Every year, Black Friday has become one of the most anticipated days on the beer calendar, with a slew of interesting – and often barrel-aged, boozy or both – brews on tap.

Believe it or not, with September not even yet finished, we received our first Black Friday beers update. That's opened the gates and now more news is arriving almost daily.

Here’s what area breweries are doing on Black Friday, Nov. 29, this year. Remember to check back as we will continue to update this guide as information is released by local brewers.

Click the brewery name for a link to its website with address, phone and other information.

Note, too, that the Riverwest Brewing Syndicate is bringing back its shuttle connected Lakefront, Black Husky, Amorphic and Gathering Place on Black Friday. The shuttle starts at Lakefront at 10 a.m. and runs in a continuous loop until 3 p.m.

3 Sheeps Brewing

The Sheboygan brewery brings back its popular annual The Wolf, which will be available at retail in 12-ounce four-pack cans. All three beers listed here will be available at the Sheboygan and Milwaukee taprooms.

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There are two versions:

• The Wolf – Mexican Style Hot Chocolate: Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout with Cocoa Nibs, Cinnamon, Vanilla, and Guajillo Peppers (13.6 percent ABV). A beloved Bourbon Barrel-aged Imperial Stout plus decadent flavors of Mexican hot chocolate. Rich and chocolatey, plus a touch of spice.
• The Wolf – 18 year Elijah Craig: Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout aged in 18 year Elijah Craig barrels (14.1 percent). One of our favorite variants yet. These exceptional barrels impart layers of complexity, with rich notes of caramel, roasty cinnamon, and a hint of dark berry for an unbelievably smooth and drinkable Wolf experience.

A third version is available in 16-ounce four-pack cans only in the taprooms:

• Intramural – Top Shelf (13.5 percent): The Wolf aged in a 1792 barrel.
  Rich layers of chocolate and caramel meet bold barrel character, with notes of bourbon and oak adding depth and complexity to every sip.

Amorphic Beer

Brewer Ron Hockersmith says Riverwest's Amorphic will have two releases this year available for preorder through the brewery's online ordering system two weeks before Black Friday, both in 16-ounce two-pack cans for $16 and in mixed four-packs of two 16-ounce cans each for $30.

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They are, with descriptions from Hockersmith:

• "Infinite Measure" (11.3 percent ABV) – We decided to take one of our most popular porter releases from last year and turned the volume to 11. We start with a massive all-malt mash (no sugar, no extracts) with notes of smooth coffee and chocolate, then threw it into apple brandy barrels for a year along with Belgian Speculoos cookie spices (nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, ginger, mace and a hint of white pepper).
• "2024 J. Henry Major Particles" (12 percent ABV) –This year we partnered with J. Henry and Sons Distillery in Dane for some awesome barrels for our annual barrel aged imperial stout release. This beer will use a mix of rye and bourbon barrels, and we might even have a special rye single barrel keg available on draft starting at 9am on Black Friday since it is currently blowing our minds in the barrel."

The beers will be available for pickup on Black Friday starting at 9 a.m. when the taproom opens early.

Black Husky Brewing

The Riverwest brewery's Tim Eichinger says, "As usual we release our beer on Wednesday and call it Ahead of the Pack since we release two days early. I believe we were the first to release on Wednesday, starting in 2016.

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"We are not releasing a barrel-aged beer because, well, everybody else does that and I am kind of sick of beers that taste like pancake syrup with a shot of 'fill in the blank' spirit. Belgian beers are very unrepresented in craft brewing so like last year we will be brewing a Belgian style beer.

"This year it will be a Belgian Golden Strong with an ABV of 15 percent. We’ll do four-pack 16-ounce cans at $22, tax included.

"We also will have specials on Friday and Saturday of cellared beers and Sunday we will have some recovery liquids for people."

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Broken Bat Brewing

Walker's Point baseball-themed brewery Broken Bat looks to clear the fences with this two-run Black Friday shot that resurrects an early branding effort saluting two home run heroes: Hank Aaron and that other guy.

"755 - The King" – named for Hank Aaron's record-setting career home run tally – is an 8.5 percent imperial stout that will be available on tap and in 16-ounce four-pack cans.

Meanwhile, "762* - "The King" – note the asterisk – is a reference to Barry Bonds' career home run total and is a 10.4 percent bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout. It will be on draft and in 12-ounce, four-pack cans.

