Vintage Brewing Company’s new Cross Plains taproom is truly “vintage,” with its building dating back to the 1800s. It was built as a hotel and livery stable, next to the town’s former Milwaukee Railroad depot. “The building is a historic gem,” says Rory Nienajadlo, one of the Vintage partners. Over the years it has been home to many businesses, restaurants and bars. In recent times it has been known as Mueller’s, the Coaches Club Sports Bar and Restaurant, and most recently, Dotty’s Bar & Bistro. The two-story structure retains the front façade from the turn of the 20th century, and looks typical of a pre-Prohibition boarding house and saloon.
The owners of Vintage had been keeping an eye out for another taproom location, says Scott Manning, a co-owner and brewmaster at Vintage, but many were too close to other Vintage locations. Cross Plains proved to be geographically appealing. “The community is definitely growing, it has a suburban feel, and is just far enough from our other locations that we won’t be sacrificing sales at one for the other,” says Manning.
Renovations to the building began in June. Smaller than Vintage’s other locations, the Cross Plains site plays into the image of a small town corner tavern. On the main floor the bar seats about 20, in addition to a main dining room and patio. The second floor will be used as a banquet area for up to 50 people.
The bar has 20 tap lines. Manning intends for the Cross Plains location to feature some special beers available only there, and he expects that some seasonal releases will debut there before other Vintage locations.
That will make the Cross Plains Vintage taproom a playground of sorts for Manning’s small batch, experimental and one-off beers. Manning is well known for his creative approaches to brewing that are sometimes out of the mainstream even for craft beer drinkers. He was the first Madison brewer to make a hibiscus saison, as well as experimenting with ingredients like kernza, a grain grown with more sustainable agricultural practices.
For the September opening of the Cross Plains location, Manning’s special releases will include a pale ale made with Nectaron hops from New Zealand, known for their intense pineapple flavor; “Crave of the Mounds,” a sweet pastry porter with hints of chocolate and coconut; and “Creek Straddler,” a grapefruit radler.
The menu will be comparable to other Vintage locations, with a few special items: a bruschetta flatbread, a Cubano panini, and fried pickles.
The Vintage Cross Plains taproom is now open from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily at 1200 Main St., also known as Highway 14.
