*This is the nineteenth post in an on-going chronicle dubbed the Great Wisconsin Brewery Tour. Follow the journey here.*
Drink Ale, Live Lager. All photos by Joe Powell.
Delafield Brewhaus
3832 Hillside Dr
Delafield, WI 53018
(262) 646-7821
Visit date: 08/01/15
Quick Hits:
1) How many different beers?
Between 200-300, 10 on draft.
2) How long operational?
1999
3) Why? (here, this, etc)
The bartender wasn’t sure about this one.
4) Distribution?
Five year-round beers sold in bottles at local grocery stores; growlers to go.
5) What sets you apart?
They’ve had the same brew master for many years. “Quality beer is killer.” “Nothing nearby can compare in food and atmosphere.”
6) How did you get your name?
“Delafield sounds friendly and welcoming.”
Big and pretty; fitting for Delafield.
Delafield Brewhaus is a brewpub filling a giant, modern suburban building on the edge of Lake Country. The architecture is reminiscent of a lake house, though this mansion on a hill overlooks I-94 instead of the water. Upon walking in, two levels of brewing equipment fill your field of vision, as it is prominently displayed in the center of the large interior.
Chrome for days.
The suburban setting allowed Delafield Brewhaus’ space to be expansive. To the left of the brewing equipment is a large dining area with wood-burning pizza oven. To the right is a spacious oval bar with more seating, as well as the path to the outdoor patio. There’s also a loft area overlooking the whole operation, available for private parties. To summarize: the place is huge.
The bar itself seats as many as most other craft brewers’ entire buildings.
The walls are lined with brewing memorabilia, including tons of plaques of beers they’ve made in the past (many award-winners). They’ve had plenty of time to work on this collection, as Delafield Brewhaus has been open since 1999, making it one of the oldest craft brewers in the state.
And you can get your own swag, too.
On this day they featured 10 of their own brews on draft, 7 of which we tried on their standard sampler ($7.50).
Nom nom nom.
Dockside Ale
Crisp Kolsch. Light but with a snappy bite.
Sommerzeit Hefe Weizen
Light hefeweizen with a musty note that stays in the nose.
Delafield Amber
Classic, very malt-forward and sweet Amber.
Pewaukee Porter
Heavy Porter taste; all I could get out of it.
Nagawicked Pale Ale
Dry, hoppy IPA.
Mango Sunset Lager (though I spilled most of it)
Really sweet, like mango juice.
Whiskey Barrel Aged Imperial Rauchbier
A super smokey and woody flavor with whiskey bite.
Each pour is around 4-6 ounces.
In addition to beer, Delafield Brewhaus has an expansive food menu. If you’re unable to stay for a pint, they’ve got growlers and bottles of their year-rounds to-go.
Quite nice, in fact.
Delafield Brewhaus’ 16 years of experience shows: their beer resume is impressive and their current offerings are solid and obviously popular. The business as a whole is undoubtedly doing well in its location, fulfilling a growing want in the suburban area for good beer and comfortable dining. Snag a growler to-go next time you head out to the luscious Lake Country and give it a try yourself.