Central Waters Brewing

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This Black Friday Central Waters' Milwaukee brewery releases two "uper limited special edition" beers. According to the brewery, "With only one oak of each beer produced, this is one of the most limited releases we have ever done."

Both will be available in 12-ounce cans ($8) with a limit of two cans of each style per person, beginning at 11 a.m. on Black Friday.

Descriptions from the brewery.

Double Rye Barrel Imperial Stout, Crafted in collaboration with Transient Artisan Ales – Indulge in the deep, robust flavors of our Double Rye Barrel Imperial Stout, a limited-edition brew. This stout begins its journey aging in Great Lakes rye whiskey barrels, before finishing in Eastern Kille barrels. The result is a bold, velvety stout with notes of dark chocolate, roasted coffee, and a hint of toasted oak.

Double Rye Barrel English Honey Barleywine Style Ale – Our Double Rye Barrel English Honey Barleywine was crafted to showcase the artistry and depth of local flavors. This barleywine’s journey begins in Great Lakes rye whiskey barrels, where it takes on a bold, spiced complexity, before finishing in Eastern Kille barrels, adding layers of honeyed sweetness and a touch of vanilla. The result is a smooth, full-bodied ale with notes of caramel, dried fruit, and a rich oak finish.

For the first time, both of the 2024 Black Gold variants of Black Gold will be available in Milwaukee.

2024 Black Gold Imperial Stout Aged in Bourbon Barrels – Black Gold is a rich, complex imperial stout, aged to perfection in bourbon barrels. Pouring deep black with a velvety texture, it offers aromas of dark chocolate, roasted coffee, and vanilla, with hints of oak. The flavor is a decadent mix of bittersweet chocolate, espresso, and caramel, rounded out by the warmth of bourbon and a smooth, lingering finish. Ideal for slow sipping, Black Gold is a luxurious stout that showcases the art of barrel aging.

Black Gold: Maple Fudge Imperial Stout Aged in Bourbon Barrels – Experience the indulgence of Black Gold: Maple Fudge, a rich twist on our imperial stout. Aged in bourbon barrels, this beer combines the sweetness of maple syrup with decadent fudge flavors. Pouring a deep black with a tan head, it offers aromas of maple, vanilla, and dark chocolate. The palate is a luxurious blend of maple, fudge, roasted malts, and subtle oak, with the warmth of bourbon adding depth. Perfect for savoring on a cold night.

All four beers will also be available on tap.

Component Brewing

The Bay View taproom will open early, at 11 a.m., on Black Friday, and will have a merch sale, a Stephen's Bakery popup in the taproom from 11 until 2 p.m. and Big O's BBQ truck outside from 3 to 7.

There will also be three new beer releases, which are (with descriptions from Component):

• Barrel-Aged Ho Ho Hold My Beer Christmas Ale (9 percent ABV) – The same base recipe we use for our annual Christmas Ale release, once again aged in Driftless Glen bourbon barrels for over a year before being blended back together and hit with a final round of spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove, orange peel). Will be available on draft in 13-ounce, 9-ounce & 5-ounce pours and in cans to go (singles and four-packs), no purchase limit.
• Barrel-Aged Turtle Sundae Swirled Stout (13 percent) – Our base pastry stout that's been resting in a Heaven Hill barrel for 20+ months, conditioned on pecans, cherries, cocoa nibs, and vanilla for a deep, rich, layered flavor that is chocolatey sweet and perfectly complemented by the effects of the barrel. Will be available on draft in 9-ounce and 5-ounce pours and in bottles to go, limit two bottles per customer.
• Barrel-Aged Swirled Stout Proper (13 percent) – We will have one keg of unconditioned barrel-aged stout available as a taproom-only special for Black Friday. Will be available in 9-ounce or 5-ounce pours only.

Dead Bird Brewing

" We're planning to release our Black Friday favorite Beanut Putter again," says brewer and co-founder Nick Kocis. "This is a big, rich, chocolate peanut butter imperial stout. This year clocks in at 10.2 percent and will be available on tap in taster and 4-ounce pours as well as in 16-ounce cans for $12. 

"We have a very limited number of cans – no more than 150 – of this extra special beer."

Black Friday hours are noon to 6 p.m.

