Milwaukee: Discover What's Brewing in Beer City
While the big names like Pabst and Blatz are gone, their innovative craft beer replacements prove Milwaukee, WI, is still America’s original Beer City
Start your brew-centric vacation near the confluence of the Milwaukee and Menomonee Rivers in downtown Milwaukee.
With easy access to the water of Lake Michigan and a whole lot of wheat, Milwaukee has always been a beer mecca—even before it was officially a city. But it wasn’t until after the Great Chicago Fire in October 1871, which destroyed 11 of Chicago’s 23 breweries, that this boomtown became the self-proclaimed “Beer Capital of the World.” In the years following the fire, the increased demand saw over half of Milwaukee’s beer shipped out of the city. The big breweries took note, and the rest is history.
Kick off your beer-centric vacation in the Historic Third Ward, just steps from the Cambria hotel in the heart of downtown Milwaukee. (And if you need a sample before you venture out on your tour, the hotel’s on-site bar and lounge offers a great selection of some amazing local craft brews.)
City Lights is just one of the many craft breweries offering tours of their facitilies—and plenty of samples! Credit: City Lights Brewing Co.
Hoppy History Tours
Milwaukee is arguably the best place in the country to dive deep into beer history (with a beer in-hand). Simply take a walk through the Brewery District in downtown Milwaukee and then book a tour at either of these historic locales.
Pabst Brewing Co.
Best and Company was the first of the major Milwaukee brewing dynasties. Founded by Jacob Best and his German immigrant family, the company became the largest producer of beer in the city by 1868. Frederick Pabst, John Best’s brother-in-law, became sole owner of the company and renamed it Pabst in 1889. Celebrate the heritage of this historic brewer with a tour of the old Pabst Brewing Company at Best Place. Tours include a pint of your choice to enjoy during or after exploring this icon of beer making. Space is very limited, so be sure to purchase your tickets in advance.
Miller Brewery
Plank Road Brewery was founded in 1855 after Frederick Miller purchased it from its previous owner Lorenz Best, who helped co-found what would eventually become Pabst Brewing Company. In 1888, after becoming the fourth largest brewery in the city, it changed its name to Miller Brewing Company and the name stuck. Experience over 160-years of brew history with a personal tour of the historic brewery. You might even hear from the ghost of Frederick Miller himself! Tours end with ice-cold beer to be enjoyed at the visitor center, the Bavarian-style brew hall Miller Inn or their seasonal outdoor beer garden.
Baseball fans and beer lovers get the best of both worlds at iconic Miller Park.
A Craft Brew Sampling
No self-guided walking tour of Milwaukee’s craft brew scene will come close to covering all the hoppy goodness this beer town has to offer. You could stick to the old-fashioned bar-hop method, or skip the wandering and take one (or all) of these awesome tours instead.
City Lights
Architecture aficionados will love this tour of the renovated 1902 Milwaukee Gas Light Company, now a state-of-the-art brewery. Located under 2 miles from the Cambria hotel on the Menomonee River, City Lights tours are available on Saturdays only. Your $10 admission also gets you a souvenir glass and one free beer.
MobCraft
MobCraft crowdsources its brew recipes by letting the public submit their ideas for creative concoctions. Then everyone votes on the beers the brewery decides it can actually make! Tours of this unique facility—which is just a mile from the Cambria hotel—are laid back, full of history and info about their process, and very friendly. Available Fridays and Saturdays, it’s $12 for a 45-minute tour, a pint glass and two beers in the taproom.
Lakefront Brewery
With informative, friendly and funny guides, Lakefront Brewery has one of the best tours in town. Plus, it’s only about 2.5 miles from the Cambria. Buy your tickets in advance or just chill and wait for the next tour (every half hour on weekdays) in the beer hall with some cheese curds. The $11 admission covers your 45-minute tour, a pint glass and four samples. Serious homebrewers can take the in-depth tour on Sunday at 11 a.m. for $30.
Sprecher
It might seem like a standard brewery tour—but there’s more than just beer here. Sprecher also dabbles in gourmet soda! For $5, you’ll get a 30-minute tour on Saturday or Sunday, a sample glass, four beer samples and unlimited soda. It’s a little farther from the Cambria hotel than most breweries, but totally worth the 10-minute drive.
Milwaukee Brewing Company
At the Milwaukee Brewing Company, the tour guides are casual and incredibly informative. The $12 admission gets you a two-hour tour, unlimited samples and a branded pint glass. You’ll also get a free beer token that you can use at many of the local bars.
Peanuts, Cracker Jacks… and Beer
If you’re in town for baseball season, a trip to see the Brewers at Miller Park is in order. Grab a brew and a beer brat (another Milwaukee staple) and take a seat in center field for America's favorite pasttime. The best part? Miller Park has been consistently rated by Sports Illustrated as the best value in baseball, with some of the most affordable amenities and concessions in the country.
Stand next to shiny copper stills like this when you tour Milwaukee's historic breweries.
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