A Review of Breweries from Des Moines, Iowa
For that those that do not know, from the age of 11 until I was finished with college, I called the state of Iowa home. And the state capital of the Hawkeye State (and by far the largest metro area) is Des Moines. Earlier trips here during my life meant visits to Adventureland, the state fair, and in high school the state track championships at historic Drake Stadium. But on this recent, brief stop in this budding city, we were simply passing through for the night. Of course, that meant I finally had an opportunity to hit up some breweries! And that’s exactly what I did, visiting some of the best that the area has to offer:
- Exile Brewing
- Madhouse Brewing
- 1717 Brewing
- Peace Tree Brewing
Exile Brewing Company, Des Moines Iowa
On the western edge of downtown housed in a former soap factory warehouse (specifically for Finch Soap Co.), this is clearly a popular spot. One reason for this (in my opinion) is that they offer three very distinct experiences. First, there is the large outdoor patio, complete with ample seating. Second, is the typical bar/taproom area featuring high top tables and a chalk tap list. Third, there is a more traditional restaurant separated from the other areas where one can partake in the extensive food menu while dining on tables made from reclaimed barn wood. Being able to cater to both large and diverse crowds certainly is an advantage. Meanwhile, the 30bbl brewhouse is churning up a vast array of options, some of which you can find distributed around Iowa (but not in any other states).
On the western edge of downtown housed in a former soap factory warehouse (specifically for Finch Soap Co.), this is clearly a popular spot. One reason for this (in my opinion) is that they offer three very distinct experiences. First, there is the large outdoor patio, complete with ample seating. Second, is the typical bar/taproom area featuring high top tables and a chalk tap list. Third, there is a more traditional restaurant separated from the other areas where one can partake in the extensive food menu while dining on tables made from reclaimed barn wood. Being able to cater to both large and diverse crowds certainly is an advantage. Meanwhile, the 30bbl brewhouse is churning up a vast array of options, some of which you can find distributed around Iowa (but not in any other states).
With a trifecta of hops (Simcoe, Mosaic, and Chinook), Dankalope (an IPA of course) was my favorite beer of the stop. Not to sound cliché or lazy, but it was definitely “dank”, along with heavy notes of citrus and a piney bitterness. The one beer I’ve had from them before is the Beatnik Sour Ale, which I added to my flight anyway. A very bright and clean beer, it’s slightly above average on the tartness scale, with a lightly dry finish on the backend. The other two were both solid as well. G.G., the Dunkel, had a powerful malty backbone (surprise, they use four different varieties of malt), highlighted with notes of caramel, burnt cream, and an edge of roasty chocolate. Oh, it won a GABF gold medal in 2015! My final choice was the Oktoberfest, which was to style and basically lined up like most I’ve had.
This place was popping when I stopped by, especially on the outdoor patio. It may have helped it was a gorgeous Saturday evening. Clearly this is one place the locals enjoy frequenting!
Madhouse
AUTHOR’S NOTE: It came to my attention that at the end of September, Madhouse will be shutting its doors for good. This section was written prior to gaining this knowledge, and I decided to leave it as is to represent my visit in the best way possible. I am sad to hear of the closing, and wish them the best in all their future endeavors.
A distinctive background story helps set Madhouse apart. That, and their beer menu. The head brewer comes from a wine background, and specifically from Jasper Winery, which has a tasting room just a few miles away to the southeast. They also specialize in sours and barrel-aging which is a definitive factor that differentiates themselves from others in the area. But more on that later. The taproom is an interesting space, as it’s broken up into a myriad of rooms. Walking in, you first are in a small vestibule before entering the elongated bar area. Behind that are two large spaces, one that houses the brewhouse and a ping pong table, and another with several foosball tables. Off the foosball room is another area that can be used for events that comes complete with a plethora of barrels.
As a sour fan, I am sure I enjoyed this stop more than others would. Which is why 3/5 of my flight was from that style. AM Haze was the top dog though. This Dry-Hopped sour features Amarillo and Mosaic hops (it seemed slightly similar to a Brett IPA). It’s fairly tart, and has a symphony of soft tropical fruits, citrus, and lemon peel. My other favorite was Strawberry Fields, a wonderfully provocative Strawberry Basil Sour. The basil seems to build slowly, but is certainly a productive component. Blue Dream didn’t quite live up to my expectations, as the blueberries were more apparent in color than taste. Not a bad beer, just not what I thought it would be. I wasn’t JUST about sours though, as Hop Shop is your straight-forward IPA that highlights the use of Mosaic hops. I also had to try one of their big beers, and Imperial Stout is barrel-aged for a year, leading to a strong, boozy, 13.5% beer. It wasn’t my thing, but not every beer can be.
