Eagle Park Brewing Co. to use new Muskego location to expand 'creative limits'Sari LeskJul 4, 2019, 10:00am CDT
Eagle Park Brewing Co. is adding a new location in Muskego that will include a brewery, restaurant, distillery and winery.
Rendering by Dan Beyer Architects
Craft brewery Eagle Park Brewing Co. announced in late June it would expand its operation with a new location in Muskego.
The company revealed its plans for the venue at S64 W15680 Commerce Center Parkway about 15 months after it moved into a new home at 823 E. Hamilton St. in Milwaukee.
The Milwaukee Business Journal learned more about the expansion from Eagle Park Brewing Co. co-founder Jake Schinker. Responses were provided by email.
Why did you want to add a new location?
“We knew when we moved into our lower east side location that it would not meet our production needs as we grew, the building is simply too small. In the past year, we have managed to optimize this location to produce roughly 1,800 barrels of beer annually, but we simply can’t fit any additional tanks in our space to make more than that.
“Currently, this volume of beer only supplies our taproom and a small handful of bars in the area. In addition to production needs, we need a better way to host private events. The new location will offer a 100-person event room with the option of also renting our mezzanine to double that capacity. ...
“Our unique business model of frequent beer releases has now grown to the point that our current taproom struggles to accommodate the number of people we see on weekends.
“Oh yeah, we will also finally have a real office so we don't have to set up our makeshift desks on the bar every day.”
What timeline do you anticipate for opening the new location?
"We are aiming to have the facility fully open by late December or early January. We are working with an extremely tight timeline, so that is still subject to change at this point, but it remains attainable at the moment.”
Why did you pick Muskego for the new taproom?
“Finding a building suitable for what we wanted to do was a long process that started nearly a year ago. The unique combination of a building that, first and foremost, is suitable for manufacturing, but at the same time is in a location that will work well as a taproom and have ample parking, proved to be like finding a unicorn.
“Once we found buildings that met these requirements, it was just a matter of finding a community that would be the best fit for us. Max, Jackson, and I all grew up just a mile and a half from our new Muskego location, and we know the area and our prospective clientele extremely well.”
What can customers expect from the restaurant?
“Our customers can look forward to a casual and family-friendly dining experience featuring an approachable menu that uses the freshest, locally sourced ingredients. …
“We will include some of our favorite menu items from our current location, such as the duck confit pierogis and hop-smoked wings, but the menu as a whole will be developed independently to help provide a unique experience at each location. We want to give people reasons to visit both taprooms, and a combination of small differences like this will help with that goal.”
Why do you want to incorporate a distillery and winery into your business?
"Adding spirits and cider to our offerings was a decision we made in order to expand our creative limits as a company while simultaneously enhancing our customer experience by offering beverages that appeal to a broader demographic.”
