On the Yahara A-Z

D.


Dane is Great.  A sunny day in March means flip on the bike light and ride up over the Rutledge Bridge and onto the Capital via the bike loop, onto Williamson Street temporarily, to John Nolan Drive, then up to Pinckney at the very heart of the Capital District where one of the great brew pubs of the midwest stands, The Great Dane.

With bike lock mounts stationed all around the capital, park, lock up, then walk into one of the more dynamic, multi-level brew pubs imaginable, a front bar, back bar, basement bar, pool hall and revealed windowed brew vat production, it is something like a small adventure finding the best or series of best, seats in the house.

For my own best bet, I would take a nice seat at the front bar where you can see the handwritten signs advertising fresh taps, and the pool hall behind if that is the game.  I would order the Crop Circle Wheat beer and the Mojo Cubano sandwich, a nice play on the traditional pulled pork and pickled sandwich (Scotch Ale brined pickles), and then, to seal the deal, order two 'Crowlers' to go.  The crowler is an offshoot of the standard brew pub option of a glass-jarred growler – an aluminum can version that is sealed and capped at the bar itself, a handwritten description of the beer and a.b.v. % level on the side of the can.

The Great Dane has grown from one central location to two others around the city of madison, each of them with new and innovative modes of beer production and delivery.  At the Fitchburg location, the tables upstairs have two taps coming up through the center with digital readout re-fills available.  Most hours the Danes are family friendly and very communal by nature -- the old beer hall alive and well in the city.