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History Stone Cellar Brewpub is housed in the historic "Between the Locks" building in Appleton, which is, well, between the locks along the Fox River. The beautiful Fox runs from Lake Winnebago north to the Bay of Green Bay. That's right, north. The Fox is one of only a few rivers in North America that naturally flows north. The "Between the Locks" bulding has a rich, 150-year history. It was home to the first brewery in the Fox Valley, built by German immigrant Anton Fisher in 1858. In 1860, he sold the Fischer Brewery to Carl Muench, who worked for the famous Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company of Milwaukee. Muench added the outdoor beer garden--something of an institution to the locals. A fire destroyed much of the building in 1884, but it was rebuilt and brewing continued. The business was sold to the Walter Brewing Company in 1918. They had to close during those pesky Prohibition years, but returned and grew more popular than ever. Much of their success is credited to their introduction of Adler Brau, a light and mild lager. It was the most popular beer in the area until the '70s, when the brewery shut its doors. Beer wouldn't flow again until 1989, when John Jungers established the Adler Brau Brewery and Restaurant in what was now known as the "Between the Locks" Mall. In 2004, father-and-son partners Tom and Steve Lonsway took over the business and renamed it Stone Cellar Brewpub and Restaurant. Lifetime Appleton residents, they also own the best homebrewing-supply store in the Valley: Homebrew Market. Their other business is Happy Tap Draft Beer Solutions, which specializes in draft system installations, draft line cleaning and other things related to making great craft beer.
Stone Cellar is housed in the basement of the old building and it definitely feels like you're in a basement: it's dark, the ceilings are low, and the massive stone foundation wall is exposed throughout. While there isn't much room vertically, the place is surprisingly spacious. A long bar runs along one wall in the main pub room. Mugs hang from the ceiling. The room has some seating, but if you want to stretch your legs, there's a separate dining room and that famous beer garden. Spend some time out there and you're sure to meet some interesting locals with great stories. Not only does Stone Cellar have the best beer in the Fox Valley, it's also one of the best restaurants around. Chef Brady Ahrens has created a great menu, with appetizers that range from Soft Pretzels and Nachos to more adventurous choices like Almond Encrusted Duck Tenders and the house favorite Scotch Egg. Entrees range from excellent all-Angus beef burgers to Chicken or Vegetable Curry to classics like Pub Style Bangers and Mash. Even in meat-and-potatoes Wisconsin, this is a restaurant with something from everyone. On our visit, MidwestMicroBrews Roundtable members Chris and Jeremiah split a 14-inch BBQ Chicken pizza, which they both loved. Michael almost traded in his fiancee for his Portobello Sandwich: a marinated mushroom cap, served with melted provolone (which, as a vegan, he held) and chipotle sauce on herb foccacia. With quality this good, you'd expect the prices to be high, but the pizza was $16 and the sandwich, $7. The Beer Owner/Brewmaster Steve Lonsway began homebrewing almost 20 years ago. It was during a study-abroad semester in England that he fell in love with the many great European beer styles and the culture surrounding them. You can see that influence in Stone Cellar's brews--from German Kolschs to Scottish Ales, the Old World is alive and well in Appleton.
