Lakefront Brewery is releasing a collaboration rustic German-style lager with Germany's historic Hofbräu München brewery.
To create the medium-light bodied, moderately sweet Bräu Buddies, which uses Vienna and Melanoidin malts for a biscuity aroma, Lakefront Brewery’s Head Brewer Luther Paul went to Munich to work with Hofbräu’s brewers.
The idea for the Bräu Buddies collaboration began with a visit to Lakefront by Kegel's Inn owner Julian Kegel, who is a big local Hofbräu enthusiast and seller at his restaurant and lakefront beer garden, and was intereted in a collaboration to add to its lineup of 100th anniversary beers.
“Collaborating with one of the world’s most legendary breweries is an incredible honor,” said Russ Klisch, Lakefront owner and president. “I consider this one of the most significant moments for our brewery.”
Here's where you can try the brew...
- Friday, April 4 – The Old German Beer Hall will tap a complimentary keg of Bräu Buddies for patrons, starting at 6 p.m.
- Saturday, April 26 – Kegel’s Inn will feature Bräu Buddies at Bock Fest.
- Saturday, May 3 – The Estabrook Park Beer Garden celebrates the 2025 season with its annual Maifest Weekend and Grand Opening Celebration May 2-4. Lakefront and Hofbräu Munich Breweries will tap a wooden keg of their first ever collaboration beer, Bräu Buddies, at noon on Saturday. Enjoy free beer from the keg while it lasts.
- The Lakefront Brewery Beer Hall will serve Bräu Buddies throughout April and May, with an exclusive commemorative pint glass created for the collaboration. Guests can purchase and keep the glass with a Bräu Buddies full pour for $10. The glass will also be available for purchase without the beer.
Six packs will be available at retail in Wisconsin, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, New Jersey, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and South Carolina.
Bräu Buddies is not the first time Hofbräu and Lakefront have worked together. Many of Lakefront's German-style beers have debuted at the Old German Beer Hall or at the Estabrook Beer Garden with the support of owner and Milwaukee Hofbräu representative, Hans Weissgerber lll.
According to a statement from Lakefront, "A trusted relationship developed over the years between Lakefront and Weissgerber, who supported this collaboration and helped bring it to fruition."
“Our Bräu Buddies collaboration represents the deep-rooted friendships that beer fosters – between breweries, between cultures, between two great brewing cities, and between the people who share it,” said Hofbräuhaus of America CEO Steve Ksycki.
“This beer is a true symbol of what can be achieved when brewers come together, and we’re excited to get to do this with our friends from Lakefront."
"More than just a beer, Bräu Buddies is a symbol of friendship, tradition and the connections beer creates across breweries, cultures, and continents," added Kegel in a social media post.
"Raise a glass with us and be part of the story!"
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
