Months after a fire destroyed the Bass Bay Brewhouse, the sounds of live music, conversation, and celebration returned to the Muskego property Wednesday as hundreds gathered for the opening of the Bass Bay Beer Garden.For many v isitors, the opening was more than the debut of a new beer garden.It was a chance to return to a place that had long been part of their routine."We'd come two or three times a month," Jim Links smiled.Others recalled dinners overlooking the water, pontoon rides, and summer evenings spent at the longtime lakeside destination.Watch: Crowds return to Bass Bay months after fire destroyed brewhouse Bass Bay Beer Garden opensThat routine came to an abrupt halt in December when a fire destroyed the family-owned Bass Bay Brewhouse and the home attached to it.In the months that followed, co-owner Ryan Oschmann and his team worked through insurance claims, demolition, and planning for what would come next while pursuing plans to rebuild."After the fire, everyone really had to band together," Ryan Oschmann told TMJ4.I cant say enough about our staff and community. Everyones been so supportive of us through every bit of this process. On Wednesday, the property looked much different than in the months prior.Live music filled the air as food trucks served customers and hundreds packed the grand opening of the new waterfront beer garden, which will operate while the family works toward rebuilding the brewhouse."It's family-owned, so that's great. We want to support the family," Dennis and Kathy Stauber of Vernon told TMJ4.For Oschmann, one of the most meaningful parts of the day was seeing familiar faces return."We haven't seen a lot of regulars that we saw multiple times a week," he said. "You form relationships with people, get to know names, families, and all those things." The opening comes after Oschmann told TMJ4 in May that rebuilding the brewhouse would not be possible in time for the 2026 summer season, prompting the family to create the beer garden to welcome people back to the lakefront property."The community's there to support them," the Yaeger family added. "Can't wait until they have walls again."Oschmann said the Muskego Plan Commission has approved plans to rebuild the brewhouse, and he hopes construction can begin later this year."It does feel like we're taking steps forward and doing something meaningful," Oschmann said.Its about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for TMJ4 on your device.Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip ...read more read less