Tag: iowa beer baron

SGAD (Surly Gives A Damn) coming to Davenport; part of Surly Brewing Iowa Distro

Leave a comment

surlyJust received the following email from Surly Brewing:

What: 
Surly Brewing Co., the Twin Cities-based craft brewery has just arrived in the Quad Cities as part of its Invasion of Iowa. Now, two weeks since its launch in Iowa, the brewery is kicking off its community engagement program, Surly Gives A Damn (SGAD) in Iowa by bringing together Minnesota and Iowa craft beer fans in Davenport this weekend to help the city’s spring corridor cleanup. 
SGAD is Surly’s community engagement program. Since 2010, the brewery has enlisted local beer fans to help with service projects across Minnesota. In 2014, SGAD organized nearly 1,000 Surly fans to take part in 2,376 volunteer hours. The program is now following Surly beer to Iowa.
The first SGAD Iowa event will be this Saturday in Davenport, to help the city with their spring corridor cleanup. Surly is bringing 40 volunteers from both Iowa and Minnesota to take part. They will work together to help the city with its spring corridor cleanup, ensuring that unwanted garbage doesn’t make it into the local creeks, streams and waterways this spring and summer. The SGAD group will be cleaning from the LULAC Club, 4224 Ricker Hill/Blue Grass Rd and then making its way to Utah and Rockingham Rd. After the event, volunteers will come together to enjoy a Surly beer or two.
When: Saturday, March 21, 8:30am – 11am
Where: From the LULAC Club, 4224 Ricker Hill/Blue Grass Rd, Davenport, IA, and then making its way to Utah and Rockingham Rd, Davenport, IA.
Visuals:
  • Minnesotans and Iowans working together to help clean up along Davenport highway
  • SGAD organizers to discuss its plans to help out with future Iowa community projects
  • Celebrating Minnesota’s craft beer coming to Iowa by supporting community projects
Surly has confirmed a number of events around the state this month, and will be posting more Iowa events throughout the months ahead. More information can be found at http://bit.ly/SurlyIowaEvents. SGAD will continue to organize and host volunteering events in Iowa, more information can be found at http://www.surlybrewing.com/surly-gives-a-damn.

Guest Review: sLim Reviews The University Library Cafe

1 Comment
libraryUniversity Library Cafe-3506 University Ave
Des Moines IA

Fortunately for all those who dwell in the Eastern and Central Iowa area, more and more craft beer bars are popping up. I always enjoy myself more at these types of establishments. Not just for their expansive beer selection, but because most of them seem to have a quirky, quaint feel to them. You’re usually in for a unique experience each time you go to one.

While the number of bars/restaurants in Iowa with exemplary beer selections is increasing, I thought I would take this opportunity to talk about one that’s been around for quite some time. The University Library Cafe has been around for a few decades. It has certainly gone through some changes during that time period, especially in management. Since 2012, the Library has been managed by Full Court Press, the Des Moines company that owns and runs other highly popular establishments like El Bait Shop, Hessen Haus, and the Royal Mile.

When you first walk in to the Library, you can’t help but notice that it’s, well…quite small (although you likely weren’t surprised at this when you saw the outside of the building driving by). It’s tucked into the western part of the Drake campus right on University Avenue. Upon initial reaction, one may expect a ma and pa type cafe that specializes in comfort food and has limited hours. Quite the contrary, this cafe stays open until 2am every night and opens early for breakfast at 8am Friday through Sunday. Due to it’s location, it has a very eclectic crowd. You’ll see your fair share of college students but there usually are some seasoned veteran regulars along with groups of people out for dinner. While it’s no Outback Steakhouse, it’s still family friendly with several booths lining the wall (which serve as the majority of the dining area).

Onto the food; if you’ve eaten at High Life Lounge/El Bait Shop, the menu is pretty similar. There are a few burgers, sandwiches, and appetizers that are served at both of these locations. Some that I recommend would be the Peanut Butter Bacon Burger, Fried Pickles, and the Homemade Macaroni and Cheese. While you can’t go wrong with any of those selections, the Library does offer several of their own unique entrees. There’s the Library Poutine appetizer, the Jalapeno Havarti Burger, and of course, the fabled Meatloaf Sandwich.

