Even with the Milwaukee Brewers 22-0 Tuesday night blowout of my beloved Seattle Mariners fresh in mind—the worst defeat in their 50-year franchise history, tying the largest margin of defeat in a shutout in modern MLB history since 1888 (and the less said about Mariners star center fielder Julio Rodríguez losing track of the out count and casually tossing a caught fly ball into the stands, allowing yet another Brewers run to their tally the better)—I’m still very much looking forward to my first visit to the great state of Wisconsin in less than a month.
Wisconsin is also where some top bar-world friends of mine, like Toby Cecchini, Brian Bartels, and Jim Meehan, hail from or spent their formative years. And the state proudly claims a wide range of beloved regional traditions when it comes to food and drink. While my time in Milwaukee will be relatively brief and my professional obligations are my reason for being there, I plant to make the most of it. I’m looking forward to my inaugural visit to Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge. I’m sure there will be a Brandy Old-Fashioned or two in front of me at some point. Hopefully I’ll find time for a creamy blender like a Grasshopper or Pink Squirrel. There will certaintly be a pint of New Glarus Spotted Cow, and though I’m not a big Bloody Mary guy I’ll welcome a Snit without protest to ride shotgun with my drink order.Fingers-crossed for a supper club relish tray and Friday Fish Fry. And even with recent events, I’ll continue my road-game tradition of picking up an on-field cap of the hometown MLB team. It certainly helps that the Brewers’ logo remains one of the finest in the league.
Feel free to drop me a line or leave a comment hipping me to your favorite Milwaukee bars, restaurants, supper clubs, bakeries, coffee shops, and curiosities.
So what brings me to Milwaukee, you ask? I’ve been invited to be a part of the third-annual Botanical Bitter Royale, hosted by the talented team at Bittercube Bitters and Heirloom Liqueurs, in collaboration with the Pour Inc. Group, taking place at the historic Muellner Building in Wauwatosa.
I’m honored to be among this year’s panel of guest judges including Justin Burrow (Houston’s Captain Foxheart’s Bad News Bar & Spirit Lodge), Karen Bell (James Beard Award-nominated Milwaukee chef), Mikel McGee (award-winning floral designer and founder of Milwaukee flower shop 414loral), and Keven Bush (synthwave project Immortal Girlfriend).
And if you’ve ever wanted to pick up a signed copy of my books Bitters and Amaro, this will be the place to make it happen!
If you live in the Milwaukee area or have friends or fellow cocktail enthusiasts who do, I hope you/they’ll pick up a ticket to join some of Wisconsin’s finest bartenders for a spirited day of craft cocktails, gourmet bites, and a lively competition where each bartender will bring their unique style to the forefront with concoctions that highlight the unique botanicals in Bittercube and Heirloom, paired with a selection of exceptional spirits sourced from Wisconsin distilleries.
Whether you’re a cocktail enthusiast, a food lover, or simply in search of a remarkable day out, the Botanical Battle Royale is set to dazzle. Celebrate the artistry of cocktails, the beauty of botanicals, and the spirit of community at this one-of-a-kind event. This popular event has sold out the past two years, so don’t dally in securing your ticket.
Botanical Bitter Royale 2026
Saturday, September 19, 2026 from 1:00 p.m - 5:00 p.m.
The Historic Muellner Building
7300 W Chestnut Street
Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, 53210
With no formal business background, Bittercube founders Nick Kosevich and Ira Koplowitz relied on their bartending hustle, creativity, and perseverance to navigate the early growing pains of turning a passion project into a thriving company. In 2009, Bittercube Bitters were produced by hand in one-gallon glass jars; by 2024, that same commitment to quality fueled production of more than 25 million cocktails’ worth of bitters.
Today, the company is guided by Bittercube founder Ira Koplowitz and longtime Bittercube employee and collaborator Brandon Reyes, who carefully taste and approve every batch of bitters. Continuing to produce the best bitters in the world is of the utmost importance, as is continued creativity through product development, and cultivating lasting relationships with the botanical suppliers that are the lifeblood of the bitters themselves.
In 2016, Heirloom sprang forth from the seeds of Bittercube, the nationally recognized line of slow-crafted bitters. This was a natural progression for a company focused on producing bitters of unmatched quality with real botanicals. Bittercube proprietor Ira Koplowitz, along with Heirloom co-founder and longtime Bittercube employee, Brandon Reyes, have thoughtfully developed a line of vibrant liqueurs, which expertly blends curiosity and heritage by offering innovative and exciting flavor profiles on centuries old liqueur recipes.
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