Adventurous Brewing | Bettendorf, IA
Beer Trip: Adventurous Brewing in Bettendorf, Iowa
Having visited several breweries now within the Quad Cities, we have found the area as a whole to be somewhat underrated as a beer destination. While you won’t find a centralized hub of them and the communities don’t boast the total count of breweries like you might hear of in a metropolitan area, the ones they do have are all unique from one another and provide a great experience. Adventurous Brewing in Bettendorf certainly foots that bill with a great atmosphere, friendly service, and numerous beer choices.
The Brewery
Adventurous Brewing is only a block or two from the Mississippi River, located within an old tire or repair shop building. They have a smaller-sized patio with pop-up umbrellas along the front of the space, but contrary to many others, the indoor space seemed like the place to be.
The inside offered tons of natural light, making the lime green of their logo found throughout the space really pop. The entire back wall is a long bar where most people choose to sit, yet they do have plenty of tables and chairs throughout for other seating. The place has a very hip, almost skater-like vibe to it, with its color combinations and elevated volume of rock and pop music playing.
The Beer
During our visit, Adventurous offered 14 different brews to choose from. The bartender informed us that every tap is rotated as it runs out; however, they do bring back some of the favorites every few batches. Upon looking at the menu, it was easy to see that IPAs were their top style as they occupied half the list. We were advised, though, that sours were quickly climbing the list in popularity. Completing the draft board was an Imperial stout, pilsner, and a red ale.
One might ask - “How can you have so many different IPAs?” Adventurous has a lineup called Easy Peel, a base IPA recipe that uses differing hops in each batch to create varied flavor profiles. During this visit, they had 4 different types, which we thought could be fun to try all in a flight and pick out the differences.
We were only able to sample a few beers on this visit, but there were a couple worth noting should they be on the menu again if you make the trip - the first being the Summer Slacking. This sour made it easy to see why Adventurous is becoming known for sours - it was one of the sweetest sours we’ve ever had (so you probably don’t want more than one) but provided an awesome, creamy pineapple taste. The bartender actually told us that some people mix a shot of rum in this to create a cocktail. The other brew that stood out happened to be an Easy Peel option, this one titled TDH Citra. This dry-hopped ale utilizes a high amount of citra hops to give you a juicy, citrus flavor. You do need to be careful with having too many of these though, as they pack a stout 8% ABV.
Food, Merch, & More
While we recommend the beer, you can also get a cocktail, glass of wine, or a house-made seltzer or cider here. Adventurous doesn’t have a full kitchen, but you can purchase specialty pretzels or peanuts, chips, jerky, or even let them make you a local frozen pizza.
As far as merchandise goes, they have an extensive selection for a brewery of this size. You can buy a shirt, hat, glassware, Yeti cup, tin sign, or even a tap handle (which we got lured into bringing home).
Adventurous Brewing has everything you would want in a local brewery. If you find yourself in the Quad Cities, this place should definitely be on your short list of places to experience.
Cheers!
