How We Picked These Breweries
Wisconsin has more than 200 craft brewing licenses active in the state, which makes any 'best' list a genuine editorial decision. The picks here are actual brewing operations, not just bars with good tap lists. Each one produces beer or spirits on-site, offers something you can only get at that location, and earns consistently high ratings from visitors. The list spreads geographically, from Milwaukee's riverfront north to Green Bay and west to La Crosse and Baraboo, so you'll find at least one within range of wherever your Wisconsin Travel Guide trip takes you.
A few practical notes: brewery hours shift seasonally, and tours at the busiest spots book out on summer weekends. If you're pairing a brewery visit with an overnight stay, the Hotels and Resorts directory covers lodging options near each of these locations. Call ahead between November and March, when some smaller brewpubs reduce hours.
Sprecher Brewing Company, Glendale
Sprecher was founded in 1985 in Glendale, just north of Milwaukee on West Glendale Ave, making it one of Wisconsin's original craft breweries. The guided tour runs about 45 minutes, covers the fire-brewed production process, and ends with a tasting that includes both beer and Sprecher's well-known craft sodas. The fire-brewed root beer is the crowd draw, the honey-based ginger ale is worth trying, and seasonal fruit sodas rotate through spring and summer. Tour tickets run approximately $8 to $12 per person (estimate) and include generous pours of both the beer and soda lines.
What makes Sprecher particularly useful for mixed groups is that non-beer-drinkers leave just as satisfied. The soda line is a serious product, not an afterthought, and the gift shop carries sodas, syrups, and mustards to take home. Weekend tour slots fill in summer, so book a few days ahead for Saturday visits from June through August. Weekday afternoon tours often run with smaller groups, which means more direct access to the guides.
Lakefront Brewery, Milwaukee
Lakefront Brewery sits on the Milwaukee River at 1872 N Commerce St in the Riverwest neighborhood, and its Friday night fish fry is one of the more specifically Wisconsin experiences available in a brewery setting: a polka band, local beer on draft, and an evening crowd that fills the hall early. Tours run Thursday through Sunday most weeks and include four beer tokens plus complimentary cheese curds and a pretzel at the tasting room finish. The tap list rotates and includes the certified-organic Organic ESB along with a reliable selection of ales and seasonal releases.
The building is a large converted industrial space right on the river, with outdoor seating available from May through September. Lakefront is part of the Milwaukee brewing legacy that stretches to the city's German settlement era in the mid-1800s. If you're spending more than a day in Milwaukee, pair a Lakefront tour with the nearby Public Market in the Historic Third Ward, about two miles south along the RiverWalk.
Copper State Brewing Co, Green Bay
Copper State operates a brewpub at 313 Dousman St in downtown Green Bay, a few miles from Lambeau Field. The building dates to the 1800s and has exposed brick and heavy wood that makes a good case for staying for a second pint. The tap list focuses on clean ales and IPAs brewed on-site, with occasional sours and seasonal releases. The kitchen produces real food, not just fryer output: composed burgers, thoughtful sides, and appetizers that come out full-sized.
If you're visiting the Door County & the Bay region, Green Bay is a natural overnight stop on the way up the peninsula and Copper State handles that dinner role well. On Packers game weekends it fills early, so plan to arrive before the evening rush or check whether reservations are available for your date.
Driftless Glen Distillery, Baraboo
Technically a distillery rather than a brewery, Driftless Glen earns its spot here because the experience outperforms most brewery tours in the state and the spirits are worth the detour. Located at 300 Water St in Baraboo right along the Baraboo River, about 15 minutes south of Wisconsin Dells, Driftless Glen produces whiskey and brandy from Wisconsin grain. Guided tasting flights run approximately $10 to $20 per person (estimate). The outdoor patio with river views makes a strong case for arriving late afternoon after a morning on the East Bluff trail at Devil's Lake State Park.
The full-service restaurant at Driftless Glen runs dinner most evenings and a lunch menu that's considerably more ambitious than what you'd expect alongside a distillery: actual composed plates, not just fried bar food. Reservations on weekend evenings are recommended. If you're combining Baraboo with the Dells, this is the dinner option that earns its own reason to visit.
Moosejaw Pizza & Dells Brewing Co, Wisconsin Dells
Moosejaw combines a full-service restaurant with an upstairs brewing operation at 110 Wisconsin Dells Pkwy S, right in the middle of the Dells commercial strip. The house beers are brewed on-site and available in flights alongside thick-crust pan pizzas made with house dough. Like Sprecher, Moosejaw also produces its own root beer and sodas in-house, which means groups with mixed preferences don't have to negotiate a separate stop. The atmosphere is family-oriented and the space is large enough to absorb the summer crowd without feeling tight.
