Harvest Evasion 2016 in Madison WI, Day Four: Brunch, Beer and Botanicals ... and mustard, too.

It was Sunday in Wisconsin's state capital, and another drop-dead gorgeous autumn day.

Well, they're better here than in my beer.

Following the morning hyper-caffeination ritual at Barriques, the coffee shop and wine bar located a mere minute away from our residence, we retrieved the car and drove north on Park to University Avenue, and then due west to the Great Dane Hilldale for a brewpub brunch, as detailed here:

All hail Sunday: Liquid brunch at Great Dane Hilldale, liquid lunch at Capital Brewery.

Capital Brewing's beer garden wasn't yet open on arrival, so there was time for a walk, which brought us to an attraction we'd missed during previous visits, the National Mustard Museum (founded 1986).

No visit to Southern Wisconsin and the Madison Area is complete without spending some time in Middleton … the home of the internationally infamous National Mustard Museum. Some call it the “Condimental Divide”. It’s where thousands of mustard enthusiasts each year leave those ketchup-eaters at the pass, and reach the summit of mustard love at the Mustard Museum.

The centerpiece collection at the Museum is an ever-growing display of prepared mustards, currently more than 5,566 jars, bottles, and tubes from all 50 states and more than 70 countries. Also on display are hundreds of items of great mustard historical importance, including antique mustard pots, mustard tins, vintage mustard advertisements, and assorted mustard memorabilia.

It's a fun place with mustard and puns in equal measure, and the admission is free. How I failed to purchase a Poupon U. sweatshirt is a complete mystery.

After beers at Capital, it was time to visit the Olbrich Botanical Gardens, an experience enhanced immeasurably by the gorgeous weather.

Stroll 16 acres of outdoor gardens featuring stunning landscapes and Midwest-hardy plants. Visit the tropics in the Bolz Conservatory, filled with exotic plants, flowers, orchids, birds, and a waterfall. Outdoor Gardens are free and open daily.

Still stuffed with brunch, I thought to investigate a brewpub of recent vintage called Next Door, and it was solid. We enjoyed beers and nibbles, and there's more here:

A couple of beers at Next Door Brewing Company in Madison, Wisconsin.

By now it was mid-afternoon. The plan was to rest, eat dinner relatively early and pack for the drive back while watching the second presidential debate. I decided to walk down to Rockhound for one last beer:

How Rockhound Brewing's smoked hop pale ale and the Super Bowl in the year 2000 connect in my cranium.

A final memorable meal came at Ramen Station, yet another top quality restaurant within a short walk of our Airbnb. Returning to home base, the debate had just started, and watching it was the single worst decision we made on the trip.

Early Monday morning at 5:45 a.m., the seven-hour drive commenced to a New Albany street grid mercifully returned to its normal configuration. Spending the weekend in Madison made for my favorite Harvest Homecoming ever, an evasion I hope we'll be able to repeat in future years.

If you can't beat the 800 lb. gorilla ... then run away.

To the GTMW: Sunday, August 11, and the amazing New Glarus Brewing Company.

Sunday began with brunch at the Great Dane's Fitchburg location (libations above), which lies conveniently on the route back to New Glarus. This time we aimed straight for the New Glarus Brewing Company, and as always when visiting this shining craft beer facility on the hill, I felt admiration and envy in equal measure. NABC isn't New Glarus Brewing, and New Albany isn't Wisconsin, but I'd still like to think that some day ...

The biggest changes since my last visit two years ago are big new fermenter buildings to the left of the main entrance, and a beer garden expanded out onto the hillside, featuring mock ruins constructed from scratch; ironically, it's the same idea I had for the Bank Street Brewhouse outdoor area, given that whenever we get around to removing the asphalt, there's likely to be the foundation of a house underneath.

Localists, pay heed: The most important central facts about New Glarus Brewing are that the brewery's overall distribution is limited to Wisconsin, while at the same time, visitors coming to see this architectural marvel buy cases of beer to take home (think: like Coors was in the bad old days) likely totaling more in yearly volume than our entire turnover at BSB.

Admiration. Envy. Equal measure. Grrr.

To the GTMW: Thursday, August 8.

(GTMW posts for 2013 were backdated to fit the actual time frame ... after sobering up)

We set off at around 12:35 p.m., and made the drive from New Albany to Madison in seven hours of actual road time. As usual, first stop was the Great Dane Pub & Brewing Company, downtown near the Wisconsin State Capitol.

My respect for Great Dane grows by the year. There are four locations in and around Madison, and another in Wausau; food, beer and service invariably are exemplary at any of the locations, and overall, Great Dane is just a fine example of what local beer should be.

The weather on Thursday evening was cool and dry, and the prediction was for continued temperate conditions through Saturday, when the annual Great Taste of the Midwest beer festival gloriously occurs. What's not to like in a place such as Madison -- blue capital of a blue state?

The Great Dane Pub & Brewing Company in Madison, Wisconsin.

The Great Dane is a favorite stop each summer when we're in Madison for the Great Taste of the Midwest. We always stop by the downtown location (shown here), and this year, there was time to visit Great Dane's Fitchburg and Hilldale outposts. Pictured above are glycol-jacketed, gravity-fed cask ales, queued and ready for pouring. Below are "before and after" views of Great Dane's locally sourced chocolates, served with the beers that went into them.