By OnMilwaukee Staff Writers   Published Mar 22, 2019 at 12:01 PM

"Bar Month" at OnMilwaukee is brought to you by Miller Brewing Company, calling Milwaukee home since 1855. For the entire month of March, we're serving up fun articles on bars, clubs and beverages – including guides, the latest trends, bar reviews, the results of our Best of Bars poll and more. Grab a designated driver and dive in!

Milwaukee Brewing Company

Over the past decade, Brew City has transformed its signature industry to favor a plethora of micro-breweries. A place once ruled by Pabst and still dominated by Miller has given way to an endless array of brewery start-ups that Milwaukee should maybe be renamed "Craft Brew City."

If Lakefront Brewery was a knock at the door, Milwaukee Brewing Company was the battering ram that knocked the door off its hinges. A once small operation located next to Fixture Pizza Pub in Walker's Point, MKE Brewing this past year opened a new, massive building across the street from the former Pabst home on 9th Street.

The sleek interior of the brewery is host to a gift shop, featuring T-shirts to dog treats, as well as a partnered space for the bar and grill aptly named Glass & Griddle. As you work your way toward the east wing of the building, there is also a pay-as-you-go tap bar and the exposed infrastructure of their brewery.

Like most local breweries, MKE Brewing hosts a variety of events, including limited-release runs of special brews and sports viewing parties. However, their monthly event Crate Club is a testament to their growth in the industry. In short, Crate Club invites guests to buy a crate of 20 beers that they can mix and match favorites like MKE IPA and Louie's Demise as well as special releases. All it takes is a $5 initial payment for your own crate and then $15 to fill up! What started as a way of reducing packaging waste turned into a funding campaign for their new location.

Despite the waves MKE Brewing has made, the OnMilwaukee staff went with the methodical brewing practices of 1840 Brewing Co. as their favorite. 1840 highlights that its beers spend a lifetime in oak barrels, ranging from months to years of brewing. But regardless of your favorite, craft brews are here to stay in (Craft) Brew City!

OnMilwaukee editor's pick: 1840 Brewing Co.

Runners-up:
2. Lakefront Brewery
3. 1840 Brewing Co.
4. Eagle Park Brewing Company
5. Third Space Brewing Company