It started in college. Too proud to drink swill and too poor to drink decent beer, Dean Coffey decided to start brewing his own. It didn’t happen right away. In fact, Coffey, co-owner of Madison’s Ale Asylum, didn’t even realize people brewed their own beer at home.

It started as an idea; well, more of a dream, really. If beer drinkers weren’t crying out for something better, they deserved something better, at least that’s the way Capital Brewery’s founders, Ed Janus and Anthony Frey, saw things.

If you’re still avoiding Wisconsin wines because of some old bias that only west coasters craft good wines you’re not only missing the boat, you’re missing the creek. Cedar Creek, that is. As in Cedarburg's Cedar Creek Winery, purveyor of numerous award-winning wines.

Back in 1892, in the north woods of Wisconsin, Otto Hilgerman and Henry Danner started a brewery in the city of Rhinelander. The city had only been around for 10 years, but the lumber industry there was booming and there were many thirsty workers. The brewery and its beer were an instant success.

Sprecher was the first microbrewery in Milwaukee, and is now one of the biggest craft breweries in the State. Sprecher Brewing now makes about 15 different beers, not including their limited release beers, and also produce seven different soda flavors.