Thai.P.A. back from his Bullfrog days comes to mind) and I've enjoyed them. For this creation, Bare Hands added Thai palm sugar, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and galangal (Thai ginger) to create a citrus-forward flavor with a spicy finish. This was definitely a unique creation, and the fact that it's one of their top-selling beers is a testament to its excellence. I look forward to revisiting this one when we crack open the can we brought home.

Hops a-plenty at Bare Hands.

Meanwhile, I'd noticed a barrel-aged selection on the chalkboard nestled away from the barrage of IPAs. Enter Bourbon Barrel-Aged Vanilla Mail Order Bride, a 2017 vintage Russian Imperial Stout weighing in at 10.2% ABV. I was strongly urged to try this beer by a few patrons, so not only did I want to try it, but now it had to live up to a bit of hype. This was definitely a vanilla bomb of a stout and overall a tad too sweet for my palate, although it was complex and pretty chewy overall. I was digging the IPAs more here, which seem to be the brewery's forte.

We wrapped up our visit with Westy IPA, Bare Hands' "house IPA." Not to be confused with "New Westy," which we had earlier, this is more of a West Coast style IPA. It's also one of the only times I preferred a NE-style over a West Coast-style IPA. I couldn't help but think of the whole "New Coke" marketing ploy of the mid 1980's and had a good little chuckle over the name. Both were indeed solid but I give the nod to New Westy. Overall, I was glad we had some extra time to kill so we could swing by for what turned into a fun stop. I met the owner and gave him some Nimble Giant, to which he reciprocated with a 4-pack of Citronic, a Citra-hopped pale ale. Perks of the industry, folks.

Down the road a bit from Granger is South Bend, home of Crooked Ewe Brewery & Ale House. I must admit that I was stoked to find a sheep in such close proximity to a goat (thanks again, BreweryMap)! This was a visit we intended to make, as it was part of our original itinerary. It's no secret that I love goats, but I'm also quite partial to sheep (although not in the same vein as Brent from Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back). I just hoped the beer was decent and worthy of a stop. Turns out it was!

From heavenly goats to crooked ewes!

First up, another turtle beer! This one, Turtle Tamer, was an IPA hopped with Amarillo and Simcoe for a nice resiny pine and sweet tropical fruit combination. Plus who doesn't love turtles? Unlike a turtle, this one moved quickly into my gullet. Brewslut opted for Gleek, a straight-up unfruited gose that was enjoyable.

We decided that Crooked Ewe was worthy of follow-up beers, so we decided to chillax for a bit and get a bite to eat. After perusing the menu, we both honed in on the Poke Bowl. Check out this laundry list of deliciousness: house-cured salmon, mirin-soaked (mirin is a type of rice wine) sushi rice, wakame (edible seaweed), wasabi black bean, cucumber, and unagi (eel) avocado Srirachi. Holy sweet fuck was this dish amazing! We washed down this incredible bowl (note: definitely NOT a failure pile in a sadness bowl, for those of you Patton Oswalt fans) with a pair of IPAs: Vital IPA, hopped with Centennial for a prominent grapefruit note, and Wampus Monster, a Citra-hopped DIPA with bold citrus fruit flavors. I'm so glad we decided to get our chow on here, because that bowl was dee-freakin-licious, even though I was "eatin' my lunch from a single bowl." It just wasn't in my parents' basement.

Pleeps says, "Hey ewe guys!"

While we enjoyed some bar time at Crooked Ewe, we got caught up in another conversation with an older gent who was visiting some family in the area. One thing led to another, and he mentioned a brewery "right up the road." Sounds familiar, right? By now, we were still ahead of schedule so we figured we might as well swing by for a beer to check it out. After all, when would we be back through Northern Indiana? (Probably sooner than I think, but who's counting?)

Over at 18th Street, the gutted-building-turned-brewery reminded me of a big city music venue in an old, decommissioned factory. As a matter of fact, a band was just finishing up soundcheck when we arrived. This place seemed pretty "metal." It was dimly lit, sparsely decorated, and the acoustics were "boomy." The band sounded pretty heavy as well. Perhaps not the best environment for live music. And although as much as I love metal, we were here for a beer.

Loving the beer names at 18th Street!

I was digging the names of the beers here; they ran the gamut of dark and ominous (Here Comes the Reaper and Convicted Souls) to metal-as-fuck (Overlord's Revenge and Temporal Purgatory) to just plain disturbing (Black & Rigid). Then there's the beer I selected from this amusing list: The Fox and the Goat. I mean, duh! Lucky for me, it was a style I was into (not that there are many I'm not into). A collaboration with Girl and the Goat, a Chicago-based restaurant, this Centennial-hopped pale ale also featured some pretty heavy-handed dry-hopping with Amarillo. Pretty... pretty... pretty good!

Brewslut opted for Candi Crushable, another collaboration beer, this time with Northdown Cafe & Taproom (a Chicago-area bar that's apparently now closed as per Google and Yelp). Also a pale ale, this one features flaked oats and lactose sugar for a soft mouthfeel and hint of sweetness. Simcoe and Falconer's Flight hops impart hints of lemon, grapefruit, and pine. Both beers were solid, and it was another worthy diversion in our itinerary. (EDITOR'S NOTE: Turns out I'd checked in about half a dozen or so beers in the past, courtesy of our friend Nathan, who had sent some stuff in the "mail." Coincidentally, we were meeting with him later this evening. But more on that in a bit.)

Obligatory coaster shot with my main monkey Pleeps!

