Ope! Let us introduce ourselves!

We're Ope! Brewing Co.!

Ope! Brewing Co. kicked off in 2022 when a crew of Milwaukee beer fanatics, tired of watered-down brews and corporate slop, decided to brew their own Midwest magic in West Allis, WI. Born from late-night garage experiments and a love for crispy lagers that hit like a Packers touchdown, we transformed a former manufacturing facility into a taproom powerhouse, slingin' bold IPAs, seltzers, and seasonal stunners with zero fluff. Fast-forward through pandemics and pint-pourin' triumphs, we've grown into a community hub for live tunes, trivia brawls, and doggo hangs, all while keepin' that gritty, "dontcha know" spirit alive.

In 2026, we opened our second location in Appleton, Ope! North. Ope! North will be expanding a lot in our first year er two... with adding the Udder Tasting Room (second taproom) and Hoopla Hall (private and larger events) and many more events and cool stuff.

Meet The Owners

Kyle Ciske

Meet Kyle Ciske, part owner and brewmaster boss of Ope! Brewing Co. Kyle is one of the main reasons y'all love our beer so darn much!

Fresh off attending the Siebel Institute of Brewing Technology in 2007, Kyle dove headfirst into the craft scene, brewin' up tasty beers at Silver Creek Brewing Company in Cedarburg, WI. Not one to sit still, Kyle moved on and started sharing his know-how, teaching brewing classes at Northern Brewer and turning homebrew hopefuls into legit pros.

After several years of spreading his vast knowledge and expertise, Kyle became the Head Brewer at Explorium Brewpub in Greenfield, WI in 2016. While here, he continued perfecting his craft and helped build the entire beer program from scratch. 5 years later, Explorium was in a great spot and Kyle began to "explore" his aspirations of owning his own brewery.

In 2021, Kyle worked with John to spearhead their new project: Ope! Brewing Co. He used his vast brewing knowledge along with John's background to create a vibrant and extensive beer program paired with a taproom space that few had seen before. Ope! officially opened a year later in 2022.

Also, you may have noticed that Kyle LOVES music, so much so that he's an expert in another area: the drums. He's been tearin' up the MKE music scene with rhythms that echo his brewing style: precise, powerful, and always pushin' boundaries. He also had the crazy idea to weave that musical mojo into Ope!, crafting a burgeoning live music program and making hilarious yet sonically awesome jingles for many of our beers, courtesy of the Ope'n House Band moniker.

Former Head Brewer at Explorium Brewpub

18 years of brewing experience

Killer drummer and overall highly talented musician

John Onopa

John Onopa is a Milwaukee native with deep local roots, descending from a lineage of Northwoods prohibition-era moonshiners and Riverwest brewers. A graduate of Marquette University with a degree in Civil Engineering and an emphasis in construction project management, John’s professional background includes managing turnkey construction projects at Opus North Corporation and a decade in construction materials procurement at Kohl’s Corporate.

John’s passion for craft beer began with homebrewing in 2013. Since then, he has developed over a hundred unique recipes, several of which are featured at Ope! Brewing Co. As co-founder and head of business operations, John has led the brewery to significant acclaim since its opening in May 2022, earning awards for Best New Bar, Best Pet-Friendly Establishment, and Best Microbrewery Taproom.

Currently, John is spearheading expansion efforts for Ope! in West Allis and Ope! North in Appleton. A thoughtful problem-solver, he is dedicated to refining processes for strategic growth and ensuring the long-term success of the brewery while maintaining a commitment to quality and the customer experience.

Brewski

Meet John's dog: the perpetual reigning 'Employee of the Month,' Head of HR, resident security guard, dapperest dog and bestest boy, Brewski.  Boy dogs want to be him and bitches want to be his side-piece.  He’ll kindly demand pets while sitting on your feet or leaning deep into your soul.

Conveniently, you don’t have to bend over to greet him.  Brewski won three independent nationwide talent searches, and he’s featured on the 'Can I Pet Your Dog?' can. You probably won’t guess his breed, so we’ll just tell ya! - he’s half Greater Swiss Mountain dog and half Beauceron.  When you come by the taproom, make sure to give Brewski some love and maybe a few treats. He is a good boy after all!

Incredibly cute

Huge but acts like a tiny pup

Friendly and (mostly) well-behaved

The Man Who Brews The Beer

Cameron Patterson

Say hello to Ope! Brewing Co.'s Head Brewer, Cam Patterson. He's the one who makes the beer and you can thank him for all the deliciousness in-person the next time you come by the taproom!

Cam was born and raised in Vermont and took up brewing not long after he became of legal drinking age. Around this time, craft brewing in the US was beginning to grab hold. Vermont was home to some of the earliest, major craft beer brands and that's exactly where Cam got his start. He first began at Magic Hat Brewing Co. in 2012 as part of the packaging team and in 2014 moved to the brewing team. He worked here for 6 years until their eventual closure in 2020.

After that, Cam worked as a press operator and fermentation specialist at Citizen Cider. While here, Cam was doing double duty and achieved his brewing degree from the Siebel Institute of Brewing Technology in 2021. With new expertise in-hand, Cam moved over to von Trapp where he worked on a talented team producing award-winning lagers and other beers.

