Best Breweries in Wisconsin: Find Your Next Favorite Bar in WI

Best breweries in Wisconsin give industrial beer makers a run for their money as the craft beer revolution has provided a strong ground for craft breweries in Wisconsin to flourish.

When it comes to tingling the taste buds with true “Wisconsin” dimensions, beer lovers get a spectrum of choices.

You don’t have to search too hard to find top breweries in Wisconsin. Let us discover some of them in this comprehensive guide.

Wisconsin Breweries	Number of Active Beers	ABV Range
Wisconsin Brewing Company	9	0 – 9.5 percent
Lakefront Brewing Co.	36	0.5 – 15.5 percent
New Glarus Brewing Co.	35	0 – 10.3 percent
Minhas Craft Brewery	24	4.2 – 12 percent
Sand Creek Brewing Co.	12	4 – 6 percent
Milwaukee Brewing Co.	23	4 – 10.5 percent
Rustic Road Brewing Co.	86	4.1 – 16 percent
Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co.	113	3.4 – 12 percent
Port Huron Brewing Co.	13	—
Oliphant Brewing	163	5.9 – 12 percent
Stevens Point Brewery	11	4 – 6.2 percent
Rhinelander Brewing	68	4.1 – 11.9 percent
3 Sheeps Brewing Co.	99	3.4 – 16.4 percent
One Barrel Brewing Co.	9	5 – 8.5 percent

Wisconsin Breweries: Top-rated

Wisconsin and beer are closely associated terms. Over the years, a lot has changed, but love for beers remains the same. While every brewery has something unique to offer, we have curated a list of top breweries in Wisconsin.

– Wisconsin Brewing Company

• Location: 1079 American Way, Verona, Wisconsin 53593, Phone: 608-848-1079

Founded in 2013, the brewery has become a favorite destination for beer lovers and brewery tours over the years. The locally owned and operated brewery is managed by three Wisconsin-born-and-raised guys: brothers Carl and Mark Nolen and Brewmaster Kirby Nelson.

The Wisconsin Brewing Company has a stellar lineup of craft beers, which you can enjoy either in their taproom or backyard bar. The brewery is popular as it is both kid and dog-friendly. Although on-site food service is not available, you can order from local restaurants. With years of hard work, it has earned a reputation amongst Wisconsin craft breweries.

Wisconsin Brewing Company top brands include:

• Badger Club Amber
• Warped Speed Scotch Ale
• Chocolate Lab Porter
• Yankee IPA, Wisconsin Vacation
• Sandy Cheeks
• Patron Saint
• Kiss the Lips IPA

– Lakefront Brewery

• Location: Lakefront Brewery, 1872 N Commerce Street, Milwaukee, WI, USA, +1 414 372 8800

Started as a brainchild of brothers Russ and Jim Klisch, the microbrewery in Wisconsin has grown to brew 46,848 barrels of beer as of 2017 and distribute their products globally. For five continuous years (2007-2011), the Lakefront Brewery was voted the best brewery in Milwaukee by a local news station.

The list goes on!

Some of their most notable achievements include:

• The first organic brewery in America
• The first brewery to brew government-approved, gluten-free beer
• The first brewery to produce indigenous beer using locally-grown ingredients

The brewery offers more than 20 year-round beers, seasonal beers and innovative one-off My Turn Series, brewed by choice of full-time employees. Some of the popular, award-winning brands are:

• Bridge Burner
• Fixed Gear
• Rendezvous
• Riverwest Stein

– New Glarus Brewing Company

• Location: New Glarus Brewing Company, 2400 State Hwy 69, New Glarus, WI, USA, +1 608 527 5850

Wisconsinite Deb Carey founded the brewery in 1993, becoming the first female founder of a brewery in the United States. Since then, the brewery has been continuously producing stellar, award-winning beers. With limited exports and regional sales only, the brewery has made its mark on the world map.

Being one of the top breweries in Wisconsin, it needs no introduction or advertisements. New Glarus Brewing Company has several award-winning beers in its name.

Some of their popular products are:

• Wisconsin Belgian Red
• Moon Man, pale ale
• Rotating set of seasonal beers
• The new line of sour beers

The brewery features self-guided tours, a tasting room, a gift shop and a beer depot.

– Minhas Craft Brewery

• Location: 1208 14th Avenue, Monroe, Wisconsin 53566, Phone: 800-233-7205

If you are searching for the best craft breweries in Wisconsin, search no more!

Minhas Craft Brewery, owned by couple Ravinder and Manjit Minhas, is Wisconsin’s one-stop destination for craft beer lovers.

