A handful of beer gardens open across SE Wisconsin as beer garden season kicks off

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A handful of beer gardens open for the season on Wednesday, May 1, including Whitnall and Minooka Parks. It's the unofficial start to summer. 

Nick Marking is the owner of five The Tap Yard beer gardens that are kicking off the season, including West Bend, Minooka Park, Brookfield, Menomonee Falls and Schlitz Park.

The first pour of the season will take place at 4 p.m. 

"We have 18 to 25 craft beers, depending on the location your at," said Marking. "We have canned cocktails, seltzers and wine at all of them."

They have a full list of events this season from bingo to music bingo.

"Saturdays, we have live music at 6 p.m. every other week here at Minooka Park. Otherwise, we have trivia at some of our other locations," he said. 

They will also have rotating food trucks. Benet's BBQ will be at Minooka Park every Thursday. 

"We always look forward to this time of year," said Andrae Dukes. "This season, we'll have baby back ribs, beef brisket, pulled pork pulled chicken and every now and then we'll throw in a special." 

Beer drinkers can say cheers to the unofficial start of summer.