Brew Moines Year 2 is off to an impressive start! Over the year, three winners are randomly selected to win a “Brewcation” – a beer-themed getaway. David of Creston, IA, was this year's first winner. He and his wife completed the 16-stop tour in five days while celebrating their 38th wedding anniversary! Read their story below:
How did you hear about the Brew Moines app?
One of my coworkers was talking about his relatives who were using a beer passport app to explore the craft beer scene in Des Moines. I had never heard of Brew Moines before, but once he told me about it, I knew it was something my wife and I had to try!
Tell us about your Brew-venture:
Every year my wife and I take a week off work to spend time together for our anniversary. We were initially planning on visiting Fort Collins, CO, this year to celebrate our 38th anniversary, but once we heard about the Brew Moines app, we decided to stick around and discover more of Des Moines instead. And we’re so glad we did!
We didn't participate in this to win anything, well, I take that back – I was pretty excited about the t-shirt. But we never thought we’d be the Brewcation winners. We did this to have fun. We were just excited for a new experience.
We visited 3-4 breweries a day, so we completed the 16-stop brewery route in five days. We learned so much about the area, and we would never have known about most of these breweries without the app!
What did you do in between brewery stops?
Our kids live around Des Moines, so we visited them. Our kids were the ones who got us into craft beer. Our son started it when he introduced us to microbreweries we immediately fell in love with all the unique varieties of beer. But then our daughter continued it by giving us six-packs with a variety of local beers, and that's how we were able to be exposed to all these beers and discovered which breweries we want to visit.
What did you like most about the Brew Moines app?
We loved how easy the app made everything. It plans your trip for you with all the addresses, mileage, hours, directions - we wouldn't have found The Hall without the app's directions. It was easy and efficient to plan our route.
What was your favorite day of the tour?
One day we did Exile, Peace Tree, and the Iowa Taproom. Those were all so close to each other, and the day was a breeze. We also made a stop at Molly's Cupcakes in between Peace Tree and the Iowa Taproom - we highly recommend that pit-stop!
Do you have any advice for future Brew Moines-ians?
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Eat!
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Enjoy the experience, trust the app – it will take care of all the planning.
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Bring quarters! Since there are a handful of breweries downtown, the quarters come in handy when finding parking.
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Sit at the bar. The bar atmosphere is what made it for us, and we love talking to the bartenders. A few breweries in, we started sitting at the bar, and the bartenders were so friendly. They chatted with us about the area, the history of the brewery, and of course, the beer. The bartenders are what make the Brew Moines experience extra special.
So, what’s next?
Well, we suppose we’re going to do it again! When we come back to Des Moines for our Catch Des Moines Brewcation, we’re going to start from the top, do some Christmas shopping, and see what we missed the first time around. Next year we’re planning on going to Fort Collins, CO – Brew Moines inspired us to create our own coffeeshop tour, but then we’ll have to do the same for Des Moines coffee shops!
Not only does the Brew Moines beer passport app give you the chance to win a Brewcation like David, but it’ll also be your one-stop-shop for all sorts of beer happenings in Greater Des Moines. From special beer releases, deals and discounts, tap lists, and a robust events calendar, Brew Moines has everything that's on tap in the Des Moines beer scene. Start your Brew-venture HERE.