Not only will it be HOT, it’s also going to be MUGGY round here. Chill out for awhile at Sprecher Landing (near SpinCity). You’ll find 11 Sprecher beers on tap and in bottles; Best of the Fair “Frozen Treat” Sprecher Beer Lollipops, Sprecher gourmet soda sorbet, Root Beer on tap, beer pretzels on a stick, root beer cookies on a stick, and live music.

Stop by Root Beer Everything (near Apollo’s) on your way to the Central Mall.

It’s Discover Wisconsin’s Day on the Central Mall and we’re hosting these events –

• Hot stuff! Grilling with Beer grill-off (noon-3pm). Cheer on the 8 superlative grillmeisters working their magic with beef and beer.
• At 4pm: Brat Eating Contest. Love brats? Can’t get enough? Head to the Central Mall to participate in some serious eating. Last year’s champ downed 17.
• Cool Stuff! At 5pm: Sprecher Root Beer Float eating contest. Must be 16 or younger. Watch as youngsters do their best to down a Sprecher Root Beer Float faster than the competition.

See you at the Fair!

 

Ohhh, hoppiness! International IPA Day is this Thursday, August 2nd, and we’re partying at Sprecher.  So, what’s in it for you? A FREE 22oz bottle of Black IPA if you purchase something at our Gift Shop and you’re of legal drinking age.

Both Thursday and Friday, get $2 off growlers of Black IPA, IPA2 and Ryediculous.  Live large and cheers the moment!

 

It’s been a marathon but we’re ready for the 2012 Wisconsin State Fair.  Here’s an idea of Sprecher-related events at Sprecher Landing (near SpinCity), Root Beer Everywhere (near Apollo’s) and elsewhere.

Friday, August 3:  Join us at the Central Mall for our 4th Grilling with Beer Contest. Cheer on your favorite grillmeister as they vie for fame and prizes noon-3pm. Then stay tuned for something you might want enter: the Brat eating contest. And afterwards: the Root Beer Float drinking contest (ages 16 and under).

Starting Thursday, August 2nd at Sprecher Landing (near  SpinCity) you’ll find 11 award-winning Sprecher Beers (on tap and in bottles); draft root beer; Sprecher beer pretzels on a stick, Special Amber sorbet, 3 Sprecher beer sorbet lollipops (on a stick, of course); root beer cookies on a stick and more, including FREE live entertainment and appearances by the Milwaukee Wave.  Here’s the schedule:

*BAND SCHEDULE (at Sprecher Landing):

Thursday, August 2nd, 2012:
Ethan Keller – 2pm-5pm
Lounge Lizards – 6:30pm-10:30pm
Friday, August 3rd, 2012:
Serious Jones – 10:30am-2:30pm
David Hall – 3pm-6pm
Lounge Lizards – 7:30pm-11:30pm
Saturday, August 4th, 2012:
Serious Jones – 9:30am-12:30pm
Lounge Lizards – 1:30pm-5:30pm
Boomer Nation – 7:30pm-11:30pm
Sunday, August 5th, 2012:
Serious Jones – 9:30am-12:30pm
David Hall – 1:30pm-4:30pm
Boomer Nation – 6:30pm-10:30pm
Monday, August 6th, 2012:
Ethan Keller – 2pm-5pm
Lounge Lizards – 6:30pm-10:30pm
Tuesday, August 7th, 2012:
David Hall – 2pm-5pm
Lounge Lizards – 6:30pm-10:30pm
Wednesday, August 8th, 2012:
David Hall – 1:30pm-4:30pm
The Thieves – 6:30pm-10:30pm
Thursday, August 9th, 2012:
Lounge Lizards – 12:30pm-4:30pm
Boomer Nation – 6:30pm-10:30pm
Friday, August 10th, 2012:
Lounge Lizards – 2pm-6pm
Robert Allen Jr. Band – 7:30pm-11:30pm Saturday, August 11th, 2012:
Serious Jones – 9:30am-12:00pm
Sunspot – 2pm-6pm
Lounge Lizards – 7:30pm-11:30pm
Sunday, August 12th, 2012:
David Hall – 1pm-4pm
Robert Allen Jr. Band – 5:30pm-9:30pm

