Is the Brewery era over?

[Cybyassociation]

I'll be interested to see if Pivo in Calmar can piggy back with the 2 in Decorah for people making a day out of it. They have a beautiful facility and seem to be off to a good start but I don't know enough to say whether they have any beers of their own that will pull in people from outside the area. We stopped on the way through the Friday before Christmas and the place was packed. The owner seems to have a good plan for where he wants to be. I hope it works for him as it's great to have that kind of investment in small town NE Iowa.

I've heard really nice things about them. I'd like to visit them on my next Decorah trip.

 

[baller21]

We stopped at Pivo a couple weeks ago on the way to Decorah and they do have a nice variety of different styles that they do pretty well. I don’t see them pulling in people from a distance on their own but should get plenty of traffic from people coming and going to Decorah. They also have a fair amount of guest taps including Hams, Old Style and Grain Belt that will pull in locals who just want a nice place to hang out.

 

[mj4cy]

Seems like too many choices to choose from now, so the weaker places will not survive. Same thing with frozen yogurt places. 5-10 years ago they were the rage. Ankeny had 4 of them. Now they have 1 and I'm seeing smoothie places pop up all over. I bet in 5-10 years there will be something new and they'll maybe be one smoothie place left.

 

[jbindm]

Does anyone have a cheatsheet of breweries that have been gobbled up by InBev? It's kind of corny but I do like to support the true independent brewers when I buy beer. I hate the idea of buying something and finding out that I'm lining InBev's pockets.

 

[brianhos]

It does amaze me what they get away charging for the stuff. Have a friend who is a part owner in a microbrewery and he tells me their cost to make is really low(like 8 cents/glass). My hope is with the increased supply, prices will drop. I think it's ridiculous paying more than $2 for a beer....I remember back in the good old days in Ames paying $3 for pitchers down at Cy's

Umm, the total cost of that beer is not just for the beer.

 

[discydisc]

No.

- I can't imagine many people flocking to Rheinbeck for craft beer. I understand people flock to Northeast Iowa to Decorah, but Pulpit and TG have both made names for themselves as the premier breweries in the state.
- Have you ever tried anything from Another Road? I gave them 3 strikes before I learned my lesson. Their beers were among the worst commercially produced beers I've ever tried.
- Rock Bottom is a chain and it was in a terrible location.

I do, however, hope this is the beginning of the end of breweries surviving purely because people "drink local" to support their local businesses no matter what the quality. Other Des Moines area breweries I wouldn't miss:
- Fox Brewing - We went there for a retirement party. Their "IPA" was offensive and their "Arctic Breakfast" porter wasn't much better.
- Mistress Brewing - It was already well past time of naming beers after women's stereotypes to end, but Mistress decided to make a whole brewery of it.
- Twisted Vine is the most meh brewery in Des Moines.
- Torrent Brewing in Ames. I had no idea it was still a thing.
- Brightside in Altoona - You're not fooling anyone Wing Nut.

There are more, but these are the ones off the top of my head I wouldn't miss. Just because you make a nice homebrew, it doesn't mean you should start up a brewery. Believe me, I understand the risks and commitment it takes, but maybe have some non-friends try your beers before you make that decision.

How do you list Torrent and not Olde Main?

 

[discydisc]

It does amaze me what they get away charging for the stuff. Have a friend who is a part owner in a microbrewery and he tells me their cost to make is really low(like 8 cents/glass). My hope is with the increased supply, prices will drop. I think it's ridiculous paying more than $2 for a beer....I remember back in the good old days in Ames paying $3 for pitchers down at Cy's

And I remember when I could buy a full size candy bar for 50 cents , perhaps you should have spent a little less time at Cy's and a little more time in ECON101.

 

[discydisc]

Does anyone have a cheatsheet of breweries that have been gobbled up by InBev? It's kind of corny but I do like to support the true independent brewers when I buy beer. I hate the idea of buying something and finding out that I'm lining InBev's pockets.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AB_InBev_brands

 

[rholtgraves]

All these micro-breweries that are popular just because they are creating lots of new flavors are just a fad. Most will disappear. A good brewery like those that remain in Germany can last for centuries. And they probably average fewer newer beers in 100 years than what even Rock Bottom brewed. But they make darn good beirs.