The brewery has a reputation for producing more than 12 different kinds of beer, ranging from premium to all-season hand-crafted beer.

Some of the top selects are:

Premium

• Clear Creek Ice
• Boxer Lager
• Huber Premium

Craft Brews

• Lazy Mutt Farmhouse Ale
• 1845 Pils

The brewery also offers family-friendly, guided Wisconsin craft brewery tours and beer tastings. Additionally, tourists can enjoy a large brewery memorabilia museum and a fabulous gift shop.

– Sand Creek Brewing Company

• Location: 320 Pierce Street, Black River Falls, Wisconsin 54615, Phone: 715-284-7553

Undoubtedly one of the best and largest microbreweries in Wisconsin, the Sand Creek Brewing Company has mastered the traditional brewing formulas. You can get a pint or two with exotic aromas and distinctive flavors that truly represent the true heritage of Wisconsin.

The brewery has the credit of winning three gold medals at the world beer cup. All credit goes to the professional brewmasters who bring something magical every time.

The brewery also offers guided tours on Fridays in which you can get to view their historic brewery building and taste their fine selections, including:

• Badger porter, a velvety ale
• Burglar Brown Ale, an American brown ale brewed with local ingredients
• Oscar’s chocolate oatmeal stout
• English style special Ale
• Hard cranberry lemonade
• Oktoberfest
• Woody’s easy Ale

– Milwaukee Brewing Company

• Location: 1128 N 9th St, Milwaukee, WI 53233, Phone: 414-226-2337

Established in 1997 by Jim McCabe, the Milwaukee Brewing Company strives hard to achieve professional excellence and sustainability, and is committed to business ethics driven by a passion for the art of brewing.

Beer lovers in search of all-year and seasonal releases can get their hands on the finest quality beers that are crafted carefully with local ingredients.

Some of the flagship brands of the brewery are:

• Louie’s Demise, a medium-bodied amber ale
• MKE IPA, made with five different hops
• Outboard, true American-style brews
• Hop Happy, brewed with three different hops
• Hop freak
• MKE golden lager
• Snake oil, brewed with cold-pressed coffee

– Rustic Road Brewing Company

• Location: 5706 Sixth Avenue,Kenosha, WI 53140, info@rusticbrewing.com, (262) 320-ROAD (7623)

Opened in 2012, the Rustic Road Brewing Company understands the love of beer enthusiasts for aroma and flavors. In pursuit of this, they insist on brewing in small batches, giving brewmasters the freedom to experiment with new ideas and craft unique beers.

You can taste the varieties in their lovingly preserved taproom during a family-friendly visit or corporate tour in this microbrewery in Wisconsin.

Some of the noted rustic road Taps are:

• Haze Craze, IPA – New England / Hazy Simmons Island Imperial Blonde Ale
• 60 Shilling Rustic Road Brewing Company, Scottish Export Ale
• Tmave Pivo, Lager – Dark
• Strawberries N Cream Rustic, IPA – Milkshake Prague Nosis, Pilsner – Czech
• Haze Craze, IPA – New England / Hazy Dusseldorfer, Altbier
• Clown Show
• Highland Porter
• Schönen Tag Kolsch
• Punica Rustic, Sour – Fruited
• Hazelnut Harvest, Red Ale – American Amber / Red

– Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company

• Location: 124 E Elm St, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729-1821

Over the last 155 years, the brewery has been offering people of Wisconsin authentic German-inspired beers combined with Wisconsin ingredients. The brewery had something for everyone and flavors to suit any moment.

Treasures from the house of Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company include:

Year-round beers

• Lemon Haze IPA
• Honey Weiss
• Berry Weiss
• Dark Lager
• Leinenkugel’s original
• Northwoods Amber
• Juicy peach

Seasonal brews

• Chocolate Dunkel
• Sunshine light beer
• Toasted Bock
• Oktoberfest
• Snowdrift vanilla porter
• Summer Shandy
• Grapefruit Shandy

Beer lovers can also try their variety of packs.

– Port Huron Brewing Company

• Location: 805 Business Park Road, Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965

Founded in 2011 by Tanner Brethorst, it is a family-owned and operated brewery in Wisconsin Dells.

Undoubtedly, it is the best place to enjoy craft-brewed beer, sampler flights, take-home growlers, and pints of beer. This relaxing and warm place has a lot of quality-built beers to offer to beer enthusiasts.