Yes, you can also order wine here, including a dry-hopped white wine that tips the scales at 12.5% ABV! In terms of beer (and drink selection), this is probably the most adventurous brewery in the area. If that’s your speed, I highly recommend popping in!
1717
My favorite taproom feature and story come from this brewery less than a mile from the State Capitol building. If the logo isn’t enough of hint, here’s the lowdown. The name is in reference to the address of the owners’ mother’s old house on the northside of the city. So, to build off that, a faux house with a front porch is built into the taproom! While you cannot enter the home, it is still an insanely cool and unique attribute. They do stress that the number isn’t just about that though, it also accentuates the importance of community and family. This space was formerly an automotive windshield glass repair shop, and high ceilings give it an open, airy feel. They also make use of some outdoor space with a small patio. It just opened a couple months ago by the way.
I’m sure they are still tinkering with their recipes as a new brewery, but it’s always fun to stop by a place that is fresh to the market! My favorite was German Rye, a Roggenbier. There’s a nice spicy and rye-forward character that also features notes of clove along with a malt/hop balance. Also a slightly dry finish to the beer, and they told me that it’s been a popular choice. My other preference was Coffee Stout, which at 4.8% is a nice change-up. As expected, there is a lighter-body with amble coffee flavors and aromas. The other two were fine, but wouldn’t be my first choice. Cream Ale was your typical easy-going beer, although it seemed slightly more bitter than some similar examples. Hazy IPA offers up a beautiful cloudy appearance, but didn’t quite hit the fruity hoppy notes I was hoping for. Again, not every beer can be my top pick!
A great story, a cool taproom, and some solid beer options make this a very enjoyable stop to any brewery-hopping experience in Des Moines. This is definitely one I would keep my eyes on if I was local to the area.
Peace Tree
So, for starters, I must address that Peace Tree is not based in Des Moines. Their main location is to the Southeast in Knoxville, IA, where they were founded in 2009. BUT, they have satellite taprooms not only in the state capitol, but down the road in Grinnell as well. I’ve heard the beer is good so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try some! The are conveniently located directly across the street from 1717 (making for an easy double dip), and are housed in a similarly interesting building. A renovated Quonset hut, curved walls rise in the taproom, while barrels provide a kind of partition, diving the space in two. There’s a nice, grassy outdoor area in front, and 19 beers were being poured from the rainbow-colored tap handles. On top of that, they also offer root beer, kombucha, wine, cider, and beer cocktails. So if you’re thirsty, they have something for you!
Brazzleberry Belgian packs a berry big punch (insert your bad joke groans here). But for real, blueberry and raspberry jack this beer up, and if you enjoy some tasty fruit, give this one a try! Another big winner though was the simplistic Mile Long Lager. At 5%, you can toss a couple of these back, and when it’s so darn refreshing and light, why wouldn’t you? It’s brewed with 100% malted barley (no adjuncts), so you’ll be enjoying a clean beer! While those two were my favorites, I would drink the other three again as well. Nitro Cold Brew is their flagship Coffee Stout, featuring a wonderfully smooth head and a welcomed wallop of coffee to your senses. Pineapple Gose is as advertised. If you like pineapples, order this one, as the flavor is quite strong (a bit much for me, but not unpleasant). Finally, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Bitter is a NEIPA with an awesome name. Simcoe and Mosaic hops do the dance, and at a modest 6% ABV, this citrusy option is another one that you could enjoy more than once.
I’d love to dive into the story of the name Peace Tree (it surrounds an ancient sycamore tree now partially submerged in Lake Red Rock), but I don’t have the space to properly convey it. So, check out their website for more information!
Conclusion
In my other article on Iowa breweries that highlighted some of the best available on the eastern side of the state, I mentioned that it is a sneaky good beer state. Des Moines doesn’t boast massive numbers, even compared to other Midwestern cities, but there are certainly some good things brewing here! There are a couple stops I’d like to do if I can make a return trip sometime, although most are not as centrally located as the four I wrote about.
Next Article
The day after stopping in Des Moines, we drove through the Kansas City Area. Home to a certain well-known craft brewery, I made two other additional stops as well. Because that adds up to only three, I will supplement the article with a brewery from Central Missouri.
Current Brewery Count
533 breweries across 233 cities in 41 states. These numbers are current as of 9/13/19. For an up-to-date count, and to follow where I go, check out my social media accounts!
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- Brewery Travels #48: Kansas City Area - 01/30/2020
- Brewery Travels #47: Des Moines, IA - 09/14/2019
- Brewery Travels #46: Glacier Country (Montana) - 09/14/2019