Located within the heart of Downtown -- and the surrounding suburbs -- are seven brew pubs that augment a welcoming vibe with 30 hand-crafted beers. The brew pub business plan has really taken off in the past decade, because many patrons find them to be warm, comfortable, easy-going places for an after-work drink, a quick burger or a place to watch the game or hear some live music.

But the key to the quality of a brew pub is measured in the beer, not the number of fireplaces or quality of the decor. Extensive time, detailing and planning go into every brew pub's delicately brewed beers, created on-site for optimum taste and quality.

Milwaukee Ale House
233 N. Water St.
(414) 226-2337
www.ale-house.com

Great food and beer make the Ale House one of Milwaukee's favorite brew pubs. Located along the Milwaukee River, you can dock your boat at one of six public slips and grab a bite to eat and a drink on the restaurant's patio. Or stay inside and enjoy the live entertainment provided most nights. "Practical brewer" Jim Olen's staple brews include Solomon Juneau Ale, Pull Chain Pail Ale, Sheepshead Stout and Louie's Demise.

Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery
740 N. Plankinton Ave.
(414) 276-3030
www.rockbottom.com

With a prime Riverwalk location, just north of Wisconsin Ave., Rock Bottom sports one of the largest outdoor patios in town. There also are five signature brews to enjoy al fresco or in the large dining room or downstairs pub.

The Greenfield American Light Lager is an easy drinking lager with a fine golden finish. The Honey Creek Pale Ale is a smooth and refreshing American ale with a nice malt flavor and a bold hoppy character. Raccoon Red is Brewmaster Andy Briggs's favorite choice. The premium British two-row malts give it a sweet malty character, while plenty of hops give it a crisp finish. The Brown Bear Brown is a nut-brown ale with a sweet caramel malt flavor and a nice hoppy finish. The Stillwater Stout is their darkest beer. This full character stout has hints of chocolate and coffee flavors as well as three kinds of hops to balance the sweetness.

A sampler is available and it includes five beers in 3-oz. glasses.
Rock Bottom is open seven days a week at 11.a.m.

Stonefly Brewery
735 E. Center St.
(414) 265-3630

Originally known as Onopa Brewing Co., this fun spot survived an ownership change and some renovations with its laid-back Riverwest vibe intact. Known for its refreshing and tasty brews and a somewhat eclectic menu of high-end pub fare for vegetarians and meat eaters alike, the place attracts a mix of people from mid-20s hipsters and artists to 40-year-old professionals and parents. Live music is a strong suite here, with acts including Decibully, the Mistreaters and The Rusty P's making regular stops. For the record, a stonefly is an important bug in trout fishing.

Water Street Brewery
1101 N. Water St.
(414) 272-1195

Water Street Lake Country Brewery
3191 Golf Rd, Delafield, (262) 646-7878
www.waterstreetbrewery.com

The pioneer of Milwaukee's brew pub scene since 1987, Water Street Brewery has set the standard. In 2000, a second location opened in Delafield. Both offer the award-winning beers of Brewmaster George Bluvas III.

Six signature beers are brewed in small batches at both locations. In the Great American Beer Festival's award-winning Honey Lager Light, the barley malt, clover honey and whole hops combine for a crisp, clean flavor with floral overtones.

The Pale Ale has generous amounts of fresh whole flower hops, which give it a rich, spicy flavor and aroma. Meanwhile, Water Street Amber is an all malt beer with a rich amber color and a distinctive hop aroma.

The Pils -- a traditional German pilsner with pale to light color -- gets its flavor from fresh German hops and slow, careful aging. The Bavarian Weiss is a traditional German weiss, brewed with German hops and wheat malt.

If you don't know what to choose, a sampler includes the six signature brews and seasonals on tap. Another award-winning beer is the Old World Oktoberfest, a hearty, full-flavored beer brewed with four malts and European hops.

Bluvas also brews several seasonals, like a Bock, an Irish stout, a brown ale, raspberry weiss and pumpkin lager.

The casual dinning offers seafood, steaks, sandwiches, soups and salads.

Smith Brothers Fish Shanty and Port Washington Brewing Co.
100 N. Franklin St., Port Washington
(262) 377-2800

Smith Brothers Fish Shanty offers a marvelous view of the Port Washington Harbor and Lake Michigan. For almost 70 years the restaurant has been serving some of the best seafood and beer in the area.

Jeff Kolar is the brewmaster for the nearly century-year-old Port Washington Brewing Co., currently located in the restaurant.

Kolar brews five "flagship" beers year 'round.
Pier 96 Lager is a sweet, malty and medium-bodied lager. It's lightly hopped and golden in color and aged slowly to produce a smooth clean taste. The Amber Ale has a brilliant deep color with a medium-body and modest hop finish. It's produced with five malts and four different hops to create the perfect balance.

The Old Porter is a full-bodied, dark brown ale. The complex malt aroma and flavor are come from chocolate, caramel and black malts.
Hefe Weiss is a German style weizen, unfiltered, complete with citrus, clove, banana and vanilla flavors, produced naturally by the wheat and a special yeast strain.

Finally there is the Black Cherry Porter, a dark, rich and complex full-bodied beer, with a hint of black cherries.
A sampler includes the five "flagship" brews in 5-oz. glasses.

The Shanty offers a casual atmosphere with formal seating in the restaurant. The menu includes sandwiches, soups, salads, pastas and of course seafood. An all-you-can eat fish fry is offered on Friday nights.

Delafield Brewhaus
3832 N. Hillside Dr., Delafield
(262) 646-7821
www.delafield-brewhaus.com

The Delafield Brewhaus, which travelers between Milwaukee and Madison can see looming above I-94, opened in 1999. The large, open interior -- with mezzanine seating -- emphasizes the brewery works and the center of attention, literally, is Brewmaster John Harrison.

Harrison serves up seven signature brews on a regular basis. The Dock Light Lager is a mellow, light bodied golden lager with a delicate balance of malt and hops. Delafield Amber Ale is a light brown ale with a medium body. It's characterized by its malty sweetness.
Sommerzeit Hefe Weizen is a golden, light bodied, unfiltered wheat ale. The German yeast used in the brewing process gives it fruity and clove-like flavors.

The Pewaukee Porter Ale is a full-bodied, dark brown ale. Its hoppy flavor and aroma complement the sweet, roasty malt flavor. Delafield Export Ale is deep golden, medium bodied and malty, inspired by Bavarian Export Lagers.
The Hop Harvest Brown Ale is a brown, medium bodied ale, with an abundance of hops, some of which are homegrown at the Brewhaus. Oats and Barley Stout is a dark, full-bodied sweet stout. The oats give it a rich, smooth mouth feel.
The Brewhaus offers a variety of seasonal brews. The sampler includes up to eight beers in 4-oz. glasses.

The menu includes entrees, sandwiches, burgers, soups, salads and daily specials. Wood fired pizzas are also available.