A 10th anniversary is an impressive achievement in craft beer, especially in this challenging moment for the industry, but that’s exactly what Third Space Brewing, 1505 W. St. Paul Ave. in the Menomonee Valley is celebrating this month.
The brewery will host an anniversary party that will be the culmination of a month of celebratory events that is already underway and includes a free brewmaster-led tour on Thursday Sept. 10, a founder-led Third Space trivia contest on Wednesday Sept. 16, and a Brewmaster's Toast every Friday in September at 5:45 p.m. with a public toast from one of the founders and $1 beers until a selected keg blows.
Then, the party takes place Saturday, Sept. 26, from noon to 10 p.m. and includes live music, local food trucks and, of course, beer.
The event will be a fundraiser for YMCA Camp Minikani, the Milwaukee-area summer camp where brewery co-founders Andy Gehl and Kevin Wright met as counselors more than 25 years ago.
The party is free and open to the public, but Third Space is encouraging a $10 donation to Camp Minikani, which will help fund scholarships for kids who otherwise wouldn’t be able to attend camp.
Those who donate can unlock thank you gifts that include Third Space or Minikani merchandise to things like beer for a year, a free barrel-party at Third Space, priority registration for Minikani, or even a week of day-camp.
“We can hardly believe it’s been 10 years,” said Third Space Brewing Co-Founder and President Andy Gehl. “When Kevin and I started Third Space, we had a simple idea: make great beer and create a ‘third space’ where people could come together, relax and enjoy themselves.
“We never imagined what this community would become over the past decade. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who has made Third Space Brewing their go to Wisconsin craft beer, stopped by one of our tap rooms or beer gardens, or otherwise supported our business these past ten years. We would not be where we are today without the incredible customers and Third Space team members who have been a part of this journey.”
In addition to the Valley brewery and taproom, Third Space also operates the Innovation Brewhouse taproom and restaurant in Menomonee Falls.
“In the early days the brewery team was just Andy and me with a handful of part-time taproom bartenders,” added Co-Founder and Brewmaster Wright. “I brewed the beer and Andy sold it, bar by bar and keg by keg, until we had grown enough to start hiring a bigger team.
“Now we have over 60 employees across several locations and are one of the top five selling craft breweries in the state. We are very proud of what we have accomplished with the help of an amazing team and customer base.”
The brewery is also releasing a pair of anniversary beers at the party, including the temporary return of the award-winning Unite the Clans Scottish-Style Ale and an “amped-up version” of the beer that made Third Space famous, Happy Place.
Both will be available on draft and in cans at the party.
Here’s the schedule of events for the anniversary party:
- Noon – Special Beer Releases
- Noon-2 p.m. – Free Beer Opportunity for My Third Space Club Members, former Third Space employees, and anyone wearing an item of Third Space merchandise.
- 1-4 p.m. – Kids Activities hosted by Camp Minikani
- 3 p.m. – Happy Place Hoisting Contest
- 5 p.m. – Split the Shield Contest
- 7:30 p.m. – 50/50 Raffle and thank yous from the founders
Anniversary Party Live Music Lineup
- 2 p.m. – Dead Air Vandals
- 4 p.m. – Litmus Vinyl
- 6 p.m. – Derek Pritzl
- 8 p.m. – Steph Lippert Project
“Ten years is a big milestone, but for us it’s really about the people,” added Gehl. “Third Space wouldn’t be Third Space without the people who walk through our doors. We want this anniversary to be a celebration of our customers, our employees, our friends, our families and this community that has supported us for the past 10 years. We hope everyone comes out on September 26 and to our other events to celebrate with us.”
For more information and to sign up for the free Brewmaster tour, go to shopthirdspace.com/tenth-anniversary.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press. A fifth collects Urban Spelunking articles about breweries and maltsters.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has been heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
