There’s a new home for bourbon enthusiasts in Wausau. Those looking to take a pull of high quality, hard to find bourbon will be surrounded by a bevy of options at J&P’s Tippling House on Shrike Avenue in Wausau. But its not all about bourbon — the upscale yet affordable bar offers wine, craft cocktails and a complete dining menu as well.
J&P’s Tippling House opened last fall, in the space previously occupied by The Lounge. Owners Justin Bradfish and Phil Mueller are IT professionals by day, and have worked together for the better part of a decade. Bradfish and Mueller both share a love for bourbon, and would find themselves stopping in upscale bars while traveling for business.
“We get to go to these really nice bars in bigger cities and we really didn’t have anything like that around town here, so that’s kind of how we got the idea to open up our own,” Bradfish said.
While he comes from an IT background, Bradfish is no stranger to the bar world, his family owned The Fish Tank in Weston back in the day.
“I worked there when I was younger, so it’s been an easier transition on my side versus Phil, he’s never been in the bar business before. But it’s been really good.”
Bradfish said buying the Lounge property was a relatively turn-key transaction. Much of the bar’s look has been retained, though Bradfish and Mueller added TVs to give the bar a bit more of a sports vibe.
Maybe the most important part of the transaction, however, was the bourbon. Bradfish and Mueller were able to purchase the Lounge’s bourbon stock, much of which was allocated. In the bourbon world, allocated bourbon refers to bottles produced in limited quantities and distributed through a tightly controlled, high demand system. Many of these bottles don’t even get to most consumer liquor stores, and when they do, they sell out within hours or minutes.
For a more complex drink order, J&P’s Tippling House has a cocktail menu that is updated every month or so.
“We did Tom and Jerrys over the holiday season. Those were a homemade recipe,” Bradfish said. “We craft our own cocktails here and share them either monthly or bi-monthly, depending on the season.”
Rounding out the bar, J&P’s Tippling House has fourteen craft beer taps, which are updated nearly weekly. Bradfish also estimates they have the largest wine selection of any bar in town.
“We have a lot of wines, anywhere from your $9 glass all the way up to a $130 dollar bottle for like Caymus, Quilt or Bella Union, the nicer cabs,” he said. “We also have the Kosta Browne chardonnay at $150 a bottle, for people who are into that.”
For those with expensive taste but a lighter wallet, J&P’s Tippling House hosts Whiskey Wine Wednesdays, where they feature an allocated bourbon every Wednesday, and any open wine bottles are half-price. Additionally, Wednesday is their wing special, too.
Behind the bar there is a full-service kitchen. J&P’s Tippling House menu includes sandwiches, wraps, salads, crab cakes, entrees appetizers and more. The Friday fish fry at J&P’s Tippling House is prepared with a cornflake crust, giving it a uniquely light and crunchy crust. The kitchen is open until midnight, with a full menu through 9 p.m. and a special late night menu of appetizers and pizza until midnight.
The most popular menu items so far, according to Bradfish, are the ahi tuna tostadas and wings.
“We smoke our wings every day,” he said. “They’re smoked daily then fried to order. We get a lot of people coming in for the wings.”
To round it all off, J&P’s Tippling House also offers free pool and darts to customers.
“We just want to provide a chill, upbeat place to hang out,” Bradfish said.
Looking ahead, Bradfish and Mueller plan to build out a patio on the east side of the building this spring, providing a spot for outdoor seating and summer music.
J&P’s Tippling House is located at 227460 Shrike Ave, Wausau and open 11 a.m. to midnight daily. For more information, or to take a look at the menu, visit: jps-tippling-house.ourmenu.com.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here