Restaurant
Unclaimed profileTempest Oyster Bar
Madison, WI · $$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
Tempest Oyster Bar runs a broad beverage program. Ten house cocktails, each $13, span gin, rye, mezcal, tequila, vodka, and bourbon, plus a $9 tap Mai Thai. Wine by the glass covers white, rosé, and red from $10 to $18, with reserve bottles up to $156. Draught beer is $6 to $8, including Wisconsin and international options. Spirits pour from $7.50 to $15 across whiskey, scotch, gin, agave, rum, brandy, and amaro.
- What should I order?
- Start with the Navy Pea Coat, a rye cocktail with Averna, maple, orange bitters, and clove. For wine, the Sancerre, Fusion, 2024 France is $18 by the glass. Spirits drinkers can order Oban 14 year for $15 or a house infusion like Raspberry Tito's for $8.
- Who will enjoy this place?
- Guests who want a full bar program with cocktails, wine, beer, and spirits will find options across all four. The range of spirits and reserve wines suits those who like to compare categories.
- When should I go?
- Happy Hour drink specials include $10 Happy Hour Cocktails on the drink page, $7 House wines on the drink page, and $1 off draught beer.
- What should I expect to spend?
- Cocktails are $13 each, with a $9 tap cocktail. Wine by the glass runs $10 to $18, bottles $40 to $72, and reserve bottles $33 to $156. Draught beer is $6 to $8; cans and bottles $4 to $8. Spirits pours range from $7.50 to $15, with house infusions at $8.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- The beverage program covers cocktails, wine, beer, and spirits with unusual breadth for a single venue. House infusions and a dedicated tap cocktail add options beyond the standard list.
Beverage categories
We only score what a venue sets out to do. Categories a venue doesn't attempt are left unscored rather than penalized.
Cocktails
Ten house cocktails, each $13, with base spirits including gin, rye, mezcal, tequila, vodka, and bourbon. A dedicated tap cocktail, the Tempest Mai Thai, is $9. Happy Hour cocktails are $10 on the drink page and $11 on the eat page.
Menu strengths
- — Ten named house cocktails with varied base spirits including gin, rye, mezcal, tequila, vodka, and bourbon.
- — A dedicated tap cocktail is offered at a lower price point.
Standout selections
- — First Light: Ha' Penny Gin, Falernum, rhubarb, egg white, lemon, served in a coupe.
- — Navy Pea Coat: Rye Whiskey, Averna, maple, orange bitters, clove, served on a rock.
- — Young Blood: Mezcal, Aperol, blood orange, saline, lemon, served up.
- — Tempest Mai Thai: Tap cocktail with Cruzan Rum, Orgeat, Curaçao, lime, pineapple, rocks.
Pricing: $13 house cocktails; $9 tap cocktail; $10 Happy Hour Cocktails on the drink page, $11 on the eat page.
Wine
Wines by the glass cover white, rosé, and red from $10 to $18, with bottles $40 to $72. A Reserve Wines section offers sparkling, white, rosé, and red by the bottle from $33 to $156. Happy Hour House wines are $7 on the drink page and $8 on the eat page.
Menu strengths
- — Wines by the glass include multiple white, rosé, and red options.
- — Extensive reserve wine list with sparkling, white, rosé, and red selections by the bottle.
Standout selections
- — Cava, Los Monteros, NV Brut, Spain — $11 by the glass, $44 bottle.
- — Sancerre, Fusion, 2024 France — $18 by the glass, $72 bottle.
- — Henriot, "Brut Souverain" NV Reims — $144 reserve sparkling bottle.
- — Nebbiolo, Rocche Costamagna, 2016 Barolo — $92 reserve red bottle.
Pricing: Wines by the glass $10 to $18; bottles $40 to $72; reserve bottles $33 to $156. Happy Hour House wines $7 on the drink page, $8 on the eat page.
Beer
Draught beers are $6 to $8, with local Wisconsin and international options. Cans and bottles range from $4 to $8 across lagers, ales, and specialty beers. Happy Hour offers $1 off draught beer.
Menu strengths
- — Draught beer selection includes local Wisconsin and international options.
- — Cans and bottles include a range of lagers, ales, and specialty beers.
Standout selections
- — Spotted Cow Farmhouse Ale (New Glarus, WI) — $6 draught.
- — Karben4 "Fantasy Factory" IPA (WI) — $7 draught.
- — Weihenstephan Hefeweiss (Freising, Bavaria) — $8 draught.; Allagash White, Belgian Wheat (Portland, ME) — $8 can or bottle.
Pricing: Draught $6 to $8; cans and bottles $4 to $8. Happy Hour $1 off draught beer.
Spirits
A broad spirits list covers vodka, gin, agave, rum & cachaça, house infusions, cordials & liqueurs, brandy & cognac, whiskey, rye, scotch whisky, port & madeira, and amaro. Pours are mostly $7.50 to $15, with house infusions at $8. Aged expressions include Oban 14 year and Macallan 12 year.
Menu strengths
- — Broad spirits selection across multiple categories including whiskey, scotch, gin, agave, rum, brandy, and amaro.
Standout selections
- — Oban 14 year — $15 scotch whisky.; Eagle Rare — $10 whiskey.
- — Herradura Silver — $9 agave.; Raspberry Tito's — $8 house infusion.
Pricing: Most pours $7.50 to $15; house infusions $8 each.
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