Every time I go to Milwaukee, I ask people for recommendations of where I should go. There are SO many quality breweries in Milwaukee, so unless you’re spending the weekend there you need to go in with a game plan. An overwhelming recommendation is always Eagle Park Brewing Company. So I finally listened to you guys and boy am I glad I did!
What I love the most about Eagle Park (besides the fantastic beer) is the sense of family. They were founded by brothers Max and Jack Borghardt and Jake Schinker. They bring their love of music into both the décor of the taproom and the names of their brews. They started brewing in their garage just a few years before opening Eagle Park. Its insane because their beers are better than some places that have been open much longer than they have. I wish I had a knack for brewing like these guys do!
What you might not know unless you’re a local is that this is not the original location of Eagle Park. Eagle Park was born in the Bay View neighborhood in the Lincoln Warehouse. You’d have to push a button to be let into the second-floor taproom, a modern day speakeasy of sorts. This place has become a sort of brewery incubator, with numerous small breweries calling it their first home. It has housed Enlightened Brewing (moved downstairs), Eagle Park and now Component Brewing. The new location is absolutely gorgeous and has an interesting history of its own. It used to be home to Al Capone’s car collection. Take a closer look at the floor and you’ll see the oil spots that the cars left behind. The new location also has a huuge kitchen and I can only imagine that the beer pairing dinners that they host are amazing! Next time I go, I’m going with an empty stomach because the food looked incredible!
The quality of their beers speaks for itself and the people have noticed. While I’m not a huge fan of Untappd, they consistently produce beers that rank above a 4.0. Lets get into some of the beers I tried!
Big BOTMS - Milkshake IPA 9%
This one goes down so easy. At 9% it would be very easy to get carried away with this one. It’s smooth and a little bit sweet with a nice bitter finish. The vanilla comes through really nicely on the nose and in the flavor and it’s complemented by orange. Almost tastes like a creamsicle! This is the imperial version of BOTMS up. It would have been really interesting to compare the two side by side.
Booze for Breakfast - Imperial Stout 11%
Everyoneeee had been telling me about this beer. It really is like breakfast in a glass. The beer itself is not bourbon barrel aged, but the coffee beans that they put into it are. This was the perfect way to get BBA flavor without overdoing it. Like any good breakfast, it also has maple syrup which really tastes nice with the BBA coffee beans. I would love to try this next to CBS because honestly I think this would win!
Booze for Breakfast: French Toast - Imperial Stout 11%
Breakfast gets a little more specialized in this one as they zero in on the French toast flavor. They took out the coffee and added cinnamon instead. The cinnamon, syrup and vanilla come together to make liquid French toast….and its probably better than most actual French toast you’ve had. Also, they use Vermont maple syrup which is obviously the good stuff and it shows in the beer.
Tony had Hair in the 90s - NE IPA 8%
This one was brewed for Tony of Chammps Americana in Brookfield, WI. I’ve heard he always has an epic taplist. Google Chammps Americana Brookfield and you’ll see what I’m talking about. But anyways, this beer has some great tropical notes and smells like a dream!
Bowie’s Space Suit – NE IPA 8%
The can art on this one is insane! Such a cool pic of Bowie and the beer inside is a great tribute. Its got a bunch of galaxy and a bit of citra making this beer a citrus packed delight! I really enjoy that all of their NE styles taste different, it seems like it would be difficult to distinguish but they do a great job!
Snowball - Milk Stout 7.5%
I don’t need to keep telling you guys that I love milk stouts, but I’m going to anyways. The only thing that can make a milk stout better is adding some coconut and that is exactly what Eagle Park did. They added cocoa and toasted coconut to give it a taste exactly like those little snowball candies. Ya know…the chocolate balls covered in toasted coconut?!? I wish I could have a keg of this at home. I’m obsessed.
So the moral of this story is that Eagle Park Brewing has some fantastic beers. When you go, make sure you grab some cans to take home with you! While their releases always sell out super fast, you’re bound to find a great brew in their coolers. You really can’t go wrong with anything they make!
