Lakefront Brewery’s 2025 Black Friday™ Release Showcases Four Rare Barrel-Aged Beers

Key Points

• Lakefront Brewery’s 2025 Black Friday™ event features four rare, barrel-aged beers, which are to be presented in attractive, collectible packaging.
  
  
• Fans can line up early for exclusive releases and free pint glasses with the festive atmosphere kicking off at 6 a.m.
  
  
• The Warm Hearts Coat Drive returns, offering retro Black Friday™ beers in exchange for youth winter gear donations.

Lakefront Brewery’s annual Black Friday™ beer release has become an eagerly awaited key event for craft beer lovers across Southeast Wisconsin. It is made possible by almost a whole year of planning. From exclusive beer varieties to community-driven coat donations, it is an event where passion, generosity, and Milwaukee pride meet.

In a press release, Lakefront Brewery revealed that this year, it will be offering up the following four varieties of rare Black Friday™ beer to take home:

2025 Black Friday™ Imperial Stout Aged in Great Lakes Distillery’s Still & Oak Black Friday Straight Whiskey Barrels. Sold for $20 each plus tax. 

2025 Black Friday™ Triple Black IPA Dry-Hopped with Cascade, Citra, Centennial, and Chinook Hops. Sold for $15 each plus tax. 

2025 Black Friday™ Wheatwine Ale Aged in Brandy Barrels. Sold for $20 each plus tax.

2025 Black Friday™ Imperial Coffee & Cacao Nib Stout Aged in Great Lakes Distillery’s Still & Oak Black Friday Straight Whiskey Barrels. Sold for $25 each plus tax.

All varieties will be packaged in colorful 19.2 oz. cans and placed in dynamic individual boxes with no limit to the amount an individual can purchase. Every 2025 Black Friday beer will be available to try at the bar while supplies last. Our gift shop inside will be open with exclusive Black Friday items and other warm-weather garb if your preparations aren’t up to snuff.

A collectible Black Friday souvenir wrapped pint glass will be free for those who purchase a minimum of four Black Friday™ cans.

And for the third year in a row, Lakefront is excited to announce the return of the Warm Hearts Community Coat Drive benefiting students of George Washington Carver Elementary. Guests who donate a laundered, gently used coat suitable for youth ages 3 to 14 years will receive one bottle/can of a retro Black Friday™. Guests may donate additional coats with a maximum of 2 bottles/cans per donor over 21. Coats will be accepted conditionally at Lakefront Brewery’s discretion to ensure immediate wearability. They also encourage donors to bring colorful, youth-appropriate items, especially coats for girls and young teen women, giving students the dignity of choice. Gloves, hats, and other winter gear will gladly be accepted as well. All week long, guests can also round up their bill to donate to the school.

“We typically start discussing next year’s Black Friday beer pretty shortly after the current year“, says Luther Paul, Lakefront’s Head Brewer, “with these beers needing several months to age properly in barrels, it’s a year-round labor of love creating the finest liquid we can for those making the trek to see us that day.”

Attendees line up as early as the night before to ensure a chance at their desired allotment of Black Friday™ beer. Many have turned it into a tradition, collecting multiple years of Black Friday™ to share with friends and family over the holidays and beyond. Lakefront will be offering their famous Black Friday Burrito and coffee out of their food truck starting at 6am. Lakefront Brewery co-founders Russ and Jim Klisch will open their doors at 8am when sales begin. “It’s one of my favorite moments of the year”, says Brewery President Russ Klisch, “the excitement outside our doors is undeniable, you have to experience it”.

Lakefront Brewery’s Black Friday™ event continues to be a must-attend celebration for beer connoisseurs and holiday revelers alike. With four rare 2025 releases, early morning fanfare, and a community-driven coat drive, it’s more than just a beer launch—it’s a Milwaukee tradition. Whether you’re lining up for a taste or collecting cans to share, make sure you’re part of the experience this Black Friday.

About Lakefront Brewery

Lakefront Brewery, Inc. is an independent craft brewery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin founded by brothers Jim and Russ Klisch in 1987 when they scaled up their homebrew equipment to a 7-barrel brewhouse. They have grown to produce over 20 full-scale offerings yearly including Riverwest Stein Amber Lager, Hazy Rabbit IPA, Dive Beer Milwaukee Lager, and New Grist Gluten-Free Pilsner, the first Certified Gluten-Free beer in America.

Lakefront Brewery is committed to using business as a force for good by achieving the high social and environmental standards verified through B Corp™ certification. Experience Milwaukee’s brewing legacy by taking their award-winning brewery tour and indulge in top notch traditional Bavarian and Midwestern fare at Lakefront Brewery Beer Hall, one of Milwaukee’s premier tourist destinations. Lakefront distributes its best-in-class products to over 30 states, Canada, Ukraine, and Sweden. For more information, visit lakefrontbrewery.com or call 414-372-8800.