These include:

Year-round beers

• Honey Blonde: light and easy-drinking blonde ale is their best seller
• Hefeweizen
• Czech Engine Pilsner
• Porter
• Twelve Bottom IPA

Seasonal beers

• Oktoberfest
• Oatmeal Stout
• Lake Looper Radler

Limited beers

• Hot Rod Scotch Ale
• Million Dollar Smoked Maibock
• Amber Alt
• The Old Mack Pale Ale
• Bella Goose Coffee Stout

T-shirt and pint glasses souvenirs are also available here!

– Oliphant Brewing

• Location: 350 Main St Ste 2, Somerset, WI 54025-9108

Although much smaller than its counterparts, the Oliphant Brewing Company gives a neck-to-neck competition with over 100 uniquely hand-crafted beers. It was founded by Matt Wallace and Trevor Wirtanen with an aim to offer a different taste of beer every time. In this pursuit, they do not hesitate to explore places where nobody’s gone before.

Their brewing concept is inspired by a comic book with the motto “Let Unreason Reign!”

Some of the best picks from their extensive list of craft beers are:

• Honees Honees, a Golden Ale
• Super Squishy, Sour-Fruited
• Lizardize Mariguanas, an American IPA
• Somos Extremos, a Golden Ale
• Brown Sugar Brown Brown, English Brown Ale
• Peanut Butter Rodent, a Dark Ale
• Zozo Gungun, IPA – Imperial / Double New England / Hazy
• Groot,Gruit / Ancient Herbed Ale
• Milkman Manbaby, Stout – Milk / Sweet
• Smoked Wheat Erryday, Smoked Beer
• Zozo Gun, IPA – American

– Stevens Point Brewery

• Location: Stevens Point Brewery, 2617 Water Street, Stevens Point, WI, USA, +1 715 344 9310

One of the oldest surviving legacies in the United States’ brewing history, the Stevens Point Brewery leads the market of craft breweries in Wisconsin. Founded in 1857, it holds the title of the fifth-oldest brewery in continuous operation in the United States.

The brewery has the potential to cater to the requirements of both state and national craft beer markets. Its sincere efforts and passion for brewing were awarded a gold medal in the 2014 World Beer Championships. You can enjoy the best brews during tours and tasting sessions.

Some of the more popular beer choices are:

Year-round brews

• Special Lager
• Drop Dead Blonde
• Classic Amber
• Hoptastic American Pale Ale
• Milkshake Malt Porter

Seasonal Brews

• Hazy Pilots
• Snow Pebbles
• Point Bock
• Lake Side
• Oktoberfest
• PB Cup

– Rhinelander Brewing

• Location: 43 S Brown St, Rhinelander, WI 54501-3450

Since its establishment in 2000, the Rhinelander Brewing company has been successfully catering to the evolving needs of its customers. The brewery promises quality products and excellent services. You can enjoy a wide range of freshly brewed aromatic flavors during the tours.

• Rhinelander Shorty
• Mystical Jack, Traditional Ale
• Chocolate Bunny Stout
• Thumper, American IPA
• Imperial Jack, Double IPA

– 3 Sheeps Brewing Company

• Location: 3 Sheeps Brewing Company, 1327 Huron Avenue, Sheboygan, WI, USA, +1 920 395 3583

This brewery has come a long way since its founding in 2011 as a small microbrewery. Grant Pauly, the brewery owner, started the journey as a home-brewer. Nobody knew that his hobby and passion would turn into the fulfillment of his dream: to open his own brewery.

3 Sheeps Brewing Company won RateBeer.com’s Best New Brewery award after one year of operations. As advertised by the company, “We brew with heart and science” — the formula really works. It also offers brewery tours where you can find some of the trademark beers that are exclusive for taprooms only.

Also rated as one of the top Wisconsin craft breweries, popular brew categories include:

Year-round beers

• Chaos pattern
• Fresh coast
• Pendulum IPA
• Waterslides

Seasonal and specialty beers

• Tiki Time
• Bon Bon
• Oktoberfest
• Tenebrous

– One Barrel Brewing Company

• Location: 2001 Atwood Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin, Phone: 608-630-9286

As the name suggests, One Barrel Brewing Company brews unique beers, one barrel at a time. The brewery displays every aspect of the beer-making process. You can clearly observe the efforts made by brewmasters to produce a delicious single pint.

In addition to hand-crafted beers, the brewery also offers a selection of wines, canned beer, canned cider and even gluten-free beers.

Some Notable Mentions

This was all about the top-rated and most popular craft breweries in Wisconsin, but the list is not limited to the breweries mentioned above. If you want to try or promote budding microbreweries in Wisconsin, consider the following names. Undoubtedly, they will not disappoint you.

