"Bar Month" at OnMilwaukee is back for another round, brought to you by Great Northern Distilling: grain to glass spirits, handmade in Wisconsin. The whole month of March, we're serving up intoxicatingly fun articles on bars and clubs – including guides, the latest trends, bar reviews, the results of our Best of Bars readers poll and more. Grab a designated driver and dive in!
Signs of summer are here; in fact, it's time to start thinking about beer festivals.
Tickets are now on sale for the eighth annual Kohler Festival of Beer, which takes place from April 29 though May 1 at the American Club in Kohler.
The celebration brings together over 30 brewmasters from across the country for beer and food pairing experiences, tasting soirees, educational seminars, culinary demonstrations, lively music and a 5K Beer Run/Walk.
New events on the docket include an interactive grilling seminar, a college kegger-themed party and sessions on home-brewing, beer-infused cooking and craft beer trends.
Here’s just a sampling of the weekend’s events.
- Beer Infused Foods ($35), Friday at 5 p.m. – Learn how to incorporate and infuse beer into your cooking repertoire with this demonstration, which includes both food and beer samples.
- Art of Homebrewing ($40), Saturday at 10 a.m. – Learn techniques, tips and secrets to create stellar beer at home.
- Beer 101 ($30), Saturday at 2 p.m. – Explore both the basics and subtle nuances of beer and brewing at this session, which focuses on history, proper pouring techniques and glassware.
- Craft Beer Trends, ($30) Saturday at 4 p.m. – Want to keep up with the latest trends in the craft beer industry? Learn all about them from a certified cicerone.
- The Art of Grilling ($120) on Saturday at 5 p.m. features a 1.5-hour hands-on session covering not only grilling basics, but also tips and tricks from resort chefs.
- Not Your College Kegger ($40), Friday from 8 to 11 p.m. this spin on the classic college keg party will feature exclusive beer from 3 Sheeps Brewing Co. Kohler chefs will prepare late-night fare to pair with 3 Sheeps brews.
- Shorts and Chefs ($40) on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. will feature grilled classics and beer pairings from a variety of regional chefs.
- Cheers to Beers ($90), Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Kohler Design Center will feature a variety of high-end and hard-to-find beers.
If you’d like to spend the weekend, a Kohler Festival of Beer overnight package starts at $160 per person, offering event tickets, exclusive opportunities, special offers, and accommodations at the Forbes Five-Star The American Club resort hotel and the Three-Star Inn on Woodlake conveniently located near the Kohler Festival of Beer Tent and outdoor events.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
