In pursuit of the perfect pint or looking for a small summer excursion? Just south of the border — of Dane County, that is — lies a beer adventure spanning Rock, Walworth and Jefferson counties. Combine a leisurely drive with seriously good beer, a bit of local history, and a few oddities.

Good Works Brewing

237 Parkview Drive, Milton

Good Works is the epitome of small town Wisconsin brewing. Josh Gibson opened his brewery in 2023 in a small storefront in this town of just 5,800 residents. Milton, once home to Milton College (it closed in 1982) is perhaps best known for its Underground Railroad stop in the National Historic Site Milton House Museum. Now, Milton can rightly be called a beer destination. The taproom, in the town’s Goodrich Square district, has a cafe feel both inside and on its patio. It’s a small two-barrel brewhouse and Gibson closes Monday-Wednesday to brew. His Czech pilsner is clean and crisp, with the traditional accent of Saaz hops. Coming up this summer Gibson is planning a German-style kolsch. There are 11 taps; some Milton restaurants deliver to the taproom and food trucks occasionally are scheduled, too.

Rock County Brewing

10 North Parker Drive, Janesville

The brewery, in a century-old building originally home to the Janesville Carriage Works, celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. The focus of the taproom is an L-shaped bar and a dining area that opens to the outdoors via a large glass garage door. Two patios host occasional music. It’s a short walk to downtown shops and just a block away from the Rock River where the national champion Rock Aqua Jays Water Ski Show Team performs on Wednesday and Sunday during the summer.

The brewery offers a range of lighter-bodied beers, hazy pale ales and IPAs. Among Rock County Brewing’s current standouts is Brett’d Saison, an approachable yet funky sour that’s full-bodied, yeasty, warm and dry at 7% ABV. Among the beers coming out in June will be Maple Elevation, a dark ale made with 100% maple sap aged in Jamaican rum barrels for four years. Owner and brewer John Rocco calls this one a “big ole banger” because it finishes at over 18% ABV. On the tap list for July 4 is an American malt liquor made with local corn. The taproom has 16 taps and serves a variety of appetizers and, Thursday-Saturday, house-made pizzas.

G5 Brewing Company 

1895 Gateway Blvd., Beloit

High on a hill overlooking Beloit, G5 Brewing has grown significantly since it opened with a brewhouse, taproom and beer garden in 2019.

There’s a new barrel-aging facility, an event space, and spacious second patio along with its 14 taps and menu of salads, burgers, sandwiches, pasta, and fish and meat entrees.

G5 celebrated its 7th year in May with seven new beers, most of which will be around into early summer. Among them, a pilsner called Wisconsin Skyscrapers — it’s clean, lightly hopped, with a floral aroma and served on a side-pour in the taproom (and that brings out even more aroma). The name is a homage to silos that dot the Wisconsin countryside. A surprising find for those who like pastry-type sours is 24 Carrot in The Air, a light orange-colored gluten-free ale inspired by carrot cake and made with carrot puree, orange concentrate, coconut milk, cinnamon and vanilla. It sounds like an acquired taste, and it is, and it works. It’s a refreshing treat and I ended up taking home a crowler of this liquid carrot juice.

With the expansion, the brewery will be doubling its barrel-aged production and focusing on full-bodied stouts. Among the featured anniversary brews is Desk Set, a strong malty stout that comes in at 15.7% ABV. It’s loaded with oak, bourbon and chocolate roastedness.

Duesterbeck’s Brewing Company

N5543 County Road O, Elkhorn

You know it’s a perfect road trip through rural Wisconsin when you find yourself drinking a beer in an iconic Wisconsin red barn on a working farm. Farmstead breweries were common in the 1850s and 1860s, and were viable components to some farms. Today, Duesterbeck’s is part of a farm in the hands of the sixth generation of Duesterbecks. It features bright new red farmstead buildings; in one is a 20-barrel brewhouse. There’s also a large beer garden, three serving areas, and an event facility.

It was opened in 2019 by Laura Duesterbeck and her husband, Ben Johnson, who wanted to find a creative way to keep the family farm going and in family hands. The actual farmland, some 120 acres, contributes ingredients to a number of the brewery’s beers. If you go, sign up for a farm and brewery tour. Other regular happenings include euchre nights and live music with occasional line dancing. There are 20 tap lines across multiple bars and a menu of appetizers and pizzas. Food truck nights happen, too.

Duesterbeck’s newest beer is Cow Tipping pilsner, a light golden ale perfect for summer. Another great choice, especially in Duesterbeck’s beer garden, is The Bees Be Crazy, a bright hefeweizen that finishes at 6% ABV. Barn Quilt blonde ale is another pick for June — light, with subtle bready maltiness and very easy drinking at just 4.8% ABV. Also at 4.8% ABV, Farm Cycling Jalapeno ale offers a touch of heat, as it’s made with jalapenos grown on the farm.

Second Salem Brewing Company

111 West Whitewater Street, Whitewater

Whitewater got its nickname “Second Salem” after Morris Pratt established an institute there for spiritualism in the late 1800s. (It remained there until 1946, and now is in Wauwatosa.) The image of speaking with the deceased gave the town this devilish moniker, likening it to the witch trial site Salem, Massachusetts. For years Second Salem was considered a slur against the town, and many residents avoided talking about Pratt. In more recent times, Whitewater has embraced the name and the local Chamber of Commerce sponsors spirit tours around Halloween.

“We lean into the Second Salem image,” says Second Salem owner Christ Christon. Perhaps his best known beer is the Beast of Bray Road, a dark imperial amber ale that takes its name from a werewolf-like creature that reportedly inhabits a two-mile stretch of rural farm road east of Elkhorn. The beer features a deep malty backbone and piney Chinook hops. “For humor’s sake we try to keep the ABV level at 6.66%,” says Christon.

Other beers for this summer include a West Coast IPA called Bone Orchard, and a juicy tropical hazy called Apparition IPA. Second Salem has also been getting a lot of attention for its fruited seltzers (about 5% ABV). A new one that debuts in June is Lavender Limoncello, an effervescent combination of subtle floral sweetness and citrus lemon.

The pub has 12-14 taps and serves appetizers, soups, salads, wings, sandwiches and flatbreads.