Burgers & Brew Drive-Thru

The annual REAP fundraiser has a twist — area chefs will cook burgers from recipes submitted by the public and chosen by a panel of local food luminaries based on “flavor, creativity, and use of locally sourced ingredients,” according to REAP. And you can haz, at this Burgers & Brew Drive Thru at Capital Brewery in Middleton. Winning burgers will be paired with local beers, and you can take your meal to-go or eat in the Capital Brewery Bier Garten. A ticket ($25) gets you one burger, a beverage and two sides. Funds raised support REAP’s healthy and local food programs.

press release: REAP Food Group is pleased to announce the 2021 Burgers & Brew Recipe Showdown scheduled to launch on July 1st, 2021. The contest is a continuation of the annual Burgers & Brew celebration of Farm Fresh Atlas Members (chefs, brewers, and farmers) that couldn’t occur last year due to the pandemic. 

For a $15 entry fee, participants will be able to submit their best burger recipe and beverage pairing to compete against other local food lovers. A panel of local food champions, including chefs, brewers, farmers, and food influencers, will judge and select a winning recipe based on flavor, creativity, and use of locally sourced ingredients. Winners will be announced on August 15. The grand prize winner will receive a $1000 cash prize. Participants will compete for a variety of other great local prizes throughout the contest that will be announced on REAP’s social media. 

“In such a difficult year, local food and farm businesses showed their resourcefulness and care for our community. This event is a chance to celebrate the resilience of Wisconsin's good food and farms,” says Helen Sarakinos, Executive Director at REAP Food Group. 

The general public will have a chance to taste burgers selected from our Burgers & Brew Recipe Showdown at our Burgers & Brew Drive Thru event scheduled on Saturday, August 28, at Capital Brewery in Middleton. Local chefs will prepare a special menu including beverage pairings from local brewers. Patrons can use the drive thru and take their meal to go, or walk through to enjoy their meal at the Capital Brewery Bier Garten. Tickets and event details can be found at reapfoodgroup.org/burgers-brew-2021

Funds raised from both events will support REAP’s programs and mission to make good food, grown well, available for all. 

Events timeline as follow: 

July 1 - August 8 - Entries can be submitted for Burgers & Brew: Recipe Showdown

August 8 - 14 - Burger Recipe testing and judging

August 15 - Winners are announced

August 18 - Menu for the Drive- Thru is set

August 28 - 4:00 - 7:30pm - B&B Drive-Thru @ Capital Brewery

Burgers & Brew Recipe Showdown rules and additional information can be found at reapfoodgroup.org/burgers-brew.

About REAP Food Group: Since 1997, REAP Food Group has been working to build a strong local food system in Southern Wisconsin. Our mission is to transform communities, economies, and lives through the power of good food.