FESTIVALS

News/Press

Wisconsin Breweries Gather in Minocqua to Share Winter Beers for a Good Cause
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
    MINOCQUA — A celebration of Wisconsin beer brought 36 Wisconsin breweries to downtown Minocqua at the end of January to help raise funds for a local non-profit.

    The 18th Annual Ice Cold Beer Festival featured nearly 150 Wisconsin beers inside of a heated big-top tent, which makes for one of the more unique settings for a winter beer festival. The mix of craft beer, live music, food, and fun is a significant fundraiser for the Howard Young Foundation's Dr. Kate Hospice, the beneficiary of more than $55,000 in contributions from the event since its inception.

    The brainchild of Dennis Kohl, manager of Cellar 70 at Trig's in Minocqua, the Ice Cold Beer festival has grown from a small community gathering into one of the largest winter celebrations of craft beer. Two years ago, the Wisconsin Brewers Guild contributed organizational and promotional support to help grow attendance. The organization also brought the Midwest Regional Brewers Conference to Minocqua, which provided attending brewers an opportunity to engage in continuing education seminars prior to the festival.

    “This is truly one of the most unique beer events of its kind and it’s a pleasure to see that it has grown to showcase Wisconsin beer while providing support for Dr. Kate Hospice.” said Mark Garthwaite, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Brewers Guild. “We’re very proud of the area breweries that have poured their hearts into organizing this event.”

    In addition to Dr. Kate Hospice, the Ice Cold Beer Fest contributed to other local charities through donations by Food Marketing Services and raffle tickets sold by volunteers from the Lakeland ATV/UTV Club.

    The heavy lifting for organizing the event locally was provided by Minocqua Brewing Company and owners Dan, Laurie, Ryan and Dustin White. Bo Bélanger of South Shore Brewery in Ashland, and Jason Rasmussen of Angry Minnow Restaurant & Brewery in Hayward invested significant effort to provide an infrastructure that could accommodate over 700 beer tasters in the friendly confines of a heated tent. The four hour celebration featured a variety of winter warmer beer styles and unique offerings from breweries all across Wisconsin.

    "We have seen the value of this event from day one.” said Bo Bélanger. “When entire communities embrace fulfilling the needs of such a worthy cause, it becomes infectious and the South Shore Brewery is proud to play a role. Involving the Wisconsin Brewers Guild hopefully has generated awareness to this event beyond its original outreach and it is a goal to make that check bigger every year."

    Local sponsorship was provided by Ritchie Oil & Propane, Woodruff Ace Hardware, Minocqua Taxi - DISCAB, Sam's Rental, A1 Septic, Best Western Concorde Inn, Trig's of Minocqua, Campanile Center for the Arts, Reuland's Catering, and Custom Caretaking.

    Posted by Wisconsin Brewers Guild at 3:15 PM | 0 comments
Door County Brewing Company’s Growth Demands More Assistance in the Brewhouse
Monday, March 28, 2016

    BAILEYS HARBOR, WI – As demand for Door County Brewing Company’s beers continues to grow, CEO and Founder John McMahon announces Kyle Gregorash has joined Head Brewer Danny McMahon in the Baileys Harbor brewhouse. Gregorash, a Wisconsin native, will contribute his wealth of knowledge in order to aid the brewery’s increased production to fulfill demands for beers produced at the Baileys Harbor brewery.

    According to Head Brewer McMahon, “He comes from a background with vast production brewery experience. Kyle has a creative, hands-on artisan approach to brewing, same as me, and together we will be producing some of Wisconsin’s most interesting and best tasting craft beers.”

    Gregorash studied history education at UW-Green Bay before pursuing his real passion in brewing. His recent experience includes the positions of Production Brewer at Octopi Brewing in Waunakee, WI and Assistant Brewer at Great Northern Brewing Company in Whitefish, Montana.

