Tuesday 25th of February 2014 02:24:53 PM

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This is a really unique place, quirky and anachronistic. If this doesn't interest you, stop reading here. For the intrepid seekers of one-of-a-kind experiences, read on...

We made a detour here from Green Bay, en route to Door county, despite the protests of a few locals based on the overall quality of the beers (more on that later). The building itself appeared to be well over 100 years old, with a cool mural of the Calumet Brewery logo. The front door was a unique copper plated design, heavy and rustic. Brewing equipment was visible though the windows. Inside it was dark and a little divey, high ceilings and a tv above the bar playing dr. phil. If you're a breweriana fan, the collection here is worth the visit alone. Plenty of old trays and piles of crates high above on the walls, many from the old Calumet Brewery (closed 1937) and from collection of the bar owner/brewer's mother. She was tending the bar, and had plenty of great stories to tell, a real salt of the earth lady who cared about the place, the beer, and it's history.

About the beer itself... let's get the quality issues out of the way. They brew with a house yeast, and there was diacetyl in a few of the beer samples, so some of the less interesting beers tended to all run together. Don't know if this is a tap line sanitation issue or what. However, there were a few that were solid, the Calumet Dark, Mortimer's Ale, and "Kirby" a test batch brewed with Kirby Nelson (formerly of Capital). The root beer wasn't bad either.

There's something to be said for upholding local brewing history, reviving a lost brewery, and maintaining it for over 20 years in this tiny, quiet town. It's worth a visit, especially if quirky, off-the-beaten-path places are your cup of tea.

07-26-2013