Duesterbeck's Brewing

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The Elkhorn farm brewery's Ben Johnson says there will be two Black Friday beers this year, available only in the family-owned microbrewery's taproom. They are, with Johnson's descriptions:

• Black Hoof Brew, Mexican Hot Chocolate – Our Mexican Hot Chocolate Beer is a rich, decadent brew that captures the comforting flavors of traditional Mexican hot chocolate with a craft beer twist. This dark ale has a velvety, smooth texture with hints of roasted cocoa, cinnamon, and a touch of chili heat, perfectly balanced for warmth and complexity. It offers a bold, inviting aroma of spiced chocolate and subtle vanilla undertones, making each sip a cozy, nostalgic experience with a satisfying kick.
• Roll Out The Aged Barrel 2024, Imperial Stout – Our Imperial Stout, aged for two years in whiskey barrels, is a bold, complex experience that brings depth and refinement to every sip. This full-bodied stout unveils layers of rich dark chocolate, roasted coffee, and caramel, enhanced by the smooth, smoky essence of whiskey from the barrels. The extended aging infuses the beer with a warm, oaky richness, alongside subtle hints of vanilla and charred oak, creating a harmonious blend of sweet and smoky. 

The imperioal stout will be available only in 22-ounce bottles, while the Mexican hot chocolate will be available on tap and to-go in growlers and crowlers.

Eagle Park Brewing

Here's the embarrassment of hoppy riches that Co-founder and Brand Manager Jake Schinker says Eagle Park will release on Black Friday this year, with his descriptions:

• Naughty Water Reserve – Barleywine style ale aged in used bourbon casks for four years. These are some of the first barrels ever filled at our Muskego brewery. Filled in August of 2020.
• Naughty Water - Figgy Pudding – Barleywine style ale aged in used bourbon casks and then aged on almonds, figs and orange peel. This beer is a 12-hour boil barleywine aged for over 2 years in Willett and Heaven Hill barrels.
• Koko Cream Pie – A play on Koko Kleiber Imperial Stout with maple syrup aged in used bourbon casks for two years and then aged on cream of coconut, graham cracker and dried banana.
• Fly By Night – Imperial Stout aged in used bourbon barrels and then aged on over a pound per barrel of Ugandan vanilla beans.
• Immortal Soul: Southern Hemisphere – Imperial India Pale Ale with Riwaka, Nelson Sauvin, Galaxy and Motueka hops. We are using the original Immortal Soul recipe and using these hops in every step of the process from mash hopping through dry hopping. Then we are fermenting the beer with a new British ale yeast that accentuates the bright fruity and citrusy notes of the Australian and New Zealand hop varietals.
• Dragonfruit Orange Mango Slush – Over-fruited style Sour Ale with dragonfruit, orange and mango puree.

Enlightened Brewing

"We will be releasing Cosmic Nihilism Czech dark lager again both available on draft and in cans to go," says co-foundder James Larson.

"Cosmic Nihilism is a Czech Dark Lager at 5.2 percent ABV. It's dark with a beautiful off-white head, and it drinks very light and clean. Flavors of dark fruit and caramel malt with a hint of roasted malt in the aroma."

Plus, Larson says, Enlightened will have a new Rough Draught Series set of beers in its pilot program. There will be three stouts with "some traditional and creative arrangements, (named) in honor of 'Curb Your Enthusiasm'.

"One a dry Irish stout plain and simple (Rope it Stan), one boosted with coffee (Latte Larry) to keep you up before your thanksgiving leftovers and inevitable tryptophan nap and one infused with bourbon and oak without the headache of barrel aging (Do You Respect Wood).

"All of that will be available alongside Sweet Smoke BBQ putting together some Reubens and Rachels (turkey Reubens). We will be opening our doors early with Sweet Smoke ready to rock at noon! Food is available starting at noon until sold out and our hours will be noon-11 p.m."

The Explorium Brewpub

For the seventh year in a row The Explorium brings back a ton of Milwaukee County Stout (MCS) variants on Black Friday.

In addition to five of their own variants, The Explorium will have eight exclusive partner variants, too. The partners provided their own barrels, and will release their brews according to their own schedules throughout Black Friday. Details on these will be added here when they are announced.

