New on tap is the Bourbon Betty, a Bourbon Black Lager, another brewhouse creation exclusively for the restaurant and brewpub.

Do you remember the Dark Helmet Schwarzbier (AKA Black Lager)? Now, imagine the demented brewhouse staff placing a small portion into a used bourbon cask for aging. I know, I know, holy Tom Jones, Batman! You can leave your hat on while quaffing this delectably smooth lager. With hints of oak, bourbon, caramel, and coffee, this complex libation will satisfy your inner beer aficionado.

Stop in and give it a try!

Currently on tap:
- Dinkey Wheat, Belgian Style Wheat Ale
- Long Face, Amber Ale
- Off KILTer, Scottish Ale
- Clone, Pale Ale
- Sodbuster, Stout Ale
- Gryphonbraü, American Lager
- Red Monkey, Root Beer
- Bourbon Betty, Bourbon Black Lager (brewpub exclusive)
- Reindeer Fuel, Chocolate Porter (seasonal)
Coming soon – Elkman, Milk Stout!

Read about all our brews.

Tell Iowa legislators to support the Iowa Beer Equality Bill (amended version of SF 2091).

Iowa breweries are at a competitive disadvantage because they are prohibited from selling beer above 5% ABW. Out of state breweries are not subject to this restriction and are currently distributing through the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division.

SF 2091 bill was introduced in the Iowa Senate yesterday. An amended version will be presented and voted on in the Senate’s State Government Committee THIS THURSDAY.

Please email the members of the Senate’s State Government Committee TODAY and encourage them to support the amended version of SF 2091. The amended version of SF 2091 will…

• Provide an equal playing field for Iowa breweries and brewpubs to manufacture and sell beer up to 12% ABW just like out of state breweries are already doing in Iowa
• Allow Iowa’s beer wholesalers to distribute all beer up to 12% ABW, rather than the current distribution through the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division

Also help us spread the word by joining the I Support the Iowa Beer Equality Bill group on Facebook. Learn more about all the breweries in Iowa at IowaBeer.org.

Senate’s State Government Committee

Staci Appel (D, District 37), Chair
staci.appel@legis.state.ia.us

John P. (Jack) Kibbie (D, District 4), Vice Chair
john.kibbie@legis.state.ia.us

Randy Feenstra (R, District 2), Ranking Member
randy.feenstra@legis.state.ia.us

Dennis H. Black (D, District 21)
dennis.black@legis.state.ia.us

Thomas G. Courtney (D, District 44)
thomas.courtney@legis.state.ia.us

Jeff Danielson (D, District 10)
jeff.danielson@legis.state.ia.us

Dick L. Dearden (D, District 34)
dick.dearden@legis.state.ia.us

David Hartsuch (R, District 41)
david.hartsuch@legis.state.ia.us

Jack Hatch (D, District 33)
jack.hatch@legis.state.ia.us

Wally E. Horn (D, District 17)
wally.horn@legis.state.ia.us

Pam Jochum (D, District 14)
Pam.Jochum@legis.state.ia.us

James A. Seymour (R, District 28)
james.seymour@legis.state.ia.us

Steven J. Sodders (D, District 22)
steve.sodders@legis.state.ia.us

Ron Wieck (R, District 27)
ron.wieck@legis.state.ia.us

Pairing your favorite dessert with an Olde Main beer is the perfect ending to a meal. Try these pairings this Valentine’s Day or any day to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Dinkey Wheat, Belgian Style Wheat Ale
Named for the train that used to run from downtown Ames to the ISU Campus, the Dinkey Wheat has a flavor derived from coriander, chamomile, and orange peel, making for a unique drinking experience.

Dessert pairings: fresh berries, orange sorbet

Long Face, Amber Ale
A horse walks into a bar and the bartender says, “Why the long face?” An all around easy drinking, tasty beverage with malt and notable caramel flavors balanced by several American hop varieties.

Dessert pairings: crème brulee, banana pound cake

Off KILTer, Scottish Ale
This traditional Scottish Ale has a subdued hop flavor and aroma with a high in malt flavor. Our brew master actually wears a kilt while brewing this ale to achieve maximum Scottish feel and tradition.

Dessert pairings: chocolate chip shortbread, peanut brittle

Clone, American Pale Ale
Simply a “Clone” of an American classic, this American Pale Ale is crisp and clean with a noteworthy hoppy bite. The subtle malt background balances out the refreshing ale.

Dessert pairings: apple tart, spice cake

Sodbuster, Stout Ale
Hearty ale with color and flavors derived from roast, chocolate, and caramel malts. This ale has a complex taste with a rich creamy mouthfeel. The pronounced hop presence balances the deep malt flavors.

Dessert pairings: anything with chocolate, apple pie, ice cream, cheesecake

Gryphonbraü, American Lager
This classic American Lager is very easy drinking, with slight malt sweetness and restrained hop flavor and aroma. This refreshing “anytime beer” finishes clean with no aftertaste.

Dessert pairings: fresh berries, lemon tart

Use our beer finder to find Olde Main beer near you.

We will tap a honey porter firkin on Thursday, January 21 at 6pm at the restaurant and brewpub. It’s the same porter used in the Reindeer Fuel, but without the chocolate. The porter has been infused with honey and has been aging for weeks, which should give it a unique and different kind of sweetness compared to the chocolate in the Reindeer Fuel.

Firkin tappings are free for Olde Main Union Members. You can sign up for membership anytime at the brewery. It’s just $30 to join and includes tons of discounts, a t-shirt, and free bragging rights. Get all the details here.