year. Along with the house brews, Steve is always trying new recipes to keep the rotation exciting. Beer is available on tap at the brewpub as well as at other taverns across the Fox Valley and Green Bay areas. Kegs, growlers and 12-ounce bottles are also available at the brewpub and at select stores in the area. We'd recommend Flannigans on College Avenue in downtown Appleton. Along with Stone Cellar beers, they carry a great selection of beers from around the Midwest and the world. |
Microbrewery or Brewpub owner? Want to be listed as a Featured Brewer? Contact our marketing department at marketing@midwestmicrobrews.com. |
| Brewmaster Steve Lonsway |
| The MidwestMicroBrews Roundtable: (L to R) Chris, Michael, Nick and Jeremiah |
| Getting the tour from Steve |
Stone Cellar Brewpub 1004 South Olde Oneida Street "Between the Locks" Appleton, WI 54915 Phone: (920) 735-0507 Brewmaster: Steve Lonsway |
| The crew from MidwestMicroBrews celebrated the Bachelor Party of MWMB Publisher Michael by visiting a Wisconsin gem, Stone Cellar Brewpub in Appleton. Owner/Brewmaster Steve Lonsway gave us a tour of the brewing facility and shared some of his best beers with us. It was truly a great way to kick off a night of beer-soaked debauchery. |
Check out what the Roundtable had to say on the Reviews page! |
Marquette Pilsner Appearance: Light and hazy golden yellow with a thin, lacy white head. Smell: Grassy and earthy. Aromas of sweet malt and light spices. The Saaz hops let themselves be known. Taste: Pears and apples. Grain. Mildly sweet. Tastes of buttered (but not syruped) pancakes. Again, the Saaz hops are prominent. Feel: Light to medium body. Finish: Clean and crisp with light hop bite. Overall: This is the classic European pilsner that made Wisconsin beer famous. No one smell or taste overwhelms. Marquette Pilsner is a local favorite that has gained some national exposure after picking up a gold at NABA a few years back. We found this to be a great session beer for a Packers, Brewers, or Bucks game. Pie Eyed Pale Ale Appearance: Pale, golden amber with a thin, white head. Smell: Floral hops. Fresh biscuits, mildly citrusy. Taste: Well-balanced. While the hops are definitely there, they don't overwhelm. Light grapefruit, dandelion, and sweet malt. Feel: Medium to full bodied. Finish: Clean and slightly astringent. Overall: While not as bold as most craft-brewed Pale Ales, Pie Eyed is very drinkable. Another fine choice for a session beer. For those uninitiated into the school of the Hop-Head, this is a good starter Pale. English Six Grain Ale Appearance: Cloudy, light gold, with a thin, slightly clingy, white head. Smell: The rye hits first, then the other grains come through. Aromas of sweet bread and mild citrus. Taste: The rye is ever-present, but there is also sourdough, cloves, grass, and dry hops throughout. Feel: Full-bodied, with chewy and firm mouthfeel. Finish: Crisp with a sweetness that lingers on the lips. Overall: Silver medal winner at the '06 NABAs. The grains rule with this one. You can taste them all: barley, wheat, corn, oats, rice, and above all, rye. This English-style "common" beer is quite drinkable, if not remarkable. Vanishing Vanilla Stout Appearance: Thick and black like liquid mahogany, with a medium, golden-brown head. Smell: Vanilla. Vanilla. Vanilla... with just faint wisps of chocolate and coffee hiding underneath. Taste: The vanilla dominates the taste, but there are touches of oatmeal, roasted malts, and hot cocoa with marsmallows. Feel: Thick, rich and heavy. Finish: Medium bittersweetness. Drier than expected. Overall: This unfiltered stout may be too vanilla-y for some, but we found it to be a great dessert beer. Pair it with a dish of ice cream. Stone Cellar Stout Appearance: Deep dark brown, almost black with a full brown-beige head that lingered. Smell: Oatmeal cookies, sweet malts, brown sugar, coffee, roasted nuts, and sweet peat smoke. Taste: Chocolate, coffee, oats, and vanilla. Feel: Rich and velvety. Finish: There is a lingering bittersweet chocolate taste, with hints of toasted marshmallows. Overall: Another winner at NABA, this robust, unfiltered English Oatmeal Stout picked up a Gold and a Bronze in '05 and '06. Steve has created a great stout here. This is a perfect choice for a cool Wisconsin Autumn night. Blindsided Barley Wine Appearance: Hazy, deep amber. Almost ruby, like a Pinot Noir, in the right light. A thin, white head quickly faded. Smell: Sweet fruits, caramel, mildly hoppy and citrusy. You can smell the alcohol in this beast. Taste: Malt, bananas, raisins and figs. A slight zest hits the sides of the tongue. A good burn hits the back of the throat, letting you know it's working. Feel: Thick mouthfeel, with little to no carbonation. Finish: A mild bitterness lingers, along with tastes of dried fruit, sweet malt and blackberries. Overall: While not one of our favorite styles, Blindsided is a very good Barley Wine. It definitely makes us want to expand our horizons and get to know this style a bit better. June 2008 |
MidwestMicroBrews, 118 S. Washington Street #402B, Green Bay, Wisconsin 54301 Phone: (920) 791-0938 |
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