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In the meantime, The Explorium's variants are:

• Russell’s Reserve (red can)
• Heaven Hill 10-Year (silver can)
• Henry McKenna 10-Year (gold can)
• Basil Hayden Toast (bronze can)
• Widow Jane Rye (green can)

Plus, The Explorium debuts a new addition to its barrel-aged program: William 1066 Barleywine – Salted Caramel.

The Explorium’s Black Friday releases will be available in mixed six-packs of 12-ounce cans – one of each MCS variant plus a can of the barleywine – as well as individually. Mug Club members can reserve cans in advance.

The Explorium Greendale will begin selling cans at 6 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 29, and will have a brunch buffet with bottomless Bloody Marys, Mimosas and Beermosas until 11 a.m. There will be live music frrom 3 until 6 p.m.

The St. Paul Avenue location will sell cans starting at 9 a.m., with a brunch buffet available until noon.

Faklandia Brewing

Brewer and co-founder Nate Fakler says the St. Francis-based brewery will bring back its Mantaycore Imperial Stout with hazelnut, cinnamon and coconut. The beer, which debuted in 2021 and has returned annually ever since, will be bottled.

The Fermentorium

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"Mark your calendars for Wednesday, Nov. 27," says owner Kristopher Volkman, "we’re bringing you two brand-new creations and welcoming back two seasonal favorites just in time for the holiday season!"

• Sweater Weather – The Fermentorium's beloved, full-bodied imperial milk stout returns to warm your winter nights! Carefully knitted flavors of chocolate and vanilla bring cozy comfort, just like your favorite sweater.
• Salted Caramel Sweater Weather – Taking the cozy vibes up a notch, this new twist on Sweater Weather features more dark crystal malts and nearly a hundred pounds of salted caramel for a rich, indulgent profile perfect for fireside sipping.
• Underwater Panther – This myth-inspired Triple IPA, usually a winter release, arrives early this year! Brewed with Wisconsin honey, it’s powerful, bold, and ready to make a splash in our lineup.
• Strawberry Cheesecake Vortex – The latest in our Groove Cycle line, this sparkling water is infused with 20mg of Delta-9 THC and swirls together creamy cheesecake and strawberry for a refreshing, elevated experience.

The beers start to flow at noon on Wednesday, Nov. 27. Then, on Friday, aka Record Store Day, from noon until 4 p.m., there will be exclusive RSD releases, plus the four for $10 used record sale (from the $5 bin) is also running all month long.

Foxtown Brewing

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Mequon's Foxtown Brewing will release a trio of barrel-aged beers on Black Friday, according to the brewery's Kyle Smith:

• 2024 Black Friday “Just Enough” Double Barrel Mocha Stout, 14 percent ABV.
• 2024 Black Friday “After Years” Double Barrel Rye Wine, 11 percent.
• 2024 Black Friday “Similar But Different” Gin Barrel Aged Imperial American Wheat Ale, 10.5 percent.

All three will be available on draft and in 500ml bottles for $15 to go. 

Gathering Place Brewing

Owner Joe Yeado says that the Riverwest brewery, which also has a Tosa taproom, will release two beers this Black Friday. Here are the deets, from Yeado...

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• Grin Maker Belgian Quad (10.7 percent ABV) – This Belgian-style Quadrupel Ale is a big beer with notes of fresh pear, brown sugar and the warmth of the rustic Belgian countryside.
• Affogato Imperial Milk Stout with Coffee (8.2 percent) – Based on the classic Italian gelato and espresso dessert, this bold stout combines lactose and Valentine Coffee Roasters Guatemalan and Espresso coffee. A rich and creamy beer with notes of milk chocolate, caramel and coffee.

There are only 100 500ml bottles of each beer available and pre-orders are strongly encouraged. Both beers will also be available on tap at the Riverwest (10 a.m.) and Tosa (noon) locations on Black Friday.

"We will also be debuting a new line of THC beverages called Blossom," says Yeado. "The first two flavors are Strawberry Lemonade (5mg THC) and Cherry Limeade (10mg) and will be available in cans."

Good City Brewing

Good City will release two beers on Black Friday in 16-ounce, four-pack cans and on tap at all four locations. Check back for pricing, which I will add as soon as it's determined. (Descriptions from the brewery.)

• BFG is an oak-conditioned barleywine (9.4 percent) that straddles American and English styles, made with Maris Otter malted barley. Plenty of carmel goodness with enough hops and oak to keep you coming back for the next sip.
• Rainbow Roll Double IPA (8 percent) has a little bit of everything: malted barley, oats, wheat and rye are decorated with Mosaic, Galaxy and Sultana hops for a maximalist's mélange.

