Madison

There’s a unique confluence of culture, politics, economy and geography that always makes for a superior drinking scene. It’s that primordial soup of academics, artists, bureaucrats, techies and unreconstructed hippies: You throw them in the pot, they simmer for a while, and wind up congealing into a mass that’s thirsting for a quality beverage. And nowhere in the upper Midwest does it all come together like it does in Madison, Wis. In a city packed with great pubs, these are the best—Madison’s top beer destinations, as rated by the BeerFly users on BeerAdvocate.com.

Madison is home to both the state’s flagship university, UW-Madison, and its government bureaucracy; both groups are traditionally known for their thirst, and together, they pack the city with bodies. A growing high-tech sector and a history of political activism (stretching all the way back to Fighting Bob La Follette) keeps the streets interesting.

The city is oriented around UW and Capitol Square. Both are sandwiched between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona—two of the four lakes that dominate Madison’s geography. They’re linked by State Street, a wide pedestrian mall that’s home to a number of shops and cafés. On Halloween, the street also becomes home to the debauched communal carnival known as Freakfest.

State Street is also home to the Overture Center, a Cesar Pelli-designed hall that houses Madison’s contemporary art museum and several performing arts organizations; if, for no other reason, swing by to check out the center’s rooftop garden. And while having a Pelli design is nice and all, it’s the work of Wisconsin’s own son, Frank Lloyd Wright, that really makes Madison an architecture destination to geek out over. Notable Wright buildings in town include the Unitarian Meeting House, the First Jacobs house (intended to be a model for post-Depression living) and Madison’s lakeside convention center, the posthumously constructed Monona Terrace.

Madison is a rarity among college towns in that its most notable beer destination is actually located on campus. UW’s Memorial Union Terrace has stunning lakefront views, and is a can’t-miss drinking destination in good weather; inside, the bustling Rathskeller features worn-in woodwork, frequent live music and a tantalizing tap lineup. The Rathskeller also serves up three square meals, though a more mobile meal can be had down the street at the food trucks parked on Library Mall.

A number of good drinking halls are clustered around the stately Capitol Square. The Essen Haus serves up a raucous German experience, while its pubby conjoined twin, Come Back In, offers tons of beers and good company, minus the oompah. The Great Dane brews up an outstanding variety of beers steps from the capitol, while BeerAdvocate  users flip over the Old Fashioned’s deep-fried cheese curds.

And when in town, be sure to get the heck out of town. That’s the only way to get to New Glarus, a nearby little Swiss community that’s home to one of the state’s most influential craft breweries, New Glarus Brewing.

Ale Asylum
Ale Asylum’s Hopalicious Pale uses 11 hop additions. Its limited-run Ballistic IPA is a sensation. Armageddon Amber more than lives up to its name. Somehow, the adjectives “big” and “flavorful” don’t go far enough.

Dowry
Dotty Dumplings serves up the two Bs—burgers and Bell’s—blocks from UW’s Kohl Center. Don’t leave without trying some cheese curds and fries.

Great Dane Pub and Brewing Company
BeerAdvocate users can’t get enough of Great Dane’s Texas Speedbump IPA and Black Earth Porter, but be sure to save room for a seasonal or three in this gorgeous, historic downtown pub.

The Essen Haus
Madison’s best German haunt is crammed full of brick, dark wood, lederhosen and oompah bands, and the atmosphere comes off as fun as hell, and not at all contrived. A crowd that loves its lagers helps things greatly.

Come Back In
The Essen Haus’ American cousin serves ribs and sandwiches alongside two dozen taps and a hundred-odd high-quality bottles.

Brasserie V
A simple yet stylish little restaurant with a big-time passion for Belgian beers. You’ll find more than a dozen on tap, and over 80 in the bottle.

Maduro
Technically, Maduro is a cigar bar with a weakness for beer, though the selection here makes it feel a lot more like a beer bar with a filthy habit. Will the hops destroy your palate before the smoking does? There’s only one way to find out.

Dotty Dumpling’s The Malt House
When a bar makes a point of shunning modern comforts like television, jukeboxes, pool and darts, it had better have some beer worthy of one’s undivided attention. The Malt House absolutely delivers on that front.

The Old Fashioned
The Old Fashioned only serves food and beer from Wisconsin. This BeerFly user says it better than we ever could: “If you can’t find something you like here, leave the state.”

Quivey’s Grove
Between fine dining and comfort food served up in an old stable, we’ll take the stable any day. That goes doubly when the horse-house in question serves up a wide array of Lakes-region crafts. Of course, if you’re not down with drinking where horses once lay, Quivey’s does the fine-dining thing, too.

Capital Brewery
Capital Brewery is at its best when it’s pouring German lagers. Try a Blonde Doppelbock—or, if you can find it, an Autumnal Fire Doppelbock.

Jordan’s Big Ten Pub
Jordan’s is where the discerning Badger rowdy drinks: The bar has plenty of TVs, a tailgate-worthy location and Stone IPA on tap.

Memorial Union Terrace/Rathskeller
One of the best beer bars in this college town is actually on campus: UW’s student union bar rocks 22 great, local-leaning taps, and features frequent live music. Not to mention one of the best views in town.

New Glarus Riverside Brewery
New Glarus Hilltop Brewery
Raspberry Tart is one of the country’s finest fruit beers, and it’s a star among stars—pretty much everything this brewery cranks out (iced Barleywine, anyone?) is worth searching for, and savoring. ■