Some beer drinkers say they’re mourning the loss of another craft brewery that shut down last week. City Lights Brewing, located in Milwaukee’s Menomonee Valley, became the fourth local independent brewing company to close in the last year.
But craft brewers and fans say the industry still has a lot going for it, amid challenges.
To refresh your glass of history: Milwaukee was once known for its major breweries—Pabst, Blatz, Schlitz, Miller—the list goes on. The city’s beer-making image even made it into songs.
“Milwaukee is where we were before we came here. Workin’ in a brewery, making the finest beer,” sang John Prine and others in the country hit Milwaukee Here I Come.
About 30 years ago, more people started singing the praises of microbreweries as a smaller, flavorful alternative to the big brands. Milwaukee rode the national wave and now boasts more than 40 craft breweries in the metro area.
But last Friday and Saturday, the taproom at City Lights Brewing held its final hours. Patrons packed the place to say goodbye. Outside, occasional customers and regulars alike spoke lovingly of City Lights.
Carol Bernard says the brewery was convenient. “I worked next door, and it became my Cheers [TV show.] I knew the people, and they knew me. I mean, they didn’t yell out, ‘Carol!’ when I walked in the door, but…” she trails off.
Bernard says it wasn’t just the camaraderie—it was also the craft beer. “You know, I used to be a Miller Lite drinker, which now tastes watery to me. This beer had taste to it. It had flavor, and, you know, it had a higher alcohol content, so you didn’t have to drink as much either,” Bernard says.
Customer Ezekiel Kroll says he had to come to City Lights when he heard it was closing. He calls making craft beer an art. “It’s a chance for people to play with different ingredients, different seasonings that give the beer a totally different flavor,” Kroll says.
Gary Ashbaugh notes that at least one of City Lights’ beers won recognition. “Their porter beer won an award, and it was very tasty, very good. That’s what brought us here originally, and all the other ones we tried—we just enjoyed them,” Ashbaugh says.
The bartenders at City Lights said they couldn’t talk about why the brewer was closing. The owners didn’t respond to a request for an interview, but said on Facebook that “numerous challenges” made it “unsustainable to continue” operations.
Another craft brewer, Mike Doble, is on the board of the Wisconsin Brewers Guild and runs The Explorium Brewpub, which has locations in downtown Milwaukee and Greendale.
Doble says, in general, craft brewers are dealing with changes in how people socialize since the COVID-19 pandemic. He says some younger drinkers are exploring different beverages made by other companies and that brewers often have to charge more for a beer due to increased costs for labor, transportation and ingredients.
“We buy a lot of fruit from a place called Old Orchard, in Michigan. And as an example, we used to move a whole skid from Old Orchard to us for $110. That was pre-pandemic. Post-pandemic, it cost me $280,” Doble says.
But Doble says he’s had some success innovating and reaching new customers, including offering gluten-removed beer for those who have to—or want to—consume only gluten-free products.
“When we started in the market, we didn’t necessarily promote gluten-removed craft beer as our primary focus, and it really isn’t. But it really is an aspect of what we do that really makes a difference to a lot of people and has helped us, quite frankly, sell a lot of beer,” Doble says.
Doble is confident enough about his craft brewing business that he’s trying to expand.
But last week, the U.S. surgeon general cast another cloud over craft brewers and other makers of alcoholic beverages, saying those drinks should have cancer warning labels.
A national trade group, the Brewers Association, says "small and independent breweries support the responsible and moderate consumption of alcohol."