The last time I was there, I ordered that legendary meatloaf sandwich. You get a sizable slab of loaf which is plenty juicy and flavorful served on a hoagie bun. A choice of side comes with it; again, I recommend the mac ’n cheese. The Library is also famously known for its nachos (voted best in DSM in recent years). I also placed a order of these. They were plenty greasy but good.

As far as beer, this is where the Library thrives. Despite it’s small space, they employ a tremendous selection of taps. There’s over 40 available; and none of those are wasted on any Bud, Miller, or Coors products. You have a wide selection of brews from great national breweries such as Stone, Founders, Summit, and Deschutes. There’s also plant of offerings from Iowa breweries like Confluence, Peace Tree (including the Rye Porter, rarely seen on tap), and West-Okoboji. On this previous trip I decided to enjoy a Stone Enjoy By Double IPA which paired nicely with the nachos. I would put this terrifically hoppy yet drinkable Double IPA right up there with other favorites from this category like Laguinitas Sucks and Victory Dirtwolf.

The mark of a good craft beer bar is that you can never run out of something new to try regardless of how often you frequent it (unless you’re a complete barfly like Steve Buschemi’s character in Trees Lounge). Whether you’re a Des Moines area resident or just happening to be in the area, mark the University Library Cafe a place to check out. Even though it’s really small, it can cater to a variety of occasions: a lunch date, an early evening meeting spot for a group of friends, or an after work/night cap bar if you’re looking to unwind with the help of a tasty brew. This place is more than just the quality food and drinks available. The atmosphere is probably what I appreciate most. It’s a tight squeeze in there some nights but I think it plays to their advantage more often than not. It gives the Library a cozy, lounge-type feel which is a nice change of pace from the bustling downtown bars located just a few miles east.

Stop in to this forgotten gem located off the beaten path for an experience you’re not likely to forget.

 

Iowa Breweries Gift Giving Guide 2014

1 Comment

santaDid everyone survive Bourbon County day?! We can now get back to a little normalcy in the beer world. Hope Thanksgiving went well and everyone drank some tasty brews but now it’s on to Christmas! And what better way to show someone you love them than with some great Iowa beer and apparel! (I was going to use the word swag but I think I’m too old). Below is a list I’ve compiled with the help of some great Iowa breweries of items that they have for sale. I’m a sucker for glassware and shirts from breweries so this stuff is right up my alley. The links that follow should take you to each breweries store, please let me know if a link is not working.

millstreamMillstream Brewing Company – Amana, IA:
*Clothing – shirts and hats ranging anywhere from $10-$50
*Glassware – pint glasses to growlers from $4.25 – $35.
*Miscellaneous – signs, koozies, coasters and more!
Baron’s pick: The new Millstream tshirts are pretty sweet and a good price at $17.50, but I think their old school metal sign is the way to go especially if you have a nice little Beer Cave to hang it in. Sign clocks in at $15.70.
http://shop.millstreambrewing.com/

firetruckerFiretrucker Brewery – Ankeny, IA: 

*Clothing – this upstart brewery has 2 t-shirts, a sweatshirt and kick-ass looking biking t-shirt to choose from ranging from $25-$135.
*Glassware – a 16 oz pint glass with their sweet looking logo at $12.
*Miscellaneous – stickers and coasters from $2-$5.
Baron’s pick: Going with the sweatshirt for $55 and the pint glass for $12. Love the logo on both, especially with a nice stout poured behind it.
http://www.firetrucker.com/swag.php

singlespeedSinglespeed Brewery – Cedar Falls, IA:Shamefully I haven’t been to Singlespeed yet, but I’ve heard great things are happening in Cedar Falls. My New Year’s Resolution is to drink more at all Iowa Breweries! 🙂
*Clothing – t-shirts, hoodies, and brewers shirts ranging from $20-$50.
*Glassware – pub glasses, flasks, growlers ranging from $6-$60.
*Miscellaneous – gifts cards and bottle openers.
Baron’s pick: The beer glasses. Gift cards are available in any amount as well.
http://www.singlespeedbrewing.com/gear/default.aspx

