Sorry to post this but I am overwhelmed when I go to Woodmans in Madison. There are too many choices now. What should I be looking for that I can't find in Minneapolis. I mainly get IPA's. Picked up a sixer of Zombie Dust...what else should I look for?
Any New Glarus offerings. Theyre all solid. My favs are Spotted Cow, Moon Man and Wisconsin Belgian Red but its really all what you like. I agree with you though that Woodmans is overwelming. I wish that we had Woodmans here in Ohio but I also realize that part of it is the drinking culture in Wisconsin that doesnt exist in most places.
Go to a slightly smaller retail venue that'll do more curation for you. Try a Steve's, or Riley's. All three Steveses, Riley's, plus Jenifer Street Market, City View, Trixie's -- they've all got parking lots and great no-miss selections.
New Glarus and Funk Factory- seconded. If you're open to travel a little, Hop Garden in Paoli/Belleville is a charming little spot.
Octopi, Karben 4 and Ale Asylum all have some quality IPA’s. Brewed in the Madison area and all widely available here. If you’re looking for a fun brewery to stop at, try Working Draft on the near east side.
If you like IPA's then pick up a 4pk 16oz cans of MKE IPA for $5.99 at Woodman's. It's gotdamed delicious and a steal for the price. Other IPA recs: One Barrel Hyper Color, Central Waters Unsettled, Door County Punk Ass Cat. Raised Grain Threesome, Ale Asylum Plush Crush or Multiverse 12pk.
Skip Woodman's and go to Steve's (especially the one on Junction, which is my favorite) and pick out singles. They make a great selection so you can taste a little of everything. You can't beat that.
True their singles selection is solid...but pricey. I’ve found that they take the price of a 4 pack and divide it by 2.5 or 3 for the price of a single (so a $16 4 pack will cost you $6 plus tax for a single)
