USA, WI: Urban Harvest Brewing quietly opens in Milwaukee

Urban Harvest Brewing Company quietly opened its brewery and tap room this past weekend at 1024 S. 5th St. in Milwaukee, OnMilwaukee.com reported on April 13.

Owner and brewer Steve Pribek has been home-brewing for nearly 17 years. But in mid-July 2015, he took the leap and signed a lease on the Walker's Point building which currently houses the nano-brewery.

"In the past decade, the business model of a nano-brewery has really become more realistic," says Pribek. "It's always been my dream to start a brewery, and when I finally started researching, the dream began to take shape and became a reality."

Pribek has installed a two-barrel brewing system, which he'll use for production. The building also houses a tap room, which features bar and table seating for about 80 people as well as a view of the brewing area. In addition, the first floor houses an old theater space with a stage and about 50 stadium-style seats, which Pribek says the brewery will rent out for events.

Currently, there are six beers on tap at Urban Harvest – 414 Golden Ale, Black Puppy Pale Ale, Old Towne Amber, H.C. IPA, Corkscrew IPA (infused with cabernet soaked oak) and Ach Ya Der Hey-Fe Weizen – and Pribek hopes he'll be tapping one or two more in the next day or two, including a Blood Orange Wheat.

Pribek says that as soon as he's fully established his brewing operation and gotten the tap room off of the ground, he'll begin working to self-distribute his beer to area bars and restaurants. He'll expects to introduce a number of new beers over the coming months, including a few barreled brews. Pribek says he also has an Espresso Amber, made with Stone Creek espresso, which he'll be releasing in the tasting room in the next couple of weeks.

The brewery, which is open to the public on Friday and Saturdays from 2 to 10 p.m., has also announced that it will be open from 5 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, April 14 and will serve up special $4 pints of 414 Golden Ale in honor of Milwaukee Day.

14 April, 2016