The Best Midwestern Craft Breweries
13. Nov, 2010 
9 Comments
Many have argued that the top breweries in this nation are found out West, in California and Oregon. The Rogue Nation, the Lagunitas Crowd, the Anchor Steamers, and the Sierra Nevada lovers of the world insist that the best is in the West. There is some evidence for their claims. 90 percent of the hops in this country are grown West of Colorado so they have the first shot at the freshest ingredients. There are many fine brews out there.
Others argue that the best is in the East, the Ommegang disciples, the Yuengling snobs and Dogfish Head fans. This is of course nonsense, but there may be some evidence over there as well. However, if you’re looking for a brew in the middle of the country and would like something a bit more complex than Bud or Miller, here is what I would suggest.
5. Goose Island Brewery, Chicago, IL – The new “Vintage Reserve Ales” put Goose Island onto this list. Their sophisticated style puts a somewhat ordinary brew into a class of its own and is a perfect example of how superior labeling and marketing can make all the difference in the beer and wine craft.
Their 312 Wheat Ale is delightful and their Bourbon county Ales are outstanding . If Alltech brewery in Lexington, Kentucky is observant, they will mimic this style in the actual Bourbon country. Alltech makes a better Bourbon ale than even the best Goose Island Bourbon series, but their labels aren’t as pretty and they don’t have a vast amount of rich Chicago consumers to buy the over-marked price. On the negative side, Goose Island beers are nice but not as nice as their labeling. Their Honker’s Ale and Pale Ale are fine beers to be sure, but nothing to write home about. If you want to get a quality product, Goose Island will provide it in the form of their Bourbon Series or Vintage Reserve Series, but you will almost certainly get ripped off in the process. They’re selling beer to you and trying to pretend it’s wine, which I get, but seems oddly unlike a brewery and maybe a little elitist. But, these series are elegant and delicious and I can’t argue with that.
4. Capital Brewery, Middleton, WI – Capital Brewery yields malts as other breweries yield hops – like a thunderous hammer. Their brews are not overly hoppy and they don’t use hops as a crutch. Many of their malts and wheat come from Wisconsin and they also support the return of the hop growers to Wisconsin. All of these facts adhere the Capital Brewery to my heart. Their Island Wheat draws all of the wheat used in the beer from Washington Island off the coast of Door County which, needless to say, is incredibly cool. Their Amber is outstanding as well and can be enjoyed out of a can near a Midwestern bon fire on the shores of Lake Michigan. Last Fall, I had the distinct pleasure of visiting the brewery and talking with the brew master. He had just finished an Ice Bock, a beer where a portion of the water is frozen off the top, producing a sweet, malty, syrupy, alcohol bomb ale – all around outstanding.
3. Bell’s Brewery, Kalamazoo, MI - Michiganders will be furious this fine brewery fell to number three, but rest assured my friends to the north, this is one of the best breweries in the Midwest. Their Oberon summer ale, a fruity wheat ale, is a mainstay of any Midwestern summer cookout and their Octoberfest is the perfect beer for a crisp fall day with blue skies and cold breezes. Their Hopslam, a winter specialty, is an outstanding 10% ABV double IPA, if you’re in to that sort of thing. The Bell’s Pale Ale and Amber are outstanding but their “Third Coast” and “Two-Hearted Ale” are a bit weak in my opinion.
2. Boulevard Brewery, Kansas City, MO – Folks north of Missouri will likely turn their noses up at this choice but I will fart in their general direction. Boulevard doesn’t make a bad beer, unlike the previous three breweries in the top 5. Their Octoberfest, Bully! Porter and Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale are all outstanding and their Pale ale and wheat are widely distributed and enjoyed. Their Single Wide IPA and Double Wide IPA are the superior IPAs in the Midwest and can hold their own against the Western Giants any day.
1. New Glarus Brewery, New Glarus, WI – New Glarus Brewery gets the HTNL endorsement as the top brewery in the Midwest. Their Spotted Cow, a “farmhouse ale,” is brewed with Wisconsin barley and their “Fat Squirrel,” which is also brewed with Wisconsin barley, is hands down the best nut brown in the region and perhaps the nation… perhaps. As far as their seasonal brews, their black wheat is the best cure for a Midwestern winter and their Yokel Lager, in all its unfiltered glory, has also caught my attention. Their labeling is professional and elegant and their entire aura reminds me of the old European town breweries.
Check out that GORGEOUS Brew Hall! 
Breweries receiving honorable mention: Schlafly of St. Louis, MO, Three Floyd’s in Munster, IN, and Alltech Brewery in Lexington, KY (The finest bourbon ale in the country is made in Lexington at Alltech, but they only have 3 prominent Ales and I’m not sure if Kentucky is included in the Midwest…)
Cheers!
I happen to have just completed a letter home to Chicago about how wonderful Goose Island, Honkers Ale is — so take that!
Further, what about Shiner? Its neither Eastern, Western, nor Midwestern… It seems to have slipped through an enormous crack…
Typical Chicago propaganda! Haha, no I enjoy Honker’s ale but prefer brews from our friends in the north country. But if somebody wants to buy some Honkers for me around Christmas and drink it along with some Aurelio’s … I won’t object…
I considered Shiner, but in truth I only enjoy the Shiner Bock in the yellow bottle. But, someone wise once told me to never mess with Texas so I will admit my mistake and beg a thousand pardons from our friends to the South…
I don’t think Shiner would dent this list, but still enjoy what they do.
1. Yuengling is way overrated. It tastes like a classier Bud Light.
2. I agree w/ New Glarus.
3. I would move Capital down to #5.
4. I never had Boulevard so I can’t judge.
The Capital can be found on tap in at least one hotel restaurant on the east side of the Mad-city beltline that this traveler is aware of and it is quit delectable!
Left one off the list that is newer, but better than all of those IMO… Ale Asylum. Don’t get me wrong those are all good breweries and being from Madison I’ve had a lot of beer from all of them, but all of them have also had beers that didn’t meet my expectations. Ale Asylum has never let me down and consistently puts out stuff that IMO tops most any other beer in the Midwest.
I’ve never enjoyed that one Rob… but if someone wanted to send a case over to the HTNL nation, I’d be happy to give em my full attention.
Cheers, mate.
I’ve found that Capital is rather unspectacular. I can list more than 5 breweries in Wisconsin alone that are better (off the top of my head, New Glarus, Sprecher, Tyranena, Central Waters, Ale Asylum, Lake Louie, Lakefront).
I’d bump it off the list and replace it with Founders.
I think I’d be OK with Founders on the list. But I’d have Schlafly on there before them…
I try to avoid places like Sprecher and Lakefront … and Milwaukee in general. Sprecher has outstanding Root Beer, but their ales are not outstanding. Lakefront is fine, they have a nice tasting room, but their ales are not spectacular. Can’t say I’ve had Central Waters or AA, so I’m not fit to judge there. New Glarus is #1 in my book, for the Midwest. But would they make a National top 5?…perhaps we shall see.