Wisconsin Craft Beer 101: A Tour of Local Breweries Worth Trying

From New Glarus to Central Waters, here's our staff short list of Wisconsin breweries we keep on the cold shelf and why each one belongs there.

Wisconsin doesn't need an introduction when it comes to beer. We're surrounded by some of the most respected craft breweries in the country, and the cold shelf at Paul's reflects that. Here's the staff short list — what we stock, why we stock it, and what to grab if you've never tried it.

The locals we never run out of

New Glarus Brewing — New Glarus, WI

The most-asked-for Wisconsin brewery for good reason. Spotted Cow is the gateway, but their seasonals — Two Women Lager, Moon Man, the Belgian Red cherry beer — are where the real magic happens. New Glarus only sells in Wisconsin, so when you have visitors from out of state, this is the gift bag.

Central Waters Brewing — Amherst, WI

If you're into bigger, barrel-aged beers, Central Waters is your stop. The Bourbon Barrel Stout series is legendary, and their solar-powered facility is one of the most sustainable in the country. Their year-round IPAs are also strong — Mudpuppy Porter is an underrated daily drinker.

Lakefront Brewery — Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee royalty. Riverwest Stein is a perfect amber. New Grist is one of the country's first nationally distributed gluten-free beers and still excellent. Lakefront's tour is a Milwaukee rite of passage if you've never done it.

Karben4 Brewing — Madison, WI

Their Fantasy Factory IPA is one of the cleanest, most balanced IPAs in the state — bright, bitter without being aggressive, drinkable for hours. Stock up if you find their seasonals.

Third Space Brewing — Milwaukee, WI

Newer (2016) but already a staple. Happy Place is a sessionable pale ale that has become the go-to "introduce a non-beer-drinker" pour. Their stouts and barleywines are legitimately world-class for the price.

Working Draft Beer Company — Madison, WI

Smaller, harder to find outside of Madison, but if we have it, grab it. They lean into hazy IPAs and modern lager styles with a precision that feels much bigger than the brewery is.

Eagle Park Brewing — Milwaukee, WI

Tap-list darling. They run through experimental hazy IPAs constantly — every release tastes a little different and it's fun to follow. Solid stout program too.

If you've never tried any of these — start here

Walk in and ask for one of these:

• Pale crowd-pleaser: Spotted Cow (New Glarus)
• IPA fan: Fantasy Factory (Karben4)
• Dark beer: Bourbon Barrel Stout (Central Waters) — assuming we're in stock; allocations are tight
• Easy session beer: Happy Place (Third Space)
• Curveball: New Grist (Lakefront) — gluten-free, sparkling, perfect on a hot day

Building a Wisconsin sampler 6-pack

Our most-asked event request is "build me a six-pack of Wisconsin." Here's our default lineup:

1. New Glarus Spotted Cow
2. Central Waters Mudpuppy Porter
3. Karben4 Fantasy Factory
4. Third Space Happy Place
5. Lakefront Riverwest Stein
6. Eagle Park rotating IPA (whatever's freshest)

That covers a lager, a porter, an IPA, a pale ale, an amber, and a curveball. Almost no one walks away unhappy.

One more thing

Beer freshness matters more than people realize. We rotate the cold shelf weekly and pull anything beyond its window. If you ever spot something that looks long in the tooth, tell us — we'd rather take the loss than send out a stale six-pack.

Want to taste through Wisconsin breweries side by side? We host quarterly local-brewery Saturdays — see the Events page for the next one.