Brewin' Up a Storm
Home to some of the most famous names in good ol' American beer (think Miller, Pabst, and Schlitz) thanks to its German heritage, you'll be hard-pressed to find a bad mug of suds here. Hitting some of the state's beer festivals, where microbreweries and even home brewers show off their secret potions, is a great way to find some local gems, some that never leave the state's border. In February, the Northeast Wisconsin Beer Festival at Monarch Gardens, 2311 W. Spencer St., Appleton (tel. 800/261-BEER), over 25 Wisconsin brewpubs and microbreweries show their stuff, and over 170 beers are featured (as well as some food to soak it all up). The Eagle River Beer Festival (tel. 715/479-4545; www.eagleriverbeerfestival.com) is held in June, featuring 15 area microbreweries, and all proceeds benefit the Eagle River Historical Society. The Clearwater Beer Festival, 5530 Fairview Dr. (www.ecwijaycees.org/cwbfhome.htm), is held annually in September and features over 100 handcrafted beers, mostly from Wisconsin. And, for suds-sipping with a fantastic view, the Great Lakes Brewfest, 5 Fifth St., Racine (www.greatlakesbrewfest.com), allows you to check out over 100 beers from 60 brewers -- all with a view of Lake Michigan.