*MILWAUKEE WAVE APPEARANCES (at the Sprecher Landing) Saturday, August 4th, 2012 – 1pm-3pm Sunday

Sunday, August 5th, 2012 – 1pm-3pm

Saturday, August 11th, 2012 – 1pm-3pm

Sunday, August 12th, 2012 – 1pm-3pm

And if you’re a Sprecher Root Beer fan, you’ll love the Root Beer Everything stand (near Apollo’s).  You’ll find regular and lo-cal Sprecher Root Beer on draft (Sprecher is the official draft Root Beer of bthe State Fair, btw), Root Beer Cookies on a stick, Sprecher gourmet soda sorbet, Root Beer popcorn, Root Beer topping, Root Beer mustard, straws, t-shirts, little Rootys.  Speaking of Rooty, the Sprecher mascot, if you’d like to meet him in person here are the times he’ll be at the Root Beer Everything stand:

*ROOTY APPEARANCES(at Root Beer Everything):

Saturday, August 4th – 11am-3pm

Saturday, August 11th – 11am-3pm

Surprise appearances throughout the 11am-3pm time period.

Stop by Root Beer Everything. Chill at Sprecher Landing. Enjoy your time at the Fair with Milwaukee’s original microbrewery.

 

Still thinking about what to get your mother for Mother’s Day? Looking for that present the whole family can enjoy? Take a tip from the ladies of the Pink Boots Society — an organization of women who earn income from beer, whether it is brewing, advertising, owning a brewery or writing about beer — and BMOFAB, Bring Mom Out For A Beer.  It’s not a secret anymore: many women really like craft beer.  All across the nation breweries and pubs across will offer special menus, tours and discounted merchandise this Mother’s Day. BMOFAB is gaining in popularity largely due to craft breweries and the fact that beer has flavors, flavors that both men and women enjoy.

If you happen to be in or near Milwaukee this Sunday,  Sprecher Brewery is a great choice because we offer gourmet soda for kids and non-drinkers and moms tour FREE.  Bring the family before or after brunch, kick back with mom and enjoy a diverse array of award-winning beers and gourmet sodas brewed on-site.  Tours are offered hourly, noon – 4pm. Reservations are strongly suggested. Make yours by calling 414.964.2739. Price: $5 adults (except moms and US military personnel with ID); $4 Seniors (62+); $3 minors.

Make your BMOFAB experience extra special and enjoy a Premium Reserve tour and tasting featuring 10 select Sprecher beers paired with 10 Wisconsin artisanal cheeses. Price: $15 per person. Time 2:30pm. Reservations required.  Call 414.964.2739 to make yours.

Looking for nearby brunch suggestions? Try the Anchorage Restaurant at 4700 North Port Washington Road or one of the many great restaurants in Bayshore Town Center.

Cheers to Moms!

Want to go to the 2012 Wisconsin Beer Lovers Festival June 16 but don’t have tickets? Sprecher will help you out. Become the Mayor of Sprecher on fourquare this week and you’ll win a pair of tickets to Wisconsin’s best beer and food festival. Contest runs Sunday 5/20 thru Saturday 5/26 at 6pm.  Winner will be announced via facebook and twitter Sunday morning. Note: Must be 21 to enter.  Sprecher employees and their families are not eligible.  Past winners are not eligible.  I.e., Week 1 winner: BigCat. BigCat is no longer eligible to win this contest.

We agree with Matt Simpson aka The Beer Sommelier, who in 2008 wrote “think global, Drink local” about the value of buying local beers and organic ones as well: http://www.thebeerexpert.com/beer_sommelier_works.shtml.  Props to his prescience. Three years later he’s now joined by a chorus of locavors — people, especially foodies — who advocate buying locally produced goods, produce, etc., when possible. As Simpson points out, buying locally helps the local economy.  Local First Milwaukee — formerly Our Milwaukee (est. 2006) — has done the math: For every $1 you spend at a locally owned business, more than 68¢, versus 43¢ spent at a national chain, remains in Milwaukee.  Sprecher has been an active member of Local First Milwaukee almost since its inception.