lion bridgeLion Bridge Brewery – Cedar Rapids, IA: A spot you can probably find me at on any given weekend. So thankful that they have opened up so close to home. Along with great beer the food is damn good as well (pork nachos anyone?).
*Clothing – t-shirts ranging in color. Nothing on the website yet but they do have a little shop setup in the brewery. I believe I got the last powder blue and red!
*Glassware – If you are a beer glass junkie like myself Lion Bridge can set you up. Taster glasses, pint glasses, snifters, etc. All there, all for sale…I believe. Along with growlers and meowlers.
*Miscellaneous – CSA. Their community sponsored ales program. A one time fee gets you discounts, a t-shirt, growler, 1st growler fill, and growler fills on speciality beers all for $80 I believe.
Baron’s Pick: Well, I’ve already picked up a shirt, glasses, and the CSA will be joined soon. So I guess I’ll recommend all three!

515515 Brewing – Clive, IA – Anytime I’m in the Des Moines area I make a stop at 515. Love the people here, love the atmosphere and love the beer! No online shop as of now but stop in and have a pint and grab something to take home with you.
*Clothing – last time I was there they had 3 different t-shirts to choose from. I got a sweet looking gray with the logo on it.
*Glassware – I vaguely remember a few different glasses to choose from. I bought a nice snifter, perfect for a nice stout or porter!
Baron’s Pick: – Love the t-shirt I own and my snifter, I highly recommend!

toppling goliath Toppling Goliath – Decorah, IA – Arguably the most recognized Iowa brewery has some really cool gear to pick up. I recently picked up a King Sue Teku glass (now kicking myself in the ass for not getting an Assassin Teku as well).
*Clothing – t-shirts, sweatshirts, a nice little pseudosue pack consisting of a hat, shirt, and two coasters.
*Glassware – well, the King Sue and Assassin Tekus rock the shit. Got one, want more. They also have pint glasses, chalices, snifters, with not just the TG logo, but their specific beer logos.
*Miscellaneous – openers, stickers, and coasters.
Baron’s Choice – The Teku is the obvious choice for me. These are awesome!

www.tgbrews.wazala.com

confluenceConfluence Brewing – Des Moines, IA – Confluence keeps rolling out some excellent brews. Really enjoyed Ayana’s Rhino Rye and hope to see it again in the future!
*Clothing -They have sweatshirts, bike jerseys, T’s and other apparel.
*Glassware – 64 oz and 32 oz growlers.
*Baron’s Choice – pick up a t-shirt. I’m not sure what color scheme they have as they don’t currently have an online store, but give them a call or drop them an email. http://www.confluencebrewing.com/

peace treePeace Tree Brewing – Knoxville, IA – Another brewery making big splashes is Peace Tree. Located in Knoxville, this brewery has some really sweet looking apparel and other offerings.
*Clothing – t-shirts and bicycle shirts ranging from $15-$75.
*Glassware – awesome looking glassware and even a cool pint glass and opener set.
*Miscellaneous – bottle caps, openers, patches, labels and more.
*Baron’s Choice – I love the Peace Tree Beanie found here:http://store.peacetreebrewing.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=0001013. Added to my wishlist!

big groveBig Grove Brewery – Solon, IA – nothing has been hotter than Big Grove in Solon. With the amount of attention and recognition they get you’d think they would have been open for years, but it’s only been one! So much good things being created here both beer and food wise, makes this another frequent destination of the Baron.
*Clothing – upon walking in on my last visit I saw the wall to my left had new Big Grove t-shirts made by Tailgate Clothing company! Wonderfully comfortable shirts that always look great. I will be adding all three to my collection.
*Glassware – growlers and the last I was there they still had a few 1 year anniversary tulip glasses for sale. Awesome glasses, highly recommended!
Baron’s Choice – I must own the shirts! They are awesome! You will not be disappointed! Check them out on your next visit. I have 1 year anniversary glass that I great like it’s one of my own children and a growler that I fill frequently! All great stuff!

 

**This holiday, support your local brewery. The above are a few of the wonderful places we are lucky enough to have in our state. I assume most places have gift cards available as well. Below is a link to the complete list of Iowa breweries, find one near you, go there, drink beer, and buy some shit!**

http://www.midwestmicrobrews.com/iowa.html

Baron’s Guide to Thanksgiving and Beer

2 Comments

turkeyHappy Thanksgiving everyone! I thought it would be fun to breakdown Thanksgiving Day and pair some craft beers with what would be my typical meal. Now, 15 years ago, Busch Light reigned supreme and would flow freely along with some boxed wine and a few bottles of booze. Times change and thankfully so do the drinks. I saw the guys at fullpint.com do this and thought it would be good to see an Eastern Iowa version of what beers to get.

