A roadside sign urged us to a quick, unplanned sidetrip: New Mellaray Abbey, a Trappist monestary in Iowa. No beer here, just really nice, handmade caskets.
New Melleray Abbey, founded in 1849, is a Trappist Order just west of Dubuque, Iowa.
Michelle piloting across the Mississippi River into Wisconsin.
Timing wasn't going to make the Dan Carey-led tour of the new New Glarus brewing facility workable for us. Instead, we opted for the self-guided audio tour, which, in truth, was a little lame. Here's some pretty copper though.
The New Glarus lab in action.
Our first beer of the trip: Spotted Cow in the New Glarus Brewing Company tasting room.
New Glarus Brewing Company
The tavern in New Glarus.
The Grumpy Troll, in Mt. Horeb.
Michelle and her barrel-aged stout @ Grumpy Troll. J. had Amnesia, if I remember correctly.
Ale Asylum
Michelle and J. tasting at Ale Asylum (Sticky McDoogle, Contorter Porter, Big Slick Oatmeal Stout and Happy Ending Belgian Abbey Ale).
Tasters @ Ale Asylum.
Lotsa cool logos and Ale Asylum imagery.
Contorter Porter @ AA.
The Capitol in Madison after a couple of Bell's beers at Maduro (they had 18 Bell's beers tapped for pre-fest festivities).
Publican on cask at The Great Dane (Pre-fest beer with lunch).
This photo fails to illustrate the 5000-person line snaking their way to the fest as the gates opened.
Matt Van Wicked-Good Beers, from Flossmoor Station. Holy crap, this kid can brew.
Michelle and Grumpy Troll's Flanders Ned, a beer we sought out to photograph for our son Tom, who's a big Simpsons fan.
A viking headed toward beer at the Viking Brewing Company booth.
Coolest tap (and booth theme) award goes to New Holland. The taps are set up along Elvis' arm, as demonstrated by this lovely New Holland pourer. (By the way, their beers are also possessing the coolness.)
Dark Lord and the beautiful setting of this incredible festival.
Jonathan the Beerinator, of The Beer Mapping Project.
Chitting and chatting around the bourbon barrel with Matt and Andrew.
Andrew talking about Sarge, one of our best beers of the day.
Michelle and J. at the Great Taste.
The arse of Schlafly's Stephen, who we met first the night before at Grumpy Troll (Utilikilt Brethren--and a very nice guy--and good beers).
After the Fest, we ate at The Casbah, next door to Maduro (where we sipped the night before).
Bricktown Brewery, in Dubuque, on the way home.
Bricktown Brewery
Willie's Scottish, one of only two beers on offer at Bricktown.
I'd stopped and bought some German Oompa music on the way home for my upcoming Oktober-fiesta at our restaurant. Sampling the tunes on the way home got us thirst for beer with the German style of love, so our Yippee! We Made It Home Safely! Beer was New Glarus' Uff-Da Bock, one I'd looked forward to trying, but was not on tap at the brewery or the festival.
