Make Your Dreams Come True, at Lakefront Brewery #Visitmke

Greetings Great Beer Now fans and followers! This is the first entry in a multi- part series of blog posts relating to the Great Beer Now No Fibs Allowed Beer Tour 2018: A True Beer City Experience, which took place in the great city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Open up your favorite Midwestern brewed beer and follow along as I explore Wisconsin’s largest city in search of the best in local suds. Cheers!   

 

American cities are often known for something that sets them apart from the rest. It could be a popular tourist attraction, a beautiful waterfront, a major business operation, or any number of things. In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the distinguishing characteristic is beer and the city’s largest and best known craft brewery was the location of the beginning of my beer tour.  The brewery is Lakefront Brewery, located at 1872 N. Commerce Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

We’re Gonna Do It

Lakefront Brewery has a long history in the world of craft beer. Opened in 1987, Lakefront was the eventual outcome of a home brewing rivalry between brothers Jim and Russ Klisch, two guys who started brewing their own beer and let their competitive sides get the best of them. The two brothers were constantly trying to outdo each other and entered countless homebrewing contests. Finally, they decided beer was something that could and should be much greater than a hobby, and Lakefront Brewery was born.

Lakefront has grown to become the largest craft brewery in Milwaukee and one of the largest in the nation, with an output approaching 50,000 barrels annually. The present facility reflects the brewery’s success, with a large, German- style beer hall, outdoor waterfront seating, entertainment, food, and more.

There is Nothing We Won’t Try

Lakefront Brewery has about 20 or so beers on tap at any given time in its large Beer Hall. Here is a listing of the beers I tried, alphabetical by name, followed by the style and my Untappd rating on a 5- point scale:

• Brewers Series, Bock, 4
• Happy Glamper, Golden Ale, 4
• IPA, 4
• New Grist Ginger, Gluten free3.5
• Organika, witbier, 3.75
• Riverwest Stein, Amber, 4

Overall Average Rating: 3.88

Lakefront beer is all- around enjoyable and I like that every beer has its merits. I didn’t find any individual standout in the set of beers I sampled, as each was approachable, agreeable, and highly quaffable.

Make All Our Dreams Come True

Milwaukee is often referred to as Beer City USA and when I was looking at different cities to visit this year for beer touring purposes, Milwaukee ranked highly. I was already fairly well- versed on Milwaukee’s strong brewing past and I was somewhat familiar with the current crop of craft breweries. Among them, Lakefront Brewery is the one I have heard most about and I made visitation a top priority.

Lakefront Brewery is an impressive place on multiple levels. Most striking of all is the large beer hall. It features high ceilings and communal style seating, perfect for conversing and meeting new people. The available beer on tap is substantial and the brewery has a nice outdoor patio with seating right next to the Milwaukee River.

Most every brewery offer tours but Lakefront Brewery’s tours are a notch above most others and many who visit say the tour was the most memorable part of the experience. Guests are encouraged to fill their glass before the tour and then get ready to walk around the facility, with multiple stopping points along the way both for educational purposes and additional fill- ups. The tour is not for the square pegs among us, as it includes “R” rated language, but adult beer drinkers will love everything about it and enjoy the laughs. Probably the most memorable part of the tour comes at the end, when guests are invited to sing the Laverne and Shirley theme song while they re-enact the ‘placing of the glove on the bottle’, something fans of the popular television show will remember well since it was featured in the opening of most episodes. An audience member is asked to do the honors with the glove, adding to the fun. And in case you can’t remember the words to the theme song, don’t worry- they are displayed on the wall, for quick reference.

Lakefront Brewery has received much praise and recognition over the years for its beer, with medals awarded at the Great American Beer Festival, World Beer Cup, US Beer Tasting Championships, and other competitions. But what is equally impressive is the recognition received for things besides the beer, like “Best Cheese Curds”, “Best Fish Fry”, and “Best Brewery Tour”, among others. I also learned that Lakefront Brewery was the first in the nation to launch an organic certified beer and the brewery takes pride in its commitment to a cleaner environment.

Lakefront Brewery has been around for more than three decades and the folks who operate the brewery have much wisdom to share. The beer, the facility, the tour, the commitment to the environment, and most everything else that matters as a corporate citizen is covered at Lakefront and the staff is energetic, fun, and obviously happy with their work and the satisfaction they bring to all. Nothing is going to turn Lakefront back from its commitment to quality beer and customer service, but you, the Lakefront Brewery tourist will be more than ready to turn back for a repeat visit. So make your brewery visitation dreams come true and add Lakefront Brewery to your list of Milwaukee adventures the next time you’re in the area. And tell them Great Beer Now sent you.