    Posted by Wisconsin Brewers Guild at 3:00 PM | 0 comments
Door County Brewing Co. Delivers Sideshow, a Traditional IPA With a Twist
Friday, March 18, 2016

    BAILEYS HARBOR, WI – This April, after many months of recipe experimentation and refinement, Door County Brewing Company introduces Sideshow IPA to join its core lineup of year-round beers. Sideshow, which the brewery calls a “Door County Style IPA,” blends a traditional IPA recipe with the Belgian yeast strain unique to the brewery.

    Head Brewer Danny McMahon showcases both yeast and hops, ensuring neither element overshadows the other. Unlike many IPAs, Sideshow focuses on flavor and aroma, rather than primarily on bitterness.

    “By using a blend of El Dorado, German Hüell Melon and German Mandarina Bavaria hops, we crafted a juicy, fruit-forward IPA that’s not overly bitter,” said McMahon. “This balance sets Sideshow apart from our other beers, as well as IPAs in general, which is how
    we decided on the name.”

    As a company dedicated to crafting thought-provoking beers, Door County Brewing Company recognizes Sideshow IPA as a step outside of the often-celebrated local heritage and uses it to embrace a more transient part of the state’s culture, its unique circus history.

    Sideshow can be found in Wisconsin and Minnesota craft beer venues beginning in April.

    Posted by Wisconsin Brewers Guild at 3:54 PM | 0 comments
New Student-Crafted Beer Selected in Landmark Collaboration
Wednesday, March 16, 2016

    VERONA, WI - An American Wheat Ale, named S’Wheat Caroline has been selected as the next brewing project in the collaboration between Campus Craft Brewery at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and Wisconsin Brewing Company.

    After weeks of experimentation within Professor Jim Steele’s Fermented Foods and Beverages Class (Campus Craft Brewery), a competition was held. Six student teams participated in the contest working under the guidance of Brewmaster Kirby Nelson from Wisconsin Brewing.

    Each team recently presented a wheat beer of their design to an expert panel of judges. The top honor went to a team of student’s whose beer will now go into full-scale production at Wisconsin Brewing in this hand’s-on learning experience.

    This is the second year of the program and is the result of a landmark collaboration between the University of Wisconsin and Wisconsin Brewing. This endeavor once again gives students the opportunity to craft a recipe, source ingredients, consult with experts, create a beer and have it judged. The class culminates with all the students taking part in full-scale commercial brewing of the winning beer at Wisconsin Brewing.

    “Our first year of our collaboration with Jim Steele and CALS was extremely rewarding and we’re enthusiastic about the future this program,” said Wisconsin Brewing President and CEO, Carl Nolen. All students involved have been given the unique opportunity to see a product’s journey from concept to commercialization in a real world setting. “The collaboration has exceeded our goals of inspiring a new generation in the Wisconsin tradition of brewing excellence,” Nolen added.

    S’Wheat Caroline will be first released in May 2016 at the Sett in Union South and distribution across Wisconsin will follow.

    Posted by Wisconsin Brewers Guild at 4:02 PM | 0 comments
CAPITAL BREWERY 30th ANNIVERSARY BREW - COFFE INFUSED MUNICH DARK
Monday, March 14, 2016

    MIDDLETON, WI - March 14, 2016 - To kick off its 30th Anniversary of brewing award winning beers, Capital Brewery Co., Inc. is releasing a small batch of coffee and vanilla infused Garten Brau Munich Dark. This collaboration combines Colectivo Coffee with Capital’s most award winning beer, which just happens to be one of the first beers brewed by Capital in the spring of 1986.

    “We will be celebrating this 30 year milestone with series of four (4) special release beers. We are kicking this off with a great combination of traditional and new flavors,” commented Brewmaster Ashley Kinart.

    The beer will be available on draft only. It is brewed with all Wisconsin hops and malt. Look for this exciting infusion at your local on premise retailers, and in the Beer Stube and Beer Garden later this spring.

    Posted by Wisconsin Brewers Guild at 3:14 PM | 0 comments

PREVIOUS POSTS

Archive

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.