Wisconsin’s Craft Beverages – Raise a Glass
Air Date: 03/23/2019 - 03/24/2019
Here in Wisconsin, there is a rich culture of craft beverages that encompasses a long list of places to check out throughout the state. Hosts Mariah and Eric decide to knock some of those spots off by visiting three major craft hubs of the state, and get a look behind-the-scenes of their beverage production. They begin their travels in La Crosse County, where Mariah gets involved at Lost Island Wine and Skeleton Crew Brew. As a location thats both a winery and brewery, they offer a variety of options for their patrons. And not far away, Eric gets a tour of one of the oldest and more established breweries of the area, Pearl Street Brewery, known for it’s creative flavors.
Next stop is on the other side of the state, not far off the Mascoutin Valley State Trail, near the Ripon Area. Mariah gets too see a harvest in action at Vines and Rushes Winery, while also getting to enjoy some wood-fired pizza and live music in their tasting room. Eric has a very different experience in Ripon, as he heads to a 1962 schoolhouse where Rushford Meadery and Winery have redesigned their tasting and production rooms, providing a fun and unique experience. They’re also one of the few locations in the state for locally harvested and produced mead.
Finally, Eric makes his way north to the Stevens Point Area and gets a taste of some strong, distilled beverages at Great Northern Distillery in Plover, WI. And Mariah takes a look at one of the larger craft brewers in the state, Central Waters Brewing, where they invite her to see their processes and huge barrel-aging room. Mariah doesn’t leave the Stevens Point Area without making an appearance at their Tourism Takeover event, where all their craft beverage producers come together for great music and good times.
So grab a cold one and join us; As we raise-a-glass to some of the best Craft Beverages Wisconsin has to offer.
this Episode
Browse our Photos
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Cinematographers James Donovan and Andy O'Connell get different angles of the band on stage at the Tourism Takeover event in Stevens Point.
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Cinematographer James Donovan gets up close and personal with a batch of beer to get an interior shot of the brew, at Turtle Stack Brewery.
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Producer Brian Mohsenian gets a two-shot of Host Eric Paulsen and head distiller Brian Cummins as they get a taste of the whiskey right from the barrel, at Great Northern Distillery.
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A shot from Stevens Point Brewery, of some of their classic brews as well as their Cider Boys hard cider.
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A shot of Central Waters' bottling line, busy in action with some newly brewed Octoberfest Lager.
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Host Mariah Haberman helps out at Lost Island Wines, bottling and boxing their wine.
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Producer Brian Mohsenian and cinematographer Teddy Maier film the process of harvesting grapes right off the vine at Vines and Rushes Winery in Ripon.
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Cinematographer Teddy Maier prepares to film a key shot of Ryan Prellwitz pouring a glass of wine at Vines and Rushes Winery in Ripon.
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Cinematographer James Donovan getting a great moving shot of a flight of brews at Turtle Stack Brewery.
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A nice glass of one of Turtle Stack Brewery's seasonal brews, enjoyed by Producer Brian Mohsenian (once we've gotten the shot, of course).
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Host Mariah Haberman gets involved at Lost Island Wine in La Crosse.
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Host Mariah Haberman and Central Waters Brewmaster Anello Mollica pose for a picture at the end of our shoot, beers in hand.
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A drone shot of the Levitt Amp Music Series - Tourism Takeover event, in Stevens Point.
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Cinematographer James Donovan takes aim at the Tourism Takeover event in Stevens Point.
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A peek inside the brick oven at Vines and Rushes Winery in Ripon.
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Cinematographer James Donovan gets a nice side shot of the band on stage at the Tourism Takeover event in Stevens Point.
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A newly packaged box of Central Waters' Octoberfest Lager flies down their production line.
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Cinematographer James Donovan instructs Host Eric Paulsen on how close to the vine he wants him to stand for his confessional, at Rushford Meadery and Winery in Ripon.
La Crosse
As the largest Wisconsin city along the Mississippi River, the La Crosse area provides weary travelers plenty of places and events to explore. Perhaps its most popular draw is the renowned Grandad Bluff, which overlooks parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota and even Iowa. This area is also well known for its festivals – such as The Bluffs Beer, Wine & Cheese Festival and Oktoberfest – so plan your trip accordingly! And don’t skip town before making your way to downtown La Crosse. You’ll be thoroughly impressed by the city’s award-winning restaurants and vibrant nightlife. Whether you’re up for an exciting trip, a relaxing getaway, or just a good craft beverage, La Crosse has a little something for everyone.
Browse our Photos
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Fall colors in La Crosse | Photo by Gary Flohr
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The crew films aboard an airboat in the La Crosse area.
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The La Crosse area offers plenty of waterways to explore.
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The water reflects an autumn view of the bluffs of La Crosse | Photo by Heather Watson
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Mariah and the #DWcrew jumped aboard an airboat while exploring the water trails of La Crosse!
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Producer Joshua Stabenau films in La Crosse.
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Nelson Park on French Island overlooking Lake Onalaska | Photo by Stacey Kammel
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Say hello to producer Joshua Stabenau!
