Breweries break out new patios for the Memorial Day weekend

The tiki bar is open. Technically, the outdoor beer bar is open at two of the city's newest breweries — a good way to kick off Memorial Day.

City Lights Brewing, 2210 W. Mount Vernon Ave., continues its grand opening and patio party with hopsicles, which is pretty much what you think but made with the brewery's Coconut Porter and Lemongrass Wheat Ale. 

Food service from the converted RV on the patio begins at noon on Friday. Take $1 from the price of beer from 5 to 7 p.m. At 8 p.m. Mas Soul performs.

And so it goes Saturday with Sugar Still performing at 8 p.m. On Monday, the brewery hosts a Memorial Day ceremony at noon. Active and retired members of the military will receive a complimentary beer from 11 a.m to noon.

At Third Space, 1505 W. St. Paul Ave., there's an open garage door where a wall once stood and steps that lead to an outdoor bar with eight taps dubbed the beer garden. Co-founder Andy Gehl says they are fueled by a fancy Kegerator but you won't have these beers on tap in your garage.

Third Space hosts a grand opening of the beer garden from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, noon to 10 p.m. Sunday and noon to 5 p.m. Monday.

Games will be set up — three stations to play bags and washers. Gehl and co-founder Kevin Wright are parents and plan to have a spot for children to play. Live music is planned and look for the beer garden-style steins to mark the occasion.

"We want people to have fun in a laid-back outdoor atmosphere," Gehl said. Third Space will also release a kettle-soured Milwaukee Mule, a lime and ginger beer that tastes a little like the cocktail it's named for.

There are a few more signs that summer is right around the corner.

Thursday: Cafe Hollander, 5900 W. Mequon Road in Mequon, will serve Perennial Artisan Ales during its Perennial Bier Dinner from 7 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $60. See Eventbrite.com to purchase.

Friday-Sunday: The Micro at Wisconsin State Fair Park hosts Summer Untapped, the second annual beer Memorial Day beer festival. Choose from more than 50 beers on tap and live music. Admission is free.

Sunday: Come for the yoga; stay for the beer festival. Girls Pint Out plans a yoga class at 11 a.m. at The Micro. Admission is $20 and includes a beer at The Micro after class. See the event page on Facebook.

Sunday: Sugar Maple, 441 E. Lincoln Ave., brings in John Lavelle, brewer and co-founder of Like Minds Brewing, for beer education class. The cost is $15 and includes five samples of Like Minds beer, according to the event page on Facebook.

June 1: Hi Hat, 1701 N. Arlington Place, hosts the first installation in the Women and Craft Beer Series from 6 to 9 p.m. Tracy Hurst from Metropolitan Brewing and Maggie Skinner from Pink Boots Society and Girls Pint Out will be among those leading the discussion on beer basic. The class includes samples from Good City Brewing, Metropolitan Brewing, New Glarus Brewing Company, and the Strong Ale brewed by the Pink Boots Society. Tickets are $35. See the event page on Facebook.

June 3: Sample more than 350 beers at the 14th annual World of Beer Festival organized by the Beer Barons homebrewers organization. The festival runs from 1 to 5 p.m at the Schwabenhof Pavilion, N56 W14750 Silver Spring Drive in Menomonee Falls. Ticket prices range from $50 for general admission to $70 for VIB (very interesting beers) admission. 

Find upcoming festivals throughout the summer in this guide to the summer's best beer festivals.

June 1-2: Raised Grain Brewing Co. joins with Waukesha County Parks for pop-up beer gardens Thursdays and Fridays in June, July and August. The first Raised Grain Beer Garden opens June 1 at Minooka Park, 1927 E. Sunset in Waukesha. 

Contact Kathy at kathy.flanigan@jrn.com. Create your own tour of Wisconsin breweries with Beer Near, an interactive listing of the state's beer producers.