GREEN BAY, Wis. — The number of craft breweries in Wisconsin is continuing to grow. The Brewers Association reported the number was up 8% from 2022 to 2023. 

What You Need To Know

  • Badger State was the first ever brewery to open in the Lambeau Field's “Stadium District” back in early 2013

  • Following in the footsteps of breweries that started out as a home brew operations — such as New Glarus, Sierra Nevada and Dogfish Head — Badger State is now a destination brewery

  • Sam Yanda, Mike Servi and Andrew Fabry helped found Badger State Brewing

  • BRW-SKI, Game Day IPA and On Wisconsin! are a few of the dozens of beers on tap at Badger State Brewing
 

As the popularity of craft breweries continues to rise, a Green Bay microbrewery is celebrating more than a decade in business. 

Andrew Fabry is one of the founders of Badger State Brewing. Fabry said Wisconsinites love beer and his company produces volumes of the hoppy beverage.

“Every month, we’re brewing about 300 to 400 barrels. So that’s a little over 1000 gallons per month,” Fabry said.

Fabry said his passion for craft beer started 10 years ago as a leisure activity.

“We actually started as home brewers and it was one of those things where you do something as a hobby on the side, and you kind of fall in love with,” Fabry said.

Badger State Brewing is no longer a home brewery, thanks to its location near Lambeau Field. Badger State was the first ever brewery to open in the Lambeau Field's “Stadium District” back in early 2013. Following in the footsteps of breweries that started out as a home brew operations —  such as New Glarus, Sierra Nevada and Dogfish Head — Badger State Brewing is now a destination brewery. 

Fabry said the bigger space has also allowed him to expand his 2024 beer offerings.

“We’re leaning into some of the things that I think we excel at better than anybody else in the state, which is our IPA lineup, but also our light beers and light lagers,” Fabry said.

Craft brewer Ryan Hillesland has created beer for several years. Hillesland said he expects 2024 to bring “big hazy, hoppy IPAs. I think that’s probably going to continue.”

“I hope we see clear IPAs and lagers coming back,” he added.

High-quality ingredients are key to Badger State Brewing’s popularity. Hillesland said there are two specific beers that customers crave.

“Our biggest seller is our Hazy IPA, that’s a really fruity, tropical, hoppy beer. Our second biggest seller is BRW-SKI. That’s the American light lager,” Hillesland said.

Badger State Brewing offers more than a dozen beers, hard seltzers and nonalcoholic selections. Fabry said customers love the taproom, which has been a key to the business' success.

“It’s that place that you can come in [to] meet people, if you want to have a little celebration or get together,” Fabry said.

Fabry said the past 10 years have been both difficult and phenomenal; he said customers have made every moment worthwhile.

“It definitely feels really good. I think we’re humbled and very appreciative of what we have,” Fabry said.

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