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Recently, on a rare day off, my future wife Kathryn and I had a chance to visit Central Waters Brewing in Amherst, Wisconsin. It's a pretty impressive shop to be run by just four guys. Even though Paul, Anello, Craig, and Kevin (who the guys call "Bear") have put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into the place, they actually weren't the original owners. In 1998, two home-brewers, Mike and Jerome, started Central Waters Brewing in an old Junction City building that had once been a Model A Ford dealership. They used retrofitted dairy equipment to make their first brews: Ouisconsing Red, Happy Heron Pale Ale and Mudpuppy Porter. They also made an award-winning barley wine. From the beginning, they were eager to create new and exciting beers. In 2000 their Kosmyk Charlie's Y2K Catastrophe Ale took home a bronze medal at the World Beer Cup Competition. A few months after Central Waters' first beer production, the first of the current four owners was brought on --Paul the brewer. After three years, Mike and Jerome decided to put the brewery up for sale. Paul joined forces with accomplished home-brewer Clint Schultz and purchased the original building, equipment, and recipes. While maintaining the original beers, Paul and Schultz made seasonal favorites Lac Du Bay IPA and Satin Solstice Imperial Stout part of the year-round lineup. Under their ownership, Central Waters purchased its first automatic bottling machine to allow for bottling of six-packs. Not long after the bottling machine was brought in, the original brew house fired for the last time. Since it was not originally designed for the stress it was enduring, Central Waters' main brew kettle cracked beyond repair. On their fifth anniversary, they purchased a 15-barrel brew house and two 30 barrel fermenters to support the larger batches produced by the new brew house. Schultz left in 2006 and the brewery is now owned and operated by Paul, Anello, Craig, and Bear. With demand continually growing, they decided Central Waters needed a bigger home. In January of 2007, they closed down operations in Junction City and moved into their current location in Amherst. Still, they are busting at the seams. Paul tells me they are in the planning phases to double the size of their current facility. Consider these numbers: two years ago they sold about 1,000 barrels. Last year, they sold about 2,000. This year, they are expecting to sell more than 3,000. With the added capacity from the new expansion, they're shooting to double THAT to around 6,000 barrels next year. Also, over the past two years they've more than doubled the number of retail outlets they serve. They can now be found at more than 500 retail locations across the state of Wisconsin. It is a growth that speaks to the quality of the craft beer that Central Waters creates. Asked if they plan on expanding their reach outside of the state of Wisconsin, Paul says they don't... right now. He says they're having a tough enough time keeping up with the increased demand. One can hope, though, with their upcoming expansion, beer fans across the Midwest may one day be able to pick up a Mudpuppy Porter or Ouisconsing Red. Cheers! Michael |
Central Waters Brewing Company 351 Allen Street Amherst, WI 54406 Phone: (715) 824-2739 |
Happy Heron Pale Ale 5.2% ABV This is one of Central Waters' original brews and remains one of their most popular. It pours a gorgeous amber-orange, creamy and thick with an effervescent crystal-white head. The aroma is crisp: citrusy and spicy with a pronounced hop smell that lets you know you are Sweet-tasting with a hoppy bite, it conjures up thoughts of the seasons. Tastes of sweet fruits like strawberries and apples give way to autumnal spices and fresh baked bread. As a great APA should, it finishes clean and crisp. This is the perfect beer to have at the end of a hot summer day watching the sun set over the lake. Ouisconsing Red Ale 5.0% ABV Another of the original offerings from Central Waters. Ouisconsing pours a translucent copper-brown color. The head was creamy, fluffy and off-white--almost tan in color. The first scents we noticed were vanilla, caramel and warm, buttered bread. Underneath are scents of almond, hazelnut and strawberry. Medium-bodied, Ouisconsing has a pleasing mouth feel. You first notice the sweet sensation of caramel mingling with a nice, hoppy bitterness. Throughout, there is a perfect balance of sweet and spicy malts with hops that taste of juniper and spruce. It finishes smooth and spicy. With a relatively modest (for Central Waters) ABV of 5%, Ouisconsing is a great session