USA, WI: Dead Bird Brewing planning August opening in Milwaukee

No birds were harmed in the building of Dead Bird Brewing. The oddly named brewery plans to open in August in Milwaukee's Halyard Park neighborhood, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported on July 29.

The moniker Dead Bird dates back to college days at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, when Nick Kocis and Jeremy Hach first became curious about brewing and the only pot available for the process had an expired bird inside. The pot was sanitized, beer was made and Dead Bird Brewing came to life.

The equipment will be brand-new in the 3,600-square-foot building that is Dead Bird Brewing, 1726 N. Fifth St. Kocis and Hach have given attention to the details. The design outside is streamlined with a bioswale garden surrounding a patio deck made of recycled plastic.

Inside, the brewery pays homage to the past.

Dead Bird is in a 1903 building that served as a warehouse for Milwaukee's first commercial grocery service. The riveted barrel ceiling towers over a concrete floor and Cream City brick walls. Reclaimed wood — some scavenged from a 100-year-old barn in the Driftless area, some from Bernie's Rock Shop in Madison and a few pieces from the builder's house — soak up noise and add warmth to the taproom.

Kocis and Hach kept what they could from the past. For instance, original enclosed gutters installed inside the building instead of outside make music when it rains, Kocis pointed out.

Contractors took out cinder blocks to reveal two 10-foot wide windows overlooking the cobblestone alley outside. Dead Bird is part of the Sid Grinker Restoration campus, which is also home to Retailworks, a commercial design, branding and consulting firm. Pilcrow Coffee is moving in next door.

There's a three-barrel pilot system ready to go in. Dead Bird will continue to contract brew with MobCraft, 505 S. Fifth St., for retail product but will use the smaller pilot system to make beers that will be served in the taproom.

Kocis said there will be 16 taps for beverages from beers to a gluten-free collaboration hard seltzer called Flyt that was made with Alt Beer in Madison. Pamplemousse pale ale and Double Monkey Imperial Northeast IPA will probably find a home on tap. One line will be dedicated to house-made sodas, and Dead Bird, which seeks a winery license, hopes to have a line of ciders available.

Kocis, who moved to Milwaukee, said he and Hach knew they wanted to build a brewery in Madison or Milwaukee for future distribution to Chicago. They were attracted to the neighborhood feel of Milwaukee and Halyard Park.

There is still work to be done on the kitchen, which will feature mostly vegan and vegetarian snacks like house-made hummus and olives. The plan calls for a pizza oven to make rotating-season pizzas, and Kocis said they are working with local foragers for ingredients.

They're waiting for the city to declare the work space a commissioned kitchen, which would allow food trucks to use it as well.

While plumbers and electricians work their magic on Dead Bird, Kocis recently set up the retro stand-up arcade games on one side of the taproom and the pinball games that will be on the other. There is seating for 100 inside and up to 50 more on the deck. It's likely the brewery will use the parking lot for special events.

Dead Bird Brewing will be open from 3 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 3 to midnight Friday; noon to midnight Saturday; and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.

30 July, 2019