BIKEIOWA loves this new location in the East Village. The same folks who own the world-famous and bicycle-friendly
el Bait Shop
also own the Iowa Taproom. This vision has been in the works for a few
years, and in March of 2016, the Iowa Taproom opened its doors. If you
are in town, you gotta try this place!
About The Iowa Taproom
The
Iowa Taproom supports the growing tradition of diversity, creativity
and excellence in Iowa beer. We also celebrate all of Iowa, from
the farms to small towns and larger cities. We salute the famous Iowa
work ethic and seek to honor our state’s heritage through reuse of
historic materials in our décor, including our 1880s bar-top salvaged
from a bar in Jewell, reclaimed barn wood, historic signs, grain bins,
machinery parts, salvaged furniture and more.
It's
a beer hall-style setting with Iowa products that have been brewed,
baked, fermented, smoked, raised, cooked & packaged in the state.
Beer Menu
All
Iowa beers. Over 30 breweries are represented with another 30 that they
are looking at bringing in. As of June 28th 2016, there were 108 beer
on tap with 13 "coming soon" beers.Every week the beer menu changes.In another year, Jeff Bruning, craft beer guru and one of the owners, plans to have 160 beers on tap.
Can't
decide? Try a beer flight, starting at $10 for route 6 oz. samples or
tell our bartenders what you like and they will make a recommendation.
The beers tappers are housed in a Sukup grain bin which is made in Sheffield Iowa..
Food
The Iowa Taproom's food is showcased just as tasteful as the Iowa beer selection.
Appetizers like Taproom poppers to cheese steak egg rolls, Iowa Ham balls and fried cheese curds will start you off.
Want something light? - Try a salad (Southwest, Cobb, Asian or Caesar) or a cup of soup.
Wings - Lots of flavors - 9 flavors
14 sandwiches
grace the menu.Honey Sriracha Chicken, Grazi Melt, The Iowan, BBQ
Meatloaf and the Over The Top Grilled Cheese are just a few to try.
Entrees - The Meatloaf is AWESOME! Try the Hunter's Chicken, BBQ Rack of Ribs, or the juicy Iowa Chop.
Burgers - The Maytag, The Vamper, BBQ Bacon, Peanut Butter, the Morning Farm and the All American are all worthy!
Don't leave without dessert - The Capitol Pie, Chocolate Brownie Cake, Strawberry Rhubarb Pie and others will seal that meal with a little sweetness.
Hours
Sun – Tues: 11am – Midnight
Wed – Sat: 11am – 2am
(kitchen closes at Midnight)
The Building
The
Iowa Taproom building’s history stretches back to 1882, when Iowa
itself was just 36 years old. Its legacy includes Jaeger Manufacturing
which made commercial store fixtures. From 1916 to 1930 it was home to
Hawkeye Cord Tire Company, the first company in Iowa and among the first
west of Ohio to produce automotive tires.
The
building also was home to Beal’s Lithography and Printing Company which
produced morale-boosting printed matter during World War II. Beal’s was
the only company in America that specialized in the production of
postcards celebrating the contributions of the Women’s Army Corps
(WACs).
From
1936 to 1949, the north half of the building served as a warehouse for
Old Style Lager. In 1949, a major fire destroyed the north half of the
building. It was rebuilt in 1952 and hosted businesses in the
wholesale/retail trade through 1969 before returning to the printing and
lithography fold in 1974.
Dilley
Manufacturing Company owned the building from 1971 to 2014 where it
printed products including book covers and binders. In 2014, Christensen
Development purchased and began renovations to the building, setting
the stage for the Iowa Taproom location. The Iowa Taproom began
construction in 2015 and opened the first week of March in 2016.
Bicycle Friendly
The
Iowa Taproom is no different than the other establishments that Bruno
owns. They are all bicycle-friendly. They have bike racks close to the
windows and you can walk in with bike shorts and not feel out of place. a
rear bike parking area is in the plans with a backroom bar to serve
cyclists.
Located in the East Village, there are bike lanes and bike trails nearby as well as many of the city's other amenities.