Best 7 Guided Brewery Tours + 9 Unique Breweries in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Visit a brewery nestled along the shores of Lake Michigan in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Milwaukee boasts a rich brewing heritage that has earned it the title of the “Beer Capital of the World.” Milwaukee has a variety of brewery tours, each providing insight into the brewing process, the history of the establishments, and the unique flavors that define the city’s beer scene. If you don’t want to take a tour and are just looking to try a new beer in an interesting atmosphere, keep reading. I have you covered too! So, let’s raise a glass and hop(s) into a Milwaukee brewery for a pint.
And yes, all of these breweries are actually in Milwaukee!
Popular Guided Multiple Brewery Tours in Milwaukee, WI
Original Milwaukee Guided Brewery Tour with Lunch or Dinner– Learn about Milwaukee’s brewpub scene and taste up to 16 beer tastings.
Sip of Milwaukee Guided Brewery Tour with a Snack– Learn about Milwaukee’s brewpub scene and try up to 12 beer tastings.
City Brewery Tours– VIP access at 4 local breweries that includes a meal with beer pairings.
Individual Breweries you can tour in Milwaukee, WI
- Lakefront Brewery– 1872 North Commerce Street, Milwaukee, WI. This is my top choice! My favorite part (besides the plentiful options of beers to sample) is that the last stop of the tour ends with the theme song playing from the old TV show “Laverne and Shirley”. The conveyer belt moves the beer bottles around just like in the opening credits of the show. The tour guide asks two people to be “Laverne & Shirley” and put a glove on the bottle. Volunteer! It’ll be such as awesome picture- I recommend videoing it! You can read about my 24 hour Milwaukee trip here that included taking a tour of Lakefront Brewery.
TOUR INFO:
Cost: Monday-Thursday $13 Friday-Sunday $16
Who: 21+ unless supervised by a parent or guardian
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
What You Get: Four 8 oz. pours and a souvenir pint glass
Stay for Food: The Beer Hall kitchen open daily and has weekday specials
- City Lights Brewing Co– 2200 W. Mt. Vernon Ave., Milwaukee, WI Five years after opening City Lights had won numerous Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals for brewing excellence, including a Silver Medal for their signature Hazy IPA at the prestigious Great American Beer Festival.
TOUR INFO:
Cost: $15/person
Who: 21+/ private tour
Time Commitment: NOTE: 1. need to make a reservation at least 1 week in advance 2. tours can be scheduled any day of the week
What You Get: tour and a free pint of choice
Stay for Food: appetizers, American pub food, or the Friday fish fry.
- Best Place Beer History Tours– 917 W. Juneau Avenue, Milwaukee, WI. If you’re looking to get the most informative history lesson of Milwaukee’s Pabst Brewery Co, then look no further. This tours explores the historic former VIP reception hall, corporate offices, visitors center & infirmary of the Pabst Brewery. This enjoyable tour has won multiple awards such as Best of Milwaukee 2019 and has 5 star Google reviews.
TOUR INFO:
Cost: $14
Who: 21+ unless supervised by a parent or guardian
Time Commitment: 60 minutes
What You Get: tour and 1 pint of beer or soda
- Pilot Project Brewing– 1128 N 9th Street, Milwaukee, WI. USA Today named Milwaukee’s Pilot Project Brewing‘s Brewery District taproom and its Chicago sibling as the best beer bar in the United States.
Pilot Project Brewing has a very cool story. It’s a purpose-driven brewing and tasting room facility, supports talented brewers by serving as a launch pad for start-ups, offering assistance in recipe refinement, production scaling, and various business aspects. You can try some unique brews like Donna’s Pickle Beer or Hard Kombucha.
TOUR INFO:
Cost: $15/ $12 for boozeless ticket
Who: 21+ to drink alcohol
Time Commitment: about 1 hr./Fridays and Saturdays only
What You Get: Five 5oz. tasters of beer and/or booch (Kombucha), Taster glass to take home with you, and 3 x $5 draft coupons to enjoy after your tour
Stay for Food: Full menu of shareables, specials, handhelds, salads, kids’ menu, and sweets. Try the beeramisu and beer float shooter!
