Supermoon Beer Company Opens Taproom

Supermoon Beer Company, a Bay View brewery known for its farmhouse-style beers, hosted an official grand opening for its taproom on Oct. 30.

A steady stream of people passed through the taproom Friday evening, enjoying one of Supermoon’s eight draft beers, poured by owner Rob Brennan.

Brennan said the opening came down to the wire, but has been successful so far. Marina Dimitrijevic, who has been supportive throughout the opening process, tapped the first beer at the 3 p.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony, Brennan said.

The brewery itself, located in a spruced-up, nearly 120-year-old grocery store building, 3145 S. Howell Ave., has been open since 2020, but the taproom opening was delayed due to the pandemic.

Despite the lack of a taproom, Brennan quickly gained traction within the neighborhood for his unique brewing strategies that yielded “rustic, funky, barrel-fermented and European-inspired beers.”

His beer reached an even broader audience when Thrillist declared Supermoon one of the top 34 breweries in the U.S.

He also found other avenues for community. During summer 2021, Brennan hosted outdoor tasting events on bottle-release days, with guests gathering at picnic tables in front of the Supermoon building. This past summer, Brennan constructed a more permanent wooden patio in front of the future taproom.

Brennan, a graduate of Marquette University, spent more than a decade developing his skills as a home brewer. He went on to work for Penrose Brewing Company in Geneva, IL, before returning to Milwaukee in 2018, where he eventually launched his own brewery.

Brennan’s creations are inspired by the complex flavors, long fermentation and sour notes present in traditional European beers like Belgian farmhouse ales and French Saisons. Nearly all of Supermoon’s beers are fermented with wild yeast (the same fungi present in sourdough starter) and in oak barrels, imparting a unique color, flavor and aroma on each batch.

When wild yeast beers come into contact with oxygen during the fermentation process, a biofilm called a pellicle sometimes forms. The bubbly, irregular whitish film resembles the surface of the moon. Hence, the name Supermoon.

Additionally, the long fermentation process often means Brennan’s beers only appear a few times a year, much like the supermoon.

The Supermoon taproom can hold up to 49 people, including 12 bar seats, with additional outdoor seating for up to 15 people. The taproom is open Thursday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Friday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday from noon to 9 p.m. and Sunday from noon until 7 p.m.

The brewery also offers online ordering for walk-up or curbside pick-up. Stay up-to-date on the latest beer releases by subscribing to the Supermoon newsletter, or follow the brewery on social media.

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