Potential move to central WI

Discussion in 'Great Lakes' started by jswitzer3, Jan 11, 2017.

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  1. jswitzer3

    jswitzer3 Initiate (0) Aug 25, 2015 California

    I may be moving to central WI in the next couple of months, from Santa Rosa CA. I would be 30-60 minutes west/Northwest of Madison. How easy is it to get the Chicago and northern Illinois beers? Revolution, half acre, 3 Floyd's, 18th street and lagunitas are the ones I have had before and enjoyed. I have heard of New Glarus but not had. Any others that stand out in the area?

    Thanks in advance.
     
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  2. flat_lander

    flat_lander Pooh-Bah (2,384) May 11, 2016 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Yes on NG! Central Waters, especially anything from their Brewer's Reserve line. Karben4. In Chicago you'll want to check out Pipeworks. Not sure what Michigan distro hits WI, but Bell's, Founders, Dark Horse, New Holland.

    I'll save some of the fun for others...
     
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  3. Adub1980

    Adub1980 Initiate (0) Jun 7, 2016 Wisconsin

    Sounds like you would be somewhere Between Sauk City and Reedsburg. I recommend Viking Liquor in Reedsburg, great selection
     
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  4. RickBelgique

    RickBelgique Crusader (423) Jul 16, 2014 Illinois

    It's about a 3 hour drive from Madison to Chicago. Though, depending upon where in Chicago you're going, the time of day, and traffic, that 3 hours can be optimistic. So add 3 hours to your 30-60 minute time to Madison.

    As to other Wisconsin beers: Three Sheeps, out of Sheboygan makes some great stuff. There's Capital Brewery, whose Autumnal Fire is phenomenal. Yes, it's available only in the Autumn. Milwaukee Brewing makes some GREAT beers. And their brewery tour is well worth the $10 price. They also have brewpubs in Milwaukee and Grafton, which serve really good food. As well as filling growlers.

    I don't know about the availability of Chicago beers around Madison. There's a Chicago area chain of liquor stores, Binny's, which carry most Chicago beers, http://www.binnys.com/. The Algonquin and McHenry stores are closest to the border. Going there would save you a lot of time and traffic, as opposed to going all the way into Chicago. Having said that, I'm sure that there's some good liquor stores in Rockford, which is a short drive over the border. I don't know Rockford well enough to recommend any liquor stores.

    I second the recommendation of Pipeworks. They make some great stuff. If you can't get the aforementioned Bell's, Founders, Dark Horse, New Holland in Wisconsin, Binny's carries them.
     
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  5. scream

    scream Initiate (0) Dec 6, 2014 Wisconsin
    In Memoriam

    Toppling Goliath out of Iowa and Surly from Minnesota are quite popular as well.
     
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  6. HouseofWortship

    HouseofWortship Pooh-Bah (2,629) May 3, 2016 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    It makes little sense to regularly drive to Chicago from Madison for beer. You will not be in a beer desert by any means. Wisconsin has an excellent beer game. They get distro of Toppling Goliath who produces the arguably the best IPAs coming out of the midwest. Didn't see Ale Asylum in Madison mentioned. They are very solid and the produce the most mainstream stuff in Wisconsin.

    Also, you'll want to keep an eye out for Great Taste of the Midwest which is an amazing beer fest in Madison.
     
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  7. scream

    scream Initiate (0) Dec 6, 2014 Wisconsin
    In Memoriam

  8. EROCK75

    EROCK75 Initiate (0) Aug 5, 2009 Illinois

    Having said that, I'm sure that there's some good liquor stores in Rockford, which is a short drive over the border. I don't know Rockford well enough to recommend any liquor stores.

    I am from the Rockford area. Chicago beers are getting distro here better now. We have Half Acre, Rev, Pipeworks, and many others. Floyds, 18th Street, Mikerphone, and Spiteful do NOT have distro around Rockford, yet, but I'm hopeful. :wink: I would check out Everetts in South Beloit, and Artales or Woodman's in Rockford. Madison is only about an hour drive, and you can get some of what your looking for without driving all the way into Chicago.
     
  9. FBarber

    FBarber Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,161) Mar 5, 2016 Illinois
    Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    @jswitzer3 - Specifically responding to the beers you mentioned:
    I know that you can get Rev in Madison and Lagaunitas and 3 Floyds see distro in Wisconsin. Half Acre and 18th St. do not distribute to Wisconsin, and 18th St. just started seeing limited distro in Chicago itself.

