Reading through my feeds, I came across this review of the Iowa Craft Beer Fest 2012. Looks like a really good time and got me thinking of the only festival I've attended in my home state of Iowa.
Only a year into this hobby, my wife and I attended the Brewfest in Des Moines in 2002. A small festival at that time, we sampled nearly as many new beers at Court Avenue Brewing as we did at the festival. At least those I recorded. I remember drinking beers that I had already imbibed, even that early in my tasting career. The best samples of the fest were Rogue's Mocha Porter and Boston Beer's Octoberfest followed by Blue Cat's Hefeweizen, none of which are from Iowa.
The Brewfest is still going on and seems to have improved, slightly. However, it's still mostly regionals and imports like Rogue and Unibroue with a few locals mixed in. Less of a craft beer fest than beers distributed in an area, similar to the City Pages Beer Festival that I attended years ago. I have since learned my lesson and I wouldn't go to either today, but we all make mistakes when we're learning.
So, it's been a decade since I've done a festival in Iowa.
Organized by the Iowa Brewers Guild, the ICBF looks like a very promising festival. With this bit of information, inklings of improving Iowa beer quality from various articles that have crossed my path and a positive experience in 2008 for a day trip to Worth Brewing in Norwood, Iowa, it's clear to me that Iowa deserves another chance.
Road trip, anyone?
Showing posts with label worth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label worth. Show all posts
Monday, June 25, 2012
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Worth Brewing Co (Northwood, IA)
8/30/08
A friend of mine and I road tripped down to Norwood, Iowa on a Saturday afternoon simply for the pleasure of drinking at the smallest commercial brewpub in the US: Worth Brewing. At least, that was the billing on the podcast in which I heard owner Peter Ausenhus talked about his family brewpub in Iowa. Growing up in a similarly small town in northwest Iowa, I was really interested in what a brewpub in a rural farm town would look (and drink) like.
Put simply, it is "worth" your time to pull off of I35 for a pint. We went in the middle of the afternoon in hopes of it not being too busy and to chat with Peter, which we did. We drank everything on tap and chatted about his upcoming release, business pressures and family emergency in progress while he was working his pub. The dedication is takes to run a business and a life with him and his wife amaze me. I would stop to drink for this alone. On top of it, the beer is good too. All of Peter's beers were of very good with the Brown Ale and the Smoked Rye Porter being my favorites. We ordered some snacks, which were excellent as well, but you'll need to find dinner some place else since appetizers is all that's offered.
Talking to a couple of the locals, it seems that they are terribly proud of their local watering hole. In addition, from the friendly banter, it actually reminded me of being in my home town bar where I grew up listening to my dad and his friends chat over beers--except at Worth, the beer isn't crappy. Get off the freeway and have a pint at Worth Brewing. Check out the hours first, since they are only open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. You'll be glad you did.
A friend of mine and I road tripped down to Norwood, Iowa on a Saturday afternoon simply for the pleasure of drinking at the smallest commercial brewpub in the US: Worth Brewing. At least, that was the billing on the podcast in which I heard owner Peter Ausenhus talked about his family brewpub in Iowa. Growing up in a similarly small town in northwest Iowa, I was really interested in what a brewpub in a rural farm town would look (and drink) like.
Put simply, it is "worth" your time to pull off of I35 for a pint. We went in the middle of the afternoon in hopes of it not being too busy and to chat with Peter, which we did. We drank everything on tap and chatted about his upcoming release, business pressures and family emergency in progress while he was working his pub. The dedication is takes to run a business and a life with him and his wife amaze me. I would stop to drink for this alone. On top of it, the beer is good too. All of Peter's beers were of very good with the Brown Ale and the Smoked Rye Porter being my favorites. We ordered some snacks, which were excellent as well, but you'll need to find dinner some place else since appetizers is all that's offered.
Talking to a couple of the locals, it seems that they are terribly proud of their local watering hole. In addition, from the friendly banter, it actually reminded me of being in my home town bar where I grew up listening to my dad and his friends chat over beers--except at Worth, the beer isn't crappy. Get off the freeway and have a pint at Worth Brewing. Check out the hours first, since they are only open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. You'll be glad you did.
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