Hacienda Beer Co.

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Hacienda will release multiple beers, including a special release of Talking With Dinosaurs stout and its "usual weekly release of From Sand + Stone" (American IPA) and "a surprise or two still to be announced (we are sorry to keep you waiting but we want to make sure everything is perfect!)."

You can pre-order Black Friday releases online now for pickup at the Milwaukee and Baileys Harbor taprooms.

The Milwaukee taproom will open early, at 11 a.m., and remains open until 11 p.m.

Indeed Brewing

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Indeed's Milwaukee pilot and brewery releases an 8 percent ABV Spumoni Imperial Cream Ale on Black Friday. The brew has notes of pistachio, cherry, and chocolate flavors, evoking the classic Neapolitan dessert.

You can pre-order the limited release here in 750ml bottles for $22. Pickup is on Black Friday, Nov. 24, at Indeed, 530 S. 2nd St. in Walker's Point.

Inventors Brewpub

"For Black Friday this year we are rereleasing our Watts Wonder," says Sean Dineen of the Port Washington brewery. "This is an American Golden Strong Ale, and has an ABV of 17.4 percent. This is the first time in over four years we have had this available on draft."

The beer will not be canned or bottled.

Lakefront Brewery

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 “We have created three barrel-aged beers that have been aging all year and a triple IPA that are all world class and that are only available on Black Friday,” says Lakefront Co-founder and President Russ Klisch. “Besides the great beer, I always look forward to spending time with folks out in line where there’s an unmatched level of excitement.”

Lakefront will open at 8 a.m. on Black Friday with four Black Friday brews (with descriptions from Klisch):

• 2024 Black Friday Imperial Stout. Aged in Bourbon and Brandy barrels, the 2024 version of our gold standard brew combines massive caramel and roasted malts with huge vanilla and oak flavor. Sold for $20 each plus tax.
• 2024 Black Friday Triple Black IPA. Big, bold, and hoppy, this Triple Black IPA hits the glass obsidian black with a foamy tan head kicking up aromas of chocolate, orange zest, and rose water. Gratuitous Cascade, Chinook, and Centennial hops yield up-front citrus and tropical fruit notes, while Belgian caramel malts lend balance and sweet cocoa and caramel flavors. Sold for $20 each plus tax.
• 2024 Black Friday Imperial Brown Ale Aged in Wollersheim Winery Port Barrels. A big, hearty Imperial Brown Ale aged in Port wine barrels from Wisconsin’s own Wollersheim Winery. Brought together, flavors of brown bread crusts and caramel malt roll into port notes of oak plank, vanilla, dried fruit, and marzipan. Sold for $30 each plus tax.
• 2024 Black Friday 5-Year-Old. This big stout has been asleep in Bourbon barrels since 2019. The big, roasty, chocolatey Imperial Stout left all traces of alcohol heat behind in the barrel and picked up flavors of vanilla, pecan praline, marzipan, and a touch of pipe tobacco. Sold for $30 each plus tax.

All will be available in 19.2-ounce cans packed in individual boxes. There's no limit on purchase amounts, but notes that only 2,000 cans of the regular version and only 1,000 of each varietal will be available, which is less than normal. So, set the clock for O Dark 30 and get in line. The CurdWagon will be open at 5 a.m. and the gift shop opens early, too, with exclusive Black Friday items.  

If you purchase at least four Black Friday cans you'll get a ree souvenir glass.

Please bring a laundered, gently used coat for ages 3-14 to donate to MPS' Carver Academy and you'll one bottle/can of a prior year’s Black Friday beer (if you're 21 or over). You can donate more coats, but please note there is a two-bottle max. The Carver family encourages donors to bring colorful, youth-appropriate items, especially coats for girls and young teen women, giving students the dignity of choice.

Low Daily Beer

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"We will once again be releasing Double Just: Barrel, our bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout," says Tim Sullivan, owner and brewer at the Burlington brewery.  "We will also have our first variant – Double Just: Barrel and Coffee.

"These will be available for beer club members on Wednesday, Nov. 27 and to the public in cans and on tap Black Friday."

Low Daily will be open 10-6 on Black Friday.

