If you’re looking for a beer-filled way to enjoy your weekend, it’s time to put Kwaktoberfest on your calendar.
Lowlands’ annual Belgian beer festival, named for Bosteel’s Brewery’s well-known "Kwak" beer, will take place on Saturday, Sept. 28 from 4 to 10 p.m. For the first time, the festival will take place on the rooftop of Cafe Benelux, 346 N. Broadway in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward. To make things even sweeter, the event will also play hose to the North American launch of the first new brew from Belgium’s esteemed Bosteels Brewery in over 15 years.
"This is a really special event for anyone who loves great beer," says Ileana Rivera, beverage director for Lowlands Group. "Unlike American breweries, which regularly release new beers, Bosteels is typical of many Belgian breweries that focus on making just a few beers really, really well. This new beer has been in development for years – that’s how seriously they take their craft."
Bosteel’s Brewery, which has not launched a new beer since 2002, will unveil their brand new release (the name and details which are still under wraps) at 7 p.m. The beer, which is rumored to be both unique and strong, will be served with a pour-size of 11cl (slightly less than 4 ounces)
The event will not only mark the first tasting of the beer in North America, but the beer will be available exclusively Lowlands Group’s grand cafés until sometime in 2020. Also available will be Bosteels’ three flagship beers, Tripel Karmeliet, Kwak and DeuS Brut Des Flandres. To announce the brew, the event will host Jack Van Antwerpen from Bosteels Brewery, who will be arriving in the states just days after launching the beer in Europe.
In addition to the beer launch, the rooftop event will feature live music, snacks and the opportunity to "saber" a bottle of beer, which is opening a large wine-bottle sized beer with a ceremonial sword.
"We’re really excited for everyone to be able to try this new beer from Bosteels and even more so that they chose Milwaukee to launch it in North America," says Dan Herwig, brand and marketing director at Lowlands Group. "We think anyone who professes a love for craft beer owes it to themselves to taste some of the most unique beers in the world."
The event is free and open to the public and will be held rain or shine. Tents will be set up on the rooftop in the case of inclement weather. More information, including full listing and descriptions of the unique beers being served, can be found at lowlandsgroup.com/kwaktoberfest.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
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 every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "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 planning for TV and radio spots, 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.
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