This Gallery Night, not only will the Charles Allis and Villa Terrace Art Museums offer a smattering of visual pleasures for guests to admire, but they've also got a tasty way to celebrate the life of Charles Allis, the former president of the Allis-Chalmers Corporation and avid art collector who bequeathed his collection and home to the public to "delight, inspire and educate."

On Friday, Jan. 20 the museums are launching their signature beer, "Allis Ale," which was brewed by Lakefront Brewery.

"It was the 150th anniversary Charles Allis' birthday a couple years ago, and we've sort of been celebrating with little events throughout the year," says Eva S. Berry, manager of marketing at the Charles Allis and Villa Terrace Art Museums. "Sarah Stauder, who is now our executive director, had the idea and has been wanting to do this for a while."

And what a more Milwaukee way to celebrate the life of Charles Allis than by dedicating a locally brewed beer to him?

Knowing that Lakefront Brewery has done specialty brews in the past -- their Fuel Café beer is a pleasant combination of Alterra Coffee and Lakefront's stout, and both the Nomad and Trocadero feature their own signature beers on tap -- Berry approached the brewery with the idea.

Actually their Cattail Ale in a different label, the Allis Ale is, according to the brewers, a "true craft ale brewed with only water, yeast, hops and malted barley, designed with a vibrant golden amber hue and a refreshing body. The mild addition of Kent Golding hops balances the generous amounts of caramel malts to give it a malty, rather than bitter, finish. A special strain of California Ale Yeast gives the brew a slight hint of fruity aroma."

As part of the Charles Allis and Villa Terrace Art Museums on-going relationship with Lakefront Brewery, Allis Ale will be available for purchase at all Charles Allis and Villa Terrace Museum events, including private functions. Beginning in February, the specialty beer will also be available at Coast, 931 E. Wisconsin Ave.

"This is brand new for us, and we're all really excited," says Berry. "In the future we'd love to see Allis Ale available in stores around the city. A percentage of Allis Ale sales will go back to the museums to help us maintain operations."

This Gallery Night the Charles Allis Museum is featuring the "Wisconsin Masters Series: Lucia Stern," which runs through Jan. 29. The sixth artist featured in the Wisconsin Masters Series, Lucia Stern was largely a self-taught painter and sculptor. Born in Milwaukee, her work evolved over a 50-year period and encompassed decoupage, drawing, painting and sculpture, with an ever-increasing emphasis on three-dimensional works.

Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum is showing "Material Witness: Quilts by Nancy E. Kimpel," which runs through Feb. 5. In addition to the literal interpretation of the Milwaukee skyline, Nancy E. Kimpel also creates quilts that are inspired by the abstract patterns she finds in nature. This Milwaukee native also depicts scenes of Milwaukee with historic and modern buildings. In another series, "Earth Works," Kimpel includes fabric buried in the ground with various objects that impart unpredictable marks.