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Ripon Area
Coasting down the Mascoutin Valley State Trail, you find yourself in the area of Ripon, a small town in South Central Wisconsin. Nothing tells Ripon’s story better than it’s rich Craft Beverage scene. Right off the trail on your way into town lies Vines and Rushes Winery on the Prellwitz Family Farm. Known for their locally harvested wine right from their own vineyard, Vines and Rushes also serves wood-fired, brick-oven pizza, and has a steady stream of local musicians that perform live in their tasting room every Friday and Saturday. And not too far away is the Hendricks Family Distillery, where they make their award-winning Pure Class Vodka. As the name suggests, the Hendricks’ use artisan distillation to achieve a very high proof potato vodka. Once you make it into downtown Ripon, Knuth Brewing Company is a great spot to stop for a beer and some grub. Right in the heart of downtown, David Knuth meticulously brews his small batches to ensure quality, and uses only locally-sourced ingredients in his brews, as well as in his wood-fired pizza and coffee. Here, you can see right into the small brewery, with David hard at work making each batch by hand. On your way out of Ripon, you might pass what you think to be a small, old schoolhouse. Rushford Meadery and Winery encompasses 6 classrooms of the 1962 schoolhouse they have taken over, where they craft and serve a variety of sweet and dry meads, as well as wines, right from their own vineyard. Ripon is a small community, yet full of quality and unique experiences that you can’t get anywhere else.
Browse our Photos
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Producer Brian Mohsenian and cinematographer Teddy Maier film the process of harvesting grapes right off the vine at Vines and Rushes Winery in Ripon.
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A peek inside the brick oven at Vines and Rushes Winery in Ripon.
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Cinematographer Teddy Maier prepares to film a key shot of Ryan Prellwitz pouring a glass of wine at Vines and Rushes Winery in Ripon.
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Cinematographer James Donovan instructs Host Eric Paulsen on how close to the vine he wants him to stand for his confessional, at Rushford Meadery and Winery in Ripon.
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Stevens Point Area
The Stevens Point Area is nestled in the center of Wisconsin, with a vibrant community is intertwined with the love of outdoor recreation, craft brewing and the arts. When the area was founded, the logging industry and trading posts defined the location. With help from the Wisconsin River, the railroad and rich soil, the area continued to prosper. Today, you’ll find a mix of industry (including headquarters for Sentry Insurance, Delta Dental, and Skyward) and a strong commitment to the environment (home to the world’s largest renewable energy fair, the nation’s first college of natural resources at the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point and the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame). Natural resources are mixed with arts and culture, with public art dotted throughout the communities, including the city-owned Stevens Point Sculpture Park that connects to the Green Circle Trail, a popular 27-mile recreational trail. Local flavor and farm to fork is not a passing fad in the Stevens Point Area. The state’s oldest farmers market is still held in the same spot in downtown Stevens Point, and the 160-year old Stevens Point Brewery is still a staple here along with the other breweries, wineries and distillery that make up the Central Wisconsin Craft Collective. A booming restaurant scene accentuates the local food and craft beverage scene, from a strong local food movement, classic Wisconsin supper clubs and everything in between.
Browse our Photos
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Host Mariah Haberman and Central Waters Brewmaster Anello Mollica pose for a picture at the end of our shoot, beers in hand.
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Cinematographer James Donovan gets a nice side shot of the band on stage at the Tourism Takeover event in Stevens Point.
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A drone shot of the Levitt Amp Music Series - Tourism Takeover event, in Stevens Point.
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Cinematographers James Donovan and Andy O'Connell get different angles of the band on stage at the Tourism Takeover event in Stevens Point.
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A shot of Central Waters' bottling line, busy in action with some newly brewed Octoberfest Lager.
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A newly packaged box of Central Waters' Octoberfest Lager flies down their production line.
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![Steven Point's portion of the Wisconsin River stuns at dusk. [Photo by Marla Cummings]](http://discoverwisconsin.com/content/uploads/2014/02/Stevens-Point_Wisconsin-River_Photo-by-Marla-Cummings-200x200.jpg)
Steven Point's portion of the Wisconsin River stuns at dusk. [Photo by Marla Cummings]
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![Stevens Point's popular City Band concerts draw folks to the riverfront every Wednesday night during the summer at Pfiffner Pioneer Park. [Photo by Olivia Locascio]](http://discoverwisconsin.com/content/uploads/2014/02/Stevens-Point_Riverfront-Rendezvous_Photo-by-Olivia-Locascio-200x200.jpg)
Stevens Point's popular City Band concerts draw folks to the riverfront every Wednesday night during the summer at Pfiffner Pioneer Park. [Photo by Olivia Locascio]
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![Sample some vino at Sunset Point Winery in downtown Point. [Photo by Casey Konopacky]](http://discoverwisconsin.com/content/uploads/2014/02/Stevens-Point_Sunset-Point-Winery_Photo-by-Casey-Konopacky-200x200.jpg)
Sample some vino at Sunset Point Winery in downtown Point. [Photo by Casey Konopacky]
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Mariah explores the Sculpture Park (and finds a new office chair!) in Stevens Point
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There are plenty of trails in the Stevens Point Area that run right alongside the Wisconsin River.