**Early and often Beers**– while watching the football game with fellow family members and waiting for the bird to finish up cooking, it’s good have other options available other than the typical light beer, and Eastern Iowa now has a plethora of excellent, low abv brews.

 

Baron’s recommendation:

*Founders Brewing All Day IPA – 4.7%
*Lion Bridge Workmen’s Compensation – 4.7% (growler only – coffee variation dynamitbig grovee as well)
*Lion Bridge Whirligig – 4.5% (growler only, a Baron Favorite)
*Big Grove Que Sera Berliner Weisse – 4.4% (growler only)
*Destihl Brewing Here Gose Nothin’ – 5% (A little higher ABV and sour but I can down a few)
*Stone Levitation – 4.4% very tasty amber.

**Dinner Beers** – the food has made it’s way to the table and you are looking for a bottle of something to share with some loved ones. I’m in agreement with many beer lovers that the perfect style of beer for Thanksgiving are Saisons. And being a saison lover, there are quite a few to choose from around Eastern Iowa. I also think maltier IPAs go well with the majority of the traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

Baron’s recommendation:

*Saison Dupont – 6.5%
*Boulevard Tank 7 – 8.5%
*Lion Bridge Untitled Saison – 6.5% (growler only)
*Deschutes Zarabanda – 6.3%lion bridge
*Sierra Nevada Celebration – 6.8%
*Bells Two Hearted – 7%

**Time for Dessert** – as with most holidays there is usually a table reserved just for desserts. Now, you should have a cooler reserved for dessert beers.  I would have loved to include New Glarus on this list and they would be at the top but they aren’t distributed anywhere outside of Wisky. So for dessert I would go with:

Baron’s Recommendations:

*Schlafly Pumkin Ale – 8% – a no-brainer here. One of the better pumpkin beers on the market.
*Big Grove Russian Imperial Stout- this beer pairs excellent with dark fruits. Had it at the brewery in Solon with some of their pickled bing cherries and was blown away. (growler only)
*Millstream Raspberry Latte Stout – ? ABV – Millstream’s newest offering has me craving more. A great millstreamcombo of raspberry and stout that’s perfect for dessert.
*Stone Xocoveza – 8.1% – if you’re lucky enough to still have a bottle this would be a perfect way to end the evening. Chocolate, cinnamon, and coffee makes this the perfect beer after a big meal and the heat does a nice job of warming you up for a chilly Iowa November evening.

**As always, I’m sure I missed a bunch of beers. Feel free to send me your list and if you hear of any news, would like a guest review post, or questions drop me a line!**

 

Madhouse Brewing Barleywine Release Party Nov. 20 info

1 Comment

madhouse

2014 Madhouse Barleywine Release Party

Where: Madhouse Brewing Company. 501 Scott Ave. Des Moines, IA. 50309

When: Thursday, Nov. 20th. 6-10pm.

What: Madhouse will be hosting an open house to celebrate the release to two barrel-aged Barleywines:

2014 Barleywine. Aged 10 months in Tennessee whiskey barrels. 10.5% abv. Aromas of butterscotch, whiskey, caramel and oak. Rich and creamy texture with flavors of brown sugar, fig, molasses, and baking spice.

2014 Gnarlywine. Barelywine aged 20 months in Jasper Winery Port barrels. 13.0% abv. Dark fruit and currant aromas blend with caramel and chocolate flavors.

 

This will be the first opportunity to purchase bottles of these products. Tastings and pints will also be available. We will also be opening remaining bottles of 2013 Barleywine for sampling.

Extras-

Bottle Share: Guests are encouraged to bring bottles of home-brewed or commercial examples of their favorite Barleywine for sharing.

 

Meats and cheese samples will be available which are selected by Madhouse staff to pair with Barleywine.

 

Music provided by DJ Brodacious

For more info-

Brewing phone- 515-988-5535

info@madhousebeer.com

Distribution Rumor: Avery Brewing coming to Iowa in 2015?

