Stonefly Brewing Company

No Longer In Business

Dropped in during the brunch hour on a Saturday. This hip, urban place is in the middle of a weird neighborhood, can’t tell if they’re trying to resurrect it or blend in to the almost ghetto feel. We weren’t in the mood for breakfast food, and they were kind enough to let us order wings off the lunch menu -- and they were good. The beers weren’t bad, maybe just a bit average, and homebrew-like. The server was nice and eager to please. I wish this place well. (Brewery #618)

Visited 10/10/2010. 6 house taps but one was blown.

It was a Sunday night and this place is kind of a neighborhood bar just outside of Milwaukee. When I went in I think there were 4 people in the building, 1 bartender and a couple patrons who seemed to know him. All were very nice.

They don’t offer samples but I asked the guy to just fill me 4 or 5 oz into my glass for each beer and charge what ever he thought was reasonable. He then found some 8 oz glasses and filled those one at a time for me.

We started talking and got to talking about a lot of things but mostly the local area and music. We took turns choosing music from the Ipod. In the end (2 hours later) the tab was very cheap and I was only charged for one beer. So I left a very generous tip and headed for the hotel.

Not the most lively place and I think at the busiest there were maybe 10 people in the building. But it was a great time and I’d stop back in to say hi and to see what was new, not to mention the Four Wolves English Ale was great.

Ducked in out of a pouring rain with theisti. Neat, albeit slightly hipsterish, vibe. Great stage area and big wraparound bar. Felt apropos for a rainy, cool Wisconsin fall day. Beer was average, they were out of 3-4 things, but quick with samples and recos. 1-2 of their beers had a slightly "homebrew-y" quality, but nothing horrible. Place was nice and would visit again.

Visited right as they opened on a Thursday (4 pm). One of the employees was kind enough to let my friend and I out of the rain a few ticks early. The layout of the place is typical bar, open and pretty wide. Big stage in one corner, long bar on the other side. Looks like it is built to handle weekend crowds. Service was good - bartender knew the beers, and she offered samples up quickly. They were out of a couple of listed beers, which was mildly annoying, but not really a big deal. I had the Oktoberfest and the Four Wolves English Ale. They were both fine. Overall, for an out-of-towner this spot is worth hitting if you have the time, though not really a must-hit in Milwaukee in my opinion. For the local, of course go.

70 = ★★½ (Locals should check it out, visitors with extended time)

I only use the total score, not the component parts.

Went there with a friend late yesterday afternoon. Had a few beers and appetizers. Good beers although the pale was almost like the IPA. The bitter was very good. Food was very tasty and good portions/price. Friendly, beer knowledgable server. We sat out side in the large beer garden which, while not spartan, was ok. Inside was nice.I look forward to returning.

Medium sized brewpub on Milwaukee’s east side river west neighborhood. Unlike other brewpubs I have been to in Wisconsin, this one allows smoking. They had about a half dozen of their beers on tap plus two guest taps. Went for dinner and a few pints – the dinner was good and the beer wasn’t bad either. Local bands play here often on the weekends and pool tables and video games are at the back of the bar if you’re into that thing.

I was here shortly after opening, so I did not order food or hear music. The large, open area looked good for concerts. Ventilation seemed poor, as I caught more than enough smoke from the 2 guys at the far end of the bar (they were the only other folks in there). There were 5 beers on tap, which were all within the realm of decent. As BeerBelcher mentioned, the bartender was friendly, helpful, and quick.. and she offered to bring the brewer out if I had more questions.

I went to Nessun Dorma, and while I was hardly blown away by what I’d read about Stonefly, I decided to give it a try while in the neighborhood. The Riverwest neighborhood is really interesting. Stonefly is on Center St and near the Fuel Cafe, the shop that provides the logo and the coffee for the Lakefront coffee stout of the same name. The neighborhood is definitely experiencing a revival, and I thought it a pretty cool place. The place is very modern and big, with a decent sized stage and pool tables. The clientele were a half dozen early-20’s hippie kids drinking "guest" beers. I was a bit turned off by the quality of the "guest" beers. These were mostly beers present for their retro charm rather than their brewing credentials and included Carling Black Label in cans, Schlitz cans, (I think) Blatz cans, and a whole bunch of PBR bottles. The bartender was friendly, helpful, and quick, and the house brewed drafts were $3.50, which I thought reasonable. The house beers were not too impressive. I had a Sixfinger IPA and a Pierce Street Porter (which I’ll review separately), but I thought both were bested by a number of other bars and brewpubs in the area. The space would be a good place to see a band or play pool, but I’m not planning on returning to Stonefly.

Re-rate 11-5-09: Vastly improved since my last visit. Food (quality and selection) are vastly improved and the beers have definitely gone up a notch. Still very inexpensive by Milwaukee standards.

Well this is definitely a working man’s bar. Didn’t stay for food or music. The beer was sub-par and the guest beers ranged from decent to various swill. The bartender was very gracious and poured free samples of all their beers. I probably won’t be heading back.