Ryan Michael Wisniewski
The specialty is the house Chimay Burger.
Forget the old “restaurants per capita” chestnut. Someone should calculate how many miles of tap lines now run through the greater Madison area.
World of Beer, located in a tidy parcel of new retail development near Middleton’s Greenway Station, is neither as big as some of its direct competitors, nor as high-profile. It does travel in similar territory, though: sprawling beer menu, global comfort foods and a “clubhouse for grownups” feel.
One feature the Tampa-based World of Beer has in common with rival HopCat is a conspicuous “no minors after 9 p.m.” policy. To people in Tampa, or Grand Rapids, or any other non-Wisconsin place in the country, this probably seems obvious. In Wisconsin, though, where tavern culture doesn’t always exclude children, this policy stands out as a bit more restrictive than we’re used to. But if you’re looking to enjoy a late pint with fewer rugrats on the loose, maybe World of Beer is your jam.
World of Beer prints its tap menus daily, which still can’t entirely prevent the “I’m sorry, we’ve run out of that one,” but it goes a long way. The list itself isn’t populated with many rarities, but instead highlights custom creations. A couple beers are brewed specifically for World of Beer; there are beer infusions (peanut butter porter, anyone?) and beer cocktails ranging from boozy to fruity to sour.
As with most beer hall-style menus (the Old Fashioned, Mr. Brews, HopCat), the World of Beer kitchen focuses on sandwiches, and in particular a house specialty burger. Here, it’s the Chimay Burger, which adds to the standard mushroom and Swiss by including (nominally) caramelized onions and swapping Swiss for Chimay Grand Classique, a cheese made by Belgian brewer Chimay. It’s a gooey blanket to be sure, and the burger patty is seared nicely and aggressively seasoned. Ultimately, it might be overkill for the average burger-and-a-beer meal, but at least there’s a lot of overkill for your $12.50.
If only the other sandwiches held the same value. The turkey club is tall, but the bread is untoasted, and the ample meats are mediocre. The same is true for the Reuben. A steak sandwich with pickled red onions and goat cheese performs better, with a good balance of toppings and steak that doesn’t fight back against each bite.
Brunch sandwiches include an ancho-chipotle bacon and egg that comes off like the best option at a convenience store’s hot case. A fried chicken and Belgian waffle “sandwich” probably should have been served open face, but it did contain a startlingly good piece of fried boneless chicken — hot and a little greasy, just how I want it.
Fare like a steak and blue cheese flatbread with balsamic reduction or French onion soup definitely have a place in a beer-centric joint. They’re comfortable and salty, which often inspires another round. But familiarity can’t lead to laziness. I’m sure the French onion soup never saw the underside of a broiler, nor were the onions very soft. The flatbread is drowned in a sticky, overpowering balsamic syrup. Standards should be done well, and it’s not happening here.
Ultimately, World of Beer is more bar than restaurant, which makes the uneven bar service all the more frustrating.
Bar snacks are also uneven. The large German pretzel is satisfying, and the Tavern Taters come smothered with sour cream, bacon, and slightly gummy nacho cheese. They’re exactly what you’d expect, a little messy but perfect for sharing. A plate of four chimichurri meatballs would be great with even a kiss of brown crust; instead, they’re oddly smooth, both in surface and in the grind of the meat. They are, at least, impressively inexpensive if ordered during happy hour, when most of the “Tavern Shares” menu is reduced to $5 per item.
World of Beer will probably be a draw for local office workers at lunch and happy hour. But craft beer fans have come to expect more than just bar stools and tap lines, and World of Beer is struggling to differentiate itself in a crowded market.
World of Beer 8225 Greenway Blvd., Middleton, 608-833-5400, worldofbeer.com/locations/middleton, $6-$20, 11 am-1:30 am Mon.-Thurs., 11 am-2 am Fri.-Sat., 11 am-1 am Sun. (Kitchen may close earlier, at 10 or 11 pm, Mon.-Thurs.)