And there’s something to be said for fresh ingredients. This year Sprecher made its first brew using hops grown in central Wisconsin, Fresh Hop Amber.  Fresh hops have a short life. After picking they were driven to the the brewery and immediately put to use. Even though the alpha acids on these beers were low, over time their flavor profile evolved giving the beer a crisp and distinctive taste.  The distinction came from the Wisconsin terroir, a geo-specific term originally used to describe the unique qualities soil and environment lend to grapes.  Because Wisconsin’s terroir differs from California’s, for example, the flavor of our hops do too.  We look forward to incorporating fresh Wisconsin hops into more beer styles in 2012.

Another point Simpson brings up: beer at its freshist is beer at its bestist, and it’s easier to get fresh beer directly from the source or at a nearby store, bar or restaurant. This is one reason people love growlers–beer straight from the tap–which we offer at Sprecher.  Like locally sourced ingredients, freshly tapped beer saves on the carbon footprint because it requires less transportation and, in the case of growlers, less packaging. One growler holds 64oz of fresh beer, the same as 4 pint bottles.  Growlers do not have a long shelf life. Once opened they should be consumed in a day, two max.

Local breweries appreciate your support. We at Sprecher certainly do. We’ve worked hard to become an integral member of our community.  Every year Sprecher gives back to the community with product and cash donations for myriad causes ranging from school fundraisers to non-profit health organizations to our armed forces. And we toast each and every customer who has helped make us successful. Thank you, and Happy New Year! Drink great beer whenever you have the chance. If that beer happens to be local, two cheers. If that beer happens to be Sprecher, three cheers!

 

 

Fans of Sprecher Black Bavarian and Sprecher Abbey Triple, what do you think of when you drink these beers?  Is it something clever, something pithy, something memorable?  We’re interested in what you have to say and we’d love your ideas for the ideal tagline for each beer.  So much so that we’re hosting our first online contests, one for a Sprecher Black Bavarian tagline and one for a Sprecher Abbey Triple tagline.

Rules:

1. You must be at least 21 to enter and you must be a resident of the continental United States.

2. If your tagline is selected, we will issue you a $100 gift certificate to be used in the Sprecher Gift Shop or online store.  Furthermore, we’ll give you big props on our social media sites.  We will promote you and your winning tagline on www.sprecherbrewery.com, the Sprecher facebook page, the Sprecher twitter page, and this blog in exchange for complete legal copyright and trademark rights of the chosen tagline.

3. The rules of the contest may change at anytime(e.g. deadlines may be extended).

4. The tagline must not be in use, trademarked or copyrighted by any other entity.

5. No other strings are attached. Normal fairness rules apply—if multiple people come up with the same tagline and we choose it, the first person who posted is the winner.

The Contest:

1. Sprecher Brewing Company’s meta tagline is “Remarkably Good Taste.”  We’re now scratching our heads trying to think of something that makes people think specifically of Black Bavarian and Abbey Triple. “Damn that’s good beer!” isn’t quite specific enough.  So we’re reaching out to our consumers for input.

2. You have until February 23rd, 2011 to send us your tagline.

3. Entries and contact information should be sent to: taglines@sprecherbrewery.com.  We will review all submissions and publish the leading candidates on this blog and on our facebook site for a vote.

4. Winner(s) will be notified via email.  If you are not notified by email, you did not win so please do not contact us.

5. Winning taglines will be published on Sprecher Brewing Company’s social media sites along with a bio of the winner.

Heard about word of mouth marketing?  Serve this easy to make cocktail meatball recipe at your next party and you’ll be the talk of the town.

Slow Cooked Sprecher Dopple Bock BBQ Meatballs

3 lbs Frozen cocktail meatballs (Italian style are best)*

1-2 bottles Sprecher Dopple Bock

1 cp Ketchup

1/2 cp Sprecher Root Beer BBQ Sauce (more if you want it spicier)

2 Tbs Red Wine Vinegar

1/4 tsp Garlic Powder

1/4 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

1/4 cp Brown Sugar

Combine all sauce ingredients in a slow cooker.  Add meatballs, making sure to cover them in the sauce.  Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours.  [If using a Dutch oven, set in middle of oven set to 250F. ] Midway through, check to see if you need to add more beer; adjust for flavor.  Makes about 96 cocktail size meatballs.

