The expansive beer garden at New Glarus Brewing Co. offers terrific views of the surrounding countryside. Credit: Chelsey Lewis

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Summer in Wisconsin begs for a cold brew. There are several places to get beer in this state, but drinking it on a patio, well, that's priceless.

Here are seven straight-to-the-source locations where you can get a brew with a view.

1837 North Ave., Sheboygan

A forecast of sunshine means owners Grant Pauly and James Owen throw open the doors of the 10,000 square-foot barrel warehouse and taproom. Sit inside close to the 16 taps behind the bar, or head to the patio for a game of bag toss or boccie ball or to grab sustenance from a Sheboygan food truck. Dogs are welcome outside.

Take two wheels to get there: 3 Sheeps is one mile from the Old Plank Road Bike Trail, which runs from Sheboygan west to Greenbush. And if none of that convinces you that summer is better with a brew, 3 Sheeps serves an IPA called Happy Summer.

Open: 4-10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 4-11 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday.

700 W. Lexington Blvd., Glendale

Want to show off your chicken-dance moves? Head to the Bierhaus. It has a brewery. It has the bierhall. It holds a craft beer dining room that's more intimate than the bierhall. And because it's nestled in a park, take time to sit in the German-style bier garden.

Open: 11 a.m.-midnight Monday-Wednesday; 11-2:30 a.m. Thursday-Saturday; and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday.

102 Sunbeam Blvd. W., Soldiers Grove

Tucked in the state's Driftless region, the brewery fits well with the region's climate of good stewardship of the land, self-sufficiency and sustainability.

Every village of 574 residents should have a such a brewery.

Ingredients are locally sourced for Local Buzz, a light ale made with honey from a neighboring farm, and Solar Town stout, aged in whiskey staves from the Old Sugar Distillery in Madison. All the hops are Wisconsin-grown.

Look for the tent that Driftless sets up for special occasions or stop in for a growler to go. Then head toward nature.

Biking is welcome, but the Driftless is also known for hiking along and canoeing on the Kickapoo River.

Open: Hours vary. Owners Chris Balistreri, Michael Varnes-Epstein and Cynthia Olmstead enthusiastically provide tours if they're around and brewing. Call ahead: (608) 624-5577.

1872 N. Commerce St.

Most brewery tours are "blah, blah, beer is made this way, blah, blah," but Lakefront tour guides go at the business of explaining brewing like it's standup comedy. Grab some food in the beer hall. Or sip a beer on the patio overlooking the Milwaukee River. You might feel jealous of the people boating by but take heart, your beer is likely fresher.

Tours are $10 and include six 4-ounce pours and a pint glass and are given Friday through Sunday. Weekday tours are $8 and don't include the entire brewery. Mini-tours cost $8 and are given 5 minutes after the hour on Saturday. Technical tours, which are detailed and include a cheese pairing, are given at 11 a.m. Sunday and cost $30.

There's a Bublr Bikes station in front of the brewery. Or bring your own. Lakefront is on the Beerline Trail which runs through the Riverwest, Harambee and Brewer's Hill neighborhoods.

Open: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday; and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.

S345 Hidden Fox Court., Spring Valley

The 19th hole at Spring Valley Golf Course is Wisconsin's only brewpub on a golf course.

Small batches of beer are made in the off-season and kept in a climate-controlled cellar, others are made in summer and carted out to the course. You can't tour, but you can taste.

Open: The course is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

2400 State Highway 69, New Glarus

The beer-garden view of rolling green hills might be worth the trip alone. However, attention should be paid to the selection of world-class beers, good enough that people travel from Illinois to fill their vehicles with it.

Tasting Room samples cost $8 and include three samples and a tasting glass. Maybe just one time, skip the Spotted Cow and reach for one of the brewery's limited-release brews, which are offered June 10 and Aug. 12.

If you're biking: There's a reason they've tagged this area the Trail of Beers.

The Sugar River Trail headquarters is located in a restored 1887 railroad depot in New Glarus and connects with the Badger State Trail just south of Monticello.

Open: Free self-guided tours are offered from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Hard Hat tours — three-hour tours that include behind-the-scenes looks at the original Riverside Brewery and the Hilltop Brewery — cost $30 and are given at 1 p.m. Friday.

1079 American Way, Verona

First thing, grab a seat on the patio. Go for one of the Adirondack chairs with backs crafted to look like the state of Wisconsin. But don't get too comfortable. You'll want to order a pint for the next game of bag toss. Join yoga on Sunday afternoons. Weather permitting, bands play on Friday nights.

Any way you view them, the grounds are more picturesque than the industrial park setting would suggest, and the tours are free. Or purchase a growler to go. Blue Mound State Park is 20 miles west and offers a trail leading to the highest point in southern Wisconsin.

Open: 3 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 3 to 10 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.

SUMMER BREWS

It's easy to work up a thirst when temperatures — finally — reach summer proportions. Here are beers that will quench that hankering:

Citrus Happy Grapefruit IPA from Milwaukee Brewing Co. Even those who don't appreciate fruit in their beer will like how grapefruit complements the bitter hallmark of an India pale ale.

Kilted Kolsch from Raised Grain Brewing. It's the lightest of the beers produced at the Waukesha brewery and at 5.36% ABV, it's well suited to an afternoon of hanging at the pool, mowing the lawn or chowing on grilled chicken.

Moon Man No Coast Pale Ale from New Glarus Brewing. The brewery plans to release it in cans this summer, which will only make it easier to take the 5% ABV brew on an outdoor adventure.

Mango Radler from Sprecher Brewing Co. Sprecher started with a grapefruit radler — a blend of wheat beer and fruit soda like a shandy. Now it's drinker's choice for flavors. The Glendale brewery added mango, peach and orange radlers in April.

Velveteen Habit from Ale Asylum in Madison. It's a go-to IPA brew with malts balanced perfectly against the Citra hops.

Beer Near Guide

If you want a fresh beer you go to the source: the brewery.

The Beer Near guide is here to assist with information on Wisconsin's more than 100 breweries spreading across the state from Superior to Potosi.

Beer Near provides basics such as addresses and hours, but also tells you if the brewery offers tours or food. And if you're not traveling any farther than the cooler of a grocery store, Beer Near can tell you if a beer is brewed in Wisconsin.

Take the information with you at jsonline.com/beernear.