What’s a firkin you may ask? It’s an old style wooden mini-keg with nine imperial gallons (10.8 US gallons) of delicousity. To tap the firkin we pick one lucky member of the crowd to hammer in the old fashioned tap through a special wooden seal. The firkins are always filled with a one-of-a-kind beer concocted by Olde Main’s brewers. Once it is gone it is lost forever, which could be a few hours or even less.

Check out pictures from the last firkin on our Facebook page.

While you are thinking about delicious Olde Main beers today, be sure to sign up for our monthly e-newsletter, Another Round for special offers, recipes, news, event announcements, and other fun beer stuff.

Iowa Public Radio reports on Iowa brewers efforts to produce gourmet style beers. Current Iowa law prohibits in-state brewers ability to produce beer higher than 5 percent by weight alcohol content. This limits us to the styles of beer we can brew, but people can buy at their local stores from out-of-state breweries. This puts Iowa breweries at a competitive disadvantage.

Olde Main, along with the Iowa Brewers Guild are currently working on a bill to change this law. Listen to the Iowa Public Radio piece featuring Olde Main head brewer Jeff Irvin.

From Iowa Public Radio: “Supporters of the brewery industry in Iowa are pushing for legislative action that would allow pubs to make beer with higher alcohol content. They say such a move would level the competitive playing field between the state’s microbreweries and those in much of the rest of the nation. Rob Dillard prepared this report.” Listen to the report here.

Try out our executive chef Dan Keigley’s recipe for a Scottish Style Pot Roast made with our Off KILTer. The slight smoky roasted and malty flavors of the Off KILTer compliment the roast perfectly for a delicious dish. Give this a try and share your cooking photos and tips with us on Facebook and Twitter.

Scottish Style Pot Roast

• 1 3-4 pound chuck roast
• 1 bottle Off KILTer Scottish Ale
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 4 carrots peeled and cut into ¼ inch slices
• 2 potatoes cut into chunks
• 4 ribs celery rough chopped
• 2 yellow onions diced
• 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
• 1 tablespoon chopped thyme
• 1 64 ounce can beef broth

In a large skillet pour in olive oil at a medium heat, place roast into skillet and brown both sides. Add the bottle of Off KILTer and reduce heat by half. Remove roast and remaining Off KILTer and place into a large roasting pan.

Add remaining ingredients and cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 3 hours.

Remove carrots and potatoes keeping them warm. Remove roast and slice into ¼ inch slices. Place carrots, potatoes and slice roast onto a plate then ladle some of the broth over the top and enjoy!

Download a printable version of the Scottish Style Pot Roast recipe. Search for stores to buy Olde Main beer using our brew finder.

Find additional recipes, cooking tips, and pairing suggestions on our Beer and Food page.

We would like to invite everyone to donate blood next Monday, Dec. 28. The Blood Center of Iowa’s Bloodmobile will be parked behind the restaurant from 9am-Noon. Everyone who registers to donate blood at this special blood drive will receive $2 off lunch and can register to win an Olde Main gift package.

Donating blood takes about an hour and just one donation can help save the lives of up to three different hospital patients. Donations are needed now to maintain an adequate blood supply for local hospitals.

For more information or to schedule an appointment to donate blood, contact Heather Courtney at 515-232-0553, ext. 106 or hcourtney@oldemainbrewing.com. Donors can also schedule a blood donation appointment online at www.bloodcenterofiowa.org or by calling The Blood Center of Iowa at 800-287-4903.

Locally grown whole kernel rye and wheat are featured in our new brew Sir Plus Ale. The pre-prohibition style ale is now on tap and is the featured firkin for Beer Union members tonight.

At the brewpub last year, Puff (Olde Main head brewer) got to talking with local farmer Pete Lawlor of PM Grains about his hobby farm near Polk City. Pete began recycling our empty grain bags to make PM Grains deliveries and started a crop of rye and wheat. After the crop was harvested Pete brought it to Olde Main to be processed for our new beer.

It’s called Sir Plus Ale due to the surplus grains that went into making the brew. Raw rye and wheat make up half of this ale. Add some light base barley malt and a light colored, easy-drinking ale results. The hop aroma comes from a newly released hop called Celeia, a hybrid of an existing variety and a wild Slovenian hop plant. Sir Plus Ale has a light straw color and delightful hop aroma. The taste is very refreshing and light with a gentle smooth bitterness that dances across the palate. They rye and wheat add subtle dimensions to the flavor’s overall character.

Stop in the restaurant and brewpub for a pint or take home a growler.

One word: Chocoliciousness.  Brewed with a healthy dose of chocolate malt, this ale is rich and smooth.   Copious amounts of semi-sweet Bavarian chocolate are then tempered and added to this brew, infusing it with and even more intense chocolate aroma and flavor – perfect for dessert! (or breakfast, or lunch, or a snack…).

Stop by the restaurant and brewpub for a pint or take home a growler.

Beer Union members, mark your calendars for a firkin on Thursday, December 10. More details coming soon.

Currently we have the following on tap:
- Dinkey Wheat, Belgian Style Wheat Ale
- Long Face, Amber Ale
- Off KILTer, Scottish Ale
- Clone, Pale Ale
- Sodbuster, Stout Ale
- Gryphonbraü, American Lager
- Red Monkey, Root Beer
- Dark Helmet, Schwarzbier (brewpub exclusive)
- Reindeer Fuel, Chocolate Porter (seasonal)
Read all about our brews.