    Wisconsin has great beer that will be available to you as well - as others have mentioned, Central Waters, New Glarus, Toppling Goliath (Iowa) all are readily available in Wisconsin. I've also heard good things about Karben4 although I've not personally had anything from them. Wisconsin also gets stuff from Founders, Bells, Ballast Point, and other big names like that.

    If you want some of the Chicago stuff, a @RickBelgique said, Binnys will be your best bet. Depending on exactly where you are in WI, you're probably 2 to 2.5 hours from the nearest Binnys in IL. But if you are taking a trip in to the city for a beer run, I'd recommend stopping in at Binnys - Lincoln Park as they always have the biggest beer selection of any Binnys. Sure its a bit farther, but they'll most likely have anything you are looking to get.
     
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  10. spartan3186

    spartan3186 Zealot (541) Jan 18, 2016 Maryland

    Supposedly Wisconsin is going to start seeing Half Acre distribution by the end of the month, at least Milwaukee. Daisy Cutter and Gone Away as a starting point.
     
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  11. jswitzer3

    jswitzer3 Initiate (0) Aug 25, 2015 California

    Thanks for the great information. I made one trip to the Chicago area a few months ago and the ones I listed were the highlights. Sounds like a lot of different breweries that would be new to me.

    How well are Firestone Walker and the bruery distributed out there? They would be the two big CA breweries I think I would miss. Particularly those Firestone Walker beers in a box.
     
  12. A_Rad

    A_Rad Initiate (0) May 8, 2015 Wisconsin

    Firestone is in IL not WI. The Bruery is everywhere. You aren't going to miss Russian River??
     
  13. FBarber

    FBarber Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,161) Mar 5, 2016 Illinois
    Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Chicago sees distro of both of those. The boxed FW releases do come here, but most sell out pretty quickly so it may be harder for you to get since you'd be traveling from a distance.
     
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  14. aep

    aep Aspirant (228) Nov 26, 2013 Wisconsin

    Oh hey, I made this move almost three years ago.WI beer is good and all but I definitely miss CA beers.

    For stuff like Pipeworks, Firestone, and others that get IL distribution but not WI there is Everette's in South Beloit. Its less than a mile across the border from WI, its great if you don't want to drive too far into IL.
     
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  15. BrewUrbanist

    BrewUrbanist Initiate (0) May 11, 2012 Wisconsin

    I moved to Madison from Chicago 4 months ago. Chicago's beer scene is out of control awesome (there's almost TOO MUCH good beer), but things are really solid up here. Revolution, Metropolitan and I think Off Color are here already, as others have said. Once Half Acre starts up, the only thing I'll really miss is Pipeworks...at least as far as production breweries go.
     
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  16. jswitzer3

    jswitzer3 Initiate (0) Aug 25, 2015 California

    Well, I know I am not getting them out there, so didn't ask about them specifically. It's sad, I live 3 miles from the brewery and maybe go once a month. 2-3 hour waits on the weekend to even get in. Standing room only during the week. 45 minute wait any time to get a growler filled. And if you do get a table you have to yell to be heard by the people your with. But the beer is the best in the world....
     
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  17. CityFarmer

    CityFarmer Zealot (673) Mar 19, 2015 Illinois
    Trader

    Going from being thisclose to easy supplication access to soooooo faaaaarrrrrr......Cheers to you - I don't think i'd be able to do that, lol. Nothing else to add that hasn't already been said.......the Wisco beer scene is solid.
     
  18. jswitzer3

    jswitzer3 Initiate (0) Aug 25, 2015 California

    I'm not a sour guy. I'll miss Pliny and blind pig the most. I could buy a case of the sours on the way out and have enough to last me a couple years.
     
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  19. EvilMidnightBomber

    EvilMidnightBomber Initiate (0) Feb 12, 2015 Wisconsin

    You will not lack for good beer in the Madison area. We can't compare with Chicago (every new distro in the midwest goes there first...), but for the population size we're boxing well above our weight as it were. Between national breweries expanding distro in the area and local breweries taking off, there's a lot going on.
    Besides the breweries already mentioned, keep an eye out for Tyranena (especially anything in the Brewers Gone Wild line), Black Husky, and O'so. If you will be in or near Sauk City/Prairie Du Sac, you'll be able to enjoy the new Vintage Brewing location that's opening there this year.
     
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  20. scream

    scream Initiate (0) Dec 6, 2014 Wisconsin
    In Memoriam

    Have fun exploring !
     
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