Peace Tree is for sale

[baller21]

Peace Tree makes mostly mediocre beer. They have a couple decent ones but other breweries in DM do the same styles as good or better so not surprised they’re stopping production. I am surprised they’re keeping the DM location open as a taproom. What’s the draw? There’s a much bigger and better taproom right down the street and in the opposite direction there’s SingleSpeed with a big patio and decent food.

 

[CoachHines3]

Peace Tree makes mostly mediocre beer. They have a couple decent ones but other breweries in DM do the same styles as good or better so not surprised they’re stopping production. I am surprised they’re keeping the DM location open as a taproom. What’s the draw? There’s a much bigger and better taproom right down the street and in the opposite direction there’s SingleSpeed with a big patio and decent food.

they lost me when they got rid of mile long

 

[MJ29]

I was never impressed with blonde fatal. I know that's not a popular take.

Blonde Fatale is well done, but Belgian beers or anything with Belgian notes is just not my jam.

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

Blonde Fatale is well done, but Belgian beers or anything with Belgian notes is just not my jam.

It was always really bitter and sweet to me. That's not how I imagine Belgian beers.

 

[Clone1992]

Peace Tree makes mostly mediocre beer. They have a couple decent ones but other breweries in DM do the same styles as good or better so not surprised they’re stopping production. I am surprised they’re keeping the DM location open as a taproom. What’s the draw? There’s a much bigger and better taproom right down the street and in the opposite direction there’s SingleSpeed with a big patio and decent food.

Exactly. What would draw someone to their taproom over Iowa Taproom which is a much larger space with a much larger selection AND serves food. And having Singlespeed so close wouldn't help either just like you said.

 

[CascadeClone]

I was never impressed with blonde fatal. I know that's not a popular take.

Peace Tree's beers were good but not great. They were successful imho because they were the first (early?) to market and people had heard of them and Blonde Fatale.

Then as someone said earlier, they got lapped by Big Grove, TG, et al who made better beers and pushed them harder everywhere. Then their pretty average beers just didn't have much appeal. Would you order a Blonde Fatale, or an Ames Lager or Easy Eddy?

It would be nice it someone would buy Blonde Fatale or Red Rambler recipes and make them (at least once in a while) as a tribute, but honestly I don't think it will happen.

 

[Al_4_State]

Being that close to Iowa Taproom can't help. Although, their location is pretty cool and not as busy.

That part is surviving. The beers have kinda become shelf turds and that’s what’s killing them

 

[BigTurk]

Barntown is pretty close. They have better beer too. BT has moved to the seltzer craze though. They make some great traditional beers but can't churn them out fast enough with their small facility.

Barntown makes some great gluten-free sours. Since I've had to go gluten free that is one of the only local breweries doing gluten free that I have seen.

 

[cymate]

Another brewery who thinks they can make beer better than Anheuser-Busch.

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

Barntown makes some great gluten-free sours. Since I've had to go gluten free that is one of the only local breweries doing gluten free that I have seen.

Ya at the expense of making regular sours. I agree the gluten free ones taste pretty good. Just not the same.

 

[baller21]

That part is surviving. The beers have kinda become shelf turds and that’s what’s killing them

I don’t see the DM location surviving long as a taproom unless they add a kitchen and start offering food too. Why would I go to a place with fewer options and a tiny patio? Iowa Taproom, El Bait Shop, SingleSpeed, Big Grove, Mullets, Confluence all offer big outdoor areas and food, with the exception of Confluence that has food trucks at times. Maybe I’m wrong but I just don’t see it.

 

[NickTheGreat]

Sad to see. I liked Blonde Fatale but nothing else. I also haven't drank any of their stuff in years, so I guess I'm part of the problem.

I'll probably buy some of theirs this week and remember I different time in Iowa craft beer.

 

[Clone1992]

Seems like it would strictly be an overflow option to The Iowa Taproom and nothing more. Not sure if that is sustainable longterm.

 

[Cyclone06]

I recall about 8 years ago a buddy and I went to peace tree in DSM hell bent on drinking their Grapefruit IPA. That was a nice beer. Of course that Saturday they didn't have it. So after one or two at peace tree we walked over to Iowa Tap room to drink... Peacetree Grapefruit IPA.

 

[CYdTracked]

Peace Tree's beers were good but not great. They were successful imho because they were the first (early?) to market and people had heard of them and Blonde Fatale.

Then as someone said earlier, they got lapped by Big Grove, TG, et al who made better beers and pushed them harder everywhere. Then their pretty average beers just didn't have much appeal. Would you order a Blonde Fatale, or an Ames Lager or Easy Eddy?

