New to town and not sure where a great place to grab a pint is? Perhaps you’re just new to craft beer in general, or are a craft beer and brewery enthusiast, always seeking something exciting to drink or do. No matter your interests, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite Des Moines area breweries.
Updated by Madison Stano, Des Moines Girl Contributor
Featured Image: Photo by Adam Wilson on Unsplash
For the Daredevil
Confluence Brewing Company
- Mondays – Wednesdays, 4 p.m .- 10 p.m., Thursdays, noon – 10 p.m., Fridays, noon – 11 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. & Sundays, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- 1235 Thomas Beck Rd., Des Moines, IA 50315
Confluence Brewing Company remains at the top of the Des Moines brewery game. Located just south of Grey’s Lake and adjacent to the Bill Riley Trail, there’s plenty of parking options for bikes and cars alike to access their spacious taproom and patio. Twice-a-month trivia and bingo nights, live music Thursday & Fridays, regular food truck appearances, and other special events like Firkin Fest, Cabin Fever Day, and St. Paddy’s Day keeps the novelty coming. Their taproom list is booming- you’ll definitely want to keep coming back to try it all!
Try on tap: Bulldog Honey-Style Kolsch Beer in honor of the Drake Bulldogs, Des Moines IPA (IPA); Old Chungus (seasonal, bourbon barrel aged Scottish-style wee heavy ale with heather that took gold in May at the 2023 World Beer Cup).
Iowa Taproom
- Sundays – Wednesdays, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. & Thursdays – Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 12 a.m.
- Historic East Village, 215 E 3rd Street, Suite 100, Des Moines, IA 50309
If you’re the type of person to seek out new brews and never just stick to one, Iowa Taproom is your best friend. Boasting 99 beers on tap around a big ol’ Sukup barrel, there are so many options of local Iowan brews to choose from. Located downtown in the East Village, Iowa Taproom is a hot spot for after work drinks or weekend afternoon/evening sit downs with friends. Their food menu includes Midwestern favs, while their drinks range from dark stouts to light airy sours.
Try on tap: Familiar with the local brew scene? Get Big Grove, Lua, Barn Town, Confluence, and more local taps. Or, try some taps from surrounding state of Iowa breweries like Crystal Dreams in Oskaloosa, Front Street in Davenport, Gezellig in Newton, Lion Bridge in Cedar Rapids, and SO many more!
Foodies + Beer Lovers
Lua Brewing
- Mondays – Thursdays, 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Fridays – Saturdays, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. & Sundays 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Kitchen closes one hour before the taproom.
- 1525 High Street, Des Moines, IA 50309
Cheekily referred to as Sherman Hill’s Oldest Brewery (it opened in 2019), Lua is a people pleaser’s dream for a night out. Their beer selection stays on top of current trends, with crisp pilsners, thicc (yes, thicc) stouts, punchy sours, and IPAs with resumé-like hop billings. For the less beer-driven, their kitchen may be the real winner. Chef James Arbaugh has you covered for elegantly elevated cozy cuisine. In the warmer seasons, the taproom’s east wall of glass-paneled garage doors opens to a welcoming patio and Des Moines skyline view. There’s a reason the crowd here encompasses millennials, Gen X, some Gen Z, and, okay, a few generally cool boomers: there’s truly something here for everyone.
Try on tap: Frail (English dark mild); Bodysong (Keller pilsner); Charisma Vacuum (seasonal, hazy IPA).
Court Avenue Brewing Company
- Mondays- Thursdays, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m., Fridays, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., Saturdays, 10 a.m. – 11 p.m. & Sundays, 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
- 309 Court Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309
CABCo’s brewing team has put out some truly impressive beer and bottle releases in the last year, and their Mug Club remains a great deal for downtown craft beer enthusiasts, with discounts on your tab, monthly events, and exclusive beer options (they now run a similar Mug Club for root beer drinkers during Downtown Farmer’s Markets!) Not a big beer drinker? Try their Root Down, a surprisingly tasty mix of their housemade root beer and Jagermeister, which can either be shot or sipped.
Try on tap: CABco has got a neat mix of their own beers on tap. Check out the Courthouse Honey Wheat (given their brick and mortar location), the Honest Lawyer IPA (shoutout to downtown DSM law firms), or Cubbie Blue- a fruit beer inspired by blueberries and the good ol’ Iowa Cubs!
Barn Town Brewing
- Mondays – Thursdays, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m., Fridays & Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. & Sundays, 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
- 9500 SE University Ave Suite 1110, West Des Moines, IA 50266
Is it your cheat day? A common Barn Town slogan- this brewery is all things rich, creamy, savory, and so much more. Located on the border of West Des Moines and Waukee, Barn Town serves up some deliciously decadent food along with their brews. Their beers range from sweet mixes of your fav childhood treats like rocket pops, trail mix, pb&j, and candy apples- to some pretty unique beer cocktails. The kitchen whips up a pretty good brunch with fun variations on your fav breakfast foods.
Try on tap: Feeling brave? Barn Town’s “Pickle Tickle” is perfect for our girlies who enjoy the taste of a sour pickle. Even better? It’s gluten-free, too! Barn Town is the best place for those who enjoy a fruity-inspired brew, or anyone feeling daring to try something new!
Entertainment Enjoyers
Flix Brewhouse
- Mondays – Fridays, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. & Saturdays – Sundays, 9 a.m.-2 a.m.
- 3800 Merle Hay Rd., Des Moines, IA 50310
What sets Flix Brewhouse apart is, well, the brewhouse! Brewers Jack Wilson and Lucas Greta locally craft their own inventive and quality lineup beyond Flix’s solid set of “core” beers. While special release beers are limited and change frequently, there’s almost always a dank new IPA on tap, as well as seasonally appropriate styles. Once you grab your beer, you can kick your feet up to view your film of choice thanks to a theater refresh in late 2022 that brought in new leather recliners. Check their website to see showtimes, as well as their monthly slate of “Flix Picks”: throwback films like Mean Girls, Shrek, the Twilight series, and more, played for one night only.