Must See Unique Breweries to Visit in Milwaukee, WI
- Broken Bat Brewery Co– 135 E Pittsburgh Ave, Milwaukee, WI This brewery and tap room features locally crafted beers. As the brewery name hints to, it has a baseball theme with multiple televisions and spacious seating. The added bonus is that It also has an indoor wiffle ball field that you can rent out.
- Third Space Brewing– 1505 W. St. Paul Ave., Milwaukee, WI, located west of downtown Milwaukee. According to their website, “Everything we do, from the ingredients we select to the process employed in brewing each hand-crafted batch, is devoted to producing quality beer with excellent flavor and balance.” Have fun during the week too on Tuesday Trivia Night and Wednesday Game Night!
- Black Husky Brewing– 909 E. Locust St., Milwaukee, WI. Founded in 2010, Black Husky Brewing started in a log cabin in Pembine, WI, inspired by the founders’ sled dog kennel. The brewery, named after their husky Howler, expanded to Milwaukee in response to demand, maintaining its personal touch despite growth, and still honors the memory of the kennel’s 23 dogs. This brewery is perfect for all you dog lovers. And yes, your dog is welcome to accompany you inside the taproom and outside on the patio as long as they’re leashed. You can sample one or more of their 12 beers and have a snack like a hot pretzel or gourmet popcorn.
- Good City Brewing–East Side 2108 N Farwell Ave., Milwaukee, WI. This is their brewery where all the beer is brewed, packaged and then distributed to their taprooms and local partners. In addition to their various craft beers, the brewery features a family friendly atmosphere, weekend brunch, dog friendly patio and a rooftop deck. Their food has even been featured on Travel Channel’s Food Paradise. Good City Brewing- Deer District 333 W. Juneau Ave., Milwaukee, WI which is located in the heart of downtown Milwaukee. This location features a dog friendly patio and open kitchen.
- The Brewery– 1101 North Water Street, Milwaukee, WI. The Brewery is located in Milwaukee’s entertainment district and was originally opened in 1987 as Water Street Brewery as Milwaukee’s first brewpub. It closed down during the pandemic and recently reopened in 2022 with a new re-envisioned concept known as The Brewery. All of their beer is brewed in house just like it has been since 1987. If you are looking for a fun, party vibe then The Brewery is your place. It features, pool tables, shuffleboard, darts, lounge type seating, and DJ’s on Friday and Saturday nights. If you work up an appetite from all the activity, you can pair your beer with an appetizer, burger, or dessert.
- Hacienda Taproom and Kitchen– 2018 E. North Ave., Milwaukee, WI . Hacienda is located in Milwaukee’s East Side neighborhood and features 11 beers on draft, wine, seltzer cocktails, and a full kitchen showcasing delectable Texicana-inspired cuisine carefully crafted to complement Hacienda beer.
- Dead Bird Brewing Co– 1726 Dr. William Finlayson St., Milwaukee, WI. The building was constructed in 1904 and initially served as Milwaukee’s first delivery grocery service, later transforming into a book bindery. After more than a century has passed since its inception, today it stands as a brewery and uses environmentally friendly initiatives. Dead Bird Brewing Co has 11 craft beers to sample while you wash down some appetizers or pizza.
- Central Waters Brewing Co– 1037 W Juneau Avenue, Milwaukee, WI. You’ll love the history of this building, as the brewery sits in what used to be a church and is located in The Brewery District. It has an impressive 24 beers on tap and 17 can and bottle pours- there’s something for everyone. Central Waters Brewing Co has partnered with Trouble Makers Cocina. The chefs have puts a spin on Mexican food with creations like Street Corn loaded fries, BBQ chicken flatbread, and a fish fry on Fridays.
- On Tap– 1203 N 10th Street, Milwaukee, WI. This brewery is located inside The Brewhouse Inn and Suites which is located in the former Pabst Brewing Company’s Mill House building. While there, enjoy the large selection of local brews, Wisconsin- inspired pub food, and cocktails all while immersed in historic architecture and an outdoor patio.
Stay for the Weekend
As listed above the On Tap brewery is located in The Brewhouse Inn and Suites. This beautiful historic boutique hotel is now housed in what formerly was the Pabst Brewery Brew House. Some of the brewery tours listed above even pick up and drop off right outside of this hotel, making this hotel stay a no brainer!