A typical Milwaukee Saturday

I guess it’s called balance.

Last weekend, we started our Saturday in a way I never imagined: Chad and I participated in a 5k race. (Honest, I never saw that coming.)

At the end of the day, we were kicking back and enjoying a tour and tasting at Twisted Path Distillery. (A little more our speed.)

Get you a day that has both, I suppose.

Brew City 5k

It seems like booze is something of our kryptonite: several months ago, Chad and I were drinking when he convinced me that signing up for a 5k would be a good idea. Influenced by a mix of intoxication, good times with friends, and an everlasting “joiner” attitude, we signed the dotted line that night. We vowed to train and take advantage of the next few weeks to get into running shape.

Please note: we did not.

Thankfully, I had some foresight going into the process and chose to sign up for the “untimed” version; this meant that I could walk, jog, or both at my own pace. Chad decided to run and signed up for a 12-mile pace, mostly taking a giant guess since, again, we are not runners in any way, shape, or form.

On a cold, windy, and nearly-snowy Saturday morning, Chad and I, plus our friend Haley and new friend Alecia, all crowded in the car to find parking at an abysmal 7 a.m.—entirely too early, but necessary for a popular Milwaukee race apparently. We parked about a mile away from the starting line at Veteran’s Park, near the Memorial Center. (Oops.)

As the race began, Chad charged off with the other runners while I walked over the first initial hills. Afterward, I decided to do a little jogging, suddenly feeling competitive and confident, possibly swayed by the views of Lake Michigan at my side. Not long later, I crossed the finish line. I received a kick-ass participation medal, a can of Broken Bat beer, and a toasty brat.

I have to brag on Chad for a moment: he expected to finish at around 40 or so minutes. Instead, he finished the race in 33 minutes! He did a phenomenal job and I’m incredibly proud of him! He killed it.

Twisted Path Distillery

Later on (much later, after a group coffee outing, a nap, and plenty of recovery), Chad and I dragged ourselves out of bed for the promise of booze and good times.

Twisted Path Distillery is located in Milwaukee’s Bay View neighborhood, sharing a giant building with other local favorites, such as Component Brewing Co.

The space is luxurious and aesthetically pleasing. Plants overflow from their wall perches and black and wood-tones set the ambiance. The drink menu, too, has cocktails with surprising, hipster-esque twists.

After grabbing our drinks, Chad and I embarked on an hour-long tour led by Twisted Path’s owner, Brian. He was compelling and engaging, speaking to his background (a former CIA agent turned lawyer!) and unconventional path to finding his passion and now business—creating unique craft spirits. He noted that the name “Twisted Path” is a direct reflection of his and his wife’s approach to living life creatively and thinking outside of the box. I was automatically hooked and it was easy to learn about the distilling process.

At the end of the tour, the 16 or so of us crowded into a smaller back tasting room, which originally acted as the whole of the distillery bar (they’ve come a long way), where we got to sample an ounce or so of the Twisted Path spirits.

We had two instant favorites: the chai liqueur and bloody vodka (infused with herbs, so you just have to add tomato juice for a bloody mary?! Which eliminates food waste?! Which would save bars money and prep time while also aiding in conservation?! Which was also simply delicious?!). We came home with a bottle of each, after also enjoying another round of craft cocktails from the bar.

Ideal day

We walked, we ran, we sipped, we learned, and we woke up a little sore, but with some new drinks locked and ready to replicate at home.

What a d a y, somehow perfectly summing up the Milwaukee experience.