Vennture Brew Company

Vennture Brew Company is a microbrewery and coffee shop in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States, that opened in 2018. Vennture was created by three photographers who turned their hobby projects in coffee and beer into a successful business; in 2022, Yelp listed them as the best brewery in the state of Wisconsin. Headquartered in a former hardware store, they are known for their "The Heights" saison. It is one of a small minority of US breweries that is partly or wholly Black-owned.

History

External media
Images
image icon Owners Rob Gustafson, Simon McConico and Jake Rohde, c. 2018, via OnMilwaukee
Video
video icon Vennture Brew owners discuss their motivation for starting the business, February 9, 2017 via YouTube

Founding

Vennture Brew Company was founded by Simon McConico, Robert Gustafson, and Jake Rohde, all photographers linked by a preexisting friendship.[1][2][3] Their inspiration for a combined specialty coffee shop and brewery came while on trips to the US states of Colorado, Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan, and elsewhere in Wisconsin. They learned that the two beverages share similar clientele despite being primarily consumed at different times of the day.[1][3][4]

McConico, Gustafson, and Rohde's experiences flowed into the unusual spelling of "venture", with two n's, and the company's Venn diagram-esque logo. The three wanted their work to exist at the intersection of "coffee, beer, and community".[3]

To create the business, the three owners brought their experience in hobby projects: Rohde had become consumed with the intricacies of roasting coffee, while McConico and Gustafson had been homebrewing for years. Transitioning to a commercial scale required a lengthy business plan, and to learn the fine details of running a hospitality business McConico took a job at a nearby taproom.[4]

As of 2022, Vennture is part of the less-than one percent of US breweries to be wholly or partly Black-owned.[5] McConico told Milwaukee Business Journal in 2018:

Traditionally, beer and coffee are both very white; beer specifically, very white and male. [Vennture] tears down some of the boundaries and the preconceived ideas of what these drinks are. Hopefully, it provides space and opportunity for people who are not the same to gather. There's not a lot of places in this area specifically where people can just go and hang out.[3]

Rohde left Vennture in late 2022 or early 2023.[6]

Operations

Vennture opened in July 2018,[1] supported by $22,000 of funding raised in a Kickstarter campaign.[3] They were the first company in the area to offer both coffee and beer options.[7]

In 2022, Yelp named it as the top brewery in the state of Wisconsin.[8] By then, it had become part of a slew of breweries located along a North Avenue corridor in Milwaukee and nearby Wauwatosa.[9]

The company began selling food sourced from Cranky Al's, a nearby restaurant, in 2023. As of the same year, the company's overall sales were divided roughly evenly between coffee and beer. However, while they could continue to increase their coffee roasting, their brewing system was operating at maximum capacity.[6] They addressed this dilemma by purchasing Biloba Brewing in 2024.[10]

Locations

Milwaukee

Vennture's first location is in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, at 5519 North Avenue. The location straddles the city's Uptown Crossing and Washington Heights neighborhoods; news sources have placed it in both.[2][3][5] As of 2018, the owners McConico, Gustafson, and Rohde all lived within seven blocks of the building.[3]

McConico, Gustafson, and Rohde leased the space in February 2017 and converted it to its present use over 18 months.[1][11] Their modifications included adding a five-barrel brewing system into the store's basement.[6] The location was previously divided into two storefronts that contained various businesses over time, including a hardware store.[1]

The primary colors used inside are blue and white, and the bar is constructed from upcycled hardwood floors.[1] Milwaukee Magazine has described the place as "a bright, welcoming spot ... with a friendly, and family friendly, neighborhood vibe."[12] It can hold about 50 people.[13]

Brookfield

Vennture Brew opened their second location in Brookfield, Wisconsin, on March 16, 2024. The building, situated at 2970 North Brookfield Road, was previously the home of Biloba Brewing. It is about 1,500 square feet (140 m2) large with the ability to hold up to 150 people.[13][14] In early 2023, Vennture's ownership told the Milwaukee Business Journal that they were open to expanding,[15] as they had no additional brewing capacity.[16] An existing friendship with Biloba's retiring owners provided Vennture with what they called the "right opportunity" at the "right time" to build upon what Biloba had already accomplished.[10]

Beer

Vennture's flagship beer is called "The Heights," a table saison named after the neighborhood in which the brewery resides.[1][17] It has been brewed since the shop opened.[1][2] On Vennture Brew's opening day, six beers were available on tap, along with coffee- and espresso-based drinks as well as tea sourced from a company in Madison, Wisconsin.[18]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Flanigan, Kathy (July 11, 2018). "Vennture Brew Co. brings coffee and beer to Washington Heights neighborhood". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on January 17, 2022. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Fredrich, Lori (July 10, 2018). "Today's buzz: Vennture Brew Co. is officially open". OnMilwaukee. Archived from the original on November 11, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Leary, Patrick (July 12, 2018). "Vennture Brew Co. is about coffee, beer and community". Milwaukee Business Journal. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Fredrich, Lori (August 4, 2016). "Vennture Brew Company sets sights on Wauwatosa". OnMilwaukee. Archived from the original on November 11, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Wisconsin's First BIPOC Beer Fest". Milwaukee Magazine. November 3, 2022. Archived from the original on November 11, 2022. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c Naczek, Margaret (March 15, 2023). "Vennture Brew Co. eyes bigger keg business, second location: Beer Biz MKE". Milwaukee Business Journal. Archived from the original on March 15, 2023. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  7. ^ Flanigan, Kathy (October 12, 2016). "Vennture wants to sell all the brews". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  8. ^ Rose, Katie (May 9, 2022). "Top brewery in every state in the U.S." Yelp Blog. Archived from the original on November 11, 2022. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  9. ^ Drosner, Chris (August 31, 2022). "Gathering Place's New Wauwatosa Taproom". Milwaukee Magazine. Archived from the original on November 11, 2022. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  10. ^ a b "Vennture Brew Co. adding second location in Brookfield with Biloba acquisition". Milwaukee Business Journal. February 14, 2024. Archived from the original on March 15, 2024. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
  11. ^ Fredrich, Lori (February 9, 2017). "Vennture Brew Company signs lease in Washington Heights". OnMilwaukee. Archived from the original on November 11, 2022. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  12. ^ Murphy, Dan (December 7, 2018). "3 New(ish) Local Breweries to Check Out". Milwaukee Magazine. Archived from the original on November 12, 2022. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  13. ^ a b Clarey, David. "Brewery/coffee shop Vennture Brew Co. to open second location in Brookfield this weekend". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
  14. ^ Drosner, Chris (February 12, 2024). "Vennture Brew Co. Is Expanding Into Brookfield's Biloba Brewing". Milwaukee Magazine. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
  15. ^ Naczek, Margaret (February 14, 2024). "What Vennture Brewing may need in a second location: Beer Biz MKE". Archived from the original on March 15, 2024. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
  16. ^ Naczek, Margaret (March 15, 2024). "Vennture Brew Co. eyes bigger keg business, second location: Beer Biz MKE". Archived from the original on March 15, 2024. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
  17. ^ Schubert, Brianna (February 23, 2022). "Your Guide to Milwaukee Coffee Shops". Milwaukee Magazine. Archived from the original on November 11, 2022. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  18. ^ Meyer, Maredithe (July 10, 2018). "New brewery Vennture opens today in Washington Heights". Milwaukee Business News. Archived from the original on November 11, 2022. Retrieved January 17, 2023.

43°03′38″N 87°58′57″W / 43.0605°N 87.9826°W / 43.0605; -87.9826