Let's Reschedule Beer Weeks. (Plus Events & Social Updates)
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We’re a little over halfway through January, and right now breweries around the Midwest are posting things like this, and like this:
Caption from Greyline Brewing: “What’s missing from this picture? Small, independent breweries and restaurants can’t survive without you. If you don’t support them in January, they may be gone by March.”
Also right now? Menus and reservations for local Restaurant Weeks are rolling out across the country.
Restaurant Weeks happen when people aren’t going to restaurants. Why do we schedule Beer Weeks when people are already going to breweries?
Consider this an open request to all Brewery Guilds whose members are currently bleeding revenue: Don’t wait until May. Beer weeks in their current state have been dying for years. It’s time to reschedule our Local Craft Brewery Weeks to start the first full week of February, when Dry January-ers are ready to head back to their third spaces and crack open their wallets for a drink or three.
By February, brewers will have had a full month to replenish themselves from the holidays, get some new beers on tap, maybe crack open some barrels and get ready to re-introduce themselves to drinkers ready for a beverage. Perhaps it’s too soon to kick this off immediately, but we’ve got 54 weeks to be ready to move things up in ‘26.
I’m seeing breweries running incredibly interesting events in winter to get people through their doors. (See below for a few of those.) Let’s support that, rather than just matching our calendars to the dates where a trade organization decided years ago where to put American Craft Beer Week.
This is a perilous winter for American craft breweries. The COVID goodwill is gone and loans are due. Let’s mix things up a bit. Hell, the BA doesn’t even have this year’s beer week on their calendar yet. Let’s do this thing.
Thanks to the hundreds of you who kindly answered Monday’s poll question. There’s still time to answer it, if you haven’t yet!
I wanted to ask a follow-up today as well:
Just curious. Thanks for indulging me. And now! Onto the weekend’s…
This Weekend:
The Speakeasy Shuffle returns to Black Horizon, Imperial Oak and Skeleton Key on Saturday, with a free shuttle between all three breweries so you can try all their cocktail-inspired beers.
They’ve already been celebrating all week, but this weekend is the 10th Anniversary celebration for Noon Whistle Brewing at both of their locations.
Werk Force is holding their AWAKENING AT THE BARREL DEN on Saturday afternoon. Just look at that list of barrel-aged beers they’re pulling out. Wow.
You can eat five pieces of pizza and drink beer for three hours at tomorrow’s West Loop Beer & Pizza Fest at PB&J.
Valpo’s Washington Street Taproom is hosting a fundraiser for a friend with a busted leg this Sunday, so go drink cask beer from Revolution and Blockhead Beerworks and eat cheese for a cause.
Next Week & Beyond:
On the 24th-25th, Milwaukee’s Brass Tap is celebrating ten years in business with a pretty good looking tap list.
Celebrate eight years of Speciation Cellars on January 31.
Bundle up and head to the Beer Temple on Feb. 2 for their annual WinterFest.
On Feb. 7-8, Milwaukee’s Sugar Maple beer bar is turning the a Spongebob-themed “Bar-kini Bottom.” These winter events are getting weird, but I hope they work!
Goldfinger’s Dark Lager Day 2025 is set for February 8.
Madison’s Working Draft is hosting a Swedish beer celebration on the 8th. It’s the debut of their Swedish lager with an awesome name brewed in collaboration with JP from Dovetail. They’re also hosting a a Swedish candy pop-up and an IKEA furniture building competition. I’d be really good at that.
Not enough Dovetail action for you? Their annual "Thank You for Smoking” gathering of smoked beers is set for Sunday, Feb. 16.
Tickets are now on sale for Destihl’s annual Dosvidanya Day, taking place on Feb. 22.
Never too early to start planning for this one: Bell’s Oberon Day is scheduled for March 24.
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Bad news: Baseball legend and Miller Lite pitchman Bob Uecker passed away. Good news (?): Bars like the 5 O’Clock Club in Pewaukee serving Miller Lites for just 90 cents in his honor.
The new line of THC Seltzers from Twisted Hippo - called Shine On - are now available and can be ordered from their new website.
Not to be outdone, Bitter Pops also has a new online store with THC products available.
Good news, Aurora — Foreign Exchange Brewing must be getting close to opening if they’re looking to hire front-of-house and kitchen staff.
New Glarus posted their release calendar for the next few months, including two new Splash flavors AND a new Imperial Pilsner.
We’ll have more stories about this on Monday, but really excited to see Moors land their own taproom space in partnership with Steep Ravine.
Now open late on Tuesday and Thrusday (sic): is/was.
These are some nice-looking spruce tips going into a Kinslahger beer soon.
The hunt for Surly’s next Darkness artist is underway.
It’s Triple Beezer season at Old Irving.
Three Floyds is launching their Floyds Deluxe lager but we’re even happier to see Fair State’s Union Lager return.
Happy 100th birthday to the pool table at Ten Cat. That’s pretty cool.
I just found this video from Breakside Brewery kinda hypnotic. Here’s your moment of zen.
Scorched Earth had to temporarily close due to a water main break this week so go show them some love specifically if you can.
Imperial Oak’s collaboration with the local firefighter’s union releases this week, with proceeds supporting the Local’s charitable efforts.
Spiteful IPA: More spiteful than ever.
Happy 9th birthday to Hopewell’s lovely, welcoming taproom.
Kids eat free at Peckish Pig (with purchase of an adult entree) during the week, while Thursdays at Open Outcry mean a beer, a bourbon and a burger for $22. That one is presumably not for kids.
Thank you all for being here! You made it through another long-ass week. Have a great weekend. See y’all on Monday.
~Karl, a Guy Drinking some dark mild this weekend.