Iowa beer distro news

Yes, but Prairie Trail is the only place I've seen it. Most places got left out of the first shipment but it's a three month seasonal so hopefully there will be more. Prairie Trail also got Illumination today.

Grunion cans delivering today were packaged seven days ago. Freshies!

 

Do you know if PT still has any HHG left?

 

I do not, I plan to swing by there after work for the BP freshies but would call first. Mosaic Promise and/or week-old Grunion should be a suitable replacement if not!

 

Yeah, I'd like to try the Mosaic Promise. I've never seen that here in Iowa. 5 day old BP is pretty nuts, too. I'm not a huge Grapefruit Sculpin fan but I'd love to try a really fresh bottle to be sure.

 

Fresh cans! And I think we've only previously gotten kegs of mosaic promise. It's an enjoyable beer.

 

FWIW PT won't get Mosaic Promise until tomorrow, at the other Ankeny Hy Vee now though and other metro stores with Wednesday Iowa Beverage deliveries. I am not a big Grapefruit Sculpin fan either but have to try a five day old can...for science

 

Olde Main Brewing in Ames hired Corey O'Neel as their new head brewer. I'm not familiar with Corey's background in brewing, but he appears to be an Ames local that is involved with the Ames Brewer's League.

He is reportedly working to clean all of the beer stone and some other issues at the brewing, as well as some process concerns and hopes to start working on recipes as well.

 

Anyone know when xhops gold is hitting des moines/ ankeny.

 

Urbandale appears to only have 2/10 Pseudo for 6.99 FYI

 

so I still have yet to visit El Bait Shop or Iowa Taproom. Was going to do a day trip Friday possibly, but how bad of an idea would it be to head to DSM on Friday with hosting part of the NCAA tourney? Would be afraid those two places would be packed?

 

It certainly seems like a poor time to visit to me. Kansas, Kentucky, and UCONN all have well traveling fans. I would pass, but I try to stay pretty far away from crowds.

 

This is good news. Olde Main has so much untapped potential (no pun intended). I enjoyed it when I was first starting to drink craft beer, and I'll maintain that they have made good beers in the past (there was a period from like 2008-2012 where they were doing some decent things), but as the craft beer thing really took off it seemed like they were content to muddle around with unchallenging styles and their quality even dropped off in the past 3-4 years. I was hoping that Alluvial and Torrent would force them to step it up.

 

It'll be packed, but should be an electric atmosphere.

 

I took off work Thursday and Friday to watch the games planning on going downtown. I think I'll spend a lot of time at Cowles Common where the Iowa Craft Beer Tent is setup but their beer list isn't great. I'll probably visit El Bait and Iowa Taproom at some point as well but I plan on them being super packed. I am going to ride my bike the 15 miles downtown though so I won't have to worry about parking and it should be a little easier to get around hopefully. Too bad the weather isn't going to be great as it has me a little worried. I might even strap the cooler on my rear rack and bring some beverages along for the ride with me.

 

That sounds awesome.

 

I am very hopeful that Olde Maine will at least become a viable local option. Corey has a professional brewing background. Coincidentally, we were discussing one of his previous employers in a different thread...

 

Save the trip for a day when I can meet you.

 

I wouldn't always put a ton of stock in judging a new head brewer on the brewery they first worked for.

I'm pretty sure I've read/heard that Mike Saboe started at Hub City. I think Bob Slack (Pulpit Rock) got his professional start there too. I'm not sure if you ever had Hub City, but if you did, you get the point. I also think that some of the Forager (Rochester MN) guys had worked at Kinney Creek prior to Forager. Same deal.

 

As someone with Ames ties, I'm also hopeful for it's future - any details around his past experience? I'm not familiar.

 

This is what google tells me: http://www.aperfectpint.net/blog.ph...with-cory-oneel-of-granite-city-food-brewery/

Olde Main has so much potential with the downtown space they have, really hope they get it turned around.