Millstream Brewing Co. | Amana, IA
Beer Trip: Millstream Brewing Co. in Amana, Iowa
We were lured in by discovering that Millstream Brewing Co. is the oldest brewery in the state of Iowa, and even one of the oldest in the entire country! Once we made the stop, it was easy to see why this place has survived (and thrived) since 1985 and since developed into a fantastic regional brewery.
The Brewery
Pulling into town, we had no idea what the Amana Colonies were. If you have never been, this German community was settled in the mid-1800’s and the district has kept it nearly untouched since. Today it is home to a bustling tourist population boasting numerous shops, wineries, and bed-and-breakfast-style hotels.
Millstream Brewing stays true to these traditional roots and is housed inside one of the city’s older buildings. Walking up you are greeted with an awesome outdoor patio directly in front of the building. Part of the patio is covered via a combination of sun shades and live plants, with the entire space overlooking a small stream (which we are assuming is where the brewery gets its namesake). They even have a few benches located directly on the banks of the stream to provide you with the full outdoor experience.
The indoor bar is where everyone places their order and also features about a half dozen tables in the event the weather isn’t cooperating. The brewery itself is wrapped around each portion of the indoor seating area, with windows letting you see into the action of the brewing process.
The Beer
Millstream has a surprising number of brews for its size, with a menu featuring 18 different beers. A majority of their beer is brewed via traditional European styles, including pilsners, kolsches, wheats, and multiple bocks. With that said, they produce more Americanized IPAs, cream ales, and sours as well. One unique note regarding their beer is that they work with local farmers to send their spent grain to them to feed cattle upon completion of the brewing process. We don’t know about you, but we’d love to be a local cow!
With so many options to choose from, we were only able to sample a few before needing to hit the road. One that stood out was the Twigs and Berries - Blueberry Kolsch. This one had a fantastic blueberry flavor and was very light, making it the perfect drink for a summer afternoon. Another solid option is their Adult Nap Time, which is a porter brewed with pecans. You won’t find a beer like this very often and it gave off a very sweet finish.
Food, Merch, & More
While you won’t find a full food menu at Millstream, they do have locally produced popcorn and pretzel bags for purchase that seemed to be quite the hit. In addition to beer, they produce an extensive lineup of specialty cream sodas available both at the bar and to-go. Speaking of to-go items - Millstream has nearly every one of their draft beers available in 4 or 6-packs ready for you to take home. In addition to drinks, you could also bring home a piece of their merchandise featuring shirts, hats, an extensive glassware line, and multiple tin signs.
Millstream Brewing has a feel unlike any we have encountered before. It fits in perfectly with the community of Amana and has been providing beer lovers an experience to remember for close to 40 years. We hope to return and experience it all over again!
Cheers!