• Ale Asylum, 2002 Pankratz Street, Madison, WI, USA, +1 608 663 3926
• Capital Brewery, 7734 Terrace Avenue, Middleton, WI, USA, +1 608 836 7100
• Central Waters Brewing Company, 351 Allen Street, Amherst, WI, USA, +1 715 824 2739
• Lake Louie Brewing, 7556 Pine Road, Arena, WI, USA, +1 608 753 2675
• O’So Brewing Company, 3028 Village Park, Plover, WI, USA, +1 715 254 2163
• Badger State Brewing Company, 990 Tony Canadeo Run, Green Bay, Wisconsin 54304, Phone: 920-634-5687
• MobCraft Brewery and Taproom, 505 S 5th Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Phone: 414-488-2019
• Biloba Brewing Company, 2970 N. Brookfield Road, Brookfield, Wisconsin 53045, Phone: 262-309-5820

Reasons Why You Should Choose Local Breweries in Wisconsin

Unlike industry giants, independent microbreweries create rich, aromatic and unique flavors which are impossible to achieve on large-scale production. Moreover, consumers and beer lovers are now saturated with the taste of corporate suds. Therefore, they leave no stone unturned in search of an authentic taste.

Microbreweries have become the ultimate destination of such beer lovers. Most microbreweries offer tours to taste their flavor combinations and brewing techniques. You can enjoy it with your family or even organize an event in some of the breweries in Wisconsin.

Craft beer comes to the rescue of those saturated with the taste of marketed lager beers. Whether you visit top breweries in Central Wisconsin or the remotest area, you will be surprised by each brewery’s rich and unique flavors. Such milestones are hard to achieve by the macro breweries.

In addition to the aromas and flavors, here are some good reasons to choose local breweries:

1. Greater Variety

Microbreweries in Wisconsin fully understand the needs of beer lovers. They do not hesitate in experimenting with creating a unique, never-before-seen blend. The result of this healthy competition is always beneficial for the customers in the form of more choices.

2. Healthy Choices

Microbreweries insist on using local ingredients full of antioxidants and herbs. They also use well-stored, fresh hops to brew the perfect blend for their customers. As a result of using high-quality ingredients, consumers get a wide range of healthy options to select from.

3. More Alcohol

Local breweries offer beers with more alcohol content. You can feel the alcohol hit in just one or two pints in a single drinking session.

4. Complete Package

Most of the breweries in Wisconsin offer family-friendly and corporate tours at affordable rates. Stepping into a local brewery is always fun. You can shop for souvenirs, taste the variety, and spend quality time with your loved ones.

5. A Beer for Every Season

Local breweries offer beers that are made primarily for the current season. You will get a variety of refreshingly different choices.

6. Supporting the Local Economy

Wisconsin is an excellent example of how a common interest can support the community’s economy. The common interest is love for beer. In addition to breweries, when you choose to go local, you also support farmers and other communities directly or indirectly involved.

7. Environmentally-Friendly Brewing

Last but not least, most of the breweries in Wisconsin strive hard to achieve sustainability. Environmentally-friendly practices such as composting and the use of alternative sources of energy remain on the top list of local breweries.

FAQ

What’s the most famous beer in Wisconsin?

The most famous beer in Wisconsin is likely Miller Lite, produced by Miller Brewing Company, based in Milwaukee.

What is the oldest microbrewery in Wisconsin?

The oldest microbrewery in Wisconsin is Sprecher Brewery, founded in 1985 in Milwaukee.

What is the oldest brewed beer in Wisconsin?

The oldest brewed beer in Wisconsin is likely Leinenkugel’s Original, first brewed by the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company in 1867.

Wrapping Up

Wisconsin remains the ultimate destination for beer lovers who can’t get enough of delicious blends. Home to hundreds of independently operated microbreweries, it has something to offer for everyone. The passion for beer in the community gets an equal response from seasoned brewmasters in the form of fantastic beers.

• The Wisconsin Brewing Company has a stellar lineup of craft beers, which you can enjoy either in their taproom or backyard bar when you visit.

• For five continuous years, the Lakefront Brewery was voted the best brewery in Milwaukee by a local news station, so don’t forget to plan a visit here.

• Next, head over to New Glarus Brewing Co, the brewery that has made its mark on the world map with their limited exports and regional sales.

Brewery tours, taproom hours, and tasting sessions remain the priority of the tourists visiting Wisconsin, and these breweries always come up with a never-before-tasted, unique flavor that is hard to forget for anyone.

Therefore, if you are a tourist, add a visit to breweries in Wisconsin to your bucket list, and for locals, keep enjoying the heritage preserved by these breweries for years.