Robin Shepard
Kirk Bangstad in the taproom space undergoing remodeling.
Kirk Bangstad in the taproom-in-progress.
Minocqua Brewing Company’s Kirk Bangstad is planning for a springtime opening of his new pilot Madison brewery and taproom and optimistic that he will be serving beer in a matter of weeks. Bangstad has invested more than $200,000 to renovate the former Growlers to Go-Go storefront at 2927 E. Washington Ave., the space next to Trixie’s Liquor, which is the main tenant of the building. Growlers to Go-Go had a small bar and specialized in hard-to-find keg-only beers for growler fills. It had been in business there for seven years before closing last year.
Minocqua Brewing opened in 1997, with beer, food and patio views of Minocqua Lake in an historic building. Bangstad purchased the brewing company in 2016. In 2020 he launched a series of what he called “progressive beers” featuring names like Biden Beer, Tammy (Baldwin) Shandy, (Governor) Evers Ale and Fair Maps 2.0. He sold the original building on the lake during the COVID pandemic and the brewery moved to 329 Front St. in Minocqua where it continues to operate a taproom but does not serve food.
Bangstad’s political views have presented some challenges in the more conservative region around Minocqua, so about a year ago he started looking for friendlier sites — which led him to Madison. The neighborhood around the East Washington taproom voted nearly 92 percent Democratic in the last presidential election.
The Madison location will use a small brewing system that Bangstad purchased from One Barrel Brewing. It was in use at its Atwood Avenue location, which closed last July.
Madison’s Minocqua Brewing Company taproom will feature a small bar with about five barstools, along with a few tables, a sofa, and a half-dozen seats along its front windows. There is also a small stage for acoustic performances. Bangstad, a former operatic tenor and fan of classic music, plans to offer “Beer Church” on Sundays featuring classical musicians with their instruments.
The interior is painted with slogans that Minocqua Brewing has been using in its marketing. Above the bar a banner announces, “Drink Beer, Don’t be Racist,” and the wall in the main seating area reads “Making Wisconsin Great Again One Beer at a Time.”
Bangstad is the founder of a super PAC that supports progressive causes and recently filed a complaint with the Wisconsin Elections Commission seeking to keep Donald Trump’s name off the Wisconsin ballot. The commission rejected that complaint.
“I want this to be a gathering space for people to be able to talk about politics and have a drink,” says Bangstad. “I’ve seen how people love sitting with a beer and talking about progressive politics and this is a place that will encourage that.”
Next door, Chris Welch, co-owner of Trixie’s Liquor, agrees. “This neighborhood is a progressive stronghold, and everyone is welcome,” he says.
To help fund the construction Bangstad is selling beer cans at $50 each with the buyer’s name on the label. Some 385 cans, either red or blue, will form a wall mural reading “Love Wins!” which is also the name of Minocqua Brewing’s sour ale. Bangstad says he’s already sold more than 200 cans. For those who want to be even more supportive, $1,000 will get your name on a barstool or chair.
Robin Shepard
Kirk Bangstad pointing at back patio area with weeds and detritus.
The area that will become the back patio needs some work.
Behind the building is an area that will become a small patio. Currently it needs a lot of work so it won’t open until late spring or early summer at best. The patio is also where Bangstad has built a small enclosure that will serve as the brewhouse.
The taproom will have up to eight beers on tap and sell others in four-packs of 16-ounce cans for takeout. Once the brewing system is running, Bangstad hopes to offer crowlers of small one-off batches. He also says that he may hold homebrew competitions and allow winners to use the pilot-sized system to ramp-up recipes that will be served over the bar.
For the new location, Bangstad has created an IPA called Home Away from Home East Side IPA. The brewery’s newest beer Labor Lager, is a light-bodied beer based on the Czech pilsner style. Those will join the red ale Grateful Red and an espresso stout called Dark Brandon. In the taproom, beers are expected to sell for $6-$8/pint and in four-packs for $12-$16.
The taproom will also serve Woke Coffee, roasted by Madison’s Rusty Dog Coffee, as well as wines that Minocqua Brewing produces in collaboration with Equality Vines of Guerneville, California, intended to call attention to women making their own choices in health care.