If your trip includes a stop from the Best Water Parks in Wisconsin list, Moosejaw is a practical dinner option after a day at Noah's Ark or the Kalahari. Portions are generous, and the house beer gives you something local to try. Peak season in July and August means weekend waits of 30 to 45 minutes by 6 p.m., so plan to arrive before 5:30 or put your name in when you get off the waterslide.
Bodega Brew Pub, La Crosse
Bodega Brew Pub at 122 4th St S in downtown La Crosse has the kind of worn-in feel that comes from serving a neighborhood long-term rather than building for tourist traffic. The tap list centers on Bodega's own in-house brews with a few guest handles mixed in. The food leans toward pub standards done well: Reuben sandwiches with actual corned beef on marbled rye, burgers, soup. Friday evenings fill up; arriving before 6 p.m. saves a wait.
La Crosse sits along the Mississippi River about 3.5 hours west of Milwaukee on I-90, and Bodega fits naturally into any drive along the Great River Road through the Driftless Area. For a sense of the geographic range of Wisconsin's independent brewing scene, Bodega covers the southwest corner while the Best Things to Do in Door County covers the northeast. The two ends of the state aren't as different in this regard as their distance apart would suggest.
Quick Comparison
Sprecher and Lakefront in the Milwaukee area are the strongest choices when you want a guided tour with structured tastings. Sprecher has the edge for mixed groups with non-drinkers, thanks to its craft soda line. Lakefront is the pick for the full Milwaukee brewery history experience and that Friday night fish fry. Copper State in Green Bay is the best dinner-and-pint stop for visitors heading up the Door Peninsula. Driftless Glen in Baraboo is the right call when you want a genuine distillery experience with a serious restaurant, especially after a day at Devil's Lake. Moosejaw in Wisconsin Dells is the most family-friendly option and the least demanding in terms of planning. Bodega in La Crosse is the most genuinely local spot, with the lowest tourist orientation and a straightforward brewpub ethos.
None of these requires much advance planning beyond a weekend dinner reservation at Driftless Glen or a tour booking at Sprecher or Lakefront. For everything else, walking in works fine outside of peak summer weekends.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best brewery to visit in Wisconsin?
For a full guided tour experience, Sprecher Brewing Company in Glendale and Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee are the two strongest options in the state. Sprecher earns high marks for its combination of craft beer and craft soda tastings, and tour groups stay small enough to be interactive. Lakefront's Friday night fish fry with a polka band is one of the more specifically Wisconsin experiences you can have in a brewery setting. For smaller-city brewpubs, Copper State Brewing Co in Green Bay and Bodega Brew Pub in La Crosse are both reliable, with in-house brewing and full kitchens.
Do Wisconsin breweries offer tours?
Several do. Sprecher Brewing Company and Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee both run structured guided tours with tastings included. Lakefront's tour comes with four beer tokens and complimentary cheese curds and a pretzel. Sprecher's tour covers both beer production and the craft soda line, making it one of the few Wisconsin brewery tours where non-drinkers leave equally satisfied. Expect to pay approximately $8 to $15 per person (estimate) depending on the brewery and what's included. Book ahead for weekend slots at both Milwaukee-area spots, which fill in summer between June and August.
Can I visit Wisconsin breweries without a car?
In Milwaukee, yes. Lakefront Brewery and Sprecher Brewing Company in Glendale are both reachable by rideshare, and Lakefront is walkable from the Historic Third Ward and the Milwaukee RiverWalk. Outside Milwaukee, a car is the practical option. Green Bay, La Crosse, Baraboo, and Wisconsin Dells don't have meaningful public transit for visitors. If you're planning to sample at multiple spots in one day, designate a driver or stay within a single walkable downtown.
When is the best time of year to visit Wisconsin breweries?
Wisconsin breweries operate year-round, and winter is often a good time to visit the Milwaukee spots because tour groups are smaller and the taproom is a natural place to warm up. Summer from June through August brings peak crowds and outdoor seating at spots like Lakefront and Driftless Glen, but also means weekend tours book out faster. Fall is a good season to pair a brewery visit with the landscape: Driftless Glen in Baraboo sits close enough to Devil's Lake State Park that you can combine a late-October hike on the quartzite bluffs with an afternoon tasting flight on the patio.