By Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor, Podcast Host Published Apr 06, 2017 at 11:01 AM

When Broken Bat Brewing Company owners Tim Pauly and Dan McElwee hatched the plan for their brewery and tap room at 231 E. Buffalo St., their hope was for an Opening Day launch. 

And they were pretty much on the ball, only a few days late. The baseball-themed brewery and tap room – the first of its kind in the Third Ward – will open its doors to the public on Friday, April 7 at noon.

A garden level brewery

The brewery isn't difficult to find. But, you will have to head down the stairs just to the left of the entrance to get there.

Unbroken bats

Right off the bat, you'll see the brewery's theme come into view. Even the door handles play along.

The playing field

The tap room itself seats about 40. You can belly up to the molded cement bar or perch on a seat at one of a variety of high-top tables.

Take a seat

If you prefer, you can sit back and relax in one of the man cave-esque green chairs. They may seem out of left field, but they've become an integral part of the space.

"Those chairs were the only things here when we moved in," notes McElwee. "People seem to love them, so we can't seem to get rid of them."

The beer

Signs on the back wall introduce the brewery's first beers, including Climb the Wall farmhouse ale, Straight Ahead Chedd apricot pale ale, Mint Condition porter infused with mint and Double Play IPA.

On tap

The tap handles behind the bar were designed by Mark Martio, an artist friend from La Crosse during one of the friends' early conversations about starting a brewery. The original drawing was sketched out on a Post-it note.

Homage

A framed photo and Braves jersey pay homage to one of the greats: Milwaukee Braves and Brewers outfielder Hank Aaron.

Nice aim

A dart board welcomes players to while away an afternoon with friends.

Baseball card wall

Even the men's room is a testament to baseball. It features a wall covered solidly in baseball cards collected since childhood by Pauly and McElwee.

A home run

The brewery is cozy. But, it's vibrant and functional. And that's a home run for Pauly and McElwee, who've made their baseball and beer loving dreams come true.

Once open, the Broken Bat tap room will be open Thursday from noon to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday from noon to midnight, and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor, Podcast Host

Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with each and every dish. She’s had the privilege of chronicling these tales via numerous media, including OnMilwaukee and in her book “Milwaukee Food.” Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.

When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or recording the FoodCrush podcast, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.