Cocktails in Madison, WI

[EatYourChemistry]

Hi friendly eGullet folks,

I'm heading to Madison, WI for the first time this weekend. We'll be dining at L'Etoile on Saturday evening, and we're really excited about that. After dinner, we'd like to check out the cocktail scene around Madison. Being from Chicago, we've been spoiled lately for good cocktails (our favorites include the Violet Hour, the Whistler, and Weegee's Lounge).

Does anyone have any suggestions for the best place(s) for cocktails in Madison? We're staying right near the capitol, so more centrally located spots would be preferred. Also, are there any small distilleries that I should be on the lookout for? I'm a big gin fan, and love to try any products from microdistillers.

[Alcuin]

Word that there's a cocktail renaissance occurring hasn't quite made it to Madison. You can't go into a bar and ask for something like an Aviation and get one and if you ask for a martini or a manhattan you're likely to get a glass of cold booze with very little vermouth and no bitters, shaken. Even if you specify ratios, it doesn't matter. There are very few (I've not discovered any, but I guess it's possible...) bartenders who are students of the cocktail here.

If you ask for an Old Fashioned, you'll get a double OF glass with plenty of muddled fruit, some bitters, brandy, and topped with soda or Sprite. These have their charm, but sophisticated drinks they are not. If you want a good one of these, go to the Old Fashioned (two doors down from L'Etoile) or the Tornado Room (diagonally across the square on Hamilton St).

If you are looking for something like The Violet Hour or anything in the same galaxy, you won't find it. I would actually suggest beer personally, since there is a good beer culture here: try the Great Dane or the Old Fashioned--both are close to L'Etoile and have good beer lists (the Great Dane makes their own and they are quite good--otherwise check out Ale Asylum or Lake Louie, two outstanding WI beer makers).

If you really have to have a cocktail, there's a tiny bar in L'Etoile--you might be able to guide the bartender there to making your drink. Otherwise, the scene's pretty much the same all over. The best candidates for you would be Maduro's (they have plenty of bitters and a decent selection of liqueurs, but don't be fooled, in my experience they don't know how to use them) and the Tornado Room.

[EatYourChemistry]

Alcuin,

Thanks for the info. Its too bad that the cocktail scene hasn't hit Madison yet. Considering the fact that I hadn't heard any rumblings about a great cocktail bar, I was worried about this. But, I was hoping for some insiders information that could point me to a hidden gem or two.

We are eminently excited about the beer scene, though. I'm eagerly awaiting a few pints of draft New Glarus beer. They don't distribute in Illinois, and I always stock up when I'm in Wisconsin.

With a new twist to the post, maybe folks could suggest their favorite local establishments for beer?

[Alcuin]

Alcuin,

Thanks for the info. Its too bad that the cocktail scene hasn't hit Madison yet. Considering the fact that I hadn't heard any rumblings about a great cocktail bar, I was worried about this. But, I was hoping for some insiders information that could point me to a hidden gem or two.

We are eminently excited about the beer scene, though. I'm eagerly awaiting a few pints of draft New Glarus beer. They don't distribute in Illinois, and I always stock up when I'm in Wisconsin.

With a new twist to the post, maybe folks could suggest their favorite local establishments for beer?

←

New Glarus is good. If you like IPAs, though, you should definitely try Ale Asylum's Ballistic and if you get a chance to go to the Great Dane, check out their Speed bump IPA--it's really bitter and citrusy. They also have a stout that has amazing vanilla notes and I like their Scotch ale too. Lake Louie beer is really good too--give that a try if you haven't had it.

For beer, many places around town have good lists. The Old Fashioned has a good one and you can soak up the WI ambiance. The Dane I've already mentioned too for their own beers. All in all though, you'd be hard pressed to go to a place that doesn't have something interesting on tap. If you can make it and it's nice out, go to the Terrace of Memorial Union for beer. It might be a bit chilly, but in the warmer months there's maybe no better place in the world (that's right, I said it) to drink beer than on the terrace. It might still be worth checking out even if the weather isn't cooperating for the charm of the Rathskeller which is painted with German murals, has a nice fireplace and a decent collection of steins. I like to get Spaten's Optimator or Bell's Two Hearted Ale when I'm there. Beware though, it is a union so anything could be happening there (from students just eating lunch to a bluegrass concert).

[EatYourChemistry]

Alcuin, thanks for all your advice. We had a great time in Madison the other weekend. You were definitely accurate in your assessment of Ale Asylum's Ballistic IPA - what a tasty treat! Some forward citrus, but tempered by a smack of sulfur to make sure you know that hops aren't just docile and fruity! We made sure to stock up on that before we returned to Chicago.

We had fantastic weather, so the terrace at the Rathskeller was open and hopping. A few pitchers there never hurt anybody.

And thanks a lot for your recommendation of the Old Fashioned. They had great beer and excellent food. We went for dinner on Friday, and then brunch on Sunday, too!

[Jean Blanchard]

I loved Old Fashioned last fall when I visited Madison. In fact, it got me on a short kick of drinking old fashions again. I also thought their food was excellent and service very friendly. How was your meal at L'Toile? We had a great meal their with the wine pairing. I think we'll redo that trip again this fall when the farmers market is really in full swing.