This Week's Local Brew News

Heads-up on a few things heading our way...

Sled Dog Coffee Porter

Bare Bones, Beer & Books
Friday, January 15, Bare Bones Brewery will welcome Kevin Revolinski, author of Wisconsin's Best Beer Guide, for a book signing. Kevin will be on hand from 5- 7 p.m. selling and signing copies of his newly updated book. Buy a copy of his 434-page guide and get a free pint of Bare Bones beer. I've purchased every edition of Wisconsin's Best Beer Guide. This edition is the best yet. It's easily the most complete resource about the current state of beer and brewing in Wisconsin. While you're there, check out beer #7 from Bare Bones: Sled Dog Coffee Porter. It's a 6.5% ABV, malty porter with a nicely integrated coffee flavor. Just the thing for this time of year.

Winter Brew HaHa at O'Marro's
Monday, January 18, O'Marro's Public House will host Winter Brew HaHa beginning at 6 p.m. This is a five-course beer dinner paired with winter brews (and a few other surprises). Your place at the table is $35. I know there aren't many seats left, so you might want to get moving on this one. Stop in at the pub to reserve you seats.

Gardina's Beer Bar #25
Tuesday, January 19, Gardina's brings back its Beer Bar Series. At 6 p.m. they'll tap into a cask of Fox River's Abbey Normal (Belgian Dubbel) that's been aging on brandy-soaked oak chips. In addition to the cask, Fox River will stage a mini-tap takeover. And as they usually do, Gardina's will offer a special beer pairing menu to go with the Fox River beers.

Tap Takeover at Chester V’s
Friday, January 22, there’ll be a four-tap takeover of Wisconsin Brewing Company beers at Chester V’s. The sampling begins at 8 p.m. A rep from Wisconsin Distributors will be on hand to talk about the beers. And here are those beers: Porter Joe infused with Barriques coffee; Josephine, a spiced espresso porter; Chocolate Lab porter, and Inaugural Red Lager.

Updates on Upcomings
Things continue to progress for a couple of breweries trying to get started here in Oshkosh.

Last week, Mike Schlosser and Shawn O'Marro of HighHolder Brewing Company posted a couple of pictures showing the brew system they're putting together. Here's a quick look at that. For more pictures and to keep up on their progress, check out the brewery's Facebook Page.

Fifth Ward Brewing Company is making progress, too. Yesterday, while running around town I spotted this in a window of the building at 1009 S. Main St. where Ian Wenger and Zach Clark are planning to launch their brewery. This is a good sign! Let's hope they breeze through the permit process.

One last thing... last week, I mentioned that the Gardina's taplist (look over there in the column to the left) was way, way out of date. No more! It's now current and will be updated every Friday. Sometimes my complaining actually works!