Sprecher Brewing will open a taproom in the former Brenner Brewing space in Walker's Point

Sprecher Brewing Co. will open a taproom in Milwaukee's Walker's Point neighborhood at 706 S. 5th St., in the brewery space vacated by Brenner Brewing. The public opening is set for Feb. 17.

"Having a second taproom is something the state allows you to do, so we're taking advantage of that," said Sprecher President Jeff Hamilton. "That it's in Walker's Point made us more interested because that's a good story."

Randy Sprecher started Milwaukee's first craft brewery in 1985 at 730 W. Oregon Ave., two blocks away from the former Brenner space. The brewery moved to Glendale in 1994 after the brewery's parking lot sank into the Menomonee River.

A group of Sprecher employees — from brewers to lab workers — has been working on making the switch from modern craft brewery taproom with dark walls to a tasting room featuring historical artifacts from Sprecher Brewing history, including a chronological history of the brewery through bottles and part of the original brew kettle that was used in the first brewery location.

Sprecher will rent the building, which includes the production equipment in the brewhouse, but not the adjoining building where Mike Brenner had opened The Pitch Project for artists. Sprecher will keep the tap lines, which can fit up to 24 beverages.

Sprecher Brewing, 701 W. Glendale Ave., Glendale, has a gift shop but not a public taproom. Patrons who go on tours can stop for a beer before or after the tour in a room off the gift shop, but that room is not generally open to the public.

The brewery also provides beer for Milwaukee County Parks beer gardens and traveling beer gardens.

"We haven't really had a taproom face, especially for beer," Hamilton said.

The brewery fielded complaints from those on tours who felt they had to leave too soon after the tour.

Plans for the new taproom include specialty flights. As an example, Hamilton said to look for the world flight, which will feature all the beers that have won world cups.

Hamilton said they won't make beer at the taproom at first, despite the available equipment.

"It's a pretty large system there for the supporting equipment," he said.

Sprecher is most likely to take advantage of the open fermentation equipment or the souring system in the future.

One of the things to look for in the Walker's Point taproom is new glassware styles, Hamilton said. Patrons will be able to order beer in a puzzle mug — a mug with holes that requires the drinker to plug the proper ones in order to drink the beer. The taproom also will serve beer by the yard and in two-liter boots.

There are no immediate plans to hire new employees for the new taproom.

"We have a team of young energetic folks doing this as kind of a side project," Hamilton said.

Mike Brenner opened Brenner Brewing in 2014. He closed in late November, citing increased rent and the trouble he had getting his beer out through a distributor.

RELATED: Brenner Brewing in Walker's Point announces it will close this weekend