Beer enthusiasts at Funk Factory Geuzeria.
So you don’t have a ticket to this Saturday’s Great Taste of the Midwest craft beer festival? No worries, pre-parties abound — so many it can be tough to choose. Here’s a planner, of sorts.
Thursday, Aug. 10
The Coopers Tavern
Founders Brewing Company of Grand Rapids, Michigan, will bring Nitro Rubaeus (raspberry sour). Also look for limited barrel-aged beers like Frootwood (cherry ale), Doom (IIPA) and the 2016 vintage of Backwoods Bastard. 4 pm start.
Friday, Aug. 11
Karben4 taproom
The Karben4 folks have dueling firkins of the brewery’s bestselling Fantasy Factory IPA: one infused with mango and pineapple, the other featuring Calypso, Azacca and Tahoma hops. Also on hand: barrel-aged versions of its Champagne Tortoise (English mild), one aged in a tequila barrel and the other in a scotch barrel.
Lucille
Central Waters marks its 19th anniversary by serving 19 of its beers. Look for its new Rift IPA on tap. There will also be prizes, a raffle for anniversary bomber beers and live music.
The Rigby Pub & Grill
Lakefront Brewery teamed up with Cleveland’s Great Lakes Brewing to make Beer Friends Hoppy Lager. This is a limited, draft-only hop-forward beer featuring Simcoe, Azacca, Cascade, Mosaic and Citra hops. It comes with an estimated 80 IBUs and 5.9 percent ABV.
Funk Factory Geuzeria
Levi Funk will serve his beers and be joined by nine other breweries, many serving sours and lambic-styles. The somewhat Chicago-centric guest list: 18th Street Brewery, Almanac Beer Company, Forager Brewing, Mikerphone Brewing, Off Color Brewing, Untitled Art, Penrose Brewing, Transient Artisan Ales and Une Annee. 3 pm start.
The Malt House
More than a dozen sour beers from O’so Brewing will headline, including the limited Plum Tamarind Sour. 4 pm start.
Mason Lounge
The Blind Pig Brewery of Champaign, Illinois, is bringing a kettle-soured cherry Berliner weisse, and the brewery’s first foray into barrel-aging, with gin barrel-aged Emperor Hanzõ. 4 pm start.
Maduro
In what has become an annual occurrence, Maduro once again welcomes a tap takeover from Michigan’s Bell’s Brewery. Nineteen taps will include many limited-releases and notables, such as Tawny Port Le Pianiste (port barrel-aged sour), Le Contrebassiste (funky brown ale), Traverse City Whiskey Dagger Stout and the brewery’s dark, oaky 30th Anniversary Stout (initially released in 2015).
Barley Pop and Tap Shop
Chicago’s Une Annee holds its first tap takeover in Madison with 13 beers, including several limited releases. These include a triple IPA and Chocolate Cinnamon Pot de Crème stout. Both are from the Hubbard’s Cave line of beers, which have never before been poured in Wisconsin. 5 pm start.
Jordan’s Big 10 Pub
Tom Porter of Lake Louie Brewing will bring a limited amount of Warped Speed scotch ale that’s been aging in J. Henry & Sons bourbon barrels since April. It’s also the debut of this year’s Lake Louie Oktoberfest. 5 pm start. [editor's note/update: Porter will not be bringing the scotch ale.]
Next Door Brewing Company
Welcome these relative newcomers to Madison: Bare Bones Brewing from Oshkosh and Lion’s Tail Brewing from Neenah will join Next Door’s brews on the taps. 5 pm start.
Robinia Courtyard
Hop Haus brewmaster Phil Hoechst will be pouring a dozen beers, including a barrel-aged version of Plaid Panther scotch ale and a new summer ale called Road Closed. 5 pm start.
