In Praise of the Midwest's Underrated: This Week's Beer News
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Vinepair had a pretty cool story this week asking brewers to name what they consider the most underrated Midwestern brewery.
Lots of good things to put on your radar here, including praise for Roaring Table from Jude at Hop Butcher, adoration for MKE’s Supermoon from Cruz Blanca’s Jacob Sembrano, love for Riggs Beer Company from Dovetail’s Jenny Pfafflin and the brewer at Weld Werks recommending a tiny brewery called Lost Cabin in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
It’s just fun seeing brewers say nice things about places they like. (I gave Premium Subscribers a full look at one of my most underrated breweries a few weeks ago. Munising’s East Channel is pretty dope also.)
A quick correction: Last week we called Hairy Cow in Byron a downstate brewery. It is not. It is west and a little north of Chicagoland, which is most assuredly not “down.” You’d think the guys who hosted an ICBW event called South of 80 would know that. Thank you to FoGDB Alfie for keeping us honest and we regret the error!
Fox32 profiled the new Casa Humilde space to kick off National Hispanic Heritage Month.
The Daily Herald suggested a list of west suburban breweries to visit (like Sturdy Shelter and Penrose) if you’re taking a bike ride along the Fox River Trail.
WGN-TV says Alarmist Brewing has some of the most unique people you’ll ever meet.
Looks like the Tangled Roots location in South Barrington is under construction and a few months away from opening.
WGLT reported on the new custom beer that Illinois Wesleyan University has launched with Destihl.
Upland’s first NA beverage - a sparkling hop water - is out now.
Big Grove Brewing has been making big moves over the past few years — and based on this job posting, it looks like that next move might be distro into northern Illinois.
Glenwood’s Keg Creek Brewing Company is briefly closing at the end of the month, but not forever — just to move its taproom and production facility.
This is road-trip worthy, especially during peak color: Petoskey Brewing’s sattelite taproom along the Tunnel of Trees is now open with an Oktoberfest-themed menu.
Final Gravity Brewing Company now has their own separate tasting room for their distilled spirits.
The Star-Tribune features a few German-styled breweries around the state that should be on your “visit during Oktoberfest” list.
After four decades in business as a bar, Dressel’s Pub now has their own line of house-brewed beers from their own Rock & Horse Brewing.
Madtree’s PsycHOPathy IPA - apparently the first Ohio craft beer to be canned - has had a bit of a rebrand.
Columbus has a dearth of pumpkin-spice beers this year, it seems; at least enough for a roundup of local options. I kinda dig the two Hocus Pocus themed beers from Nostalgia Brewing. Thackery Binx-es all around!
Here’s a headline guaranteed to get some clicks: “Brewery on Cleveland’s West Side goes ‘Kid Unfriendly’”. Forest City just banned kids under 16 from being at their space.
OnMilwaukee looks at the special beers brewed for Raised Grain’s 9th birthday celebration.
MolsonCoors has brought back Miller High Life Light. Here’s where to find it in MKE.
Beers from the farm-based Duesterbeck’s Brewing Company are about to hit bars, liquor stores, restaurants and grocery stores around Milwaukee.
Milwaukee Record’s Meet A Brewer column has a chat with Jacob Sutrick of Bavarian Bierhaus.
The Cap Times held a panel discussion asking reps from Lakefront, Octopi and others if the Wisconsin craft beer bubble has burst.
Speaking of Lakefront, they stumbled across some Imperial Pumpkin Ale that has been barrel-aging for seven years. It comes out this weekend. Lakefront, please send some of this to FoBAB.
Wausau’s Bull Falls Brewery is now closed.
Let’s bookend this week’s email with another happy Vinepair piece from
: The stovepipe can is one of craft beer’s few bright spots right now.
Most-clicked link in last week’s email: I love that you were as interested as I was in Eater’s list of Best Dive Bars to Day Drink At. Well done, everyone.
Thanks for reading! If you’ve made it all the way to the end of this email and you’ve learned something beer-y from this, you should share this with a friend!
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