*This is the fifteenth (what a ridiculous-looking word) post in an on-going chronicle dubbed the Great Wisconsin Brewery Tour. Follow the journey here.*
Silver Creek Brewing Company’s outdoor patio overlooking Cedar Creek. All photos by Joe Powell.
Silver Creek Brewing Company
N57 W6172 Portland Rd
Cedarburg, WI 53012
(262) 375-4444
Visit date: 05/24/15
Quick Hits:
1) How many different beers?
7 on tap; 4 seasonals and 15 one-offs
2) How long operational?
Started making Root Beer in 2002, started brewing in 2004 (licensing delay)
3) Why? (here, this, etc)
A small homebrew club in Silver Creek, WI decided to bring it out of their homes.
4) Distribution?
Available in a couple of bars in Milwaukee and Madison; growlers or “Party Pigs” (2.25 gallon pressurized)
Party with the Pig takes on a whole new meaning when you’ve got 2.25 gallons of beer.
5) What sets you apart?
The location is unique. They’re “true to style beers” in that none of their beers are named.
The 4-story grain mill in classic Cream City Brick.
Silver Creek Brewing Company in Cedarburg, WI is housed in the most interesting location we’ve visited on our Great Wisconsin Brewery Tour. The bar is located in the basement of the old grain mill on Cedar Creek, which retains tons of old-town Wisconsin character. Water from the creek is still diverted through the building.
Water coming into the mill that you need to walk over to get inside.
The brewing is a small operation located on the side of the bar.
The brewing equipment.
The bar is comfortable and retains the charm of a barn basement; historic photos adorn the walls showing the building and the surrounding town in its heyday.
The bar. Not pictured: the men’s bathroom shower (seriously).
It’s clear this place is run by somebody who used to be in a brewing club, as they also serve multiple unique visitor brews. They’re definitely in it for the craft.
8 house brews, 8 visitors. That’s beer dedication.
For around $15 we tried a flight of all 7 house beers they had on draft:
Kölsch
Crisp, slightly biting
Pacific Coast Lager
Like a celery IPA
Hefe-Weiss
Standard Hefeweizen: smooth, banana
IPA
Heavy hops, low bite. Just a lot of hops taste.
Imperial Mai-Bock
A Maibock-kick-in-the-pants. Loved it.
Coffee Stout
Stouty with coffee nose/aftertaste
Wit-Bier
Delicious summer beer. I want to drink it on a hayride.
I loved the space, ambiance, and beer, but I have to admit the surprising favorite was the Blonde Root Beer. It’s non-alcoholic, so everyone’s invited to enjoy. The two years spent waiting for a brewing license were not wasted: this stop-gap root beer is one of the best I’ve ever tasted. Clean, smooth, light, buttery: just like my childhood-self imagined a Butterbeer.
Blonde Root Beer. Available in 4-packs.
When you visit Silver Creek Brewing Company in Cedarburg, make sure you partake in all the beers – including the root.