The e-mail came in from Kohler, Wis., on one of our cold, rainy spring days inviting me to their inaugural Festival of Beer Memorial Day Weekend.
Could I attend? Let’s see ... unlimited beer, brats and sauerkraut, and world-class lodging and golf.
Needless to say, it didn’t take me long to accept, and as I made my escape to Wisconsin, I planned to put their new state tourism slogan “Live Like You Mean It” into action.
As I entered the Village of Kohler (located an hour north of Milwaukee), I recalled my short visit here last year as a group tour leader and had always hoped I could come back some day and experience the many luxurious amenities of Destination Kohler on my own.
You may know that Kohler is world famous for its innovative plumbing fixtures known around the world, but you may not know that it also offers chic, upscale lodging at the Inn on Woodlake and the Midwest’s only AAA Five Diamond Resort Hotel, the American Club.
I checked into the swanky Inn on Woodlake, where I was told to expect a shower like no other.
How much fun can a shower be, you ask?
Let me tell you, with five heads spewing warm water at every angle, it was like having a water park in your own bathroom. I took five showers in two days just for the pure exhilaration!
Totally refreshed, I headed next door to Cucina’s Italian restaurant for some delicious pasta to prepare myself for the “Cheers to Beers” Tasting Event and competition that afternoon.
When I arrived at the Kohler Design Center (site of the sampling), a large crowd had gathered where a buzz about the 22 presenters waiting inside had already begun.
When the doors opened, we were treated to over 100 frothy brews from around the U.S. and Canada, along with a selection of cheeses from the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, who sponsored the event.
Everyone was encouraged to cast ballots for his or her three favorites, and, to be completely fair, I felt obligated to try them all.
I started with a “Bison Blonde” by Buffalo Water Brewing Co. of Milwaukee, whose catchy slogan “Slam a Blonde Tonight” caught my eye.
Next, it was a wild Maine blueberry ale from Blucreek Brewing of Madison, which I found particularly refreshing, and which won the Best of Show Award.
Some of my other favorites were the New Glarus Brewing Co.’s “Stone Soup,” which tasted of cloves and ginger; Milwaukee Brewing Co.’s “Flaming Damsel,” an everyday lager named after a circus act that used to entertain beer garden patrons; and California’s Lagunitas Brewing Co.’s “Hairy Eyeball,” a hangover cure from a New Year’s Eve celebration.
Not to be outdone were Founders Brewing “Dirty Bastard,” Central Waters Brewing “Glacial Trail India Pale Ale,” Stevens Point Brewery “Point Nude Beach” and, last but not least, Canadian brewery Unibroue’s “La Fin du Monde” (End of the World).
I certainly got an education in the many variations of the brewing art at “Cheers to Beers,” but later that night in the Great Lake Ballrooms, the “Pub Pairings” party would feature suggested food and beer pairings chosen by the chefs at the American Club.
After another shower and a brief nap, it was back to work from 7:30-9:30 sampling chicken wings, spicy Thai food and mini brats with a paired selection of beers from the Milwaukee Brewing Co..
Did I mention I LOVE MY JOB!
The next morning I lounged in my room watching the George Clooney/Nicole Kidman action thriller movie “The Peacemakers” on the big screen plasma TV that featured surround sound in the bed’s headboard.
The experience was better than any movie theater and all from the comfort of my own bed.
The “Eggs and Kegs” breakfast buffet was next on the agenda at Cucina’s, where beer-battered pancakes, corned beef hash patties seared in Stout and fresh squeezed orange juice highlighted a bountiful buffet.
That morning, the Beer Cup Golf Tournament was taking place at Black Wolf Run, one of Kohler’s championship courses that has hosted the 1998 U.S. Women’s Open and will host the 2012 Women’s Open.
I took a look around the clubhouse and remembered Mark Twain’s comment about “golf is a good walk spoiled” and chose to explore the River Wildlife Trail along the Sheboygan River.
As I crossed the bridge to the trailhead, a fly fisherman cast for trout below me and the wildflowers along the wooded trail provided me with the natural beauty I sought.
However, the temptation to check out Kohler’s most challenging golf course, Whistling Straits, was too much.
I caught the shuttle for the short drive to the links course on the shores of Lake Michigan, where architect Pete Dye had created a moonscape of sand-filled craters and undulating greens and fairways that had tested the world’s best in the 2004 PGA championship and the 2007 U.S. Senior Open.
This elite course is open to the public for a mere $340 greens fee with a $60 caddie fee (no golf carts allowed).
I hiked out with my camera to the awesome seventh and eighth holes along Lake Michigan as the wind whipped my Scottish jacket I had worn when I played Carnoustie in Scotland in 1999 two weeks after the British Open.
It brought back memories of my own experience there when I shot 100 (I was a six handicap at the time), and it all became very clear to me again why I had given up golf.
Meanwhile, back at the American Club, the local Homebrewer’s Competition was about to begin.
These local amateurs were quite proud of their homebrews and justifiably so.
I sampled several, along with a local brat and sauerkraut before retiring back to my room to rest up for the signature event — the “Blues, Brews and BBQ.”
When I arrived that evening, the Cash Box Kings blues band from Chicago was sitting down to enjoy the pulled-pork sandwiches, beef brisket, baked beans and sweet potato feast along with the rest of the over 200 guests in attendance.
The delicious meal, along with decadent desserts, preceded a memorable performance by the band, who belted out classic blues to the delight of the crowd who were on their feet demanding an encore.
It was truly the end to a perfect weekend of food, fun and BEER for the hundreds of people who had traveled from Chicago, Rockford and throughout Wisconsin for the event.
I was invited to have one more beer at the American Club’s classy pub The Horse and Plow.
I complimented my hosts at Destination Kohler for putting on such a great event in their first year and was told to expect more of the same to come.
For more information on all the activities in the village of Kohler go to www.destinationkohler.com, or call 1-800-344-2838.
Click here for more information about the author, Mark H. Bradley.
