Larry’s Mug on the Tank ©Bo Mackison 2008

The City of Milwaukee has a heritage of brewing great beers.  While many of the old names have faded, the Lakefront Brewery has grown and is adding to Milwaukee’s proud tradition. And to add a little extra color to their beer, Lakefront Brewery is a participating business in the Travel Green Wisconsin program, a state program which identifies Wisconsin tourism businesses who practice “green.”

Ah, definitely a greener kind of beer.

Sherpa and I have stopped at many a brewery tour, but this brewery tour has got to be the funniest around, and well worth the trip. Even if you don’t like beer, you’ll still enjoy the show. (I was told the beer is great by the Sherpa sampler guy, but I drank their root beer which I happily gave a five star rating.)  Our tour guide was a mild mannered middle school health teacher by day, and a comedic, brash cheerleader and part time Laverne & Shirley imitator on the weekends. Her performance alone was nearly worth the trip.

You find out all the basic things about beer on this tour, including definitions of words like wort and fermentation.  However, the high tech graphics (laminated hand made signs), fermentation tanks painted with images of The Three Stooges, the tour guide’s rendition of Laverne & Shirley choreography, and evidently the refillable beer cup, make this tour “The Tour.”  You see the real brewing operation in all its gory – or glory – and it’s one grand adventure.

Go ahead. You’ve always wanted to visit Milwaukee. Mark this brewery tour on your map for when you plan your visit.