Madison’s Craft Beer Week (which actually lasts 10 days) gets underway on May 3. This year there are more than 330 events throughout the metropolitan area, ranging from beer dinners to educational events, tap takeovers and special releases. There are always so many good finds. Here are a few special brews that beer hunters may want to track down.
Common Thread at Karben4
The host brewery customarily gets to kick off Madison Craft Beer Week by being the first to offer Common Thread, a yearly collaborative creation. The style changes every year, and this year it’s an American pale lager. Find it at Karben4 May 3, when the taproom opens at 11 a.m. It will be found all over town beginning May 4.
Holy Hop Grenade at Alt Brew
This Double IPA is hop-centric with lots of Centennial, Simcoe and Amarillo hops for 99 IBUs and 9.3 percent ABV. It goes on tap May 4 at 3 p.m.
Barrel-aged Common Thread 2017 at One Barrel Brewing
The brewery saved some of last year’s Common Thread (a Baltic porter) in an American oak barrel. Look for a wonderful combination of smooth chocolate malt with oaky vanilla from the barrel. It goes on tap May 5 at 10 a.m. If you miss it, catch it again on May 8 at 2 p.m.
Common Thread 2017 vs. 2018 at Rockhound Brewing Company
Taste 2017 Common Thread (Baltic porter) side-by-side with this year’s Common Thread (American pale lager). Available May 5 at 11 a.m.
Brotzeitbier from Schneider and Sohn of Munich at The Malt House
Malt House owner Bill Rogers has secured a limited keg of this German beer for his “Sour Saturday” event. It’s light and crisp, somewhat reminiscent of sourdough bread. Find it May 5 at 2 p.m.
Funky Fantasy Factory at Karben4 and Funk Factory Geuzeria
Karben4 took its flagship Fantasy Factory IPA and turned it over to Funk Factory Geuzeria to ferment with Brettanomyces for a distinctive twist. Find it on May 5 on tap at Karben4 at 2 p.m. and May 5 at 5 p.m. It will be available in 750 mL bottles at Funk Factory Geuzeria ($13/each).
Radler at Wisconsin Brewing Company
This year’s beer by the Campus Craft Brewery (a partnership between UW-Madison student brewers and Wisconsin Brewing Company) is a radler. It’s made with a blend of grapefruit soda and a lager. The release party is May 5 at 3 p.m.
Double dry-hopped Pulp Culture at Working Draft Beer Company
Pulp Culture IPA has been one of the early favorites at Working Draft. This special hopped up version is an olfactory treat with huge citrus aroma and juicy tropical flavor. Find it at Working Draft on May 7 starting at 3 p.m. As a pre-release event, Brasserie V will have a dozen crowlers of this beer for sale on May 5 at 11 a.m
La Chingada Caca at The Parched Eagle
Brewmaster Jim Goronson’s maibock will be on tap at the brewpub in Westport and in the taproom on East Washington Avenue on May 5 at 3 p.m.
No Regerdts from One Barrel Brewing
This may be the biggest beer of the week. No Regerdts from One Barrel brewer Matt Gerdts is a big barleywine and then some. Made with Belgian candi sugar and cherry puree, then aged in Old Sugar Distillery whiskey barrels for four months, it ends up with a double-digit ABV. No Regerdts goes on tap with several other One Barrel barrel-aged beers on May 8 at 2 p.m.
Crabbin’ On The Beach from Oliphant Brewing at the Off Broadway Drafthouse
This rum barrel-aged wee heavy is dark, rich and strong at 9.5 percent ABV. It and other Oliphant beers will be on tap on May 8 at 4 p.m.
Munich Dunkel from Ale Asylum
This is the beer I’m looking forward to most of all. Rich in maltiness with touches of toffee sweetness, it’s so true to style it will make Bavaria envious. The beer makes its debut at the The Malt House on May 9 at 4 p.m. Ale Asylum releases it in its taproom on May 10.
Oak-aged Guava Brett Belgian Prairie from the The Great Dane Pub and Brewery-Hilldale
This Belgian Tripel was brewed last fall, then barrel-aged with guava and Brettanomyces. The beer is part of the Great Dane’s Four for Four event in which each of the Great Dane brewpubs offers a unique beer. Those tasting all four can enter a drawing for Packers tickets. Oak-aged Guava Brett Belgian Prairie is on tap at the Hilldale location only on May 9 from 5-7 p.m.
Tropical Twist IPA from Hop Haus at Tex Tubb’s Taco Palace
This new beer is a guava IPA brewed just for Tex Tubb’s. Available on May 10 at 4 p.m.
Glory in The Morning at Funk Factory Geuzeria
This is the first beer in Funk Factory’s new Barn Quilt series. It’s a blend of various wild fermented beers from the geuzeria. Owner Levi Funk says the process of putting it together from different brews is like quilting. Expect lambic-like funkiness and acidic tartness. The beer will be available in 750 mL bottles at $35/each on May 12 at 1 p.m.
