The Beermuda Triangle of Madison

***Update: coming soon – Beermuda Triangle t-shirts created in cooperation with Trevor Easton of ALT Brew***

Like some sort of freak of nature, sometimes there seems to be a magical force that draws great craft beers together. Such is the case in Madison, Wisconsin where several breweries, craft-beer bars, craft-friendly restaurants, and top-notch liquor stores have come together to form what I call The Beermuda Triangle. And much like the Bermuda one that this pun is drawn from, once you go in, you may not find your way out. If you even want to.

(taken from Wisconsin’s Best Beer Guide with author’s permission)

Situated on Madison’s East Side and reaching up into the North Side, the Beermuda Triangle is home to five excellent Madison breweries: Ale Asylum, Karben4, Alt Brew, One Barrel Brewing, and Next Door Brewing. These breweries, very distinct in style and tastes, are enough to base your weekend around. Ale Asylum, Karben4, and Next Door have full menus as well, while One Barrel and ALT Brew have great short menus with snacks, appetizers and pizzas. (ALT Brew, Wisconsin’s only all-gluten-free brewery, also has free pinball, so there’s that!)

Madison’s best beer bar, The Malt House, lies within, as does the phenomenal neighborhood pub with great grub, Dexter’s. Alchemy is another foodie favorite with a fine curated tap list. In summer, you can even catch a baseball game inside the Beermuda Triangle: the Northwoods League Madison Mallards play at the triangle’s northernmost point where you’ll also find Madison’s Great Dane Brewpub serves its beers (and a few others) in the Duck Blind overlooking the field.

You can find more great insider tips and beer-travel advice (and many free and discount beer offers!) in Wisconsin’s Best Beer Guide, your passport to the breweries of Wisconsin and a must-have for your next beer-focused road trip. Makes a great gift for the craft beer enthusiast.

See my Michigan and Minnesota versions of this brewery road-trip guide: