*This is the thirteenth post in an on-going chronicle dubbed the Great Wisconsin Brewery Tour. Follow the journey here.*
All photos by Joe Powell.
Sweet Mullets Brewing
N58W39800 Industrial Rd
Suite D
Oconomowoc, WI 53066
(262) 456-2843
Visit date: 05/02/15
Quick Hits:
1) How many different beers?
11 on tap, 60-70 total made
2) How long operational?
3 years
3) Why? (here, this, etc)
Brewmaster grew up in Oconomowoc, location was right price and space
4) Distribution?
Growlers to go, a few bars in the town and Milwaukee. “We make beer when we feel like it.”
5) What sets you apart?
No seasonals, “off the beaten path”
“Unexpected Location. Memorable Name. Extraordinary Beer.”
I won’t necessarily disagree with their tagline. Sweet Mullets was not easy to find, even with the power of smartphones and the Interwebz. Oconomowoc is both a mouthful and a hike from Milwaukee. SM’s location on the back end of an industrial garage on a service road was anything but intuitive, but our group made it there and was welcomed with open arms and full kegs.
Extraordinary is an apt description of Sweet Mullets’ beers – as they’re anything but ordinary. A giant flight-board of all 11 of their beers proved that uniqueness.
(As always, I need to stress that the descriptions below are taken verbatim from my day-of notes. These can become heavily influenced by the sheer volume of beer imbibed.)
Celebration
Malty with flavor but kind of watery.
Jorge
Jalapeno beer that’s heavy on the taste but light on heat.
Buckwheat
Very earthy, mouthy.
Black Hops (Black IPA)
Slightly-hoppy porter?
Dark Matter (Stout)
Stouty-Stout
Day Dreamer (Belgian Amber)
Fruity, malty, good; like Hawaiian Punch (what?)
That’s a lot of beer.
Bira (Belgian Imperial Red)
I expected more “red”; still good, mouthy.
Rasp
Super strong (9%), tart raspberry taste.
Rafael
Spicy (chipotle) but not uncomfortable. Just not a taste I like.
Oishi
Very tart, slightly smokey
Reggie Ice III
Butterscotch. Can’t put my finger on it. Enjoyable.
In addition to their extensive in-house beers, Sweet Mullets also has a kitchen serving snacks, pizzas, tacos, and sandwiches. We enjoyed the homemade pretzels, artichoke dip, and charcuterie and cheese.
To be honest, there were only maybe 2 of their 11 beers that I’d be willing to drink a whole pint of. But that appears to be part of the point; as our bartender said, it’s about “trying something different and delicious.” Sweet Mullets Brewing’s beer is certainly all different, and their quality is evident in every sip (whether I found it delicious or not).
I never did find out the story behind the name. The brewmaster “makes what he wants;” perhaps he names things what he wants too. There aren’t many things I’d risk walking into a random industrial garage for, but Sweet Mullets beer is definitely a lure.
