Midwestern Escapes

It has been a while since I’ve seen the inside of a tavern, bar or taproom.  Don’t chalk it up to will power.   I’m actually dying to get to that point, where once again I can enjoy beer at a stylish establishment.  For now, it’s either a weekly trip to the local grocery or liquor store.  Or, if the mood strikes me right, a drive to pick up a growler.  This growler will be filled with my favorite beers from my favorite breweries.  I’d thought I’d write an entry on said excursions.

The two places I’m featuring are not the only ones that offer the curbside pick-up.  However, I’ve only tried three breweries in Green Bay during the pandemic.  I decided I’d eliminate one, being that they just offered their beers in cans-I can go to the grocery store for that.  What I was after, and found, at Zambaldi Beer and Copper State Brewing was tap beer filled in a 64 ounce container.

So on with my curbside beer adventure.

It’s vacation time for me.  And, as the disappointment has already left me, I’m finding ways to substitute for the canceled trip to Chicago.  Of course the Pandemic forced the cancellation, one of many cancellations in this brief but significant period of American history.   The pandemic also curtails activities that I can experience on my four days off.

It’s a beautiful day, and I have a sixty-five inch television sitting Idle on my sunporch-it’s actually bigger than the one in my living room (long Story).  I figure, once Heidi returns from work, we can enjoy a movie practically outdoors.  The weather has finally allowed for such an endeavor.

So, I make plans.  I figure quesadillas would be an excellent addition to the experience.  But what to drink?  What goes good with quesadillas?  Did I have to ask, of course not.  Beer, beer is an excellent complement to a toasted tortilla and cheese sandwich.  So I drive towards Zambaldi Beer, my growler from said establishment residing in the passenger seat.

When I arrive at their building on Webster,  their lot is not empty and I have a short wait.  That’s fine, it gives me time to pull up their Arryved app.  This allows me to pay for the beer with my phone, without having to handle dollar bills or a credit card.

One of the workers reaches my car, asks me what I want and takes my growler inside.  I don’t wait long.  After a few minutes, the tall employee emerges with a full brown jug. It’s begging to be opened.  Don’t worry, I can wait till I get home.  There’s nothing more incriminating than driving while tipping back on a jug of alcohol, especially along the busy streets of Green Bay’s business districts.

I get home and put the beer in the fridge, awaiting my girlfriend’s arrival.  When she does arrive, the night goes with out a hitch.  She chooses the movie, a Disney movie known as Wall-E.  It was pretty decent and the beer is punctuation mark on a splendid night.

Fast forward a couple of days.

We’re driving back from Kettle Moraine State Forest.  The sun is still brightly shining overhead ,as we contemplate a rerun of my first chronicled experience.  We decide we’ll mix it up a bit, mainly because Zambaldi Beer’s curbside is from 3-6 and it’s going on 6:30.  So we make a call to Copper State Brewing.

Their mode of operation is slightly different.  Yet the results are the same, not to mention the price is really reasonable.  For sixty-four ounces of their amber ale, it costs thirteen dollars.  You simply can’t beet that!  And their amber ale is really, really delicious.

We have a choice, as I’ve already ordered my beer.  I can venture inside the brewpub  and pick it up, or we can give them a call when we enter the parking lot.  If we do the latter, they will simply bring it straight to our car.  We choose the second option and, when we arrive, someone is delivering it to our car within seconds.

Our repeat goes off just as well, even if it did cool down once the sun faded.

As I have mentioned,  Zambaldi Beer offers their curbside pick-up from 3-6.  It’s limited to Thursday-Saturday.  I tried to find  info on Copper States Brewing’s hours and came up empty.  Although, coming this Saturday, they have an event known as a Local Brew Drive-Thru from 11am-3pm.

I know nothing beats the ambiance of your favorite tavern, bar or taproom.  For now, just get creative and do your own thing.  Soon, and I pray to God it is soon, we’ll be able to indulge in those finer things.  Yes those finer things that I had been taking for granted.  This pandemic needs to go!

Many Safe Travels to Come!