In its 22-plus years in existence (and counting), The Comet Cafe has worn many hats. What started as a quaint and character-laden cafe that employed the city’s entire music scene has slowly turned into a local culinary powerhouse with a tremendous comfort food worthy of Guy Fieri’s blessing. The cozy East Side staple is also home to a more-than respectable selection of vegetarian and vegan menu items (a favorite among local authorities and certain pro wrestlers/authors). Yet another way Comet Cafe has been ahead of the curve and influential in Cream City consumption is with the attention the restaurant has paid to its beer list.

Long before the craft beer boom, Comet has hosted a monthly Beer Class event. Over the last 12 years, the restaurant has held ticketed events on the first Tuesday of each month that highlight rare and unique beers, tout specific styles and regions, and introduce the city to new and exciting breweries. After playing an invaluable role in how Milwaukee drinks and appreciates beer, Beer Class will be out of session after the June installment.

“We are so lucky to have such a strong and supportive craft beer community in Milwaukee and we are very proud of the role we play in it,” Comet Cafe general manager Nicholaus Westfahl says in a press release. “It is incredible how much the industry has changed since we first started this fun little experiment. After nearly thirteen years and 150 months of planning, promoting, and executing Beer School, it is time to humbly hang up our hats.”

On June 5, Comet Cafe will host its 150th installment of Beer Class, fittingly dubbed “The End.” The series finale will feature samples of rarities from the likes of Lakefront, Central Waters, Good City, New Glarus, Hop Haus, MobCraft, Company Brewing, Black Husky, Hacienda, and Third Space. Comet will be serving up small plates and specialty desserts. The restaurant will be closed to the public to create a “beer festival” type of environment.

Tickets are $50 and space is limited. If you’d like to say goodbye to this long-running and influential means of beer appreciation, you can buy your ticket in advance now.

About The Author

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Co-Founder and Editor

Before co-founding Milwaukee Record, Tyler Maas wrote for virtually every Milwaukee publication (except Wassup! Magazine). He lives in Bay View and enjoys both stuff and things.