In what was turning out to be the leitmotif of the day, we got talking to another slightly older couple at the bar about beer and our travels. Over the course of our conversation, the guy asked if we enjoyed sour beers. We said we did, and he promptly directed us to "a brand new place right down the street" called The Sour Note. When he said it was "right down the street," he wasn't kidding. I didn't even need to pull out of the parking lot at 18th Street. I programmed our GPS and it was literally half a block away! We could have just walked. 

From my barstool at The Sour Note.

Started as a side project of 18th Street Brewing (the place we'd just visited) to focus on a variety of sour beers including tart wheat ales, fruit beers, and bottle-conditioned farmhouse ales, The Sour Note has evolved into a brewery in its own right. The place was small, and the building reminded me of an old restaurant I used to frequent in Shamokin to get ice cream called Amity House. (Brewslut and I went on a few dates there back in high school.) Inside, there were about four people scattered around the bar and a young, extremely friendly guy working behind it. We got to talking in no time because we unfortunately had to skedaddle pretty quickly, as we were meeting Nathan in Willow Springs, Illinois, about a 45-minutes away. We mentioned we were visiting from PA on our way to Great Taste, and,  long story short, it turns out the guy (Oswald) used to work with Roger (the Assistant Brewer at Pizza Boy) at Cigar City down in Florida. Small world, eh?

Never met an Oswald... until now!

He made sure to send us home with a pair of Cherry Gose 6-packs and a few 750mL bottles of some choice beers. I made sure to reciprocate with plenty of stuff from my employer. While we were there, we were able to enjoy pours of Foeder Peach Wild, a keg-conditioned wild golden ale brewed with peaches, and Coconut Drift, a toasted coconut gose. Both were tasty, and I wish we could have stayed longer, but alas we had to clear out and hit the road. At least we got to experience the place, if only for about twenty minutes or so.

Outside Imperial Oak Brewing.

After a 45-minute jaunt into the depths of Illinois (intentionally around Chicago, not through), it was time to arrive at our final brewery destination for the evening. Like the majority of the breweries on our itinerary, I'd never heard of Imperial Oak. When we arrived, there was a street fair happening a few blocks away, so parking was challenging. We found a spot a few blocks away, and as we approached we could see the place was bustling. After all, it was a Saturday night. The outside patio area was pretty full, so we headed inside to see if we could find Nathan. There he was sitting at the bar with a beer waiting for us to arrive.

The beer list was vast and almost intimidating, with about twenty-odd beers available including a diverse range featuring a handful of IPAs, a few Belgian-inspired beers, lighter offerings such as a fruited Kolsch, and several sours from its Savage Oak series. They even had a Wheat Wine on tap (which of course I had to try). I decided to start with a style I've been running into a lot lately, a Brut IPA. A variation of its "Crank It" series called Crank It Brut, this hoppy offering is meant to imitate the effervescence and dry finish of champagne while still maintaining a hop-forward character. Interesting concept, eh? If memory serves me correctly, Brewslut was digging this one a bit more than me, but it was pretty solid. Coincidentally, Rush's "YYZ" came on over the speakers in the tasting room and my ears perked up. Crank it, indeed, I thought.

I had to also try Aquavit Barrel Aged Pain!, an Imperial IPA (named Pain!) aged in Aquavit (or Akavit) barrels. Aquavit is a unique distilled spirit primarily produced in Scandinavia. Whoa! Citrus fruit mingles with spicy, herbal notes of caraway and dill in this out-there IPA. I'd never had nor heard of Aquavit before, but I'll usually try a barrel-aged IPA when I come across one, just for the adventure of it. In the grand scheme of things, they are pretty hit and miss. This one tasted like my grandma's spice rack got mixed up with a West Coast-style DIPA. Interesting, to say the least.

Speaking of grandma's spice rack, up next was something called Thyme for a Peach. This one is a variation on the "Crank It" theme featuring Azacca and Columbus hops with fresh thyme and peaches added. I'm a sucker for beer with peaches in it (or just peaches in general), so this one was a no-brainer for me. Turns out it was pretty tasty and perhaps a tie (or thy?) for my favorite beer at Imperial Oak.

Our view from the bar at Imperial Oak.

My next selection was my other favorite: Lady Humongous, a wheat wine. This one could be named after my wife's impressive guns. I rarely encounter wheat wines in our travels, so I'm always curious to try at least a small 4- o 5-oz. pour. The younger sister of the barleywine, the wheat wine is a generally glossed-over style of strong ale containing a large portion of wheat malt to provide a soft, fluffy mouthfeel. Most I've come across are sweeter and a bit thinner than traditional barleywines but pack the same boozy punch. This particular lady boasted hints of caramel chews, vanilla, butterscotch, and candied fruit with a touch of boozy warmth.

I finished up our visit with Crank it Hype, another variation of the Crank It series, this one a NE-style IPA. Funny name, as everyone knows that hazy IPAs are all the "hype" these days and seem to show no sign of slowing down. Speaking of slowing down, it was time to stick a fork in us. Right, Pleeps?

Pleeps is cut off!

Overall, it was great to catch up and share some beers with Nathan, whom we hadn't seen in a while. (By the way, stay tuned for more fun with Nathan and his new wife, Tiffany, at the tail end of the trip.) Back at the hotel, we cracked open a can of The Sour Note's Cherry Gose, which was quite tasty. I was glad we were sent home with a 6-pack of this to enjoy. Stay tuned for Day 3 from Milwaukee, WI, coming soon. Until next time...

Ewe and I have memories...