*This is the eighty-fourth post in an on-going chronicle dubbed the Great Wisconsin Brewery Tour. Follow the journey here.*
The Lone Girl Brewing Company
114 E Main St
Suite 101
Waunakee, WI 53597
(608) 850-7175
Visit date: 11/25/16
Quick Hits:
1) How many different beers?
11 on tap. 13 total.
2) How long operational?
Since June 2016.
3) Why? (here, this, etc)
Owners from Chicago wanted to raise family in nicer, smaller town.
4) Distribution?
Here only for now.
5) What sets you apart?
“None of our beers are over-the-top. We’re not just trying to make the next gimmick beer.”
6) How did you get your name?
Between the two owners there’s 7 children, but only 1 girl.
The Lone Girl Brewing Company in Waunakee. All photos by Joe Powell.
In small-town Waunakee, The Lone Girl Brewing Company is all about family and froth. Once a lumber yard against the railroad tracks, LGBC now resides in a prominent, new brick building designed to blend subtly with other historic buildings down Main Street.
We were lucky enough to stop in whilst the beautiful, large dining space was decorated for the holidays.
Besides the more formal dining area, the deceptively-deep building features a separate pub space and private event room, with the brewing equipment and bar sandwiched in between, and a large open rooftop.
The two owners just opened LGBC this summer, though their skills were honed owning a popular bar in downtown Chicago. When looking for a more down-to-earth and cheese-filled town to raise their kids, both families settled in little ol’ Waunakee. The brewery came shortly after. As the brewmaster told us, “They wanted to establish a better place to be in Waunakee.”
Red Banks Amber
Leans to a Brown on the start, with a very clean finish.
SpeakEasy Ale
Easy-to-drink but very flavorful. A perfect tailgater.
Off The Rails IPA
Cloudy and unfiltered. Very lemony fresh.
Pipe Dreams Wheat
The banana-clove of the beer mates well with the orange slice.
Right On Rye Pale Ale
Subtle mouthfeel and lingering rye on the tongue.
GoldiHops Belgian IPA
An explosive, almost juicy hops taste. Satisfying.
Towhead Belgian Blonde
Near perfect execution of a light-bodied, heavy-taste Belgian.
AppleSauced Apple Ale
A heavier apple cider.
Double Trubbel Belgian Dubbel
Very cinnamon-y. A Snicker-Doodle beer.
Sweet Baby Stout
Coffee notes coat the tongue.
Dark Hondo Robust Porter
Brusque mouthfeel contrasts smooth taste.
While tasting the beers, we tried to guess which other Madison-area brewery the brewmaster may have come from; the beer was so well-rounded and full-flavored for such a young brewery. To our surprise, he’s fresh out of the garage, where he spent 14+ years developing recipes “through trial and error.” It’s paid off.
Though not the lone beer producer in Waunakee, The Lone Girl Brewing Company makes a statement from start to finish that helps it stand apart from the rest.