1 Comment

averyThe latest gossip I’ve been hearing about breweries entering the Iowa market takes us to Boulder, Colorado and Avery Brewing company (www.averybrewing.com). While the brewery is undergoing another expansion from my sources it sounds like once expansion is complete in 2015 they will be looking to expand distribution into Iowa. Their 1.55 million gallons wasn’t enough to cover their previous distribution map and had to pull out of some states and put further distribution on hold. Now, with the new brewery it looks like they could be producing up to 500,000 barrels of sweet, wonderful brew.

There is not definite confirmation on this rumor quite yet but it sounds pretty promising so stay tuned to further developments. In the meantime, checkout and do a little research on Avery brews here: http://averybrewing.com/our-ales/

**If you have any beer news, rumors, a review you would like posted, feel free to drop me an email at benmed15@yahoo.com.

Free State Brewing heading to Iowa Shelves

1 Comment

free stateFree State Brewing recently released the following information:

Iowa, we are coming to you! The Free State Brewing Co. will begin distribution in The Hawkeye State mid-November. Stay tuned for more info.

Wednesday | 11 – 12 >> Saturday | 11 – 15

If you are in the Des Moines, Ames or Iowa City area, look for Free Staters making appearances at select locations around town as we launch in Iowa. Stay in touch via Facebook or Twitter for details on time and place.

Follow this link to view their full list of beers! http://www.freestatebrewing.com/beer/

Prairie Christmas Bomb hitting shelves in a few weeks; will Iowa see it?

1 Comment

christmas bombPrairie Artisan Ales will be releasing Christmas Bomb in the coming weeks with their normal Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Georgia distro and also through Shelton Brothers. The question is, will Iowa will be seeing any of this? I’m guessing it will be similar to Pirate Bomb and we will get a limited number. Here’s more on Christmas Bomb, sounds delicious!

In just a few more weeks, Christmas Bomb! will be hitting the shelves. This beer is the amazing base beer we all know and love with the addition of Christmas spices. With the weather starting to cool off and the leaves changing colors, I can’t think of a better beer for the season. This beer will see normal distribution in OK, TX, AR, GA and through the Shelton Brothers.

 

New Green Flash Beers hitting the Market in November

Leave a comment

soul styleComing in November, Green Flash brewing will ship out Soul Style IPA and Jibe Session IPA. Here’s more below on each brew courtesy of www.thefullpint.com.

About Soul Style IPA

Confident that the brewing team would develop an outstanding single IPA, the name “Soul Style” refers to the grace of the rarely seen, soul style surfer who leans way back on the board, making each difficult maneuver appear effortless. Soul Style is the Green Flash approach the art of crafting the perfect IPA. Citra, Simcoe and Cascade hops are layered to allow bright tropical citrus to mingle with waves of floral notes that break gently on the palate. Soul Style IPA is 6.5% ABV with 75 IBUs.

Brewmaster, Chuck Silva’s Tasting Notes for Soul Style IPA

Appearance – Orange Gold with bright white beer foam

Aroma – Very floral with tropical fruit including ripe mango and a hint of orange blossom honey

Flavor – Starts with a mellow pale malt sweetness then transitions to pungent hop flavors with grassy notes and a lingering but clean bitter finish. Dominant flavors – Clementine, Mango, Orange-Blossom

About Jibe Session IPA

With the wind at their backs, the Green Flash brewers made a sharp change in direction producing “JIBE”. But true to form, the Session IPA was brewed in an extreme way. Green Flash set out to produce to lowest ABV possible and still achieve bold, complex IPA flavor and body. Jibe Session IPA is a 4.0% ABV, 60 IBU “session” beer made with layers of Simcoe, Cascade and Amarillo hops. The flavor profile and mouth feel will satisfy consumer demand for a full-flavored Green Flash interpretation of the popular style.

Brewmaster Notes – Jibe Session IPA

Appearance – Yellow Gold with fluffy white beer foam

Aroma – Fresh, woodsy pine, eucalyptus, and Oroblanco grapefruit.

Flavor – Verdant hop leaf flavors dominate the lean body with a crisp mouth feel and lingering Oroblanco pithy bitterness.