Tag: travel

Backpocket Brewing to continue the legacy of Peace Tree Brewing Beloved Brands!

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Courtesy of Backpocket Press release:

Backpocket Brewing to Continue the Legacy of Peace Tree Brewing’s Beloved Brands🍻

In a bold move reflecting a shared vision for excellence, collaboration and innovation in the craft beer industry, Backpocket Brewing is pleased to announce its acquisition of Peace Tree Brewing’s celebrated brands. This agreement ensures that Peace Tree’s beloved beers, including the award-winning Blonde Fatale, remain integral to lowa’s rich craft beer scene. After a 15 year run as a leader in the lowa Craft beer scene, Peace Tree Brewing of Knoxville, IA ceased operations in the Summer of 2024.

Peace Tree Brewing’s owner, Megan McKay, a pioneer in the lowa Craft Beer Industry, stated, “My commitment has always been to create exceptional beers that resonate with our community and beyond. Selling to Backpocket Brewing allows Peace Tree’s legacy to live on, ensuring that our cherished brands will be continued to be enjoyed.” Her dedication to the brand she painstakingly built has set benchmarks for quality and innovation, solidifying Peace Tree Brewing as a cornerstone of lowa’s craft brewing identity.

Blonde Fatale, Peace Tree’s flagship and a gateway beer for many new craft beer drinkers, has garnered acclaim and accolades, becoming a legacy brand in lowa and nationwide. Blonde Fatale was awarded a gold medal at the 2014 World Beer Cup and in 2023 was recognized by Untappd Community Awards as the #3 best Belgian-style blonde ale beer crafted in the United States. Known for its exquisite blend of flavors and consistent quality, Blonde Fatale is set for a grand re-entry into the market, inviting both loyal fans and new enthusiasts to experience it once again. Other Peace Tree brands will be introduced back into the market in the future with production being focused on the flagship brand initially.

“Taking on Peace Tree Brewing’s production is an incredible opportunity for us,” said Aaron Vargas [Owner, Backpocket Brewing]. “This acquisition not only enhances our offerings but also allows us to carry forward the hard work and dreams of the Peace Tree Brewing team, whose passion for lowa Craft Beer has inspired many.”

Production is underway & will be available mid-November.

RIP Ron Jeffries: Jolly Pumpkin beers coming from Abu Nawas

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Courtesy of Abu Nawas:

As many of you may have heard, the legendary brewer of Jolly Pumpkin Ron Jeffries passed away this week. There are no words to express what a monumental loss to the Beer World this is. He was an inspiration, and Jolly Pumpkin was the first Beer that @abunawasbeverage brought to Iowa all the way back in 2011. Beyond being one of the original instigators of the craft beer revolution in America, he was a constant force of contagious joie de vivre. 

The world was a better place because of Ron! I couldn’t honestly remember a single time not seeing him not wearing a beautiful smile! So many memories are back from the many times we took Dexter Exit 167 on I94 in Michigan! Death is but another stop on the journey of life, or as he so appropriately said in the De Viento Collab. Beer AND STILL WE DANCE! 

JOLLY PUMPKIN VINTAGE BOTTLES:

We have a limited amount of Vintage bottles available if anyone is interested. Send us a message. Baudelaire Absurd Ale 750ml, BAM 750ml, Bam Di Castagna 375ml, BAM Noir 375ml, BAM Noir 750ml, Best Lei’d Plans 750ml, Biere de Mars RESERVA 330ml, Calabaza Boreal(Anchorage Collab) 750ml, Calabaza Blanca 375ml, Calabaza Blanca 750ml, Citrus Commander 750ml, Costa dei Villa (Australia La Sirene Collab) 750ml, Forgotten Tales of the Last Gypsy 750ml, Fuego del Otono 750ml, Baudelaire i.O. Saison 750ml, Keiki No More 750ml, La Parcela 750ml, La Roja 750ml, La Roja Grand Reserve 375ml, La Roja Kriek 750ml, La Vida Improvisacion 750ml, Losing Our Ledges (Stillwater Collab.) 750ml, Luciernaga 750ml, Madrugada Obscura 750ml, Maracaibo Especial 750ml, Matame Ahorita (Anchorage Collab.) 750ml, No Ka Oi (Anchorage Collab.) 750ml, Noel de Calabaza 750ml, Oro de Calabaza 750ml, Pinchadiscos (Stillwater Collab.) 750ml, No Problem 750ml, Saison M 750ml, Saison Z 750ml, Smashed Grabbed & Hop Dusted (Holy Mountain Collab.) 750ml, Turbo Bam 750ml, Weizen Bam 375ml, Weizen Bam 750ml. All of these are on request only basis and not listed on the portal

  • Jolly Pumpkin La Parcela – VINTAGE RESERVE -12/750ml BOT – Ok, so the joke was Jolly Pumpkin doesn’t brew a pumpkin beer. Ron begs to differ! Pumpkin Wild Ale Packed with real pumpkins, hints of spice and a gentle kiss of cacao to lighten the soul. 5.9% ABV – MI

JOLLY PUMPKIN CANS:

  • Jolly Pumpkin iO Saison 6/4/16oz CANS – Saison Aged in oak with wild yeasts & can conditioned, iO Saison is a unique creation brewed with rose hips, rose petals, & hibiscus giving this saison a character & color all its own. This very vibrant, bright, rose-colored saison has floral & spice notes mixed with hints of tartness from foeder aging & the hibiscus flowers. A beautiful piece of art presented in a glass. Cheers and mahalo plenty! TIME IN OAK: 3 Months. 6.4% ABV – 15 IBU – MI
  • Jolly Pumpkin Bam Biere 6/4/16oz CANS – Farmhouse Ale. This delicious, low-calorie, farmhouse ale is named for Ron’s Jack Russell who was struck by a car but bounced back in fine tenacious Jack Russell fashion. This farmhouse ale is brewed for those of us who have been knocked down, have picked up, dusted off, and carried on undaunted. Golden, naturally cloudy, can-conditioned, and dry-hopped for a perfectly refreshing balance of spicy malts, hops, & yeast. TIME IN OAK: 2 Months. 4.5% ABV – 24 IBU – MI
  • Jolly Pumpkin Calabaza Blanca 6/4/16oz CANS – Farmhouse Witbier. Blanca is a low-calorie farmhouse witbier brewed in Belgium’s beer blanche tradition. Spiced with orange peel & coriander, you’ll find it refreshingly tart, with a wonderfully dry finish. A year round favorite for sure. TIME IN OAK: 2 Months. 4.8% ABV – 15 IBU – MI

Lua releasing “All” 5th Anniversary Stout releasing 10/5!

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Courtesy of Lua’s Facebook page:

5th Anniversary Bottle Release & Brunch

ALL (14.1%)

BA Imperial Stout with Hazelnut, Coconut, Cinnamon, & Cacao Nibs

Bottles of ALL 2024 will be available for purchase in person at Lua next Saturday, October 5th, starting at 11AM. First come, first served, with limits determined at open. We will have a limited number of bottles available online via TOAST at 11AM as well. Proxies are allowed. Picking up for a proxy? Just be sure to have their name & order number ready for us when you’re picking up 

We also put together a 5th Anniversary ALL-you-can-eat brunch buffet by Chef James & Chef Dutch on Saturday, October 5th from 9-11AM! A limited amount of brunch tickets are available live on Toast RIGHT NOW and will remain online until sold out. Link is right there in our bio!

Purchase of a brunch ticket gets you access to our AYCE brunch buffet from 9-11AM (closed to the public), ability to pre-purchase ALL 2024 bottles to beat the line, and participation in our bottle share (bringing a bottle to share is encouraged but not required!!)

Expect brunch classics like eggs benedict, burger sliders, classic hash browns, bacon & sausage, French toast, fresh fruit, and some other healthy stuff maybe.

Draft pours of ALL 2024 will be available for purchase Saturday 10/5 at open.

ALL again, once more, but for 2024. Perhaps our favorite BA release to date, and one we enjoy revisiting. This vintage of ALL 2024 was brewed, selected, and blended in celebration of our fifth anniversary.

Off Color, Eredita, and More Brewing coming from Abu Nawas!

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Off Color:

  • Off Color Beer for Tacos 6/4/16oz CANS – Gose brewed with Kaffir Lime Leaf, Key Lime, Orange & Pink Himalayan Salt. Pairs perfectly with tequila… and tacos. 4.5% ABV – IL
  • Off Color Beer for Hoops 6/4/16oz CANS – American Cream Ale With Peaches And Vanilla Served On Nitro. 5% ABV – IL
  • Off Color Eat Pray Mango 6/4/16oz CANS – A Robust Dose Of Mango, Passion Fruit, And Pear Is Added To Our Farmhouse Ale And Imparts Overtones Of A Tropical Riesling Cocktail. The Explosive Fruit Mouthfeel Is Luscious With Hints Of Honeysuckle Yet Finishes Silky Smooth. 5.8% ABV – IL
  • Off Color Apex Predator 6/4/16oz CANS – Off Color famed Saison. American-Belgian hybrid style combines free rise fermentation with a traditional Belgian Saison yeast and a hefty, American style dry hopping. 6.5% ABV – IL
  • Off Color Bare Bear 6/4/16oz CANS – Finnish style Sahti brewed with Rye Malts and Juniper Berries. Hops – Nugget. 7% ABV – IL

Ereditá Beer:

