ST. FRANCIS, Wis. (SPECTRUM NEWS) - Hundreds of Wisconsinites were lined up in their cars for one thing on Saturday: beer.

Wisconsin doesn’t allow for alcohol delivery, giving craft brewers few options to make money while they’re closed for the coronavirus pandemic. Their creative solution? A drive-through.

Drink Brew City, New Barons Brewing Cooperative, and Faklandia Brewing hosted a craft beer drive-through in St. Francis Saturday afternoon. It started at 1, but by 12:45, the line had already taken over the turn lane to get to Packard Street, where the drive-through was held.

By 2 p.m., there were two police officers posted at the turn lane and near the tent entrance to help direct traffic. Staff had to add curves and turns through other parking lots to make the line’s path longer, but still, the cars backed up as far as sightlines would let you see.

“It’s all worth it for the beer,” said Chelsea Prawdzik. She and Matt Ackerman needed to get out of the house, and they just so happened to need beer at home too.

When asked if he was close to running out of beer at home, Jim Ohm laughed “Not at all!” He was driving, and Don Bauer was in the front seat. “I’m running low, so I needed this,” Bauer said.

Once people finally got up to the tent, they’d place their order with someone who came to their window. The menus they were handed were laminated and sanitized between each person. Staff would organize each order, then sanitize the cans. They were using a solution called San-O2_Gard, a sanitizing solution normally used in breweries. Then they’d pull up, pay, and get their beer. Most chose to have it put right in the trunk of their car to minimize contact.

"Just a great opportunity to get out of the house and support some local businesses,” said Ackerman. It was worth the wait for people who wanted to help out local businesses, and have a craft beer to sip on when they’re stuck at home. "Any way we can help, especially if it's buying beer, we'll do it, laughed Bauer.

Fewer than 5 people ran the drive-through at all times, maybe leading to that long line. That was all on purpose, though: the fewer people there are, the less likely disease will spread.

Beers were available from New Barons Brewing Cooperative, Faklandia, Broken Bat, The Explorium Brewpub, The Fermentorium, Gathering Place, and MobCraft.