You can’t live in central Wisconsin without at least having heard of Central Waters Brewing Co. located in Amherst. One of the founding breweries of the Midwest Hops and Barley Coop, Central Waters is committed to sustainability, amazing beer, and working with the locals to produce an amazing experience. I highly recommend taking a trip out to see them, or at the very least picking up a sixer from your local liquor store. 

Last weekend they held their Twenty-Two release party, and it was soo much fun (I think there were over 2,000 people who made it out). As you all know, I’m not the biggest dark beer drinker, however, Twenty-Two is something else…. But who are we kidding? All of Central Waters beers are something else.

When you first walk in, they give you your fancy Twenty-Two glass so you can pass up on the plastic and step into their awesome tap room ready to go. That’s where I filled it with their amazing Brewer’s Reserve Barleywine. Cannot get enough of that stuff but that wasn’t the main event, so I’ll forgo my raptures for another time. The main event was in the warehouse where there were also three other trailers spouting all sorts of options from the infamous Black Gold and Maple Barrel Stout to the solid staples, Rift IPA and Mudpuppy Porter – all for $4 a pour. 

While mulling through the crowd and enjoying all the beer, Art Stevenson & High Water and Sloppy Joe were live during the entire event. Both amazing bluegrass groups that added so much to the atmosphere and I loved that the wall of barrels was their back drop. Local food vendors were around to fill your belly too, but I was most excited to see (and taste) was from B&E’s Trees. A farm located in Southwest Wisconsin, B&E’s has been collaborating with Central Waters for quite a few years to age their beautiful maple syrup in bourbon barrels provided by the brewery. The result? Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Syrup you can buy by the pint (something that will kick your breakfast game up a few notches). Those same barrels are then shipped back to Central Waters to age the memorable Maple Barrel Stout. Gotta love it. 

Now, for real, let’s talk about that Twenty-Two. A celebration of 22 years in business, Central Waters anniversary, limited edition stout is… again… something else. A traditional bourbon barrel stout, Twenty-Two is aged for two years in bourbon barrels which gives it a distinct bourbon flavor you won’t find anywhere else. Black as pitch with a ring of dark lace around the edge, if you’re a stout drinker you HAVE to make your way out to Central Waters. You won’t find it in stores or brewpubs, only at Central Waters brewery. Part of this party is to allow fans to buy up to 6 bottles of Twenty-Two to take home. Needless to say, my parents now have a stockpile of the stuff in the beer fridge to enjoy until the next anniversary (which I hope to see you at). 

I’ll definitely be back at Central Waters in the future so we can talk about all my other favorite beers they have on tap in another post 😉 

In the meantime, I highly encourage you to explore their beer list and even take a brewery tour. They’re held every Saturday at 3pm. If you see a short red-head in the crowd, be sure to stop and say ‘hi Steph’!  

Check ’em out!

351 Allen St. Amherst