Time flies and West Side’s beloved Vennture Brew Co., 5519 W. North Ave., is celebrating its third anniversary this month.
The coffee roaster/cafe and craft beer taproom hosts a bash all day long on Saturday, Aug. 14, kicking off at 6 a.m. and running until 10 p.m.
“We missed last year's party due to COVID, so we need to pack two years of parties into one year,” says co-owner Simon McConico
To celebrate, there will be three new beers, live music and “tons of general awesomeness.”
Sugar Studio and Lloyd St. Bees kick things off at 10 a.m.; the new beers (see below) are launched at noon; food arrives at 1 p.m. from Tatays, The Roasted Corn Man, and Heavens Table; and Zach Pietrini performs at 4 p.m.
Here are details on the new brews, with comments from Vennture:
The Night Crew: Imperial Stout aged in J. Henry Bourbon Barrels
Thick, rich and full of bourbon character, this beer drinks big because it is big. Just about 12% ABV, we laid this to rest in J. Henry Bourbon barrels because their spirits are tasty, and their wood is from Wisco.
Nice Hat: Double NEIPA with Strata, Citra, and El Dorado
Hats. Head Coverings. If you're gonna decorate your dome piece, you better make it nice. You see someone in a crowd who went the extra mile to adorn their attic, you let ‘em know. Nice hat. Citrus notes, dank undertones with ripe watermelon. Get at it.
Bruv Bruv Bruv: Double Berliner with Mango, Pineapple and Peach
It’s been three years of people mis-pronouncing Bruv as BrUUUUUUUUUUve. Bruhve. Brubbe. Dat sour one. Anyways. Say Bruv three times fast and a magical Pegasus of a drink will appear in front of you. 40 gallons of fruit on top of one tasty beer = good times.
Two days before the birthday bash, on Thursday, Aug. 12, at 6 p.m., Vennture will focus on coffee with the Throwdown! barista competition featuring the Wheel of Milk.
Up to 32 competitors will spin the wheel and will pour with the milk the wheel commands.
Sign up begins at 6 p.m. and entry fee is $5. Up to 32 can enter and its first come, first serve. The competition begins at 6:30. Entrants will be paired in groups of two. Everyone gets a prize and the top four get bigger ones.
You may bring your own pitcher.
As Vennture says, “If you want to watch and be entertained by amazing baristas from all over the city, come by, grab a beer and be awed by the talent.”
They’re trying to line up a taco truck to be on site, too, so there will likely be food available. Check the Facebook event page, linked above, for updates.
“The start of Vennture seems like so long ago, yet it is still very present,” says McConico. “There are no words to express how grateful we are to all of the people who have walked through our doors, drank our coffee, and quaffed our beer. We have seen relationships form, babies born, and friends move in and away.”
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.
