Monroe Beverage Mart

First visit, October 2016. Like the previous user I would not expect much from this old stand-alone block building on the east side of town, but inside there’s a pretty solid selection, with prices that are only a little higher than in the larger cities that I mostly buy from. And the (empty) bottle collection above the (for sale) bottles is pretty darn cool. Really solid Wisconsin-Illinois selection with more O’so beers in one spot than I usually see, virtually all of Ale Asylum’s line, a bunch of stuff from Bos Meadery that I haven’t seen elsewhere, etc. I’d be surprised if there’s a better overall choice for beer in town, though there is a Brennan’s Market on the west side with an interesting selection of uncommon western micros. Certainly worth a stop if you’re in town.

Drove up not expecting much based on the aging exterior, but found a respectable craft beer selection inside, and an extensive bottle collection spanning 50 years since the store opened, according to the friendly clerk. So many cool old labels from decades past, and a few more recent ones like the original Edel-Pils. The beer selection is in the back coolers and adjacent shelves, the coolers are helpfully organized by style, something you don’t see too often. Lots of variety, mostly an american craft focus. New Glarus Thumbprint beers, Berliner Weisse was here, and Winter Warmer still too, not a hot seller I guess. Ale Asylum and Capital seasonals, Bells, Lagunitas, FFF, NB La Folie, Alaskan, Founders, and more. Hopothesis beers were featured, I guess they contract at Minhas. The unique find for me was locally brewed Pecatonica Nightfall Lager (on sale too). It’s currently contract brewed at Minhas by the owners/brewers of Pecatonica, who are opening a taproom in Warren, IL soon. Overall an unlikely find in this small town, not too far from New Glarus.

Cool little place. Stopped in here on the way home after hitting up Minhas and Baumgardners in Monroe. Decent little selection scattered around the store. 2012 BCS just sitting around on the warm shelf with a bunch more in the reach-in kinda surprised me. Grabbed one of those, a New Glarus Serendipity and Raspberry Tart 750ml and a mix-a-6 with some Sprecher, O’so, Upland, and Tyranena beers. Worth a stop if youre going through town to see what goodies they got.