The lack of variety is because of the German laws. So I don't know that really says anything.

 

[NickTheGreat]

When Erik was at Rock Bottom they put out some really nice beers

THIS. I'd argue, at one time, Rock Bottom had some of the best beer in the city.

I didn't realize until I googled him that he's at Keg Creek now. That brewery made some awful beers at first, and I admittedly haven't tried any of theirs in a while. I may have to now.

 

[Al_4_State]

How do you list Torrent and not Olde Main?

I think he was focusing on breweries that might actually be in a position to not make it.

Whatever your thoughts on Olde Main's beer, the place must be making money. You don't run a business that long with a loss.

 

[Cybyassociation]

How do you list Torrent and not Olde Main?

Didn't realize they were even still a thing.

 

[Clonefan94]

What's name of the brewery?

Church Street, in Itasca, IL.

 

[Penguin]

They are definitely "a thing". I went on Saturday for the ISU game and the beers were tasty. Olde Main on the other hand.... nasty

Didn't realize they were even still a thing.

 

[cyhiphopp]

As with any kind of restaurant/bar fad, you are going to see weaker entries die off. We've had so many open in the past few years that it's going to seem like a lot of them are closing soon. The strong ones will survive and the brewery era will remain alive, just not as oversaturated.

The thing I have seen with bars and restaurants, is that sometimes the product, food or beer, doesn't matter as much as management. Restaurants with good food go under real fast if the management sucks.

 

[ca4cy]

Pivo is making really good beer right now. I get in there a couple of times a month.

They aren't making stuff that's all that flashy and trendy, but it's just really good, clean beer. Their lagers are on point, and their IPA actually has some bitterness and balance.

We got a sampler flight the night we stopped and while I'm not much of an IPA guy, my wife and I both liked the one we had (can't remember which one it was.) I got a growler of the Schley lager and really enjoyed it. As someone else mentioned, I think it's great that they have the Old Style, Grain Belt etc for the locals that just want to stop by. For now you can order in pizza but the owner said they will be opening the kitchen with a limited menu which is another good idea. Like I said, I hope it flies.

 

[Al_4_State]

We got a sampler flight the night we stopped and while I'm not much of an IPA guy, my wife and I both liked the one we had (can't remember which one it was.) I got a growler of the Schley lager and really enjoyed it. As someone else mentioned, I think it's great that they have the Old Style, Grain Belt etc for the locals that just want to stop by. For now you can order in pizza but the owner said they will be opening the kitchen with a limited menu which is another good idea. Like I said, I hope it flies.

Castalia is the IPA. I think it's the only one they have at the moment.

Schley Lager is great. I prefer it to Dorothy's and Heavy Lifter (Pulpit Rock's main lager). It reminds me of something New Glarus would make.

I think it's hilarious that they name their beers after tiny towns in northeast Iowa.

 

[johnstoncy]

Maybe I am in the minority here but am sad to see Rock Bottom go. Go there farely often as they have a nice bar area, good service and decent food at a decent price (especially if you take advantage of their RB rewards offers). For fear of getting on the wrong side of the beer snobs (and there are many in any beer thread on CF) I actually liked some of their beers as well, oh the horror.

 

[exCyDing]

Church Street, in Itasca, IL.

Thanks, I’ll keep an eye out for it.

 

[cyhiphopp]

Maybe I am in the minority here but am sad to see Rock Bottom go. Go there farely often as they have a nice bar area, good service and decent food at a decent price (especially if you take advantage of their RB rewards offers). For fear of getting on the wrong side of the beer snobs (and there are many in any beer thread on CF) I actually liked some of their beers as well, oh the horror.

I liked it too. I used to work right by it so it was an easy place to pop in, have a few decent beers, and eat some chicken nachos or something. Usually decent service as well.

I don't think their beers held up against some of the more advanced breweries, but that's not the only reason to enjoy something.