7 ways to enjoy Madison, Wisconsin

In addition to top-notch food, you’ll also find a wide selection of locally brewed beverage options in and around Madison. If beers is your thing, head to Giant Jones Brewing Company (which is LGBTQ- and women-owned), Capital Brewery (one of the oldest craft breweries in the country) and ALT Brew (a dedicated gluten-free brewery and taproom). And there’s no shortage of bars and brew pubs, like the Parched Eagle Brew Pub, with a living room–like ambiance, hard-to-find varieties and Thursday-night BYO-cassette-tape-to-play night.

The Cider Farm, which sources its produce from orchards just outside of Madison, has a tasting room in the middle of town, while Bos Meadery produces the fermented honey-derived alcoholic beverage known as mead. (An event space next to its tasting room often hosts local musicians.) For non-alcoholic fizzy fermentation, visit NessAlla Kombucha, a women-run kombucha craft brewery that supplies many of Madison’s natural-food stores and co-ops...