Milwaukee Meetup 2026: Now With 90% Less Imperialist Claw

Unlike previous years of the annual Milwaukee meetup, Matt Balzer was unable to plan this one, leaving it in the capable hands of LC. Like always, the meetup began at Germanfest. I met up with Katie Koppleman, my good friend AutumnDryad, Terry & Michelle Smith, Lidens Cheng, and a Rhody triple threat (Hank, Sam, & Caleb). We had a wild, free-wheeling discussion and watched the Rhodys drink beer — including each other's. Food and drink were exceptional as always. I had a German kraut and sausage pizza with pretzel crust (crazy yet delicious). Katie and I continued our tradition of staying until being kicked out, listening to the German pop sound of Voxxclub.

The next morning began with a trip for Katie and me to the American Science & Surplus store, one of two remaining brick-and-mortar locations after the mail order site closed. It is a truly unique place, a store that feels like a treasure hunt through a mad scientist's hoard. I'd like to get the Rhodys in there sometime to watch the fireworks.

Next, it was time for the meetup proper at Explorium Brewpub in Wauwatosa (aka 'Tosa to locals). The brewfest crew was joined by Miffed White Male, making great use of the long tables. I decided to have the Big A** Pretzel, which lived up to the name. Beer, cheese, and beer-cheese were plentiful, as you might expect. As always, the conversation was the real star of the show.

After the meetup, everyone split up, and I took Katie and AutumnDryad to the Milwaukee Zoo for a whirlwind tour, and then visited a troll — fortunately, a less annoying one than the kind you run into online. For the evening, Katie, LC, Team Rhody, and I went to the Zocalo, a food truck fair next to a bar. Seating was scarce, so we ended up out in the bleachers. More great conversation was had out in the cheap seats.

After this, we called it a night. The next morning, most of us headed to Mimosa in Brookfield. I managed to misread the map and head to the wrong Mimosa, and didn't even get to have one. However, the report was that the brunch was good, and a volunteer snapped a photo for me.

All in all, it was a great meetup. If we continue to suffer from Imperialist Claw deficiency, I am confident that LC can keep the dream alive. As always, all of my pictures are available at my gallery website.