Below are some of examples of why living in, and being a microbrewery in Milwaukee is a total Win-Win:

We are all busy-ness in a good way.  Our Hunger Task Food Drive has been a great success, thanks to everyone who has contributed.  The Food Drive lasts until 9/26. If you donate 2 or more non-perishable food items, you will receive a Buy 1 Get 1 adult tour coupon ($4).  You donation will help restock the HTF pantry and help out Milwaukee’s mini-Katrina victims.  Speaking of…

On September 18th, from 7-10pm, we’re hosting the #saveteecycle fundraiser for the Cigelske family whose home was severely damaged from floor to roof.  Join Ted Perry and a host of other open-hearted Milwaukeeans as they help Tim, Jess and Baby Clara restore their house from this:

to something more livable.  Live music performed by Perfectly Average,  yummy food donated by COA, and cool auction items galore.  Gently used t-shirts welcome. Say what? Visit: saveteecycle.org, or teecycle.org to learn more.

Finally, here’s the winning recipe from the Grilling with Beer contest at the Wisconsin State Fair – The  Sprecher Black Ninja Burger.  Thank you for this delectable burger, Dan Kyle of Wauwatosa: http://beeftips.com/sprecherblackninjaburger.aspx.

If you love basketball, especially college basketball, Milwaukee is the place to be tonight!  In less than 30 minutes, the Marquette Golden Eagles (8) meet the UConn Huskies (2) on the Al McGuire Court in the Bradley Center.  A lot is riding on this game — beyond bets — top position in the Big East, post-season seeding, etc.  The crowd will be WILD!  Marquette students started lining up at 3pm CST yesterday for seats at tonight’s game.  Throughout the 20-40F weather they remained waiting on cold sidewalks for the gates to open so they could cheer on their team.  And it will be a very loud Bradley Center this evening.

If you don’t have your seat now and don’t have a wad of cash to get one (as of yesterday, the least expensive seat with a view was selling for about $300), then find a good bar and join in the fun.   As always, in Milwaukee you can pick almost any watering hole and have a great time when there’s a sporting event.  Ahhh, camaraderie.   A word of warning: Milwaukeeans seriously love their teams, so if the Golden Eagles don’t win, there will probably be a big sense of depression in town for the next couple of days, kind of like the day after feeling when the Packers lose.

I emailed my friend Gary who owns Standings, a fun beer and sports bar in NYC’s East Village, to put in my long distance cheer for Marquette.  Most important since he’s a UConn alum and a huge Huskies fan.  If you’re looking for a locale to watch the game in NYC, check out Standings or Kettle ‘o Fish.  Maybe Mad River Grill as well.  That’s a dedicated Badger bar but for a contest this big I bet they’ll have the game on.

GO MARQUETTE!

Well, it was a busy week capped by our annual party which took place this year at Village Bowl in Menomonee Falls.  Who knew that they had such great food?  The buffet for sixty was fabulous — salad, veggies, chicken marsala, salmon and tenderloin.  Taste-wise,  I think the chicken, fish and beef reigned supreme.  Veggies were a bit weak and the mashed potatoes a bit sticky.  Even so, if you have a bowling party with a group of people, this is a fun place to go.

Friday evening I had a Sprecher beer tasting at Beans & Barley, 1901 E. North Ave, Milwaukee.  Beans is also a member of a group Sprecher belongs to, Our Milwaukee, which is comprised of locally owned businesses.   December 6th the Buy Local Fair takes place at the Urban Ecology Center on Milwaukee’s East Side, 1500 E. Park Place.  Stop in to learn more about some of Milwaukee’s locally owned businesses; there may be shopping opportunities as well.  All week, December 6 – 14th,  Our Milwaukee business alliance members celebrate the community’s unique character with promotions in support of Buy Local, Live Local Days.   Remember, for every $1 you spend at a locally owned business, more than 68 cents remains right here at home. To join Our Milwaukee or learn more about the group, visit www.ourmilwaukee.net.

Yesterday afternoon I presented, “Maltylicious,” the first in a series of craft beer tastings for women only.   Really, no boys allowed.  But the thing is, the series – Tasting Women – is held in the back room of Sugar Maple American Craft Beer Bar in Bay View, 441. E. Lincoln Ave,  which leaves the main bar available for anyone who wants to try beers from their 60 taps!  We had a total of 28 women, which is about all the room could comfortably hold.  I’d say 30 max.  It’s a neat space.  I tried to impart some of my knowledge about craft beer, its history, the brewing process, the difference between ales and lagers,  all the while focusing on malts.  We sampled quite a range of Sprecher beers, beginning with our gluten/malt-free beer, Shakparo.  For the malt-based sampling we tried Micro-Light (an English Summer Ale), Special Amber, IPA2, Oktoberfest, Dopple Bock, Black Bavarian and Scotch Ale.  Beer Trivia Question: Who is the goddess Ninkasi?

More later.  Time to get back to work.  Tomorrow Randy and I head to Madison for an interview on the Larry Meiller show (Wisconsin Public Radio, www.wpr.org for stations).  Randy, Sara Hill and Lucy Saunders will talk about a tasting event here at the brewery on December 10th, 6-8pm, involving Wisconsin artisanal cheeses and Sprecher beers.   This event is open to the public so please feel free to join us. Cost: $15, reserve online at www.sprecherbrewery.com.

Cheers!