Drinking Made Easy: Milwaukee

Episode Guide for the Milwaukee episode of “Drinking Made Easy” • Recipes • Locations • Fun Facts •

The largest city in Wisconsin, Milwaukee (or “Milwaukie” as it was first written) has a strong German influence making it synonymous with beer since the 1850s. Once home to four major breweries (Schlitz, Pabst, Blatz and Miller), it was the number one beer-producing city in the world for many years and by 1856 there were more than 26 breweries. While most of the major breweries have been bought by larger companies that now brew elsewhere, Miller (now MillerCoors) still remains the 2nd largest beermaker in the U.S. and continues to employ more than 2,200 of Milwaukee’s residents.  With a baseball team called the “Brewers,” the nickname of “Beertown” and an abundance of local breweries, brew pubs, bars and taverns, Milwaukee was born to make drinking easy.

MILWAUKEE’S BEST

Claiming to have Milwaukee’s best and biggest beer selection, with over 324 in stock is The Bomb Shelter.  From traditional Milwaukee favorites like Schlitz, Miller, Pabst and Blatz to local and regional craft breweries like Milwaukee Brewing Company, Central Waters, Three Floyd’s and New Glarus, they also feature a selection of Belgian beers, international beers and other American craft brews on a revolving tap system.  The décor boasts a number of rare and collectible memorabilia, with a focus on Milwaukee and Wisconsin breweries and patrons can play a game of pool, darts, or pinball as they enjoy nightly specials. And chances are that on a Wednesday night you can talk Greg, the owner, into flipping the channel to HDNet for “Drinking Made Easy!”

Turkey Gizzard Shot
Great Lakes’ Roaring Don’s Rum
Great Lakes’ Rehorst Premium Milwaukee Vodka
Great Lakes’ Pumpkin Seasonal Spirit
Turkey Gizzard 

The Bomb Shelter | 1517 South 2nd St, Milwaukee, WI 53204 | (414) 384-2662

When you’re looking for a unique cocktail, look no further thanBryant’s Cocktail Lounge, which boasts Milwaukee’s best cocktail list, where in fact there is no list at all.  Established in 1938, it is the birthplace of over 400 original cocktails. However, before it was a cocktail lounge, Bryant’s was actually a Miller Brewing “tied house” and beer hall.  It was around 1941 that Bryant Sharp, the founder, decided to give up beer and serve only cocktails.  He replaced the jukebox with a record player which only played classical music, and gave birth to Milwaukee’s first cocktail lounge, said to also be the first in the state of Wisconsin. Today, the Pink Squirrel cocktail, which Bryant created himself, is still a popular choice among patrons. In addition to this ice cream drink and others, they also have tiki-inspired hurricane drinks, classic cocktails, unique depression-era cocktails and many more. But you won’t find a cocktail list here. Your best bet to enjoy a truly unique Bryant’s experience is to talk to the bartenders here, who will ask you a few questions and mix you up the perfect drink.

The Pink Squirrel
2 scoops of Wisconsin ice cream (flavored with chocolate)
2 jiggers of Crème to Noyaux
Blend and add whipped cream 

Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge | 1579 S 9th St, Milwaukee, WI 53204 | (414) 383-2620

One of Milwaukee’s best kept secrets is The Safe House. This popular spy-theme restaurant and bar has been serving up top-secret cocktails since 1966. Out front you won’t find a sign advertising The Safe House but rather a nondescript door marked “International Exports Ltd.” Inside you’ll need to give the “password” to the hostess before you can gain entry to the bar through a hidden door that looks like a book shelf, while the rest of the bar watches on closed circuit security cameras. But make sure you know the password (a quick Google search should help you out) or you might find yourself jumping through hoops to get in. While most of their drink recipes are a secret, for an interactive experience, order the Great Spy-tini and watch as a capsule of vodka makes its way through a vacuum tube to get shaken.

The Safe House | 779 North Front St, Milwaukee, WI 53202 | (414) 271-2007

Undoubtedly, the best place in town for an intimate bowling experience is the Holler House. A tavern built in 1908, it houses the oldest bowling alley in the U.S. With just 2 lanes made of real wood, the manual system is tended to by “pinsetters” and scores are recorded on paper hanging from the wall. Oh and you can get beer here too!

