The newest kid on Milwaukee’s beer block has been a long time coming.

Solemn Oath Brewery of Naperville, Illinois, will soon begin transforming the former 1840 Brewing, 342 E. Ward St., into its own taproom. It signed a lease for the space just last week, has a goal of opening in mid-2026 and is planning a pop-up takeover in the neighborhood in December.

The brewery’s founder, John Barley – yes, that’s his real name – grew up in Mequon and has been working to foster a connection to his home state almost since he opened Solemn Oath in 2012. It has sold its beer on and off in Wisconsin since 2014, and Barley has been kicking the tires on secondary locations in Milwaukee for nearly as long.

“It was always a dream and always a vision that we would come back and bring Solemn Oath and do som

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