MobCraft Beer

MobCraft's Ryan Doolan says the Walker's Point brewery is taking a different tack this year for Black Friday, due to its closing as of Dec. 1.

"We will cater to the deal seekers and people looking to spend time in taprooms after turkey day."

MobCraft is offering:

• Free select pint to the first 100 through the door on Black Friday 
• Deep discounts on cases including many of our most popular beers – Vanilla Wafer Porter, Out Of Office Ale, Fish Fry Rye, MobCraft Amber and more
• Draft sale! $5 select growler fills if you bring your own (clean) growler. $10 fills if you need a MobCraft growler to go (while supplies last)

New Barons Brewing Co-op

"What happens when a member-owner has a maple syrup connection in the Northwoods and you're a lager brewery preparing for Black Friday," asks New Barons Brewing Coop brewer and CEO John Degroote? "A maple bourbon and rye barrel aged doppelbock, that's what.

"Lumberjack Maple Syrup in Armstrong Creek, provided us a few gallons of that northern maple goodness to make this lager an extra special release."

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That has led to the 10 percent ABV Crispy Cabin Vibes, which Degroote says is, "a medium bodied Doppelbock brewed with tons of Caramunich and Caravienne malts to create bold caramel and toffee flavors that stay crisp and clean.

"Maple Syrup was added in two parts. Once in the boil to enhance perceived dryness and drinkability, then again, post fermentation, in the form of a bourbon barrel that had previously aged maple syrup. Beer was refermented on residual maple syrup in the barrel then aged and blended in a mix of bourbon and rye barrels."

The lager will be available in 500ml bottles when New Barons opens at 9 a.m. on Black Friday with food, live music and coffee.

Old Germantown

"OG always brews for food," says owner Scott Sommer. "We have a two-beer holiday pack. Both are fruited saisons, aged in port wine barrels.

"For the Thanksgiving table we have Saison de merci. Wine-like, crisp, light with a background of cranberries and oak. Brewed for the big flavors of the holiday dinner.

"For the Christmas table we have Saison de l'amour.  Sweetened with caramelized melter honey from Indian Summer Honey Farm and dark and tart cherries of the Great Lakes. Perfect with a Wisconsin cheese board and seasonal desserts."

On tap and in 16-ounce cans. I'm going to guess they both go well with pizza, too.

Ope Brewing

Here are the Black Friday releases coming from West Allis' Ope Brewing, with notes from brewer Kyle Ciske:

• BA Smore's Stout – "Our BA Imperial Stout aged in Maple & Oat Whiskey Barrels with Chocolate, Marshmallow and Graham added." Available in cans and on limited draft.
• BA Blackberry Full Send Barleywine – "Our 'Full Send' Barleywine aged in Double Oaked Bourbon Barrels with Blackberry added." Available in cans and on limited draft.
• BA Cherry Vanilla Oh My Quad – "Our 'Oh My Quad' Belgian Style Quad aged in Oat Whiskey Barrels with Cherry & Vanilla added." Available in cans and on limited draft.
• BA Full Send (Single Barrel Pick) – "Our 'Full Send' Barleywine aged in a Bourbon Barrel and selected to not be blended because it stood out on its own!" Available on draft and in limited cans.
• BA Maple Imperial Stout (Single Barrel Pick) – "Our Imperial Stout aged in a Maple Whiskey Barrel and selected to not be blended because it stood out on its own!" Available on draft and in limited cans.

Perspective Brewing

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"We'll be releasing our Mushroom Imperial Stout, 'Lactarius'," says Dan Dnaus, director of brewery operations at the West Allis brewery. "We used Candy Cap Mushrooms to brew this 10 percent stout giving it delicious earthy and maple characteristics. It will be available on tap and in four-packs to-go."

Plus, says Naus, there will be sale on merch and apparel when the taproom opens at 10 a.m. on Black Friday.

"We'll also kick off our 2025 membership sales," he adds. "We have a limited number of new memberships available on a first-come, first-serve basis that go on sale Black Friday through the end of the year, if still available." 

Raised Grain Brewing

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Raised Grain Brewing Co. will release three beers on Black Friday, and an extremely rare beer on the Wednesday before.

