AJ Green and Broken Bat Partner For Beer Release
Plus: A new bar, new NA beers and several new restaurants.
Green Light release party flyer. Photo courtesy of Broken Bat Brewing.
Off the court and into the keg. Milwaukee Bucks‘ AJ Green is partnering with Broken Bat Brewing to release his signature beer, Green Light, later this month.
The sharpshooter and his team crafted the new brew, a “silky smooth” cream ale, from scratch, according to Broken Bat.
The 4.8 ABV beer will be available starting Jan. 18, with Green on-site at 135 E. Pittsburgh Ave. for the release party that evening from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
And while Green is happy to talk all things basketball and brewing, Broken Bat asks that attendees refrain from autograph requests.
“Out of respect to AJ, please make sure to leave memorabilia at home and just enjoy hangin’ with AJ for a few hours,” reads an online post from the brewery.
However, there will be photo opportunities, and Green plans to hand out a few freebies, as well.
After its debut, Green Light will remain on tap at Broken Bat throughout the Bucks season. The beer may also be available to purchase at select retailers.
New Bar Proposed For Layton Park
A veteran bartender is taking steps to open his own establishment on Milwaukee’s South Side, with plans to bring drinks, dancing and karaoke to the former home of Just 1 More, 3209 W. Lincoln Ave.
Edgardo Luna Valadez, registered agent for the proposed tavern, has named it Chavos Rucos—a Mexican colloquial phrase that roughly translates to “young at heart.”
A license application outlines tentative plans for the no-frills tavern, which expects to generate 100% of its revenue from alcohol sales. The 732-square-foot space features bar seating and a designated entertainment area, according to floor plans.
Luna Valadez noted that he’s leasing the 1927 building, with guaranteed occupancy for at least two years. Herrera Investments, LLC, with Miguel Herrera as its registered agent, owns the property, which he purchased in 2023 for $220,000.
Fast-Growing N/A Brewery Hopes To Make ‘Best Beer in the World’ In Downtown Milwaukee
Just under a year into its partnership with Pilot Project Brewing, UK-based Mash Gang is expanding its non-alcoholic beer portfolio in the U.S. with several new releases.
The lineup includes Chug, a “juicy, hazy” IPA; Glug, a light-bodied lager; Journey Juice, a spicy mango IPA and Lesser Evil, a limited-edition chocolate cherry stout.
Guided by the mantra, “Death to Boring Beer,” Mash Gang’s non-alcoholic beer has earned a reputation for “bold innovation and exceptional flavor,” according to a news release. The new beers will soon be available locally at the Pilot Project taproom, 1128 N. 9th St., and on shelves across Wisconsin.
The launch comes at a key moment for the N/A beverage scene, as many drinkers embrace a post-holiday break from alcohol, seeking alternatives in the meantime. However, co-founder Jordan Childs is more concerned with the quality of the brews than the ethos behind them.
Private Chef Launching Restaurant, Retail Shop in Bay View
Micaela Erickson‘s culinary philosophy starts with tradition, but doesn’t end there — comforting but also nourishing; indulgent, but with an eye on the environment; braised lamb but also braised beans.
“Love a bean, I will tell you that,” she said with a laugh.
After nine years as a private chef, Erickson is seeking to expand on that approach, introducing her work to a broader audience with the opening of Radish, a restaurant and retail store at 2986 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. The venture, set to open in late spring, shares its name with Erickson’s private chef business, launched shortly before the pandemic.
“I’ve always had a daydream of what I would do if I decided to take this to a storefront,” she said. “There are all these ideas and excitement. But I just wanted to move beyond cooking from my house and my clients’ houses and find more outlets to the public.”
New Mexican Restaurant For Clarke Square
Jose Lozoya, Jr. exudes confidence as he prepares to open El Caporal in Clarke Square, telling the Milwaukee Licenses Committee on Tuesday that he expects the restaurant’s Mexican dishes to rival even those of the area’s most cherished establishments.
“I think I’ll be a little more authentic,” said Lozoya, a 20-year industry veteran, who plans to launch the new business at 721 S. Cesar E Chavez Dr. Formerly home to La Playa Mariscos y Bar, the large restaurant space shares a building with National Liquor Mart, also owned by Lozoya.
And despite the South Side’s plethora of restaurants offering not just Mexican, but a wide array of global cuisines, Lozoya feels something is still missing. El Caporal aims to fill that gap.
“I want to bring a good food place to the South Side, with good entertainment, kind of like a Chicago-style [business] — something that’s missing in Milwaukee,” Lozoya told committee members, noting that Mexican meals and music will go hand-in-hand at the future establishment, especially on weekends.
Mother’s Takes Up Residence in Former Ardent Space
With a playful cooking style that traverses global flavors—berbere, doenjang, gochugaru—Vanessa Rose thrives in the space between cultures and culinary traditions.
