Photo credit: Hacienda Beer Co.
Here's a roundup of all the beer releases and special beer events this week in the Milwaukee area. Oktoberfest season is in full swing this week with four events featuring Oktoberfest-style beers. This week also includes new brews from Explorium Brewpub, Hacienda Beer Co., Eagle Park and Urban Harvest.
Thursday, Oct. 3
A Night of Wood @ The Explorium Brewpub (5300 S. 76th St.), 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Explorium is cracking open five separate barrel aged beers: Coconut Rum Barrel Stout, Chocolate-Chili Stout, Willet Barrel Aged Quad, Willet Barrel Aged Cherry Vanilla Quad and Alaska Purchase Barleywine (Aged in French Cognac barrels). A flight of all five can be purchased for $15, individual sample pours are $3.50 each and full pours are also available.
Zoo Brew @ Milwaukee County Zoo (10001 W. Bluemound Rd.), 7-10 p.m.
This 10th annual event is sold out for 2019 so don't expect to be able to get tickets at the door. The list of 34 participating breweries includes familiar local brewers MKE Brewing, Third Space, Westallion, Pabst Milwaukee Brewery & Taproom, MillerCoors, Good City, Lakefront Brewery, Sprecher, Water Street Brewery and Sahale Ale Works.
Friday, Oct. 4
Double Can Release @ Hacienda Beer Co. (2018 E. North Ave.), 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
For the first time, Hacienda Beer Co. will make Motel Citroen Farmhouse Ale and Time Is An Illusion Hazy Double IPA available in cans. Motel Citroen is Hacienda's Norwegian-inspired farmhouse ale brewed with lime zest and lemon verbena and fermented with Norwegian kveik (type of yeast). Four packs will be available for purchase to-go starting at 11 a.m. Motel Citroen is $10.99 per four pack. Time Is An Illusion is $15.99 per four pack.
Milwaukee Oktoberfest @ Pere Marquette Park & Fiserv Forum Plaza
This 10th annual event runs all weekend long and kicks off with a ceremonial keg tapping at 5 p.m. on Friday for free beer. Entertainment features wiener dog races, a Miss Oktoberfest competition, brat-eating contest, stein-hoisting competition, cornhole competition, live music, German-themed food, beer and other activities. See the Milwaukee Oktoberfest website for full details.
Wood Violet Tap House Grand Opening @ Wood Violet (2018 S. First Street #170), 5-12 p.m.
The new tap house in the Lincoln Warehouse will open with a tap list that includes Vennture's Taste Buds NEIPA, Central Waters' HHG Session Pale Ale, Third Space's Mystic Knot Bourbon Barrel Aged Coffee Stout, Raised Grain's Paradocs Imperial Red and Brewfinity's Devil's Spit English Porter.
Re-release of Cat Shirts @ Vennture Brew Co. (5519 W. North Ave.), 5 p.m.
Cat Shirts Sour IPA with Idaho 7 and Azacca hops returns in cans available for purchase and on tap at the brewery. The Sour IPA was originally released in 2018.
Saturday, Oct. 5
4x Beer Release Day @ Eagle Park Brewing Company (823 E. Hamilton St.), 11 a.m.-midnight
Eagle Park is releasing four new beers at the taproom on Saturday, three of which are collaborations. Melt: Monte Plata is an imperial stout made with Monte Plata cacao nibs sources directly from the Dominican Republic. Bahama Mama is a fruited sour with pineapple, toasted coconut and sweet cherry brewed incollaboration with Southern Grist Brewing Co. Additional releases are Mighty Might Hop Cones New England IPA and Milkshake IPA.
Oktoberfest @ Pabst Milwaukee Brewery and Taproom (1037 W. Juneau Ave.), 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Pabst Milwaukee Brewery and Taproom is celebrating their 175th anniversary with a free Oktoberfest block party. An Oktoberfest firkin will be tapped at noon and the first 70 pints from the firkin are free. The event includes live polka music, a brat eating contest, stein holding contest, costume contest and more. More details can be found at the Facebook event page.
Oktoberfest Fest @ Sahale Ale Works (1505 Wisconsin Ave., Grafton), 12-8:30 p.m.
Oktoberfest at the Milwaukee area's newest brewery, Sahale Ale House, is about sharing the love with all the great breweries in the area. Planned festivities include live polka by Kenny Brandt, a brat fry benefitting the Grafton Dance Team and Oktoberfest-style beers from 12 Wisconsin breweries. The participating breweries include: 3 Sheeps Brewing Company, Component Brewing Company, The Explorium Brewpub, MobCraft Beer, Rebellion Brewing and of course Sahale Ale Works. See a full list here.
OktoHarvest 2019 @ Urban Harvest Brewing Company (1024 S. Fifth St.), 1-10 p.m.
Urban Harvest's will celebrate harvest season with the tapping of their annual Oktoberfest beer at 2 p.m. The Fatty Patty food truck will be grilling on site. See the Facebook event page for a full food menu and more information.