Try on tap: Nebulas (hazy IPA); Ancient Man (seasonal, American barleywine); Cab Sauvolturi (seasonal, red wine barrel aged Belgian tripel, which just brought home a bronze medal at 2023’s NABA International Beer and Cider Awards)
Big Grove Brewery and Taproom
- Open Sunday-Thursday 11 a.m.-10 p.m. (kitchen open 11 a.m.-9 p.m.), Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-midnight (kitchen open 11 a.m.-10 p.m.)
- 555 17th Street, Des Moines, IA 50309
In summer 2022, Big Grove Brewery and Taproom opened their third location in the state in the Sherman Hill neighborhood. While the main attraction for many in the warmer seasons is their vast, tiered patio with plenty of seating and outdoor games, their taproom is also a great spot to meet up with a large group, or catch a game on one of their two large screens. Personally, I think Big Grove’s greatest asset may be their giant pretzel, which is thick, perfectly chewy, and served with your choice of beer cheese or spicy mustard. Lager, IPA, and seltzer lovers will find lots of options on tap. Their barrel-aged beers will also always impress (I still dream of 2022’s rum barrel variant of Barrel-Aged Velvet).
Try on tap: You’ve likely had Easy Eddy (hazy IPA), so get Royal Eddy if you can (seasonal, imperial IPA); Tailwind (seasonal, golden ale tribute to RAGBRAI); Summer Jam (seasonal, fruited Berliner Weisse).
Classic Brewery Fans
515Brewing
- 7700 University Ave Suite C, Clive, IA 50325
- Mondays – Thursdays, 3 p.m. – 9 p.m., Fridays, 3 p.m. – 10 p.m., Saturdays, noon – 10 p.m. & Sundays, 1 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Named after our iconic 515 area code, you can catch this brewery over in Clive, right off of the Clive Greenbelt Trail (for fellow walkers, bikers, and other outdoors-y peeps). Their own handcrafted taps are cheekily-named after DSM notables and other area events. They offer live music on Thursday nights and “Art Nights” on Mondays! Partnering with local DSM shops, their taproom snacks include Thelma’s ice cream sandwiches, cheese boxes from Cheese Shop DSM, and more! 515 has a great mix of outdoor and indoor seating, as well as a great area for bikers to take a break and have a pint.
Try on tap: Check out the “Iowa-rish Man”, an Irish Red Ale made for your average Iowa guy (or gal- we don’t discriminate!). If you want a lil “zing” with your stout, try the “Good Morning DSM”, a pilsner infused with Farmer’s Blend coffee from Pammel Park Roasters in Winterset, IA.
SingleSpeed Brewing
- Mondays – Fridays, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m., Saturdays, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. & Sundays, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- 303 Scott Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309
NEW to the Des Moines metro! SingleSpeed Brewing’s Des Moines taproom is open and bustling with pedestrians, motorists, and cyclists. Located right along the Des Moines River near East Village, their location is near so many walkways and trails for those who prefer to be car-less. Their brews range from pastry sours and New England-style IPAs to lagers and milky stouts. SingleSpeed has a great indoor space and a large outdoor patio, perfect for hosting friends or co-workers.
Try on tap: New this month, try the “With Pride” lemon + pomegranate sour in honor of Pride month! T-Swift fans, get yourself a good pour of their “Lavender Haze” 😉
Exile Brewing Company
- Closed Mondays, Tuesdays – Thursdays, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m., Fridays, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. – 11 p.m. & Sundays, 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
- 1514 Walnut St, Des Moines, IA 50309
Home of the Des Moines classic, “Ruthie”, Exile Brewing has made a name for itself downtown. South of the Pappajohn Sculpture Park, Exile’s sprawling brewpub space remains a good spot to grab a brew and dinner with family and friends. They’re currently the only Des Moines area brewery offering regularly scheduled brewery tours, and for the past couple of years have brought in a fun holiday pop-up bar and brunch concept, SnowGlobe DSM. Be sure to check out other events they host throughout the year, such as live music and nonprofit charity events to 5ks and more!
Try on tap: I mean are you a true Des Moines brewery fan if you haven’t tried “Ruthie”? Check out their other summer drafts such as Tico Time and Gnomey’s Travels. Or, if you aren’t a super big beer fan- Exile offers their own flavored canned vodka sodas!
Twisted Vine Brewery
- Mondays – Thursdays, 3 p.m. – 10 p.m., Fridays & Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. & Sundays, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- 112 SE 4th St, Des Moines, IA 50309
Twisted Vine is located conveniently off of Court Ave. in the East Village (it was originally located just south of Valley West Mall in West Des Moines). Its large, wood beamed taproom and spacious patio make it a great spot for gathering with a group. For classic brewery vibes, Twisted Vine is your place. They offer a regular taproom menu along with guest additions. During the summer, they also host viewing parties of the fireworks from the Iowa Cubs games!
Try on tap: Check out the “First Crush” cider with watermelon-y, bubblegum sweetness that is sure to remind you of your middle school sweetheart. Or, for something a lil more hoppy, try “Bunny Hop Honey Wheat” for a flashback to cozy, wintery vibes.
Iowa has a surprisingly vibrant craft beer scene that’s hard to capture in a single article. We’re excited to bring you more brewery highlights, including a roundup of suburban craft beer options and day/weekend brewery trips. Have a spot you think we simply can’t miss? Click the link below to let us know what breweries we should put “on tap”.
Want more brewery guides?
Check out this bikes+brew simple tour of downtown Des Moines on two wheels.