The Black Friday releases are:

• Left-Handed Monkey Wrench: an imperial stout aged for over 40 months in Old Fitzgerald 13-year bourbon barrels. Roasty and chocolatey. Bottled in 22-ounce bombers.
• Doc’s Old-Fashioned Ale is a yearly release in two variants, Doc's Brandy Old-Fashioned Ale aged in brandy barrels and Doc's Bourbon Old-Fashioned Ale aged in bourbon barrels. Doc’s Old-Fashioned is an imperial red ale with spices, orange peel and cherries. The Doc's Old-Fashioned brews will be sold as a mixed pack with two of each variant. Packaged in 16-ounce four-pack cans.
• Santa’s Sack Christmas Ale, an annual release, is brewed with nutmeg, cinnamon, fresh ginger and star anise. Packaged in 16-ounce four-pack cans.

On Wednesday before Thanksgiving, aka "Drinksgiving" at Raised Grain, the brewery will release a special, extremely rare barrel-aged beer, Heaven Six. A batch of the brewery's Six Stone Scotch Ale was matured for four years in Heaven Hill bourbon barrels. Complex palate of charred oak, vanilla, roasted coffee beans, and dark chocolate. It will be on tap and in 22-ounce bombers, extremely limited, for $25.

The taproom will be open Wednesday, Nov. 27, from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., with the full kitchen open until 9. It will have the same hours on Black Friday, Nov. 29, and the fish fry will be available all day.

Sahale Ale Works

Matthew Hoffman at Grafton's Sahale Ale Works says, "We are bringing back our double bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout, Maple Warm Fuzzies that is aged with Wisconsin maple syrup.

"This will be the first release of this beer in almost two years. The beer has spent a combined 25 months in bourbon barrels."

The beer will be released the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, "so it can be enjoyed with family and friends on the holiday or to take the edge off afterwards."

It will also be available Black Friday and onward while supplies last, But there are only 100 16-ounce cans available ($17 per can, currently no limit), plus it will be on draft at the taproom.

Plus, says Hofmann, "we had stashed some of The Leap Beer and are canning it up and releasing that on Black Friday. It will be can only, no draft. We will only have about 45 cans of that available for the public. Cost is $35 for a 16-ounce can. It will not be in the fancy bottle from the original release.

"Back in early 2020 we brewed a Barleywine and parked it in a Jamaican rum barrel," he adds. "Every year since, this brew has jumped from one spirit barrel to another, including a rye whiskey barrel used to finish a craft rum, a cherry brandy barrel and finally a cognac barrel. The result is a wonderfully complex 17.2 percent ABV sipper."

The taproom will be open 5-11 p.m. Wednesday that week, closed on Thanksgiving, open 3-10 on Black Friday, noon until 10 p.m. Saturday and noon-7 on Sunday.

Third Space Brewing

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Third Space Brewing will be open 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. at both locations with Not Bad Foods at the St. Paul Avenue location from 1 to 6 p.m.

There will be $5 pints of tier on3 and tier two beers,  $150 Beer for a Year Certificates and $75 My Third Space Club Memberships, plus three new beer releases.

• Cellar Stash 2-Year Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout, 11.5 percent ABV, $25 12-ounce four-pack cans
• Far Fetched New Zealand IPA, 7.5 percent, $15 16-ounce four-pack cans
• That Escalated Quickly Bourbon Barrel-Aged Barleywine-Style Ale, 12 percent, $25 12-ounce four-pack cans

Torzala Brewing

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Torzala's Co-Founder and Director of Operations Tricia Torzala says that the South Side brewery, located in the Lincoln Warehouse on the edge of Bay View, will have a number of releases on Black Friday. The descriptions are hers...

Sound-On-Sound - An Oak-Aged Imperial Amber (new release) – This beer pays homage to a local icon in the world of music, Les Paul! A pioneer who developed the technique of multitrack "sound-on-sound" recording which allowed individual parts of a song to be recorded at separate times and then layered together for the final release. Using his mentality, we felt a multi-layered beer would be the best way to honor his ingenuity.

Sound-on-Sound is a brew that will come at you like an amplifier turned up to 11! Or in our case, 11 percent! With an amber ale as our “bass”, we amp’d up the brew by adding Belgian ROCK candy, sea salt caramel, cinnamon sticks, pecans and freshly roasted cocoa nibs. For an encore, the beer finished its performance with bourbon barrel oak chips.

