*This is the one-hundred and forty-eighth post in an on-going chronicle dubbed the Great Wisconsin Brewery Tour. Follow the journey here.*
Sassy Girl Micro Brew at Trout Springs Winery
8150 River Rd
Greenleaf, WI 54126
(920) 864-7761
Visit date: 05/24/2019
Quick Hits:
1) How many different beers?
Three – always have and always will.
2) How long operational?
Trout farm since 1985, winery since 1995, contract-brewer since 2005.
3) Why? (here, this, etc)
The owner found recipes from his homebrewing great-grandfather in the attic.
4) Distribution?
None.
5) What sets you apart?
Only available on site at their winery / fishery.
6) How did you get your name?
In honor of favorite red-headed, blonde, and brunette pinup models.
Sassy Girl Micro Brew at Trout Springs Winery in Greenleaf, WI. All photos by Joe Powell for The Squeaky Curd.
We’ve visited a lot of unique places to drink beer, but our trek to drink Sassy Girl Micro Brew was the first time we’ve ever gone to a winery to grab a brew. That’s because Sassy Girl is only served at the taproom at Trout Springs Winery…slash Branch River Farms…slash Branch River Trout Hatchery.
This homestead, started by Steve & Andrea DeBaker back in 1985, is like the Renaissance man of family farms. But before we found out about any of that, we went straight for the beer.
Blondie Pale Ale
Very creamy and easy to sip. Drinks almost like a light wine…which I guess makes sense, given the locale.
Black Eyed Susan Nitro Stout
Cocoa nibs and blackberry. Another easy sipper. Sticks to your palate like a dark chocolate.
(Unfortunately they were out of the Fishnet Red Amber Al during our visit.)
I have to say, their custom tap handles were definitely the sassiest I’ve ever seen.
After our tasty tasters, owner Andrea walked us through their history while also pouring us some of their fantastic wines. Their three brews all come from recipes Steve stumbled across in the attic left by his homebrewing great-grandfather. With the help of the contract-brewers at nearby Fox River Brewing, they were able to revive these dormant beers. There’s no intention to create more styles, nor distribute outside of the taproom, and Steve himself had to cut back on the Stout after drinking so much he got gout. Yeah, it’s that good.
Long before the beer, though, the DeBakers started a plant nursery and trout farm, making a name for themselves by raising quality fish in their artisan spring-fed hatchery. Ten years later they experimented with planting grapes in an underused field, cultivating hardy batches and a promoting the Wisconsin wine region. Their work to establish the Wisconsin Ledge as a designated American Viticultural Area puts this portion of the Dairy State on par with other places like Napa Valley, and earned them a designation as 2014 Wisconsin Winery of the Year.
As if they didn’t have enough successful business ventures already, behind the taproom is an event space where they regularly hold wedding receptions (including an attached industrial kitchen). Now they even offer glamping in a fancy tent deep on their property.
In our continual search for good beer, we also found wine and artisan wells and trout (and a sturgeon in the above pond) and a whole lot more hidden down an unassuming small-town highway. Oh, and a few sassy girls.
My sassy girls, though both brunettes.