Stoughton, WI

Spent last week at the Crown Point Resort in Stoughton, WI. The beds were a bit uncomfortable, but otherwise, we had a wonderful time there. Apparently, the fishing is a bit off this year as Lake Kegonsa is having some issues with algae. But that didn't stop our crew from catching a whole mess of smallmouth bass, a couple of northern pike, a largemouth bass, a bluegill and even a drum.

We drank an obscene amount of wine, but I'm not going to bother commenting on any of it as it was, by design, mostly of the pedestrian variety. Mostly $10-15 Malbec, Torrontes and red blends that can already be found in the notes of this site. Grilled brats, burgers, fish tacos, catered BBQ, etc. just isn't the time to break out the really good stuff.

But I did want to mention a couple of local beers that I tasted that really stood out from the competition. The Mad Hatter IPA was quite nice with intense citrus and pine aromas and flavors. But as nice that was, the Ale Asylum Satisfaction Jackson IPA was a truly profound experience. Intensely hoppy on the attack, but finishes with a glorious malty sweetness that I admire in a great IPA. Sadly, not available in Kansas.

We also spent an afternoon at the New Glarus Brewery in nearby New Glarus, WI. This was a favorite brewery of mine when I lived in Milwaukee a few years back and I was glad to finally be able to see where the beer comes from. The facility is a stunning sight. It's huge, brand new and no expense has been spared. The outside is visually impressive with lots of stonework and the manufacturing floor is a bewildering maze of what seems like thousands of miles of gleaming stainless steel tubing. I haven't seen a more impressive sight in any California winery. My favorites there were the Stone Soup (a sophisticated Belgian style ale with cherry, bitter almond and aromatic spices), Spotted Cow (a slightly sweet, fruity farmhouse ale) and the hoppy/malty Moon Man "No Coast Pale Ale." If you're ever in Central Wisconsin, this is a must-see operation.