What’s better than a run-of-the-mill brewery tour? If you ask TravelPirates (and us), it’s spending the night at the former Pabst Blue Ribbon Pabst Brewing Company facility, which has converted from a copper kettle-brewery to a Victorian-style industrial hotel in the great beer city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Walking distance from a variety of sports complexes like the BMO Harris Bradley Center (Bucks and Golden Eagles)and the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena (Panthers, Admirals, Wave, and Brew City Bruisers), and a 15-minute drive to the iconic Miller Park (Go Brewers!), The Brewhouse Inn and Suites sits just west of downtown, tucked into a historic pocket of the city amid old churches and renovated brick houses.
And yes, it’s a million times better than staying in a Hilton or Best Western … because Pabst! Blue! Ribbon! (Best read in a Frank Booth voice.)
The Brewhouse Inn is a historical beer landmark. Back in the 1840s, Jacob Best, Sr. and his four sons established the Best & Company brewery in this building, which was a part of the growing frontier town of Milwaukee. Best & Company would later be renamed Pabst Brewing Company after the business was sold by Best’s son-in-law, Frederick Pabst.
You might notice during your visit that other Milwaukee landmarks bear the name Pabst, and that’s because ol’ Freddie liked naming things after himself (i.e. the Pabst Theater and Pabst Whitefish Bay Resort). However, those landmarks have little to do with the golden juice of PBR.
Today, PBR is based out of Los Angeles. The old brick distillery was purchased in 2006 by local real estate developers who didn’t have the heart to tear down the frothy icon. In one of the best ideas ever, they converted the building into a high-end hotel while maintaining the gruff textures of the original brewery with Pabst Brewery’s lustrous past, including restored copper brew kettles and rooms that combine industrial sleek with the opulence of Victorian design.
Hard to picture? Think gritty brick, Victorian velvet furniture, minimalist design, and copper steampunk notes. Kitchen tables in some of the suites have been repurposed from the original 1844 building and its beer-bubble French doors.
With 90 rooms, you can choose between a solo studio, one- or two-bedroom suite, or a private terrace loft, depending on how much you plan to spend on beer and baseball during the trip. For those who really love Pabst Blue Ribbon beer (our guess is you’re either a grandpa or a young hipster with beard oil in your pocket), opt for the Pabst Beer Baron Package at the Brewhouse. You can pretend you’re a “beer baron” for a night with this “Milwaukee-inspired” experience that includes a six-pack of PBR, a Brewhouse bottle opener, and two tickets to the landmark Pabst Mansion upon arrival. You’ll also receive valet parking privileges. What-what. As you may have guessed, the Pabst Mansion was the home of old Freddie Pabst and is now award-winning historic museum and architectural landmark that stands as a testament to America’s Gilded Age.
When you’re in Milwaukee, make sure to visit the spots that one The Manual Awards 2018. (Tell them The Manual sent you.)
