I'll be travelling to visit family in Iowa (centered around Cedar Rapids / Iowa City area) from Aug. 25 - Aug. 31, with a potential 1-2 day trip to Wisconsin to drink myself stupid on everything New Glarus. If anybody is interested in a bottle share or IP trade during that time, send me a message. I have access to whatever is currently on the shelves in WA (including Alesmith, Ballast Point, Cascade, Elysian, Firestone Walker, Fremont, Logsdon, Upright, and Port/Lost Abbey), plus have a few things on hand (see link in my profile). I'm mostly interested in trading for tasty stuff to share back home that I can't pick up on the shelves myself while I'm in the Midwest. Regardless, I look forward to drinking as much of your fine Midwestern beer as I can while I'm out there, and will happily listen to any recommendations .
Make the 2ish hour trip to Toppling Goliath in Decorah. I'm serious. It's worth it. I spent more on their beer during my weekend in Decorah than on food, housing, and gas combined.
Both John's and TG are on the itinerary. I'm really looking forward to finally getting to taste some of this Toppling Goliath that I've heard so much about.
Plan to fill some growlers. They were $15 for a half gallon fill when I was there just last weekend. $19 if you are filling a new one (and thus putting the growler deposit down). If they have any of their most talked about brews on tap at the time you are there, get them right away as many of the intense ones only seem to have one or two kegs. Mornin' Delight ran out while I was there, but thankfully after I'd had it. Zeelander (which I thought was freaking fabulous) also ran out.
festival of iowa beers is the day after you leave. we do a monthly bottle share in cedar rapids, usually on weekends though. could put a team of misfits together for a week night bottle share at our usual park....
also if you are in cedar rapids, third base brewery is pretty solid. I admit I am biased because I brew there.
Heh, it turns out I don't actually leave until the evening of Sept. 1st after all, so the Festival of Iowa Beers is a possibility (plus I was planning to visit Millstream sometime anyway). Do you know where I can find more info about this? All I've been able to find is date, location, and time. I'll be in Cedar Rapids for most of the week, so Third Place is now on my list. Thanks for the suggestion! Let me know if you find there's interest in a weeknight bottle share so I can be sure to pack along a few beers in my suitcase .
