Brew City II

Last year I decided to try six new restaurants in the Milwaukee area… and I failed miserably. I only made it to three out of the six: The National, Conejitos and Maxie’s Southern Comfort- basically, the three cheapest restaurants on my list. (Not that it’s the point of this post, but Maxie’s was by and far my favorite of the three.) 

So this year, I’m going to try NOT to set myself up for failure. I’m going to choose something I love more than food… beer. Since the year is 2013, why not try 13 different beers this year? 

My list is incomplete, and I’m open to edits. Please offer any suggestions you may have in the comments!

1. Russian River Pliny the Elder
2. Russian River Pliny the Younger
(Russian River Brewing Co. beers aren’t available in Wisconsin, so I’m going to need help from one of my sisters that live in Cali for these two.)
3.  O’Fallon Kite Tail Summer Ale
4.  Deschutes Red Chair NWPA
5. Deschutes The Abyss
6. Deschutes Black IPA
7. Deschutes Black Butte XXI
8. Unibroue 17 Grande Reserve
9. Bogota Beer Company Cajica Miel
10. Saguenay Criminelle
11. ?
12. ?
13. ? 

What a great excuse to go out with friends and have a cold one! Take the opportunity to go out and enjoy a beer from one of Wisconsin’s many awesome breweries… (not a comprehensive list, but all on this list receive the seal of approval from yours truly).

3 Sheeps Brewing - Sheboygan, Wis.
Ale Asylum - Madison, Wis.
Big Bay Brewing Company - Shorewood, Wis.
Bull Falls Brewery - Wausau, Wis.
Capital Brewery - Middleton, Wis.
Central Waters Brewing Co - Amherst, Wis.**
Delafield Brewhaus - Delafield, Wis.**
Gray Brewing Co - Janesville, Wis.
Great Dane Pub & Brewing Co - Madison, Fitchburg, Hilldale, Wausau, Wis.
Grumpy Troll Restaurant & Brewery - Mt. Horeb, Wis.
Hinterland Brewing - Green Bay, Milwaukee, Wis.**
Lakefront Brewery - Milwaukee, Wis.**
Lake Louie Brewing - Arena, Wis. 
Milwaukee Ale House / Milwaukee Brewing Co - Milwaukee, Wis.**
New Glarus Brewing - New Glarus, Wis.
O’so Brewing Co - Plover, Wis.**
Pabst Brewing (Best Place Tavern) - Milwaukee, Wis.
Pearl Street Brewing - La Crosse, Wis.**
Potosi Brewing Co - Potosi, Wis.
Red Eye Brewing Co - Wausau, Wis.
Sand Creek Brewing Co - Black River Falls, Wis.
Sprecher Brewing Co / Chameleon Brewing Co - Glendale, Wis.
Stevens Point Brewery - Stevens Point, Wis.
Titletown Brewing - Green Bay, Wis.
Tyranena Brewing Co - Lake Mills, Wis.
Water Street Brewery - Milwaukee, Delafield, Wis.
 

** Personal Favorite of Mine

Thursday, October 4th
6pm
Burnheart’s 
2599 S Logan Avenue
Milwaukee, WI

I think I’m going to actually be able to make it for this one! Woohoo! 

For a while we were on a roll. We’ve brewed like crazy this summer. Actually, for not even completing our first year as home brewers, I think we’ve done well. Since November 2011, we have brewed and bottled 11 different brews, each in five gallon batches. So far, nothing has been undrinkable, so you know- I consider that pretty successful. A couple of them were down right delicious. We have two more planned for the rest of the year, but I am going to soon find more time on my hands and therefore need some ideas of what else to brew. Here’s what we’ve done so far, including what we have planned (ignore some of our ridiculous names):

Our Brew Year in Review

11/11 - Northern Brewer Breakfast Stout Recipe Kit
12/11 - Northern Brewer Pale Mild Recipe Kit
1/12 - Northern Brewer Black IPA Recipe Kit
1/12 - Northern Brewer Baltic Porter Recipe Kit
5/12 - Chocolate Milk Stout (my recipe)
6/12 - Cream Ale (my recipe)
6/12 - “Heidi Klum” German Amber Ale (Chris’ recipe)
7/12 - “Caerbannog Brown” Southern English Brown Ale (my recipe)
7/12 - “Miranda Tate” French Saison (Chris’ recipe)
8/12 - “Kelly RIPA” Rye IPA (Chris’ recipe)
8/12 - “Cranky Pumpkin” Pumpkin Ale (my recipe)

Still to come - a coffee imperial stout and a hard apple cider for my gluten-free friends 

It’s sad. We have three carboys sitting in our “brew room” (okay, actually, just the second bedroom in which we keep all our brewing equipment when we’re not using it), and they’re all empty! So we’re looking for suggestions of how to fill them. Have you brewed an amazing recipe? Or maybe you don’t brew, and you just have a favorite style of beer? Let’s hear it!

Photo: Our calendar on the day our first brew was ready to drink- so excited!