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I've mentioned the place before, but as I'm throwing myself a mini-going-away-party tonight at this particular establishment, I thought I'd give the real rundown.
Red Eye Brewing Company opened in early 2008, at the time the third brewery in the city of Wausau. (The second had only been open for a few months, and the first actually went out of business that December and has since been replaced.) It was different in that it didn't have the "standard" brewpub food -- no burgers, no fryer. The announced specialty was wood-fired pizzas with ingredient lists most people weren't used to seeing. They had more vegetarian options than most restaurants in town and top-notch brew.
In two years, things have only improved.
The restaurant prides itself on sustainability. The food comes from local sources whenever possible (and several of the herbs are actually grown on the property). Heat for the brewing process actually comes chiefly from solar panels mounted on the roof (look up when you walk in -- they're hard to miss!). They're one of the only places in town with a substantial bike rack and it's not uncommon to find yourself surrounded by cyclists.
Chef David Lorio is a Louisiana native and that influence comes through in the food, particularly in the specials. While the menu has changed in two years, they still don't have a fryer -- which means that the food isn't fryer-greasy, nor do you leave smelling like you've been in the kitchen at McDonald's. You can get slow-cooked ribs that melt off the bone -- barbeque done right. There's now a burger option, a half-pound patty (grass fed beef) cooked however you want it. (In keeping with the veggie-friendliness, there are three burgers offered -- one beef, one turkey, and one veggie.) And, strangely enough, their oven-baked wings are some of the best in town.
The pizzas have turned a corner as well. This is still the place to go if you're in the mood for a weird pizza but they've been refined and perfected. (I always suggest trying whatever the current special is first -- ingredients like kalamata olives, feta cheese, and alligator meat aren't terribly uncommon.)
Brewmaster Kevin Eichelberger (yes, I typed his last name from memory) is a Wisconsinite (...I'm pretty sure...) and takes supreme pride in the beer. The staples include an IPA, a Belgian dubbel, a Belgian wheat, and either a porter or a stout, depending on the cycle. Aside from those four, there are usually two to four seasonals on tap as well -- in fact, this coming Tuesday is the release night for a black I.P.A. that promises to be pretty tasty.
Make no mistake -- this is not the place to go if you're looking for something akin to Bud Light. This is good, sturdy, incredibly tasty beer.
Best of all, the atmosphere is relaxed. As off-the-wall as some of the Red Eye idiosyncrasies are, this is not an uppity joint. It's been my personal "local bar" for the last year and a half -- and any place in this town that a single girl can walk into without feeling out of place or like potential bait is a good place to be. It's the kind of place where you can randomly find yourself in conversation with the head chef or the brewmaster and not immediately realize it.
So -- if you like good beer and are willing to try some new food, stop in. Normally I'd say you should come tap me on the shoulder, but opportunities to do so are running low. Instead, grab a seat at the bar (preferably just to the right of the first set of taps) and strike up a conversation with the bartender. You never know what you'll discover.
Red Eye Brewing Company opened in early 2008, at the time the third brewery in the city of Wausau. (The second had only been open for a few months, and the first actually went out of business that December and has since been replaced.) It was different in that it didn't have the "standard" brewpub food -- no burgers, no fryer. The announced specialty was wood-fired pizzas with ingredient lists most people weren't used to seeing. They had more vegetarian options than most restaurants in town and top-notch brew.
In two years, things have only improved.
The restaurant prides itself on sustainability. The food comes from local sources whenever possible (and several of the herbs are actually grown on the property). Heat for the brewing process actually comes chiefly from solar panels mounted on the roof (look up when you walk in -- they're hard to miss!). They're one of the only places in town with a substantial bike rack and it's not uncommon to find yourself surrounded by cyclists.
Chef David Lorio is a Louisiana native and that influence comes through in the food, particularly in the specials. While the menu has changed in two years, they still don't have a fryer -- which means that the food isn't fryer-greasy, nor do you leave smelling like you've been in the kitchen at McDonald's. You can get slow-cooked ribs that melt off the bone -- barbeque done right. There's now a burger option, a half-pound patty (grass fed beef) cooked however you want it. (In keeping with the veggie-friendliness, there are three burgers offered -- one beef, one turkey, and one veggie.) And, strangely enough, their oven-baked wings are some of the best in town.
The pizzas have turned a corner as well. This is still the place to go if you're in the mood for a weird pizza but they've been refined and perfected. (I always suggest trying whatever the current special is first -- ingredients like kalamata olives, feta cheese, and alligator meat aren't terribly uncommon.)
Brewmaster Kevin Eichelberger (yes, I typed his last name from memory) is a Wisconsinite (...I'm pretty sure...) and takes supreme pride in the beer. The staples include an IPA, a Belgian dubbel, a Belgian wheat, and either a porter or a stout, depending on the cycle. Aside from those four, there are usually two to four seasonals on tap as well -- in fact, this coming Tuesday is the release night for a black I.P.A. that promises to be pretty tasty.
Make no mistake -- this is not the place to go if you're looking for something akin to Bud Light. This is good, sturdy, incredibly tasty beer.
Best of all, the atmosphere is relaxed. As off-the-wall as some of the Red Eye idiosyncrasies are, this is not an uppity joint. It's been my personal "local bar" for the last year and a half -- and any place in this town that a single girl can walk into without feeling out of place or like potential bait is a good place to be. It's the kind of place where you can randomly find yourself in conversation with the head chef or the brewmaster and not immediately realize it.
So -- if you like good beer and are willing to try some new food, stop in. Normally I'd say you should come tap me on the shoulder, but opportunities to do so are running low. Instead, grab a seat at the bar (preferably just to the right of the first set of taps) and strike up a conversation with the bartender. You never know what you'll discover.
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