Cytown Update

[Cyclonsin]

Are you confusing Exile with confluence? confluence is easily in the top 5 breweries in the state and would say maybe Lua would be the only DSM brewery better than Confluence.

Nope, exile is much worse. I'll grant you that. And I had hope for them when they were new, but they never reached what I had hoped for them. Firetrucker in Ankeny is in the same boat.

Lua is definitely my favorite in DSM. And I loved 515 the one time I've been there, but that was a looooong time ago.

 

[Frak]

Are you confusing Exile with confluence? confluence is easily in the top 5 breweries in the state and would say maybe Lua would be the only DSM brewery better than Confluence.

That I agree with. Not a fan of exile beers.

 

[Clonefan94]

EDIT: Quotes in my post were off, sorry.

 

[alarson]

I’ve tried a few “best Burger in the state” and “best tenderloin in the state” award winners a few times among other things. They aren’t always the best in the state lol. Sometimes not even better than average.

When a place can't win more than once (or at least couldn't unless they've change that in recent years) and they try to spread out the nominees/winners throughout the state, it really waters down the potential winners over time.

 

[3TrueFans]

Isn't there a whole beer nerd forum?

 

[Clonefan94]

Sorry,

Isn't there a whole beer nerd forum?

let’s be honest here. A Busch Light Beer Garden would probably be the most successful establishment in CYTown.

 

[KnappShack]

Sorry,

let’s be honest here. A Busch Light Beer Garden would probably be the most successful establishment in CYTown.

Does that include that weird Busch Light guy??

 

[baller21]

The US Beer Open is essentially a paid advertisement more than any meaningful medal. Unless your beer is utter dog ****, you're walking home with a bunch of medals. Because it costs a good deal to enter beers into the competition and they want as many breweries as possible to submit a ton of entrants.

Win something at the GABF, and we'll talk more.

Keep in mind, I don't think their beer is bad... It's just ok.

Source: was a professional brewer in Minnesota & Wisconsin for the better part of a decade.

couple things,
1. The guy brewing and selling the worst rated beer in the world can call himself a professional brewer right? That doesn’t make you any kind of expert on the quality and taste of beer.

2. I wonder how many breweries that have won a medal at the GABF have since gone under and closed. Just because you can brew one above average beer certainly doesn’t make you a great brewer and if you’ve never won a medal there it also doesn’t mean you’re not making above average beer.

We both obviously love good beer and have strong opinions on them but thinking that a brewery like Confluence, that regularly gets mentioned in lists of the best in the state, is just making mediocre beer is definitely a hot take.

Anyway, Sláinte! Drink what you like.

 

[cycloneG]

couple things,
1. The guy brewing and selling the worst rated beer in the world can call himself a professional brewer right? That doesn’t make you any kind of expert on the quality and taste of beer.

2. I wonder how many breweries that have won a medal at the GABF have since gone under and closed. Just because you can brew one above average beer certainly doesn’t make you a great brewer and if you’ve never won a medal there it also doesn’t mean you’re not making above average beer.

We both obviously love good beer and have strong opinions on them but thinking that a brewery like Confluence, that regularly gets mentioned in lists of the best in the state, is just making mediocre beer is definitely a hot take.

Anyway, Sláinte! Drink what you like.

View attachment 152940

Let's be honest, Iowa isn't exactly a hotbed when it comes to craft breweries. A brewery can produce ok to good beers and still be considered one of the best in the state.

 

[baller21]

I’ve tried a few “best Burger in the state” and “best tenderloin in the state” award winners a few times among other things. They aren’t always the best in the state lol. Sometimes not even better than average.

The US Open Beer Championship isn’t run by an Iowa company just to promote Iowa businesses. Apples to oranges brother.

 

[Clonefan94]

Does that include that weird Busch Light guy??

Probably, since everyone went crazy when he showed up to our bowl game.

 

[baller21]

Let's be honest, Iowa isn't exactly a hotbed when it comes to craft breweries. A brewery can produce ok to good beers and still be considered one of the best in the state.

Iowa doesn’t have the population of states like California or Colorado and craft above 5% has only been allowed for a little over a decade I believe so other states had a head start on us,but we have some pretty damn good breweries in Iowa.

 

[baller21]

Isn't there a whole beer nerd forum?

If you don’t like talking beer I think you’re the nerd.

 

[Cytown12]

Nope, exile is much worse. I'll grant you that. And I had hope for them when they were new, but they never reached what I had hoped for them. Firetrucker in Ankeny is in the same boat.

Lua is definitely my favorite in DSM. And I loved 515 the one time I've been there, but that was a looooong time ago.

Yeah Ive never been a big fan of Firetrucker and I feel like exile got to big and their quality went downhill. 515 is still pretty good probably the most underrated brewery in DSM.

 

[Cytown12]

That I agree with. Not a fan of exile beers.

I think theyre alright these days but use to be a lot better quality of beers 8 years ago

 

[Clone1992]

Iowa doesn’t have the population of states like California or Colorado and craft above 5% has only been allowed for a little over a decade I believe so other states had a head start on us,but we have some pretty damn good breweries in Iowa.

Certainly none of the top 10 or 15 breweries in Iowa is making just ok to good beer.

 

[ClonerJams]

Flame away, TG is overrated. Its fine, but I think Big Grove is better.

 

[2speedy1]

Man, talk about off topic. I remember getting berated for posting somethings slightly topic adjacent in the past. But we now have a beer thread in the Cytown thread, like we now have an any uniforms in the world for any sport, in the Cyclone Uni thread.

Does anyone have any actual Cytown info?

 

[nfrine]

Man, talk about off topic. I remember getting berated for posting somethings slightly topic adjacent in the past. But we now have a beer thread in the Cytown thread, like we now have an any uniforms in the world for any sport, in the Cyclone Uni thread.

Does anyone have any actual Cytown info?

Probably have to start a new thread for that...and get in early before the topic gets hijacked again.

 

[ribsnwhiskey]

At this point, the last update was the tweet on July 7th about the full design team. McFarland building is progressing. We’re basically just waiting for any other tenants (like a brewery…) to be named. Otherwise, probably won’t see any more groundbreaking until spring ‘26.