Sample the Best of Local Breweries During American Craft Beer Week

Sussex, Wis. (May 13, 2010) - While Milwaukee has long been known for producing some of the best beers in the world, many more local residents will find even more reason to sample the area's burgeoning batch of craft brews during American Craft Beer Week May 17 - 23. Although sales of other beers have been slowing, sales of craft beers for 2009 were up more than 10 percent in dollars compared to 2008, a clear indication that consumer interest in craft beers is growing, reports Dave Richmond, global brands manager at Beer Capitol Distributing - Lake Country.

Wisconsin is fortunate to have some of the best local craft brewers around, with nearly 70 brewpubs and microbreweries around the state. Among them are Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee, Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co. in Chippewa Falls, Point Brewery in Stevens Point, and Ale Asylum in Madison.

Craft brewers are small brewers who produce artisanal and seasonal beers in smaller batches, usually less than two million barrels annually. Innovation is the hallmark of craft brewers who interpret different beer styles, giving them a unique twist and often using non-traditional ingredients to create a distinct flavor profile.

With more than 125 different craft beer styles to choose from, there are plenty of varieties to satisfy the taste palette of every beer lover. Here are a few to sample during American Craft Beer Week or anytime you're in the mood to experiment with an artisanal beer:

* Leinenkugel Summer Shandy - A European favorite during the warmer months, shandy is a lemonade flavored beer with a light, crisp flavor. Each batch is carefully brewed using the finest wheat, malted barley, and just a hint of real Wisconsin honey. Leinenkugel's brewmasters mix in fresh lemonade and citrus flavors to create an adventurous taste perfect for those lazy days of summer.

* Lakefront Brewery Local Acre - Made from 100 percent ingredients that have been locally grown and processed, this craft beer features a malty sweet backbone, hazy golden straw color and generous body.

* Capital Brewery Supper Club - A classic Wisconsin lager at its finest, Supper Club is an eminently drinkable version of a true American lager. The beer features a greater depth of refreshing malt character than the mass marketed versions of the style, reminiscent of the regional brews enjoyed with a good meal at a favorite dinner club.

* Point Brewery Horizon Wheat -- Point Horizon Wheat is an alluring combination of spring wheat and specialty malts along with Yakima hops and American ale yeast. This lively and light, perfectly balanced wheat beer pours cloudy and finishes with a white creamy head.

* Ale Asylum Ambergeddon - Eleven separate additions of cascade hops give this American pale ale its lush citrus aroma and bold hop flavor without crazy bitterness. With a fury of hop flavor and a hint of malt backbone, this west coast amber is part ale, part sensory eruption and all American.

* Tyranena Bitter Woman IPA - Intensely bitter with a mighty hop flavor and aroma, the sharp grapefruity and citrus hop qualities stand out and make this a favorite American IPA.

* Furthermore Fatty Boombalatty - A warm weather seasonal, this craft beer gives you all of the bubblegum goodness of a big Belgian white, with enough crispness to cut through the sweet profile.

Be sure to sample these and Wisconsin's other great regional and local beers during American Craft Beer Week.

About Beer Capitol Distributing - Lake Country, LLC

Beer Capitol Distributing - Lake Country, LLC is Wisconsin's second-largest beer distribution and wholesaling business headquartered in Sussex, Wis. The company sells and delivers quality alcoholic beverage products to 1,900 responsible, licensed retailers in Waukesha, Ozaukee and Washington counties. The company represents over 180 beer brands crafted by the finest brewers worldwide.