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Wisconsin Parent

Milwaukee: Brewhouse Inn and Suites

Feb 12, 2015 10:00AM ● By Julie Henning
Pabst, Shlitz, Miller, and Blatz—these cornerstone breweries put Milwaukee, Wisconsin on the map as America's Brew City. A city of hardworking folk with Midwestern ethics, Milwaukee knows how to bootstrap through adversity and build up from the ashes, so to speak.

Over the last decade, downtown Milwaukee has received national attention for its urban planning, environmental sustainability, and economic revitalization spanning multiple districts and neighborhoods.

I lived in Milwaukee in 1996 when Pabst Brewing shut its doors. Overlooking the Milwaukee River from atop the hill, the massive brownstone buildings looked as forlorn and downtrodden as the former employees who made a career brewing up Blue Ribbon Beer.

Nearly two decades later, I returned to the intersection of North 10th and West Juneau to stay at The Brewhouse Inn & Suites. Housed in the former brewery complex, The Brewhouse is a six-story boutique hotel repurposed and remodeled to keep the spirit of Pabst Brewery alive.

Located on the second floor, the tops of the original copper kettles have been polished and preserved to their original integrity. On the far end is a multiple-story stained glass visage of King Gambrinus, the patron saint of brewing.

King GambrinusIn the guest rooms, tall ceilings expose metal beams, pipes, brick, and original wood. Rooms range from one- and two-bedroom suites, to loft and terrace suites and feature a refrigerator, range, dishwasher, and efficiency kitchen (perfect for saving or serving take-out or leftovers).

RoomFor families with children one downside is the lack of a swimming pool. That said, we had fun exploring the building—looking down on the kettles from the sixth floor, climbing the wrought iron spiral staircase, and sitting all the couches and chairs that look like they came straight out of Alice in Wonderland (the hotel website describes this as "steampunk and Victorian revisionist stylings").

stairsandfoodSupposedly these all came from Steinhafels Furniture:

CouchesA light complimentary breakfast is served in the morning and a small workout room can be found on the second floor. Also worth noting is Jackson’s Blue Ribbon Pub, accessible through an interior hallway just behind the concierge station in the front vestibule. You'll find shuffle board and a few arcade games in the back room, enough to keep kids happy while you enjoy a beer or two.

WanderingAnd if you're looking to "top off" your beer weekend, make a quick one-block walk to Best Place for a Brew History Tour. Melissa Schwartz, regular Midwest Travel contributor here on WisconsinParent.com, stayed at The Brewhouse Inn & Suites in 2014. You can read her excellent review here: http://www.alittletimeandakeyboard.com/2014/11/family-vacation-brewhouse-inn-and-suites-milwaukee.html

Thanks to Brewhouse Inn and Suites for a complimentary night of lodging. No other compensation was received for the purposes of this review. All opinions are my own. For more information on what to do in Brew City, consult the VISIT Milwaukee website.