“I absolootly ardore [sic] your root beer,” a little girl had written on one of the many fan letters posted on a wall of the Sprecher Brewing Company. I’m pretty sure she meant “adore,” but the sentiment expressed was obvious, and it was echoed in countless other cards and letters tacked nearby.
Located in Glendale, close to the new Bayshore Town Center, Sprecher Brewing Company has been in business since 1985. According to our tour guide, it took Randy Sprecher an initial investment of $40,000 and two cars to start this Milwaukee-based microbrewery. Like any savvy entrepreneur, Randy cut corners where he could and put any extra profit back in the business.
But let’s be honest. While, I’m certainly curious about the entrepreneurial beginnings of Sprecher Brewing Company, I’m more interested in the free samples of beer and soda available after the tour.
So after soaking up some Sprecher history, smelling the green pellets of hops, and nodding appreciatively at the ingenuity of the packing and labeling system, I gleefully headed to the tasting room.
Scott and I both started with the Hefe Weiss. This lightly hopped Bavarian brew is by far one of my favorites. I first tasted this kind of beer in Munich while visiting my friend Marie, and have been a fan every since.
Next I tried the Mai Bock, a blonde bock with what Sprecher refers to as “pale malt flavors . . . balanced with a rich hop character and a light fruit bouquet.” Meanwhile, Scott sipped from a glass full of reddish-brown Piper’s Scotch Ale which he didn’t much care for, and replaced with another Hefe Weiss.
I myself moved on to a darker brew, the Black Bavarian. This intense lager offered an interesting blend of coffee, caramel, and chocolate flavor, which I thought would be perfect for some snowy winter evening.
Deciding we better not imbibe in any more beverages with alcohol content, we moved on to the sodas. Scott filled his glass with the creamy, rich Root Beer that Sprecher is known for, and I sampled the all natural Puma Kola. Flavored with hints of cinnamon, honey, and vanilla, the Puma Kola is a sure-fire winner in my book. I stocked up on the way out, along with some Ginger Ale, Root Beer, and Cream Soda.
Maybe we should have bought more, though. The Cream Soda is already gone, downed with an evening meal of grilled chicken (marinated in lemon juice, rosemary, and olive oil) and mint-cole slaw, tossed with a dressing of olive oil, lemon, curry, and chili powder. And the Root Beer? It was perfect after a few hours of planting flowers in my front yard.
No doubt the Puma Kola and Ginger Ale will go just as fast. It’s summer and next to BLTs, watermelon, and roasted corn with lime-chili butter, there’s nothing I like so much as cold soda. Cheers to Sprecher for making some of the best around.
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FIND IT:
Sprecher Brewing Company
701 W. Glendale Ave.
Glendale, WI 53200
(414) 964-BREW
Mmmmm... beer good.
Posted by: Wayne | June 12, 2007 at 11:37 AM
I love Sprecher orange soda. Add some ice cream and it tastes like a dreamsicle.
Posted by: Lynn | June 12, 2007 at 03:01 PM
I've done that tour. Good times.
Posted by: Kelly | June 13, 2007 at 04:16 PM
Forget the miller brewing company. This sounds even better. I better bring an extra suitcase on my visit.
Posted by: C-Diddy | July 04, 2007 at 07:35 PM
I went on my first tour in 1991 and none other has yet to beat it. I now live on the east coast and have to stop in Millwaukee every time I drive through to fill up the trunk.
Posted by: Julie | August 13, 2007 at 06:49 AM