beer suitable for a warm summer day or cool autumn evening. Mudpuppy Porter 5.5% ABV This is a regular in the MidwestMicroBrews beer cellar. Deep ruby-brown in color, it pours with a thick rocky light-brown head. The aromatic foam doesn't let up as lacing sticks to the side of the glass. Aromas of chocolate, fresh-roasted coffee, and sweet malts hit the nose. The flavor is rich, smoky and bit sweet, with a thick and pleasing mouthfeel. The malts are what are we noted first. Roasted, almost burnt malts give way to potent chocolate malts. Underneath that, we tasted warmed hops, pepper and a smoky marshmallow flavor-- almost like a s'more. Mudpuppy finishes with lingering notes of warm caramel and fresh toast. Like a great Hitchcock film, this bold and robust porter has so much depth, every time you have one you notice something new. Porters are one of our favorite styles, and this is one of our favorite porters. Michael was able to try Mudpuppy on nitro during his visit and says that, even though it's great from a bottle, having one served this way is an experience not to be missed. Satin Solstice Imperial Stout 7.5% ABV Central Waters' Satin Solstice Imperial Stout is another regular here at the MidwestMicroBrews office. It pours a thick, dark-cola brown with a creamy head. The first aromas we noticed were coffee, chocolate and fire-roasted malts. It has a mouth feel that explains why they call it Satin: smooth and inviting. The predominant flavor is smoky mocha: chocolate and coffee slowly dancing around a peat-smoke fire. Satin Solstice finishes with a perfect balance of malt and hops, leaving a bittersweet chocolate taste on the palate. Several Midwest craft brewers make great Imperial Stouts, but Satin Solstice is truly our favorite. Brewhouse Coffee Stout This is the all-time favorite beer of your MidwestMicroBrews Publisher, Michael. This stout pours as black as a Northern Michigan midnight with a creamy, tan head. The aroma is what you'd expect from a sweetened cup of Italian espresso with scents of rich, dark, chocolate malt poking through. The full-bodied flavor is, at first, all coffee. But it gives way to tastes of chocolate, caramel and sweet smoke without losing that roasted coffee kick. It has a dry, ashy finish, with just a hint of bitterness that lingers. This is the coffee stout that others pretend to be. If you like your stouts dark and your coffee darker, Central Waters has created your dream beer. Notes from the Newbie by Patrick As a duly appointed writer for MidwestMicroBrews, I am disappointed, and slightly embarrassed to say that after a great night of sampling delicious brews from Central Waters Brewing, I have unfortunately misplaced the notes I had taken. That being said, I'm afraid everything will have to come from memory at this point. I could attempt to recall the things that I had written about the fine brews we sampled, but I fear I would sound shallow and pedantic, or find myself just repeating the reviews that are already posted. So I would like to focus all of my efforts on one brew in particular: the Brewhouse Coffee Stout. As a longtime coffee addict, I was anxious to sample this beer. I have never done well with stouts, and seeing its true darkness upon pouring had me a bit intimidated. But the coffee aroma was calling to me, and I knew I had to try. The first taste was all coffee, stronger than any espresso Starbucks could whip up. In fact, the smoky flavor that comes with it was too strong. Initially. But much like judging a book by it's cover, I never stop a brew with just one taste. And it went down easier. Much easier. If you find this one too strong from the start, (and I can understand if you do) do yourself the favor of sticking with it. If you're like me, you'll like it more with each passing taste, until it is all gone and you find yourself scouring the internet until two am, looking for places or ways to get more. Move over coffee. I have a new addiction. Slainte!
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| Central Water Brewing Reviews |
MidwestMicroBrews, 118 S. Washington Street #402B, Green Bay, Wisconsin 54301 Phone: (920) 791-0938 |
I returned from my visit with a slew of beer. Since I'm a helluva guy I invited the Roundtable over for an evening of sampling. All beers except Brewhouse Coffee Stout were poured from 16-ounce bottles. Brewhouse was poured from 22-ounce bombers. Many of their beers can also be found on tap at taverns and restaurants across Wisconsin. Hope our reviews help you know what you'll find when you sample Central Waters for yourself! Cheers! Michael |
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