Want To Join Gathering Place’s Exclusive Beer Society?

Gathering Place Brewing Company is accepting new members into its Exclusive Beer Society, which will offer exclusive access to one-of-a-kind beers.

Each month, brewers at Gathering Place, 811 E. Vienna Ave., dream up two experimental beers based on member input, then brew the new recipes in small batches on a pilot system from Spike, a brewing equipment manufacturer located just down the street.

“We get to ask the customers what they want to try and brew things that we don’t normally get to brew on a bigger system,” said Caitlyn White, marketing and events coordinator at Gathering Place. “People are interested in a wide variety of things, which is honestly pretty cool to see. Some people prefer the darker beers, some people prefer lighter. So we try to do a good mix of that throughout the year.”

The beers include experimental styles, unique ingredients, barrel aging, mixed fermentation methods and higher ABV offerings. The beers are only available to members and will not be sold in kegs or cans.

The membership lasts six months and members can choose to receive two bottles per month for $80 or four bottles per month for $150. Sign-up for the program opened July 1.

The membership is a limited program. It was capped at 75 in 2020 — its inaugural year. But as interest grew, the society expanded to accommodate more members. There are still plenty of open spots, White said.

The membership comes with an array of perks, including 10% off purchases online and in the taproom, pre-sale access for non-society events, two tickets to semi-annual Member’s Society Thank You events, a society beer glass, priority access to renew membership and first dibs on specialty beer releases, which are known to sell out quickly.

The society will also have a private Facebook group for members to discuss the beer and ask questions, White said.

Gathering Place opened 2017 in Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood. The brewery and taproom favors European-style beers with a modern twist. Owner Joe Yeado was a senior researcher at Public Policy Forum before turning his home brewing hobby into a full-time business. Yeado’s fondness for European beers comes from his time spent living abroad in Germany.

Gathering Place distributes to 140 bars and restaurants in the Madison and Milwaukee area and to 80 liquor and grocery stores throughout the state. The business will soon expand to a second location, with a beer garden at Flour & Feed Marketplace in Bay View.