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![City Band concerts are held on the riverfront every Wednesday night during the summer at Pfiffner Pioneer Park in Stevens Point. [Photo by Olivia Locascio]](http://discoverwisconsin.com/content/uploads/2014/02/Stevens-Point_Riverfront-Rendezvous2_Photo-by-Olivia-Locascio-200x200.jpg)
City Band concerts are held on the riverfront every Wednesday night during the summer at Pfiffner Pioneer Park in Stevens Point. [Photo by Olivia Locascio]
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Mariah has some luck fly-fishing on the Wisconsin River in the Stevens Point Area.
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![Hop off the river and discover the Schmeekle Reserve in the Stevens Point Area. [Photo by KT Elements]](http://discoverwisconsin.com/content/uploads/2014/02/Stevens-Point_Schmeekle-Reserve_SavannahTrl2_Photo-by-KT-Elements-200x200.jpg)
Hop off the river and discover the Schmeekle Reserve in the Stevens Point Area. [Photo by KT Elements]
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Sunset Point Winery opened its doors in 2014. Its tasting room This room has a warm and cozy feel with hardwood floors lofted ceiling and even six comfy swings to sit back and relax in.
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Little kids (and big ones, too!) join in some parade fun during the City Band concert on the riverfront in Stevens Point.
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The Stevens Point Brewery, one of the oldest breweries in the nation, is one of four breweries in the Stevens Point Area.
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No trip to the Stevens Point Area is complete without a visit to Belt’s Soft Serve, home of the large (and they mean LARGE) cone!
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Conveniently located in the center of the state, the Stevens Point area is a recreationalist playground in the heart of central Wisconsin.
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Green Circle Trail along WI River: The Green Circle Trail is a 26-mile trail that loops the Stevens Point Area.
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Walk through a historic aging barrel from the Stevens Point Brewery to enjoy a local favorite at the Hilltop Pub & Grill.
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There are a lot of dining options in the Stevens Point Area, including Father Fats, a tapas restaurant in downtown Stevens Point.
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Paddle your way through the Stevens Point Area, including the popular Plover River route, from Jordan Park to Iverson Park. Don’t have your own kayak or canoe? Local outfitters are available.
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O’so Brewing Company in Plover is a craft beer lover’s paradise, with 40 Wisconsin beers on tap, with viewing windows into the working craft brewery. Photo by Eva Donohoo
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Winter isn't meant to spent inside! Check out the fun winter activities, like sledding, tobogganing, ice skating, skiing and more in the Stevens Point Area. Photo by KT Elements.
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The Stevens Point Farmers Market is a great place to explore the local flavor, held in the same location since 1853, six days a week during the growing season. Photo by KT Elements
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Fun is found all over the Stevens Point Area, including on one of 800+ campsites in the area. Photo by KT Elements.
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Prefer to have fun on wheels? The Stevens Point Area is a great place to bike, skate and more. Pictured: Stevens Point Skate Park in Bukolt Park.
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Stroll past towering pines, along a stream and through wetlands to discover the connection between nature and the arts in the 20-acre Stevens Point Sculpture Park. Photo by KT Elements
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Great Northern Distilling in Plover, is central Wisconsin’s first and only craft distillery making handcrafted spirits and cocktails from fresh local ingredients.
![Steven Point's portion of the Wisconsin River stuns at dusk. [Photo by Marla Cummings]](http://discoverwisconsin.com/content/uploads/2014/02/Stevens-Point_Wisconsin-River_Photo-by-Marla-Cummings-1024x683.jpg)
![Stevens Point's popular City Band concerts draw folks to the riverfront every Wednesday night during the summer at Pfiffner Pioneer Park. [Photo by Olivia Locascio]](http://discoverwisconsin.com/content/uploads/2014/02/Stevens-Point_Riverfront-Rendezvous_Photo-by-Olivia-Locascio-683x1024.jpg)
![Sample some vino at Sunset Point Winery in downtown Point. [Photo by Casey Konopacky]](http://discoverwisconsin.com/content/uploads/2014/02/Stevens-Point_Sunset-Point-Winery_Photo-by-Casey-Konopacky-683x1024.jpg)
![City Band concerts are held on the riverfront every Wednesday night during the summer at Pfiffner Pioneer Park in Stevens Point. [Photo by Olivia Locascio]](http://discoverwisconsin.com/content/uploads/2014/02/Stevens-Point_Riverfront-Rendezvous2_Photo-by-Olivia-Locascio-683x1024.jpg)
![Hop off the river and discover the Schmeekle Reserve in the Stevens Point Area. [Photo by KT Elements]](http://discoverwisconsin.com/content/uploads/2014/02/Stevens-Point_Schmeekle-Reserve_SavannahTrl2_Photo-by-KT-Elements-1024x678.jpg)
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Have an event for this area that you would like featured on DiscoverWisconsin.com?
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