There is a lot brewing in Racine County
The growing thirst for craft beer by residents and visitors sparked the development of new breweries throughout Racine County over the last few years as well as a beer garden that’s grown exponentially.
These new flavors are making Racine County a prime destination for Midwest hopheads.
Mobcraft Beer,
Waterford
The Village of Waterford is located about 40 minutes from Milwaukee and an hour from Chicago. The beautiful Fox River runs through the heart of downtown Waterford, which is where Henry Schwartz decided to build one of three new locations for his brewery, MobCraft Beer.
Mobcraft Beer
MobCraft started in Madison, WI. Thanks to the innovative crowdsourced beer they produce – along with the recognition received from their Shark Tank appearance – Schwartz and his staff quickly outgrew the location and relocated to Milwaukee, where they continued to expand.
After about four years in Milwaukee, Schwartz, president and co-founder of MobCraft, invested in multiple locations including Denver, Col., Woodstock, Ill., and Waterford, Wis.
“So, we really love this spot,” said Schwartz. “Waterford’s got a lot going on – there are always people doing fun stuff in the community. Every month we brew a new crowd sourced beer and we’ll be doing that here, in Waterford, as well.”
The new brewery is located at 122 N 2nd Street. You can find out more about the new location by visiting their Facebook page: facebook.com/mobcraftbeerwaterford.
THE RUNAWAY MICROPUB AND NANOBREWERY, BURLINGTON
Travel a few miles Southwest from Waterford along the Fox River and you’ll reach Burlington, a beautiful, one-of-a-kind, rural community of Racine County.
The Runaway Micropub and Nanobrewery
Conveniently located in downtown Burlington, The Runaway Micropub and Nanobrewery is owned by Michelle and Bernard Petersen, both originally from the community. What makes The Runaway unique is the small-batched craft beer they produce and their commitment to the progress of their community and the joy of their customers.
“Many of these breweries are family-friendly,” said Michelle. “And that’s something we really wanted to hone in on.”
Bernard, the brewmaster, has been making beer for friends and family for years. The response he received from those who tasted his creations was enough to convince him to launch The Runaway.
A true hophead, Bernard appreciates the variety of breweries cultivating throughout the region.
“On my days off, I like to go visit different breweries,” said Bernard. “In Racine County, you have several choices. It’s becoming a destination.”
The Petersens also promote community engagement by hosting several events throughout the year, including pop-up concerts, food tastings and the annual Loop Day event.
Learn more about The Runaway beer list, events and story by visiting runawayburlington.com.
LITTLEPORT BREWING COMPANY, CITY OF RACINE
Chris and Mark Flynn, owners of Littleport Brewing Company in the City of Racine, are longtime local brewers. Similar to the Petersens, they began making beer at home. In 2011, they helped fight for the rights of homebrewers by lobbying for the ability to share homemade beer with friends, bring it to tastings, and enter it into competitions.
Littleport Brewing Company
In 2016, Chris and Mark purchased and renovated a historic building at 214 3rd Street, Racine, which was built in the 1840s.
The allure of visiting Littleport is more than the beer, it’s the history that each customer will enjoy when they visit and also the camaraderie formed among craft beer enthusiasts.
“People who don’t know each other across the bar, ask what they’re drinking and share what they think about the beer,” said Mark. “And the next thing you know they’re friends,” said Chris.
The Flynns offer seasonal brews, year-round brews and special releases. Learn more about Littleport Brewing Company at littleport-brewing.com.
FRANKSVILLE CRAFT BEER GARDEN, VILLAGE OF CALEDONIA
As Racine County’s first permanent Craft Beer Garden, Franksville Craft Beer Garden (FCBG) adds to the historic legacy of Franksville Memorial Park, which has been a community gathering place since some of the area’s first settlers in 1832.
Franksville Craft Beer Garden, Village of Caledonia
Ken and Molly Michel, co-founders of FCBG, are from Caledonia and Mount Pleasant, respectively. The park itself is located between these communities, making their ownership a perfect fit.
“We grew up playing at Franksville Park as kids,” said Ken. “Now is the happening time in Racine County – that next it place. This is your chance to get on board and you don’t want to miss it.”
According to their website, The FCBG serves a rotation of 16 to 22 Wisconsin craft beers on tap along with cider and wine; in a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere. The park is located at 9614 Northwestern Avenue and the beer garden is open every weekend (Thursday – Sunday) from May to October, starting at 4:30 p.m.
Learn more about the FCBG at hopheadscraftbeer.com/beer-garden.
LOW DAILY BREWERY, CITY OF BURLINGTON
Tim is a professional beermaker who studied under some of the West Coast’s most prominent crafters, and Claire is a retail-wiz with broad experience to manage most of the organizational aspects of the business. Together, with their son Flynn, they returned to Burlington, where Tim grew up, to launch one of the area’s newest breweries, Low Daily.
1 OF US BREWING, VILLAGE OF MOUNT PLEASANT
1 of Us Brewing is a welcoming invitation, a call to be yourself and most importantly – a call to belong. The name was inspired by the movie ‘freaks’ by Todd Browning. 1 of us is a profound concept that is inclusive; indicative of belonging and of community. 1 of us is about family, friends, everyone. Their focus is on producing sessional beers with a bold craft character.