About Stubborn Brothers Brewery
Stubborn Brothers Brewery pours its beer inside the old Crescent Theater on Main Street in downtown Shawano. George and Anna Nagel built the theater in 1915 for vaudeville, and it later spent years as a movie house. Brothers Aaron and Erik Gilling, who grew up near Marion and whose family farms in Clintonville, bought the building in 2016. Their grand opening, planned for March 2020, was pushed to June 3, 2020, by pandemic closures. The theater's stage and orchestra pit were kept, and performers still use the stage at times.
The brewery leans on Wisconsin farms: Erik sourced malt and other ingredients from local growers and planted the brewery's first hop fields to learn which varieties suit Shawano soil. The lineup runs to about two dozen beers and ciders, most of them rotating, with past pours such as the Shawano Club Pilsner, Wolf River Porter and a Door County cherry wheat. A full bar and cocktails round out the drinks.
The kitchen serves burgers, sandwiches, soups, salads and appetizers, with a fish fry on Fridays. On Saturdays from 11 to 2, staff lead free walk-in tours of the brewhouse, and the tour comes with a pint for those 21 and over; younger guests can come along with a parent or guardian. The brothers' Crescent Ballroom hosts larger events.
Pristine Lavender in Pulaski is about 23 miles to the east, roughly 35 minutes by car. Check its website for its sale and event days, then end the day with dinner in downtown Shawano.
What to do
- Take a free brewery tour on Saturdays, 11 a.m.–2 p.m., with a pint included
- Sit near the stage of the restored 1915 theater
- Try a rotating house beer brewed with Wisconsin malt
- Come for the Friday fish fry
- Order a craft cocktail from the full bar
Season, hours and prices
- Season
- Open year-round; brewery tours on Saturdays
- Hours
- Posted on their website (2026): Sunday–Tuesday 11 a.m.–8 p.m., Wednesday–Thursday 11 a.m.–9 p.m., Friday–Saturday 11 a.m.–10 p.m.
- Admission
- Free to visit; Saturday brewery tours free with a pint included (as posted on their website)
Good to know
- Age
- 21 or older to taste or drink alcohol
- Reservations
- Walk-in (Saturday tours first come, first served)
Tips for your visit
- Tour guests must be 21 or come with a parent or legal guardian
- Call ahead if you want to reserve a tour spot for a group
- Plan a designated driver before you head out
Pair it with a lavender farm
Pristine Lavender · about 35 minutes away
Pristine Lavender in Pulaski is about 35 minutes east; visit on one of its sale or event days and finish with dinner in Shawano.
Getting there
Questions
Is the brewery really in an old theater?
Yes. It occupies the Crescent Theater, built in 1915 as a vaudeville house, with the stage and orchestra pit still in place.
Does Stubborn Brothers offer tours?
Yes. Free tours run Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., first come, first served, with a pint included.
Can kids come on the tour?
Guests under 21 must be with a parent or legal guardian.
Is there food?
Yes. The menu covers burgers, sandwiches, soups and salads, with a Friday fish fry.
🗺️ Part of the guide Things to Do Near the Lavender Farm of Green Bay & Pulaski, Wisconsin
Checked in October 2026 against the business’s own website and local tourism pages. Hours and seasons change, so check with them before you go. How we check listings · Is this your business? Claim it free
