As to location, sorry, but that's going to have to be your call. The Bayview location is in the southeast side of Milwaukee. Still well within the city limits. The West Bend location is FAR to the northwest of Milwaukee. A lot depends upon where you're staying in Milwaukee.
Which type of experience were you looking for? The original Milwaukee location has more character and is much more intimate, while the newer West Bend location has wide open spaces and more potential with its tap list and creature comforts. I visited the West Bend taproom some time back, and some of the aspects like a permanent food stall were still in the works.
Longtable in Middleton (Madison area) is very strong for imports, local beers, and beer-friendly food.
Has anyone been to Capital Brewing in recent years...they used to be my favorite brewery in Wisconsin in the late 90's....been disappointed in their beers the last few times I've tried them and they seem to have fallen off the map in distro..
I went there last summer when I was in Madison for Great Taste. Had their Munich Dark and it was not good. Something was definitely off about it. Also had their Hefe and it was just OK at best. And yeah, what happened to their distro in MN?
i was last there in may 2019. i was a big fan of the bocks and used to trade for them back in the mid 00's. as someone above said the beer was OFF, like not a new recipe but an undesirable flavor. across the board but especially notable in the blonde doppelbock as that was my jam and i knew the flavor well. also, it was a chilly early may day and the guy made me sit outside at a picnic table instead of inside at the pub. i was one of maybe 4 people in the entire yard. as far as working draft goes, i do think that it is very good but definitely doesn't hold a candle to new glarus. i haven't read the reviews but if they're less than 4.0 thats nonsense. their beers are clean and crispy but some lagers i've tried seem like quick-turnaround rather than extended lagering. and i get why. on a side note, they made a hoppy belgian golden called year-round tan that is the best of that style that i've ever had.
Follow up - stopped in here yesterday and had their ESB and then their West Coast IPA, and both were excellent. Would/will stop by again next time my work takes me to Madison.
That is the same experience I had last time I had their bocks...sourish...maybe five years ago...how can that happen at a place like that? I'm sure they all have bad batches but to (sounds like) consistently put that product to market? I'd be willing to try now again five years later but I never see any of it.
I kept being tempted by old, good Capital memories for a while, but I gave up about 3 years ago because nothing changed. Ever since Kirby Nelson left for Wisconsin Brewing, Capital hasn't been the same. And I haven't had WB beers in a very long time because I can only find them north of the border. And now it's all Lake Louie labels, I believe.
so funny you say this. same trip where i had those bad capital beers is when i first visited WBC and had the vacation pilsner, which was my fav beer of the trip. they actually just replied to my DM on IG and it may be back in time for my trip in a few weeks..
