Peak Outdoor Beer-drinking Season is Here

According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the scourge of winter is largely behind us now. And with the change of seasons comes a focus on maximizing the sweet spot of the calendar here in Wisconsin.

The other day, a lively discussion broke out in the Drink Wisconsinbly Week in Review Newsroom about the elements required to create a pleasant summer outing here in Dairyland.

After some shouting, table-pounding, and one particularly obscene hand gesture, three essential components rose to the top: good beer, live music, and a place to sit outside with friends and bask in milder conditions.

A Venn diagram was drawn on the whiteboard. The world-weary editors and reporters stared at it for a while in silence, and then a cheer filled the conference room when the word “beer garden” was written in that little space in the very center.

And, at that very moment, the Drink Wisconsinbly fax machine sprang to life with news that the Third Ward Beer Garden at Catalano Square opens for another season on Friday, May 1st.

Coincidence? Kismet? A listening device hidden in the newsroom? It’s hard to say. The important thing is a place where all three core elements for summer fun intersect returns in a few short days.

The mission of the Third Ward Beer Garden is to “create a welcoming, social gathering space that reflects the spirit of Milwaukee summers,” which sounds so much like what was discussed at our editorial meeting that you’d wonder if it actually happened.

You’ll find the Third Ward Beer Garden at 147 N. Broadway in Milwaukee. In addition to the beer you’d expect to find, they have canned cocktails, wine, and non-alcoholic drinks. 

It’s open from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. from Wednesday to Friday, noon to 9 p.m. on Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Check the schedule for live performances. The shows only happen Thursday through Saturday, so you will need to hum your favorite tune or something for a perfect summer outing on Wednesdays and Sundays.