Holler House | 2042 West Lincoln Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53215 | (414) 647-9284

 CRAFT BEVERAGES

Milwaukee is not only a mecca for beer, but it’s a great place for spirits and one would be remiss not to try some of the local liquor offerings from the Great Lakes Distillery. Wisconsin’s first distillery since Prohibition, they are the makers of hand-crafted and award-winning vodka, gin, brandy, rum and absinthe. One of the spirits that you’ll find in many drink recipes around town is Roaring Dan’s Rum. Initially distilled using sugar cane molasses, pureWisconsin maple syrup is added prior to the second distillation and the rum is aged in a combination of white oak barrels and bourbon barrels. The rum is named after Dan Seavey, who in 1908 stole a ship on the Great Lakes by getting the captain and crew drunk. He’s the only man ever arrested for piracy on the Great Lakes. Other unique spirits out of the Great Lakes Distillery include the Rehorst Citrus and Honey Vodka, the Aritsan Brandy series including a Grappa and a Kirschwasser, and two types of Amerique 1912 Absinthe: Verte and Rouge.

Milwaukee earned the title “brewing capital of the world” for good reason: it’s home to Miller, one of the world’s largest breweries and was the birthplace of many more. But aside from Miller, there are many other micro-breweries that are making a name for themselves in Milwaukee. One of the pioneers in the craft beer movement in Milwaukee was theSprecher Brewery which was established in 1985. In 2004 it won many honors at the Great American Beer Festival including Small Brewing Company of the Year and gold medals for their Oktoberfest and Scotch Ales. They also are the makers of many types of gourmet soda.

Lakefront Brewery came along shortly after in 1987 and has been making a big splash in the beer industry ever since. With award-winning beers like the Bridge Burner, an 8.0% Strong Ale, Lakefront also brews a number of ales, lagers and seasonal ales as well as a Gluten Free beer called New Grist.

Other notable beer local producers include micro-brewery Milwaukee Brewing Company and brew pubs like Stonefly Brewing Company and Water Street Brewery.

Of course there are also Milwaukee classics like Pabst, Blatz, Old Style andSchlitz, which were all a large part of Milwaukee’s beer history but are now brewed through Pabst Brewing Company out of Woodridge, Illinois.

TRADITIONS AND CREATIONS

One of Milwaukee’s most notable traditions is “closing down” Wolski’s Tavern. Opened in 1908, it’s one of the oldest bars in town and claims to have stayed open serving soda during Prohibition. With a cozy atmosphere, darts on the wall and the smell of popcorn in the air, this place is a must visit. If you want to receive one of their famous “I Closed Wolski’s” bumberstickers than you’ll need to stay until they kick you out. Try one of their notorious Bloody Mary’s with a beer back. They’re not just for brunch anymore!

Wolski’s Tavern | 1836 North Pulaski St, Milwaukee, WI 53202 | (414) 276-8130

Another, less appetizing tradition, is the Scorpion Shot at Bad Genie Rock Lounge. Consisting of a dead scorpion (sans-stinger) dropped into a shot of Roaring Dan’s Rum, this is not a drink for the faint of heart. If you really want to impress your friends though, try the Zane-Orpion shot – a shot of rum with FIVE dead scorpions in it! But fear not, they also carry an extensive collection of American craft beer, like Louie’s Demise from Milwaukee Brewing Company, offer daily drink specials and feature live music.

Zane-Orpion Shot
1 ½ oz Roaring Dan’s Rum
Five dead scorpions without stingers

Bad Genie | 789 N. Jefferson Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202 | (414) 810-1670

FACTS

• Schlitz is known as “The beer that made Milwaukee famous” and was named the world’s top beer producer in 1902.
• The first standardized rules of ten-pin bowling were established in NYC on September 9, 1895.
• At the Holler House, during Prohibition, liquor was stored under a baby’s crib on the assumption the police would not look there.
• In the intelligence trade, a safe house is a secret refuge for spies engaging in covert operations.
• In 1843 there were 138 taverns recorded in Milwaukee – an average of 1 per 40 residents.
• The typewriter was invented in Milwaukee in 1867 by Christopher Latham Sholes.
• The four famous Milwaukee brewers are Frederick Pabst, Frederick Miller, Joseph Schlitz and Valentine Blatz.
• Milwaukee is home of Harley Davidson Motorcycles.
• With an average of 2,500 performers, Milwaukee’s Summerfest is the nation’s largest music festival.
• There are 128 calories in MillerCoors Milwaukee’s Best Beer.
• Milwaukee Beer Week will take place from September 12-18, 2011.
• There are roughly 1,300 species of scorpions worldwide.
• The term “gizzard” can also refer to the general guts, innards or entrails of animals.
• The Bomb Shelter has been a long time supporter of Zane, Three Sheets and now Drinking Made Easy!
• The Pink Squirrel was the favorite drink of Crystal in the sitcom “Roseanne.”
• Creme de Noyaux is an almond-flavored crème liqueur made from apricot kernals.