(Beer & Cheese Fest, beer pouring, photo courtesy of Beer and Cheese Fest)
Beer & Cheese Fest Returns to the Alliant Energy Center
For visitors to this year's Beer & Cheese Fest in Madison the brewery and cheese maker product lines might look vastly different than when the one day festival began in 2010. According to a 2025 Gallup poll the consuming of alcoholic beverages in the U.S. reached the lowest point in the survey's 90 history showing that only 54% of Americans saying they drink regularly. This latest data in trending consort with the rise of NA beer and cocktails. 2025 polling results from the Beer Institute indicating that NA consumption is up 22% year-to-date. While, on the cheese side of the ledger, consumption of Wisconsin's most famous export is at an all time high with the average American consuming 42.5 Lbs/year primarily seeking speciality cheeses.
Now beginning its 16th year the Beer & Cheese Fest brings the together some of the best small scale breweries not only in state but the Midwest and beyond. In all there are 96 breweries and three Wisconsin based cheesemakers at Beer & Cheese Fest's sample and socialize, ticketed Winter event. If all the sips of beer and bites of cheese are not enough, there are live culinary demonstrations occurring on the hour as well as the always popular "Dueling Pianos." And if you had enough to drink or not a single drop you might want to venture over to the live, silent disco. It should a great event to shake off the icicles and jump start the new year. Tickets for General Admission are $55/🧀 Festival entry from 2-6 p.m. Beer and Cheese Fest encourages all attendees to purchase their tickets online via their website Beerandcheesefest.com.
Getting There:
The Beer & Cheese event takes place at the Alliant Energy Center Exhibition Hall
1919 Alliant Energy Center Way, Madison. The grounds are close two the Wingra Creek
Bike Path and Capital City Trail.
IF driving from Edgerton head north on I-90 and exit 142 A to merge onto
the Beltline, exit John Nolen Drive.
Wisconsin DOT's 511
For up to the minute winter driving conditions in southern Wisconsin visit the Wisconsin
DOT's
511 Wisconsin or call 511 or
(866) 511-9472.
LAKES NEARBY:
- Lake Mendota
- Lake Monona(across John Nolen Drive from the Alliant Energy Center grounds)
- Lake Waubesa
