STEVENS POINT, Wis. — There’s something brewing in the center of Wisconsin. Beer lovers will find plenty of ales, stouts and lagers at the four breweries — Point, Central Waters, O’so and Kozy Yak — that make up the Grain Circle Trail in the Stevens Point area.
Fall is a perfect time to come to one (or all) of these breweries for tastings, tours and special events, said Sara Brish, executive director of the Stevens Point Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (SPACVB).
“If you love beer, you need to follow the Grain Circle Trail,” Brish said. “Nowhere else in Wisconsin can you find so many great beers and interesting brewery tours, all within a few minutes’ drive.”
Four distinct breweries
Visitors traveling the Grain Circle Trail (named after the popular Green Circle Trail recreational path system in the area) will discover four distinct breweries, each filling its own niche for travelers.
- Point Brewery. Established in 1857, the Point Brewery, located on the south side of Stevens Point, is the fourth-oldest continually operating brewery in the country. The brewery is still growing, too, having just completed a $2 million expansion, its fourth expansion since 2010.
- Central Waters Brewing Company. On the outskirts of the quaint village of Amherst, you’ll find Central Waters Brewing Company, a brewery steeped in environmental consciousness. Materials for brewing, bottling and packaging are locally sourced and environmentally friendly, and two large solar arrays provide heat and energy for the brewery. And it’s not just their environmental efforts getting noticed—they took home a gold medal at the 2012 Great American Beer Festiva
- O’so Brewing Company. This self-proclaimed “freestyle brewing” company is celebrating its sixth year of operation in November — not bad for a business that started as a brewery supply store. That supply store (Point Brew Supply) sits in the same building in Plover that houses O’so. O’so’s Wisconsin roots are also evident in their tap room, which boasts 40 Wisconsin beers on tap six days a week.
- Kozy Yak Brewery. The newest addition to the Stevens Point area’s brewery scene, Kozy Yak Brewery in Rosholt has been serving ales, stouts and lagers since 2012. Owner Rich Kosiec (pronounced like the name of his brewery) brewed his first batch about six years ago, and the first batch turned out so well he turned his hobby into a business.
Fans can win a VIP brewery experience
Now, the SPACVB is giving fans an opportunity to win a unique trip to experience the Stevens Point Area’s breweries.
Through Nov. 30, fans can enter the Grain Circle Trail Giveaway via www.stevenspointarea.com or the SPACVB’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/StevensPointArea.
One winner will receive a trip for four to the Stevens Point area, including lodging at Hampton Inn-Plover, $150 for transportation to and from the breweries via Courtesy Cab, and VIP experiences at each of the four breweries. Winners also will receive a welcome basket filled with brewery merchandise and a gift certificate to Mikey’s Bar and Grill in Plover, which features 39 beers on tap.
“This prize package is a dream for any beer lover, and it will give the lucky winners a chance to taste and see the array of things to see and do in the Stevens Point area,” Brish said.
For more information on the Stevens Point area, visit www.stevenspointarea.com. You can also find the Stevens Point Area Convention & Visitors Bureau on Facebook (www.facebook.com/StevensPointArea), Twitter (www.twitter.com/StevensPtArea) and Pinterest (www.pinterest.com/StevensPtArea).