Wednesday, September 3, 2014

An Early Look at Green Dragon Brew Pub In Fond du Lac

There hasn’t been a commercial brewery making beer in Fond du Lac since 1937. That’s going to change pretty damned soon. The Green Dragon Brew Pub at 156 Western Ave. (about a block west of S. Main St.) opened its doors in Fond du Lac last month. They aren’t pouring their own beer yet, but that’s not far off. That piece should be in place this fall, perhaps as early as October. Still, this is already a spot that ought be on the radar of any person around here who’s into good beer.

Right now they have 16 beers on tap. Every one of those draught lines is given over to craft or good imported beer. The selection is excellent with an emphasis on beers that lean towards the sessionable side with a few higher alcohol beers rounding out the list. There’s also a good selection of bottled beer.

The food is fantastic. It’s pub fare with a creative bent (see the menu). The breads are made in house and the greens are from the local farmer’s market. When I was there, I had a pork schnitzel sandwich with an Ayinger Oktoberfest. It was incredible!

The place has a comfortable, casual atmosphere with a long bar facing the dining area. Off the main room is a lounge with leather couches and a pool table. The brewery is downstairs and not visible from above.

I’m looking forward to tasting a commercial beer brewed in Fondy. The Green Dragon brewmaster is Dave Koepke. I’ve known Dave for a while and have drank his homebrew. It’s exceptional. I can’t imagine his beer at the Green Dragon will be anything less. After 77 years, it’s going to be good to see Fondy have its own beer again. I’ll post something here when that starts pouring.

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