  • Eredita Hoot 6/4/16oz CANS – IPA brewed and dry hopped with a healthy dose of CITRA hops from the Yakima Valley and RIWAKA hops from the lush growing regions of New Zealand. Bright, pithy, citrusy notes, featured alongside aromatics of ripe melon and passionfruit. 6.2% ABV – CT
  • Eredita Zeal NELSON (Freestyle) 6/4/16oz CANS – Double India Pale Ale brewed and dry-hopped exclusively with Nelson Sauvin hops sourced directly from @freestylehops located in New Zealand. 8% ABV – CT – If you haven’t heard of Freestyle Hops, look them up! An amazing Craft Hop Growing Farm in New Zealand dedicated to growing the most flavourful, unique and intensely aromatic hops in the world. 
  • Eredita Gratitude Practice 6/4/16oz CANS – A Delicious iteration of a robust porter. It is also a way to positively engage with the world around you. 7.4% ABV – CT
  • Eredita Pragmatism CITRA 6/4/16oz CANS – Single-hop New England Pale Ale featuring Citra hops grown in the Pacific Northwest! 5.1% ABV – CT
  • Eredita Joy 6/4/16oz CANS – Wonderful IPA w/ Nelson Sauvin, Amarillo, and SubZero Motueka Hop Kief (from Freestyle Hops) 6.2% ABV – CT

MORE BREWING:

  • MORE BREWING Shadows 6/4/16oz CANS – Classic West Coast IPA with Citra, Columbus & Simcoe hops. 6.7% ABV – IL
  • MORE BREWING Monogatari: Yuzu & Green Tea 6/4/16oz CANS – Gose Style Ale with Yuzu, Green Tea & Sea Salt. It blends the earthy essence of green tea, the bright zest of yuzu, and a touch of sea salt for a perfectly balanced, refreshingly tart experience. Sip, savor, and let the tale unfold. 6.5% ABV- IL
  • MORE BREWING Dole Mansion 6/4/16oz CANS – Fruited Sour Ale with Pineapple, Marshmallow & Vanilla. Inspired by a delicious frozen pineapple treat. 7% ABV – IL

Iowa Eats: The Flying Elbow; Marshalltown, IA!

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If you’re craving a ridiculously good burger, hot dog, or the best tater tots you can find, then you need to head to Marshalltown, Iowa and check out The Flying Elbow (229 N 13th St, Marshalltown, IA) A professional wrestling themed burger joint, with wrestling themed names for their burgers/dogs/and fries or create your own perfect burger! Not only do they have great food, a nice array of Iowa brewed beers as well. I like to try a bit of everything so we ordered quite the haul to try, here’s a look at the deliciousness that went down!

BEER

Sweet, delicious, frothy, beer. The perfect accompaniment to a burger or a dog. The Flying Elbow had 12 beers on tap and I went with Adventurous Warrior from Adventurous Brewing and followed that with a Big Grove Easy Eddy. Cold and delicious.

STARTERS

Ok…here’s where I was blown away….the damn tots “Vader Tots” to be more precise…..so good, had to get two orders. Shredded hash browns with cheese, seemed to be some smoke in them as well, deep fried and served with a cherry smoked ketchup. Absolutely outstanding and worth the drive to Marshalltown alone!

BURGERS/DOGS/SANDWICHES

Burger #1 – The Tombstone – The Undertaker would be proud to have this burger named after him. Tons of flavor in this one. Toppings of havarti cheese, guac, bacon, sour cream, and a hot sauce called Death Valley Hot Sauce that added a perfect kick to this burger. Would order again.

Burger #2 – The Briscoe Burger – an homage to the Briscoe Brothers and patty melts! Nothing like a patty melt starting off with Brioche Texas Toast! Add swiss/american cheese, smoked bacon, mayo and tomato and you have a tough to beat patty melt!

Burger #3 – The Vinnie – pretty much a Big Mac on steriods. My favorite of the bunch and definitely worth seeking!

Sandwich #1 – Jake the Steak – smoked tri-tip thinly sliced and doused in a chimichurri, bell peppers, onions, cheese, and mayo. Tri-tip smoked right out back on one of their smokers and the flavor shined. Perfect amount of smoke, extremely tender chew. Absolutely, a wonderful sandwich.

Dog #1 – The Punk – named after the “Second City Saint” CM Punk, this is their take on the traditional Chicago style hot dog but amped up a bit. Neon green relish, pickle spear, sport peppers, red onion, diced Roma tomato, mustard and celery salt. Delicious!

There’s no question I will go back. Terrific food, tasty beer, and a wonderful and unique ambiance and experience for a pro wrestling fan. Not a pro wrestling fan? No worries, the food here is totally worth your trip!

Cedar Rapids Brewing Society “Benzfest” set for Saturday, May 11th!

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Press release:

The Cedar Rapids Brewing Society’s Drink Local Festival, previously held in August, is combining with Benzfest and will be moving to the second weekend in May.

The Cedar Rapids Brewing Society Benzfest will be held at Benz Beverage Depot on Saturday, May 11th. The event will include beers, ciders, meads, and spirits from a variety of vendors from around the Midwest and from homebrew clubs from around the state.

“We are very excited to continue our partnership with Benz. Combining these two great festivals will allow us to bring in even more vendors, while still featuring the many great homebrew clubs from around the state,” said Haley Rosendahl, Vice President of the Cedar Rapids Brewing Society. “Moving the event to May will hopefully result in more temperate weather than the previous Drink Local festivals in August.”

Look for tickets for the Cedar Rapids Brewing Society Benzfest to go on sale soon and stay tuned for announcements on vendor lineup. Follow CRBS on Facebook for announcements. https://www.facebook.com/CedarRapidsBrewingSociety