In the fall of 2022, Cam decided it was time to move to the Dairy State with his wife and made Milwaukee his new home. His first job in MKE was at City Lights where he was part of the brewstaff and also occasionally drove the shuttlebus to and from Miller Park. He worked here for nearly a year-and-a-half before coming to Ope! in March of 2024.

Cam made a quick and strong impression on John and Kyle by producing stellar beer and working hard to continually improve and perfect our product. So much so that in September of 2025, Cam was promoted to Head Brewer. He's the man, the myth, the legend! And we thank him for his talents and tasty product :-)

13+ years of brewing experience

Worked for: Magic Hat Brewing Co., Citizen Cider, von Trapp Brewing & Bierhall, City Lights Brewing Company

Head Brewer since September '25

Frequently Asked Questions

Ope! Got a question? We got an answer! Check out our Master FAQ Spot for more!

Do you sell gift cards? Merch?

You betcha! We've got hats, tshirts, hoodies, dog bowls, stickers, glassware, Dope Fanny packs (IYKYK), tin tackers, coasters and a bajillion other cool things to wear or adorn your garage bar with! We sell physical gift cards at both locations and online gift cards that you can email or print and gift SAME DAY! All gift cards can be used at both locations: West Allis and here in Appleton!

Can you fill my growler?

We avoid growlers to provide optimal product quality whether you enjoy your purchase today or in a few weeks. We do offer many of our beverages in cans, ready to go home with you!

Is your taproom dog friendly?

In Appleton, we are currently pet friendly only on our patio. That will be changing soon- we've been working with the local government for many months and should be able to be pet friendly inside sometime Summer of 2026 too! Either way, dogs must be kept on a leash. Mischievous pups or those prone to messes are best left at home, yah? Check out our official Pet Policy for more info.

Do you book private parties at Ope! North in Appleton?

You betcha! We're happy to rent you out just a table or two for a smaller group or something bigger. Heck... we'd even rent out the whole taproom for ya! Just drop us a line and we can chat more about our current event offerings. In 2027, we will be expanding with Udder Tasting Room (second taproom) and Hoopla Hall (private event space).

I'm obssessed with Ope! Now what?

Frick! Thanks a bunch! Next, sign up for our Ope'n Tapline emails to really stay in the loop! We have a rewards program sign up through Toast if you're not already!

Is your taproom family friendly?

You betcha! Well behaved, cute kids are most certainly welcome at Ope! North! Just keep an eye on the little buggers and enjoy your time with us!

What kind of drinks (gluten free, NA bevs, etc) do you serve?

We strive to provide a wide variety of beer, hard seltzer and sours proudly brewed at our West Allis brewery. We also have soda pop, a couppla NA Beers, Liquid Deaths and mocktails. We have a small but lovely selection of wine and spirits too! Whatcha got that's Gluten-Free? Our H2Ope! Hard seltzers are gluten free. But wait! There's more! Ope beers are not gluten free, but greatly gluten reduced! These may be very enjoyable options for people with gluten intolerances. (We're talking less than ten parts per million.) Many wine and spirits also gluten free. Check Ope! North's Bev menu for current offerings.

Where do we find your beer out in the wild?

We sell a wide array of our award winning beers and hard seltzers at Ope! Brewing in West Allis and Ope! North in Appleton- but we've also got a bunch of RAD partners- check out Ope's beer locator here.

Whattya got for food at Ope! North?

We don't serve food here at Ope! North- we focus on making those tasty beers and H2Ope seltzers!   We do partner with a lot of great food trucks... at least one is parked here every day (on weekends, probably two-three trucks.)   We've got High Kaliber BBQ Wednesday + Thursday 4- 8pm and Friday + Saturday noon-8 pm.  Other trucks vary throughout the week.  Check out Ope! North's weekly schedule here. We'd love for you to support our food trucks, but also allow carry-in food. (Reservations/private parties need pre-approval before carry-ins please.)

Where can I park?

We've got ample parking here in Appleton. If our lot is full and our neighbors, St. Vincent de Paul is closed, you're welcome to park over there! Check St. Vincent's hours.

Will you show “The Big Game” on your TV’s?

We will tune in for Packer games and major sports events (e.g, Superbowl, World Series, World Cup, etc.) We even got some sick Packer specials during game time (and are open until the game gets done- even if it's past our posted "Open Hours"). We also will usually have a couple TVs on for the Brewers games. Otherwise, just enjoy the vibe and some beers with your buds!

What is there to do at Ope North?

We have cornhole, darts, cribbage, cards and games available on the daily. When we don't have leagues/reservations, the sand volleyball courts and cornhole lanes are available for play- just ask for a volleyball, bags or Kubb set at the bar! We have Tuesday Trivia, fun Packer specials (GPG!), Ope Leagues and lots of cool events! (And more to come as we have even MORE space! In 2027, we will continue expanding at Ope! North with a second taproom and Hoopla Hall and pickleball courts. The best thing to do is to sign up for our Ope'n Tapline emails to get updates once er twice a month!)