between the bluffs

There is no debate that the people of La Crosse love beer. It was not surprising, therefore, that the Between the Bluffs Beer, Wine, and Cheese Festival yesterday was packed with eager drinkers. They were not disappointed with fare; thirty beer companies, twelve wineries, and six cheese makers from the Wisconsin/Minnesota/Iowa region showed up to hand out samples of their best products.

My friends and I had a plan: start at one end, and work our way to the other. All in all, it was pretty successful, the only setbacks being the breweries that ran out of beer early, and the inexplicable absence of two of our favorite breweries. Two breweries that impressed me (other than our local Pearl Street and the ever wonderful New Glarus) were Furthermore Beers out of Black River Falls and LAGERS, the local homebrew group.

We partook of the beer, wine, and cheese until it was all shut down, and then Sam and I went up to a cabin in the backwoods of Wisconsin for some quality time with the Ultimate team. It was a long, fun day, and now I am recuperating/napping on the couch.