Today The Pabst Theater Group announced a notable new partnership that brings together the historic entertainment institution and a trailblazing beverage purveyor — all in the name of giving visiting performers one more compelling reason to return to Milwaukee.

Milwaukee’s innovative, narrative-driven and experimental Discourse Coffee has been named as Pabst’s new backstage barista, joining their team of hospitality renegades – including their in-house chef and pastry chef – who work together to deliver a memorable and authentic Milwaukee experience. 

“This new partnership is another example of our pursuit of intentional hospitality,” noted Gary Witt, President and CEO of the Pabst Theater Group in an interview about the partnership. “In most parts of the country, the theater experience is about getting the band in and out. Here it's about giving them an experience. 

“I have tremendous respect for Ryan’s [Castelaz] creativity, his passion — and I want to partner with someone like Discourse who cares as much and works as hard as we do. Restaurants and coffee shops play such a huge role in our city. So when artists come here, I want to highlight that. And this is how we do it.”

Ryan Castelaz, Partner and CEO of Discourse Coffee nodded in agreement.

“There are so many synergies between our programs,” he said. “Culture creates a city and so the more cultural opportunities we can create, the better. The limited hours that we have with artists backstage is our opportunity to show them what Milwaukee is, to make them excited about it and inspire them to return. It’s our chance to really give them a taste of what makes Milwaukee special.”

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A stage for coffee

“We’re a small market and an independent venue, so we have to work harder to attract talent,” said Witt. “The industry is dominated by a monopoly, and there’s no innovation in a monopoly.  So our goal has always been to raise the bar. We can be intentional about our hospitality in both front and back of house and we work hard to do that. 

“When you can provide coffee that goes beyond the Starbucks level, when they can explain where the coffee comes from and introduce flavor profiles that a performer has never tasted before, it creates an experience and gives the artist a memory that they wouldn’t have had otherwise.” 

For years, Colectivo provided barista services for the Pabst Group and, more recently, Anodyne was their coffee partner. And Witt says he could relay countless stories that connect directly with performers’ experiences with the backstage barista.

“Everyone remembers the barista,” he says. “David Burns’ tour manager — all he talked about was the barista backstage. The coffee program plays a really significant role in what we do.”

Castelaz says that their work with the Pabst is just an extension of what they do every day in their cafes. And it’s all about making an impact.

“Taste is one thing. Flavor is another,” he explained.  “Taste is a pretty small part of it. Flavor is informed by the experience that you’re having, so it’s a vital element. In the end, excellent coffee is just one part of what we do. In fact, 99% of what we’ll be doing has to do with community and connection. We are experiential curators. 

“It’s an amazing thing already to have coffee for performers,” Castelaz noted. “But what happens when it’s the best coffee that they’ve ever had? How can we create something so beautiful for these artists that they can’t help but remember it? The goal is to make an impact on the artists and their managers… and late on, when they consider cities where they want to do shows, that  becomes part of their decision.”

Celebrate with Pabst Coffee Drinks

To celebrate the new partnership, Discourse has created a collection of drinks inspired by the history of the Pabst Group’s venues.  The drinks will be available as part of the backstage barista program. But they will also be available to the public at both Discourse Coffee locations throughout August.

“These drinks exist on the outer edges,” said Castelaz. “We will only create them once, and people are unlikely to drink them more than once. They are an experience dedicated to this partnership and a celebration of this moment in time.” 

1895 (Pabst Theater)
Espresso, milk, PBR miso caramel, caramelized pineapple syrup, root beer and Jamaican bitters, salted pineapple powder, flamed rosemary ($8).

This drink is an homage to the year The Pabst Theater was rebuilt after being destroyed by a fire. The PBR Miso Caramel functions as a tribute to Milwaukee while adding complexity to the fruitiness of the pineapple elements. A garnish of flamed rosemary brings in savory flavors while providing an experiential reference to the fire.

Kirchhoff & Rose (Riverside Theater)
Espresso, milk, pistachio rose, orgeat, Kirchwasser syrup, Turkish tobacco bitters, cardamom and rose salt, atomized Von Stiehl Kirsch ($8)

This drink is named in homage to the architect who designed the Riverside. It’s super accessible and not too challenging in terms of flavor. Pistachio and cardamom form the base, then we add the flavor of Morello cherries from the kirsch. Salt, cardamom and rose are reflected on the glass. The tobacco bitters adds complexity, but is also a reference to the Riverside’s role in the invention of fireproof curtains after a cigarette set the stage curtains on fire. 

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Bull Moose (Miller High Life Theater)
Espresso; strawberry, black peppercorn and red wine syrup; Scarborough bitters, strawberry saline, olive oil, egg white, flamed orange ($9)

This drink was inspired by the assassination attempt against Roosevelt that happened right outside of the High Life Theater. The bullet lodged in his chest, and he was visibly wounded,, but didn’t keep him from giving his speech. The Angostura bitters drops over the top function like a little blood trail. From there, this is a really wild drink that’s like a coffee interpretation of a savory dinner. The tannins from the wine pulls in the perception of fattiness that pairs with the saline to create an almost steak-like flavor. You have to try it to believe it.

Turning Point (Turner Hall)
Sous-vide coffee, mustard and caraway sugar, flambeed brandy, pretzel sweet cream, sage ($10)

This beverage drinks much like a German Rye Dunkel. The foam top is made with the flavors of mustard, caraway and pretzels, giving the effect of beer and a pretzel in coffee form, while the mug enhances the experience.  It takes inspiration from a Germanic drink called Rudesheimer. 

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Win tickets & tasting experience

Discourse Coffee and the Pabst Theater Group are also offering the public the chance to enter and win a free Pabst Theater Group drink tasting experience at the Discourse Coffee - Radio Milwaukee location plus a pair of tickets to a show at their favorite drink’s corresponding theater. The contest runs now through July 31.

All the Pabst Theater Group-inspired drinks will be available at the Pabst cafes, as well as both Discourse Cafes at 158 S. Barclay St. and 1020 N. Broadway.

Read more about how the Pabst Theater Group works to attract and keep artists coming back to the Cream City.

• The Riverside's snazzy new green room keeps artist coming back to Milwaukee
• Pabst's Sloan notches 500th rock star meal