BeerAdvocate Does Madison (November 17-20, 2014)

I live in Madison and would love to.

 

Spots for beer+food:

Alchemy
Brickhouse BBQ
Cooper's Tavern
The Old Fashioned​

There are obviously many, many more places, but the above are top-tier in the isthmus (downtown/capitol) area. Old Fashioned offers 50+ Wisconsin beers on tap.

Close to the Alchemy is One Barrel Brewing (a nano-brewpub) and Next Door Brewing (also a brewpub).

If you're venturing a little farther out, the Malt House and Dexter's are great beer spots and fairly close together on the near east side.

Happy to provide info, assistance, or just share a beer when you're in town.

 

Malt House: Taps are usually six WI beers, 6 Belgians, 6 wildcards. No TVs, nice laid-back atmosphere. Selection is usually very good. Reasonable prices. No food. Solid

Brasserie V: Belgian-style restaurant, typically 25 beers on tap, fantastic selection, lots of Belgians, food is pretty good, beers are pricey. Place is a little yuppie but bartenders tend to be fine. No TVs

Dexter's Pub: Sports bar, lots of TVs, but a pretty extensive tap list. Usually maybe half Midwestern stuff, half other U.S. stuff. Sandwiches and fish and stuff like that.

Maduro: downtown cigar bar, nice semi-upscale atmosphere. No TVs. Good bartenders. 15 or so taps, good variety, usually something on the firkin. No food but lots of places nearby.

Mason Lounge: more of a local low-key vibe, dark, cozy. Tap list is usually solid but not spectacular. No TVs or food.

 

@Todd here are some suggestions:

Brasserie V
Vintage brewing company (awesome food and beer)

Hit up the Ale Asylum brewery if you can Bedlam is a particularly good brew from them

Keep an eye out for Black Husky Brews a great husband and wife nano brewery out of Pembine WI. You can ask @blackhusky where to look since he personally delivers the brews to each account.

Not a beer destination but if you can stop by Jolly Bobs they have really good Jamaican food (it sounds out of place in WI but you'd be surprised) Try not to go when they have a DJ I hear it gets weird.

These are all places I frequent when I'm in Madison wish I could join you. You should have a blast no matter where you end up deciding to go its a great town.

 

Blue Moon has excellent food for the best prices. @mitchellandvanessa do you know what taps will be on around this time?

 

Lots of options but it might be better to wait until closer to the date when you can judge the # of people showing up.

 

Got an idea of where you'll be staying? That might drive bar sucggestions

 

I'd say brasserie v might have the best beer selection in town along with just being a nice place with good food.

The vintage brewing company often has a couple unusual beers on tap along with pretty good versions of some more traditional/standard styles and good food.

The alchemy is just plain cool, a few good taps and very good food. Not a large beer selection but just a cool place.

Across the street from the alchemy is one barrel brewing company. Not much for food but they always have some good beers on tap.

Down the road from one barrel is next door brewing company. A newer nano-brewery with some decent beers.

Dexter's pub is a cool sports bar with 25-ish craft beers on tap at all times and good food. It's bar food but taken to another level.

Near Dexter's is the malt house. Excellent beer selection and a cool little spot.

Not far from Dexter's and the malt house are the ale asylum and karben4.

The old fashioned on the capital square is all about Wisconsin. About 50 different beers on tap from Wisconsin with a menu that focuses on some more traditional Wisconsin dishes. One of the more popular places in town and often rather packed.

 

Maduro is a must, along with Brasserie V, Dexter's, Tipsy Cow, Vintage, and the Old Fashioned. Brickhouse has a good selection but pretty blah BBQ.

Bottleshops to hit are any Woodman's (I'm partial to West), Steve's (all three have slightly different selections), Riley's, Star Liquor, Trixie's, and especially Jenifer Street Market. Definitely keep an eye out for Black Husky and Toppling Goliath while you're in town.

 

Dotty Dumplings Dowry has the best burgers in town and typically has a really nice selection of WI beers on tap

 

The Graze Burger is a lot better but twice the price, and they don't have as nice a tap selection. Really, though, DDD doesn't have a great tap selection either. There are definitely better options out there for food and good crafties, and in that realm it's gotta be Dexter's or Brasserie V.

 

The Old Fashioned. This is a must stop @Jason and @Todd as it has only WI taps (~40 or so) and the best cheese curds around (and this is coming from a Wisconite!).

 

I will shadow others and say you guys would really like Brasserie V as well.

 

Damn you people with easy access to Madison.

I was last there a year and a half ago (Great Taste), and echo suggestions for Brasserie V and the Old Fashioned. Also, I may be biased as a UW alum, but I couldn't imagine a trip to Madison that didn't include the Rathskeller (or Terrace in warmer months). Not the best beer selection in town, but (IMHO) the best single place to be with friends and a beer:

 

I work a block away from the capitol & am always up for a few beers after work (5 or 5:30-ish). I agree with all the recommendations, and would also throw Tipsy Cow on the list.

 

Rathskellar has improved their selection over time, they have some pretty good stuff these days.

 

Likewise. Plenty of great options w/o ever leaving the Square area.