Havenwoods Taproom and Beer Garden, 5840 N. 60th St., celebrates its first birthday on Saturday, May 17.
When the taproom was announced for the far Northwest Side in 2023, it looked to be pretty much the only craft beer option in that area. But since then Third Space opened in Menomonee Falls, with Appleton's Hop Yard Ale Works set to follow soon.
Still, Havenwoods, with its large patio and unique nature trail out back has hosted events and offered a range of craft brews – it is a taproom, not a brewery – that has made it a draw.
For this anniversary party, which Havenwoods is using as a summer kickoff event, too, the great craft beers will keep flowing, including special releases from Cantillon and Side Project and local brewers like Amorphic and Madison's Working Draft.
In addition, there will be live music, food trucks and "a freshly bloomed" beer garden.
The quarter-barrel, I mean quarter-mile, Beer Trail is also open for a little nature walk, too, if you'd like.
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.