It’s no surprise, then, that the chef has found a temporary home at 1751 N. Farwell Ave., the former location of Ardent and the future site of Purslane.
In the interim between concepts, Rose’s pop-up, Mother’s, is taking up residence for January. Previously, it was available only on Sundays, while Rose served as Ardent’s sous chef the rest of the week.
Throughout the month, Rose will be serving both old favorites and new creations; extra service days allow more room for experimentation, she said.
Mochinut and Roll Up Open in Bay View
From spring rolls to sweets, a pair of new Bay View arrivals offer flavors to suit any taste. Roll Up, a customizable spring roll concept, and Mochinut, a chain serving mochi doughnuts and boba teas, recently opened in a shared retail space at 2144 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.
Owners Loan and Thaison Nguyen welcomed a strong turnout for their first full weekend in business, drawing a steady stream of customers in search of indulgent breakfast items, veggie-packed lunch options or afternoon treats.
Mochinut, situated in the northern portion of the space, is pretty in pink, with blush-colored tiles and a fluted counter complementing trays of brightly colored doughnuts in flavors like raspberry funnel cake, chocolate caramel, matcha strawberry and champagne pocky.
In addition to its signature doughnuts, the California-based chain offers a variety of Korean-style corn dogs and mozzarella sticks with coatings including potato, hot Cheetos, crispy ramen, crunch cereal and blue Takis.
Monterrey Market Owner Reveals Plans for New Location
The opening of a third Monterrey Market will not only be a strategic move for the growing Milwaukee grocer, but also a highly anticipated addition to the city’s West Side, according to owner Robert Montemayor.
Montemayor has confirmed plans to open a new market at 7025 W. Main St., bringing new life to a shuttered Walmart Neighborhood Market near the Milwaukee-West Allis border.
“It’s very unfortunate when grocery stores close down in areas that don’t have too many options,” he said, noting that only one other supermarket operates within one mile of the proposed grocer. “Based off of the analytics that we had done, it’s still a very much-needed grocery store location to really cater to the community that’s around that area itself.”
The new location, Montemayor added, is expected to attract both Monterrey Market’s loyal customer base and new shoppers from nearby areas.
BBQ Restaurant Opens at Public Market
The smell of smoked meats filled the air at Milwaukee Public Market last weekend, as David Alan Alan’s Smokehouse & Saloon served ribs, burnt ends, hot chicken and more to guests at its newly opened vendor stall.
Operated by Dave and Tina O’Bryan, the Mukwonago-based restaurant officially opened on Jan. 4, bringing barbecue back to the food hall, 400 N. Water St., following the late-summer exit of Pat’s Rib Place.
“We’re beyond excited to share our love of barbecue with the Milwaukee community,” David said in a statement. “Joining the impressive list of vendors at the Market means the world to us, and we’re ready to open our doors to welcome both new and returning customers to enjoy the food we’re so passionate about.”
The barbecue restaurant prides itself on using “traditional techniques” and “high-quality ingredients” for its seasonally rotating menu, featuring standouts such as the Nashville hot chicken sandwich, St. Louis ribs, ultimate macaroni and cheese and the smokehouse quesadilla.
Oakland Gyros Offers Truly Greek Fare
The first time I came to Oakland Gyros, I looked around to see what people were eating and all I saw were Gyros, large piles of thinly sliced meat topped with sliced tomatoes and sliced onions. That suggested the restaurant’s namesake dish would be something special and it was. The thin slices of meat included both lamb and beef, were served on top of warm pita, and came with a cup of Tzatziki sauce, the classic accompaniment, made with yogurt, preferably Greek, cucumber and garlic. When my companion tasted the sauce he said, “I know the Gyros will be good because the sauce is really good.”
“They make the Tzatziki sauce daily” said owner John Karampelas who stopped by our table as he made his way around the restaurant to chat with the customers. He is the original owner of the restaurant, lives upstairs, and was proud to tell us that Oakland Gyros has been on the corner of Oakland Avenue and Locust Street for 40 years.
Explorium, Good City Owners Reveal Details of Acquisition, Future Plans
Less than ten years ago, Dan Katt and Mike Doble were in similar positions career-wise. Both were preparing to launch new, beer-focused ventures in the Milwaukee area—Good City Brewing for Katt and his partners, and Explorium Brewpub for Doble and his wife, Joan.
Today, the two entrepreneurs are on different trajectories, following the acquisition of Good City Brewing by Explorium, which was officially announced on Jan. 1.
In the days since, both Katt and Doble have expressed enthusiasm for the future and mutual respect for one another’s work.
“They are great operators,” Katt said of the Dobles. “They’re there every day, sleeves rolled up and fully immersed, and we felt like they could really bring a lot of energy to our operation. We’re really excited to see what they do going forward.”
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