Madison Geeks Out For Beer At MadisonTap

On August 24, 2017 a group of Madison Elites geeked out over beer from Hop Haus Brewing courtesy of MadisonTap.

Elites started the night by bellying up the bar in Jardin, the new restaurant space opening up next door to MadisonTap in Robinia Courtyard, and grabbing a Yelp pint glass to take home. The light wood and brick with warm lighting made for a cozy space to gather, and once everyone got settled the group jumped right into the tasting.

Tim Goers, assistant brewer and head of beer sales for Hop Haus, started the night with a little bit of background on the brewing process. As the finale event for Yelp Geeks Out, his deep dive into what goes into making the drink Wisconsinites love so much was a perfect way to kick off the evening.

With the name Hop Haus, it was no surprise that the night’s selection was very hop forward. The tasting kicked off with El Andy, a solid IPA that will give drinkers a good representation of what Hop Haus does. Their double IPA, Magic Dragon, was surprisingly quaffable for those who don’t usually seek out IPAs.

Even though their focus is on hops, there was something for everyone in the nine-beer tasting. The Plaid Panther scotch ale had a deliciously smoky finish that was unexpected. On the lighter side was the blonde Sweet Sunglasses and delicious Dairy Air. Tim had the group look at their Dairy Airs in the light, seeing the cloudy appearance that often marks hefeweizens. As you may guess from the name Dairy Air, Hop Haus has a good sense of humor about their beers and loves to incorporate their personal passions and pop culture loves into the details.

About halfway through the tasting the group was treated to a visit from MadisonTap’s chef who dropped off a couple of bar snacks for sampling. The vegan shishito peppers glazed in soy sauce and topped with crushed peanuts were a hit with all dietary preferences, and the poutine was gobbled up in minutes.

As the night wound down the group was able to mingle and enjoy their final tasters while getting to chat one on one with Tim about all things beer.

Head on over to the event page to read more about the night, check out the photos, and find out more about the Elite Squad so you can join us at future events!

Thanks to our event partners:

MadisonTap • Hop Haus Brewing Company • Elizabeth Bernier Photography