* Note: This recipe is all about the sauce so the type of meatball (Italian, sausage, Swedish, homemade) doesn’t matter all that much.  You can also use larger meatballs and serve them over wide egg noodles for an enjoyable dinner.  If you find you have lots of sauce left serve it with bread, brisket, pork chops, chicken and many other foods.

Source: Sprecher brewmaster Craig Burge.

Photo: Matt Fornear, www.fornearphoto.com.

We’ve promised put the recipe for Brewmaster Craig’s BBQ Dopple Bock Meatballs on our blog, and we will as soon as we have the photos.  Otherwise we’d be doing an injustice to the recipe and, most importantly, our readers.  In the meantime we’d like to give ourselves a public pat on the back for our efforts to help the fight against breast cancer, which we couldn’t do without the help of so many individuals and businesses.

Our 3rd annual Breast Cancer Awareness Spa raised $5,331, exceeding our goal of $5,000 for Gilda’s Club of Southeastern Wisconsin (www.gildasclubsewi.org).  Seventy-nine women (including 11 breast cancer survivors) enjoyed pampering in our Rathskellar mini-spa, a tour, lunch and gal time throughout the day thanks to our partners at Beauti-Control, Milwaukee School of Massage, Well Spa + Janis Salon, BRAVO!, and Welke’s House of Roses.  Gift Bags were filled with coupons and goodies donated by Elements Massage,  Koss Corporation, Close Up Apparel and many stores at Bayshore Town Center.  Throughout the day a great selection of raffle items from Great Lakes Distillery, Blain’s Farm and Fleet, SPiN and several other partners were available for all tour guests to bid on.  In addition to the money raised at this event, the George Washington Stein Club donated $1,100, which really helped push us past our goal.

This year differed from others in the level of local business participation, which is an ongoing trend.  It’s nice working for a good cause and more so when you’re doing it with the help of others. The Breast Cancer Awareness Spa proved to be not just a win-win, but a win on multiple levels.  Sprecher is proud to be part of a community that values working together and is willing to respond to a call for action. This money will be a big help to Gilda’s Club of Southeastern Wisconsin, which almost closed its doors due to overwhelming damage caused by Milwaukee’s mini-Katrina this past summer.  Thanks to a gift by a private citizen who was moved when he learned of the Club’s plight, the Club is transforming to Gilda’s on Wheels so it can serve the maximum number of families affected by cancer in southeastern Wisconsin.  The $5,331 raised from the Sprecher Breast Cancer Awareness Spa will assist Gilda’s on Wheels as it helps families affected by breast cancer during the holidays.

Though the spa is over until next year, we still have our pink griffin Breast Cancer Awareness Ale taps at participating bars and restaurant throughout southeast Wisconsin (See Pink Griffins for the Cure post, 10/5/10). Call it Ta-Tas Ale, or Taps for Tits as some do, Sprecher is donating $10 from every keg sold now through the month of December to the Wisconsin Breast Cancer Coalition, http://www.standupandspeakout.org/. WBCC is “an alliance of individuals and organizations committed to halting the alarming incidence of breast cancer in Wisconsin. [Their] mission is to bring Wisconsin voices together to Stand Up and Speak Out about breast cancer through Education, Collaboration and Legislation.”

Do thoughts of the upcoming holidays fill you with joy but also make you cringe with anxiety about hoards of shoppers and the whole holiday shopping experience in general?  Well, we have a couple of nice little getaway solutions for you.  Stop by Sunday, November 14th for a brewery tour, samples of delicious beers and gourmet sodas, and an on-site boutique vendor fair.  Most people don’t realize it, but this  is the perfect environment for a relaxing and inspiring shopping experience. More than 15 vendors will offer a wide variety of goodies for friends, family, coworkers and yourself.  Who knows, you may just get all of your holiday shopping done at once!

Visit www.sprecherbrewery.com for more details.

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