Monthly Archives: August 2008

Well, we’re just back from a quick 5 day jaunt through Wisconsin for a little family R&R before resumption of school for the kids.  It was not at all a beer-centric trip, but, being Wisconsin, good beer was everywhere we went.

My favorite example of the depths of Wisconsin’s love for beer, and especially better beer, was a gas station we stopped at in a tiny town on the way from my in-law’s place in Whitewater to Appleton to visit my wife’s alma mater, Lawrence University.  They had a two door beer cooler – one was full of macros, mostly Miller, natch, but the other had a shelf of Leinenkugel (yes, I do know it’s owned by Miller . . .), a shelf of Point, and a shelf split between New Glarus and Capital.  Very cool.

I was also pleased to finally get to visit Titletown Brewing in Green Bay.  I was quite impressed with the space, the food and the beer.  The food was simply some of the best I’ve had in any brewpub – they even had their own baker to make the breads and desserts served with the meals, and this attention to detail carried over into the entrees themselves.  The space is a converted train station, with a whole lot of character left in it – lots of small dining rooms secreted throughout, but a convivial main bar space.  The beers I had (cask Blood Red, and newly-tapped Pullman Porter) were both solid.  The Red had a lot more hop character than most reds, and none of the cloying crystal malt notes that plague so many reds.  The Porter was really well-integrated with lots of delicious dark malt flavor that didn’t spill over into ashiness or undue bitterness.  Very nice with my Burgundy-peppercorn steak.  Titletown is definitely a recommended stop if you’re in the area.

Everywhere we went, it seemed as if at least a handful of craft beer choices were available – whether in the most humble market or grocery store, to every restaurant we tried.  And not “just” Sam Adams or Sierra Nevada (actually, I don’t think I saw a single tap for either the whole trip), but local Wisconsin craft beer.  Heck, even the poolside snack bar at the very kid-centric waterpark hotel we stayed at had an own label ale available (on draft no less) that was brewed for them by Leinenkugel.  Wisconsinites love beer, and I love them for it.

Enough about beer.  We also had a fine Wisonsin wine moment too when we stumbled on a new winery, Staller Estate, near my in-law’s place that was turning out some nice whites (they’re new so the only reds were quite off-dry, which is not at all my thing – I look forward to trying the dryer stuff on my next visit).  Wisconsin has one advantage over a lot of states trying to produce quality wine, and that is the ability of the grapes to retain significant natural acidity.  I like my wines on the acidic side, and the acid provides a nice foil for any residual sugar that might be in.  I particularly enjoyed Staller’s Horizon Cuvee, which checked in at only 8% alcohol, but had terrifically zippy spicy citric fruit and a great balance between the sugar and acid.  Quite German (and good German) in style.  It’s early days for the folks at Staller, and they are still deciding on the grape varieties to plant on their properties, but they are definitely off to a very good start.