It would be nice it someone would buy Blonde Fatale or Red Rambler recipes and make them (at least once in a while) as a tribute, but honestly I don't think it will happen.

Just 1 man's opinion as we all have our own taste preferences but Blonde Fatale is by far the 1 out of those 3 I'd have if those were the only 3 choices. Easy Eddy is one of my regular buys too, no offense but Ames Lager is nothing special IMO. I'm sure that is probably not a popular take here but it's tastes like a slightly improved Budweiser to me.

 

[Cyclonsin]

Just 1 man's opinion as we all have our own taste preferences but Blonde Fatale is by far the 1 out of those 3 I'd have if those were the only 3 choices. Easy Eddy is one of my regular buys too, no offense but Ames Lager is nothing special IMO. I'm sure that is probably not a popular take here but it's tastes like a slightly improved Budweiser to me.

That's literally what it's trying to be.

 

[Al_4_State]

Just 1 man's opinion as we all have our own taste preferences but Blonde Fatale is by far the 1 out of those 3 I'd have if those were the only 3 choices. Easy Eddy is one of my regular buys too, no offense but Ames Lager is nothing special IMO. I'm sure that is probably not a popular take here but it's tastes like a slightly improved Budweiser to me.

You know that’s exactly what they want from Ames Lager, right?

 

[intrepid27]

I've said for a long time that the most sustainable brewery model is the neighborhood taproom model.

Peace Tree is caught right in that spot of being a production/distribution brewery that isn't on the level of their higher end competitors in the state namely TG, Singlespeed, Big Grove, and Backpocket.

I think all of those 4 places are going to be fine. I think smaller breweries with good reputations and loyal customer bases, and very limited distribution (Alluvial, 515, Pulpit Rock) are going to be fine. The people who are scaling up production without being beer geek havens (Peace Tree, Keg Creek types) are in a tough spot. They either have to reel it in and just be a small brewery, or develop a following on the level of a TG/BG, which seems almost impossible in this current climate.

I totally agree and I've felt for the past 5 years there is a lot of mediocre beer being put on the market. When craft bees first exploded I was willing to try anything. Today, if it is not brewed by one of the four you mentioned d (or West-O) I"M pretty hesitant to try it unless someone I trust recommends it.

Like any high margin niche in any industry it gets over built and there will be consolidation and casualties. I predict this will be the first of many breweries to close shop in the next 5-7 years. Also, Iowa's alcohol distribution laws do not do local breweries any favors.

 

[Al_4_State]

I totally agree and I've felt for the past 5 years there is a lot of mediocre beer being put on the market. When craft bees first exploded I was willing to try anything. Today, if it is not brewed by one of the four you mentioned d (or West-O) I"M pretty hesitant to try it unless someone I trust recommends it.

Like any high margin niche in any industry it gets over built and there will be consolidation and casualties. I predict this will be the first of many breweries to close shop in the next 5-7 years. Also, Iowa's alcohol distribution laws do not do local breweries any favors.

There have been tons of breweries closing nationally, and they all occupy the same space - mediocre and trying to get on shelves.

Most Iowa breweries with regular distribution are pretty good. Mediocre breweries that aren’t trying to distribute but have a strong local tap room crowd will probably be ok.

With Peace Tree done I can’t quickly think of an Iowa brewery in that space. Maybe Lake Time (who I generally like, but usually aren’t picking over others off the shelf).

 

[Clonefan94]

There have been tons of breweries closing nationally, and they all occupy the same space - mediocre and trying to get on shelves.

Most Iowa breweries with regular distribution are pretty good. Mediocre breweries that aren’t trying to distribute but have a strong local tap room crowd will probably be ok.

With Peace Tree done I can’t quickly think of an Iowa brewery in that space. Maybe Lake Time (who I generally like, but usually aren’t picking over others off the shelf).

Lagunitas just closed their Chicago brewery and that place was quite a step above what I consider a micro-brewery. I still enjoy craft beer, but I've had adjust my drinking habbits back to more of the big mass produced stuff if I'm going to drink more than a couple of beers in a week. I came back to Iowa for a family get together a couple of weeks ago and picked up a 12 pack of Half Acre's Daisy Cutter because my brother likes it and can't get it. I shopped around and finally found it for $19.99/12 pack, but most places were asking $25+. At that price, it's no wonder the craft beer market is struggling. You are getting into OK bottle of Whiskey for that price.