Madison Area Beer and Wine Tours

1. Ale Asylum
   3698 Kinsman Blvd.
   aleasylum.com
   Price: Free
   Dates/times: Saturdays, 6 p.m.
   Describe it, 10 words or less: Industrial meets chic. Plus, $2 pints after the tour.
   Don’t miss: The labels—owner Otto Dilba says their label artwork has to pass the “tattoo test.” “A design won’t go to press unless it’s something … a person [would] want to get tattooed on their body.”
   
   
2. Botham Vineyards
   8180 Langberry Rd., Barneveld
   bothamvineyards.com
   Price: $3
   Dates/times: By appointment for groups of fifteen or more. But the tasting room is open March through December (check the website for days and times).
   Describe it, 10 words or less:
   A friendly, unpretentious mingling of wines, automobilia and gorgeous scenery.
   Don’t miss: The Vintage Celebration in August, when vintage automobiles are
   showcased at the peak of the growing season.
   
   
3. Capital Brewery
   7734 Terrace Ave., Middleton
   capital-brewery.com
   Price: $3
   Dates/times: Fridays, 3:30 p.m., Saturdays 1:30 and 3:30 p.m.
   Describe it, 10 words or less: Island Wheat, Wisconsin Amber, Supper Club. Need we say more?
   Don’t miss: We all know about the outdoor Bier Garten, open May–September. But drop by during the cooler months for a drink in the lesser-known Bier Stube, a cozy bar that’s open Tuesday–Saturday year-round.
   
   
4. New Glarus Brewing Co.
   2400 State Hwy. 69, New Glarus
   newglarusbrewing.com
   Price: Free self-guided tour.
   Dates/times: Mondays–Sundays, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
   Describe it, 10 words or less: You can’t get their brews outside of Wisconsin—literally.
   Don’t miss: Three things: the renovated hilltop facility, the tasting room where you can sample brews daily from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. and Wisconsin Cran-bic, part of brewmaster Dan Carey’s limited-edition “Unplugged” beer series. Carey will roll out a new set of Unplugged beers in 2010, too.
   
   
5. Wollersheim Winery
   7876 State Rd. 188, Prairie du Sac.
   wollersheim.com
   Price: $3.50
   Dates/times: Tours start daily at 10:15 a.m. and run until 4:15 p.m.
   Describe it, 10 words or less: California vistas in Wisconsin.
   Don’t miss: The west coast views are more than mere coincidence at this Midwestern winery: the first owner of the vineyard, Hungarian Count Agoston Haraszthy, left Wisconsin in 1849 for California and is known as the founder of that state’s wine industry.
   

(List from http://www.madisonmagazine.com/, article titled "Seize the City! 62 things every Madisonian should do in 2010" by Brennan Nardi, Shayna Miller, and Katie Vaughn. Photo from http://blog.wisconsinbrewerytour.com/)