***** (5 stars)

I didn’t know what to expect from a microbrewery tour, but Sprecher certainly exceeded my expectations on all counts.. It’s a lovely facility, with a staff that is obviously in love with what they do.

Entry and exit is through a fair-sized shop that sells beers, sodas and gift items. For the bargain sum of $5 you receive a tour of the productions facility, from mashing to bottling. Then, in the indoor beer garden, you are invited to taste as many of their sodas as you like, and four beers. There are about ten choices of each. The pours are generous, and you even get to keep the glass.

The company was started in 1984 with two beers, but the introduction of root beer a decade later hit big. We learned that their soda assortment actually outsells their beer, and that their root beer outsells all their other products combined.

Our favorite soda was the orange dream, and out favorite beer was one of their originals, the Black Bavarian. We bought some of each to take home.

This was a great way to spend a couple of hours, and I’m looking forward to returning.

Sprecher Brewing Co
701 W Glendale Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53209
(414) 964-7837
http://www.yelp.com/biz/sprecher-brewing-company-milwaukee