Opinion | Milwaukee is No Bud Lite

You know the difference between a mass produced, blasé pour and that of a “fully krausened” mug of perfection. What you might not know is that beer is more of a metaphor than an actual mega-pour for Milwaukee these days.

Sure, Milwaukee is still known for several breweries that call this beer town their home, but the grandiose days when Milwaukee was once home to four of the world’s largest beer breweries -Schlitz, Blatz, Pabst and Miller – is just a memory. Point being, bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better, especially when it comes to metaphors or cities.

I think of the city of Milwaukee as a fine craft brew: small, independent and traditional. These qualities describe craft beer as well as a desirable place to call home.

Living in a metropolis is like having to drink Budweiser every day: mass amounts of mediocrity with little variation in authenticity. By contrast, Milwaukee delivers an interesting glass full of appearance, mouth-feel, aroma and flavor.
Milwaukee has earned the nickname, “City of Festivals.” The city hosts the Wisconsin State Fair, as well as Summerfest. In addition, the site is home to a variety of ethnic festivals throughout the summer.

Festivals for the LGBT (PrideFest) and Polish (Polish Fest) communities are held in June. Festivals in July include: French (Bastille Days), Greek, Italian (Festa Italiana) and German (German Fest). In the months of August and September one can partake in African, Arab, Irish, Mexican and American Indian events.

The diverse offerings don’t end there. After enjoying an annual summer of cultural experiences, I take advantage of local restaurants serving ethnic cuisines including German, Italian, Russian, French, Serbian, Polish, Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Mexican and Indian specialties.

All that food makes me thirsty—which brings me back to beer. With a bar on every corner, Milwaukee makes it easy to quench one’s thirst, be that literally parched or a symbolic thirst for desired quality of life…on a beer budget.

Milwaukee again delivers a barrel full when it comes to culture, the arts and entertainment. Professional sports teams, museums and theaters offer top-notch leisure experiences, all reasonably priced compared to other major cities.

Add cost of living into the vat and Milwaukee’s cream rises to the top. I am reminded of what a fine city Milwaukee is every time I visit another large municipality. The flavor of a strange brew doesn’t taste quite right, and I find myself reaching for a favorite cold one.

That’s my Milwaukee: a fine craft beer of a city.