Tap Handle #237: Capital Brewing - Supper Club

Yes, this tap is pretty much a toy on a stick, but I still like it, and I like it even more for the supper club label. Most versions differ only in the label, although there is a really nice one with a big red "W" on it.

Click through to read more about Capital Brewing and their Supper Club lager...


Capital Brewing was founded in Middleton, Wisconsin in 1986 by Ed Janus. Janus was the former owner of the Madison Muskies baseball team. The brewery was set up in an old egg processing plant, and in 1986 produced its first release, Garten Brau, and sold $800,000 worth of stock. Capital created their beers using the German purity laws, and sent its brewed beer to Stevens Point where it was bottled. A bier garten was opened soon after. In the 1990s they added a $1.3 million expansion to the brewery. In 2007, Capital Brewery started giving tours of the brewery. They placed seventh overall behind six European breweries at the Beer Tasting Institute's World Beer Championships, and claimed the title “America's #1 Rated Brewery.” However, Anheuser Busch got wind of the Middleton brewery's attempt to legally obtain a trademark on the moniker and  fought against it.

Plans were discussed and attempts were made to add a restaurant facility to Capital Brewery, but it was decided that it was not needed, since the bier garten was drawing hundreds of people every weekend for music and drafts beneath the stars. Around 2008, Capital began showing movies there as well. Capital brews 16 distinct beers, of which eight are annuals, four are seasonals, and four are limited release, and they distribute to 6 Midwestern States.

Supper Club is a pale lager featuring a greater depth of refreshing malt character than the mass marketed versions of the style. It has a moderate mouth feel, mild bittering and superb drinkability. Weighted average on ratebeer.com is 2.88 out of 5.

Capital Brewing Official Website