Special Holiday Release: TBCo's Ship Packs – Looks like Aunt Betty won’t be the only one getting wrecked this holiday season. Stop by Torzala Brewing Co. to pick up a Ship Pack! A four-pack highlighting shipwrecks from Wisconsin. Lumberman Red (Red Ale), Rusty Maple - Starboard (Maple Märzen), Capt. Santa (Belgian Dubbel), and a mystery ship (Irish Blonde). Perfect for yourself, holiday parties, advent calendars, or collecting cool cans. Feel free to take them with you on a three-hour tour!

Squash Blossom (re-release) – Inspired by the “Mother of American Modernism” Georgia O’Keeffe, this special release harvest ale was brewed with roasted pumpkins from our local farm friends at Schuett Farms* and is a true work of art.

Dinámica Dolores (limited bottle run) – Due to numerous requests, a limited supply of our Chile Rauchbier will be hand-bottled and ready to take home or to your next bottle sharing event.

Torzala also says that the brewery has teamed with four others to offer a free Black Friday shuttle that will run in a loop from 1 to 5 p.m. with stops at Torzala, Component, 1840, Indeed and Wizard Works.

Urban Harvest Brewing

Walker's Point's Urban Harvest rolls out the special release beers from previous years again in 16-ounce cans this Black Friday, so cellar hounds don't sleep on these:

• 2021 Imperial Chocolate Whiskey Stout
• 2021 Whiskey Porter
• 2022 Big Ring Bourbon Red
• 2022 Brown Mumbler - Bourbon Brown Ale
• 2022 Two Naught Naught - Chocolate Bourbon Espresso Amber
• 2022 WhiScotchsin - Whiskey Scotch Ale
• 2022 Deux Stappen - Belgian Dark Strong

Pre-ordering opens at the website at noon Wednesday, Nov. 27. Limited to 60 cans each. Pickup on Black Friday.

There will also be two releases on Friday when the taproom opens at 11 a.m. The first is a rotational favorite, Alice who the HELLES Alice and the other is a brand new UHBC Belgian Tripel called Serensified Sufficiencies. 

These are available for the special Black Friday price of $10 (normally $12). When you purchase one of each of the seven special release beers, you'll get a can of Serensified Sufficiencies for free.

Vennture Brew Co.

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Vennture releases three beers on Wednesday, so you can enjoy them at the Thanksgiving table. They are (in their words):

Three new beers dropping on Wednesday! These will be for sale at both locations when they open. East opens at 5am, West opens at 4pm. They will be on tap at both locations as well as a tasty collab with G5 brewing.

• Rumble Biscuits (13.5 percent) 2-Year Blended Barleywine in J. Henry Bourbon Barrels – Hints of sweet barley, leather, booze, plum, and figs hit you in the olfactory zone. Tons of Bourbon on the nose and a pleasant sweetness in your mouth to hide the ABVs. Sip carefully and with friends! $18 per 500ml bottle (200 bottles total).
• Apple Spice Bruv (5 percent) Berliner Style Ale with Apple and Spices – Have you ever drank an apple pie? This is your chance! Nutmeg, clove, cinnamon and all the wonderful sweetness of Apples rolled into a can. $18 for four-pack.
• Critical Adjustment (8.6 percent) Tropical Stout with Guatemalan Coffee – Molasses, Chocolate, Coffee dominate the flavor profile of this beer. Turbinado sugar and a thick malt bill bring the booze to a respectable level while keeping it perfectly drankable. Pour one in the morning why don't cha?! $20 per four-pack.

Both locations are open normal hours on Black Friday.

Water Street Brewery

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At Water Street Brewery, an imperial stout has been aging in a Central Standard Red Cabin Bourbon barrel (pictured above) and the beer will be ready for Black Friday release.

Each location will get a keg of this extremely limited on-tap-only release.

According to WSB's Brewmaster George Bluvas, the "huge chewy 10.2 percent imperial stout has now added oak and vanilla notes to its strong coffee, chocolate and dark stone fruit character."

The beer will hit the lines at 11 a.m. on Black Friday at Delafield, Oak Creek, and Grafton and will be tapped at 4 p.m. at The Brewery Downtown, where Bluvas will be behind the bar from 4 until 6.

Wizard Works Brewing

Owner and brewer Chris Ragaisis says that the Third Ward brewery will release a braggot called Tell the Bees. A braggot is a Celtic drink made of honey and malt that is sort of a cross between a mead and a beer.